Free Vengeance (Oak Grove Suspense Book 1) by Reese A Stephens Page B

him I understood he didn’t want Ryan to know and that was fine, I was engaged, and I didn’t want anything. I just thought you should at least know your dad. He told me Ryan couldn’t be reached and if I tried to call him again or contact Ryan, he’d press charges for harassment. I should have kept trying, but I didn’t want to cause problems.”
    I stare at her for a long while. I’m not sure why she never mentioned any of this, but then again, she didn't tell me about my dad’s involvement until we saw each other. She’s always trying to protect me, crazy girl. She looks at me concerned.
    “I’m not mad at you. I’m upset with my dad more than I can explain, but he’s not here anymore. I’d like to put all this behind us and move forward. A lot of mistakes were made, but they were made in the effort to protect those we love. Let’s just vow from this point forward, that the three of us are a team, even if we aren’t dating, Shayla.  The three of us talk about everything, no secrets.”
    They both agree. I pull them into a family hug. That’s what we are, no matter what. The drive to my mom’s is full of happy chatter. I tell Dylan a few silly stories about his mom, teasing her. She laughs, but for the most part, lets us talk. I squeeze her hand as I pull into the drive of my family home. I know there’s nothing for her to worry about, but I can tell she’s nervous. 
    “Oh, my goodness!” My mom squeals from the porch steps. She pulls Shayla and Dylan into her arms.
    I chuckle. “Let them breathe, Mom.”
    “Sorry, I just … oh, look at you. You look more like your dad in person.” She pats Dylan’s face. “Come in. My manners are out the window. Have a seat. I’ll get us something to drink.”
    “I’ve got it, Mom,” my sister, Alaina, says, setting a tray of drinking glasses with a pitcher of iced tea on the coffee table. “Hi, I’m your Aunt Alaina, but everyone calls me Laney.”
    She smiles at Dylan and then looks at Shay. She and Shayla used to be friends, not like Shay and I were, but they’re the same age and had several classes together in school.
    “Shay,” she greets her with a warm smile.
    “Hey, Laney.”
    It doesn’t take long for us to get settled in or for my mom to drag out the photo albums from my youth. There’s tons of Shayla as well. The fear I’d seen in Dylan’s eyes on the ride over is replaced with laughter and contentment. The easy acceptance of my mom and sister has done that for him.
    I look over to Shay. She’s been quiet most of the time. She’s answered questions and laughed, but I can tell she’s a bit distant. As Dylan is looking at pictures from right around the time he was conceived, she excuses herself to the bathroom. She’s gone so long, that I go to check on her.
    “Shay?” I say, knocking on the door.
    “Sorry, be out in a minute.”
    I can tell she’s been crying. I twist the knob, finding it unlocked. I slowly push it open, giving her a chance to deny me. She doesn't. I find her sitting on the side of the bathtub, tissue in hand.
    “Hey, what’s wrong?” I ask, kneeling down in front of her.
    “I’m a horrible person. I kept him from his family.”
    Frowning, I push her hair back so I can see her face. “You’re not horrible. We both made mistakes. You can’t shoulder all the blame.”
    “You should hate me. I kept your son from you, your mom, and your whole family. I was selfish.”
    “You were scared, that’s not being selfish. You thought something horrible would happen to me, so you protected me. That’s not being selfish.” I snort and shake my head. “If anyone’s at fault, it’s me. If I wasn’t so hardheaded and would have let you talk when you called, I would have known. I don’t know what would have happened, but it would have been worth it.”
    “Not if you were in jail or labeled a sex offender. That’s what would have happened. Even if you didn’t go to jail, you’d be considered a sex offender