Redeem Me (Kin #6)(46)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“I didn’t,” I quietly sobbed. “I swear. I don’t know how he found me.”

“It doesn’t matter. All I care about is gettin’ you home.”

“That’s why I’m calling. You can’t come, Parker. He’s threatening to ruin your football chances. I can’t let you take that chance.” God, it hurt me so much to tell him to stay away.

“Cam, I don’t care about football.”

“Yes you do,” I calmly argued. “This is your future.”

“You’re my future. Don’t you get that. I don’t want any of it without you. God, I thought you left me today. I felt like I’d ruined everything.”

“I walked away because I wanted time, not because I wanted to walk away from what we had. My dad showed up and it all happened so fast. He threatened to report my car stolen. He said he’d somehow dropped it off at the frat house, and that with the amount of your fingerprints he’d be able to have you locked up. I won’t let him have you arrested for grand theft.”

“Fuck him. I’m comin’ to get you. We’ll get through all of this together.”

“Parker, please calm down. I have a plan, but it’s going to take time. I need you to trust me. In the meantime I can call you from this phone. I climbed up in the attic through my closet and found it.” I was actually proud of myself for figuring out a way to communicate with him.

“I don’t like this, Cam. You belong here with me. We’ve got issues that we need to resolve.”

“I know. We will, I promise.”

I heard his voice changing on the other end of the call. “I deserve this, Cam. I deserve all of it.” Parker had begun to cry. I could feel his pain radiating through the phone. “I wasn’t ready to be a father. We spent one drunk night together, and neither of us even remembered the details of it. I didn’t like her, and she didn’t like me. It was a terrible mistake, I swear.”

“You don’t have to explain.” His pain was making me get choked up. “We can talk about this later.”

“No. You need to hear it now. I can’t spend another second livin’ with this guilt.” He sniffled before continuing. “I didn’t want to believe that she was pregnant. At first I pretended it wasn’t happenin’. She wanted to get with Ford, and told everyone he was the father. It worked for a while, so I put it out of my mind. Then Shayne came to visit me at college. He knew the truth, and it pissed me off. I wasn’t willing to give up my life for one night.” He paused and I heard him breaking down. I wanted nothing more than to hold him in my arms as he told me the story. “I was a shitty person back then, Cam. I made my brother and Ashley’s life hell. I caused them problems, and almost allowed my actions to prevent both of them from raisin’ the twins. After makin’ everyone hate me, I knew it was best to sign over rights to them. Shayne wanted to raise them as his own, and I wasn’t in any way prepared to be a parent to two children. I thought I’d made the right choice. I love my brother, and I know he’s a great dad. I’m okay bein’ their uncle, but it hurts so much. It’s f**kin’ rippin’ me apart inside. From the moment I found out about you bein’ pregnant it’s been killin’ me. Our child will have a brother and sister that they’ll never know about. They’ll grow up bein’ cousins instead. I hate it. I hate what I’ve done, and I know there’s no way to take it back. It’s my burden alone. Ash and Shayne have each other. They get to be with my kids. Shayne gets to hold them, and hear them call him dad. I’ll never have that with them. I’ll never f**kin’ have that.” He sobbed, harder and harder until I couldn’t understand anything he was saying. I felt so worthless to not be able to be there for him.

This wasn’t the way I thought I’d feel during this talk. I thought I’d be reluctant to give him the benefit of the doubt, but this was horrible. Parker was torn apart. The secret wasn’t just to protect his brother’s family, it was to protect Parker’s own sanity. Sure, at first he wasn’t ready to be a parent. Maybe he still wasn’t, but at least he was able to talk about it. “I’m so sorry, Parker. I had no idea.”

“Nobody does. Hell, I just realized it myself. I’ve been in denial. I mean, I know my brother is a great dad. It helped for a while, but now it’s clear. I f**ked up. What’s done is done. Now I’m worried that I won’t get to know this child. Cam, I can’t handle that. I need you here with me. I need to be there for this pregnancy, the delivery, even the creepy disgusting parts. I don’t want to miss a minute. Please, say you understand.”

“I do.” I was just too concerned about my ass**le father. “I also can’t have you in trouble with the law.”

“Marry me, Cameron. I’ve asked you before, but I’m askin’ you again now. If we’re legally wed they can’t say shit. Run away with me and become my wife. We’ll get through it as a team.”

“I told you before, and I’ll tell you now. Yes, I’ll marry you, Parker Hutchinson. I’d love to be your wife.”

“I’m comin’ for you, babe. Hang tight. I don’t give a shit if I have to climb up a ladder to rescue your ass. We’re gettin’ you out of that prison once and for all.”

“You should come while it’s dark. They’ll see you if it’s morning.” I was already preparing to leave.

“Just so you know, I was serious about the football thing. It’s nothin’ without you in my life. I mean that. We’ll figure it all out. If I’ve got to take over my dad’s shop than I will. Nothin’s goin’ to stop us.”

Parker was on his way as soon as we’d hung up the phone. I pulled out the note that I was no longer going to have to send him.

With shaky hands I wrote one to my parents. This was the last time they’d hear from me. My mind was already made up. They’d never been loving to me, and so I knew they’d have nothing to offer my child. They were both too narcissistic to care about someone other than themselves. My baby wouldn’t know that kind of selfishness.

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Hynson:

I regret to inform you that I’ll no longer be needing a room at your residence. Though I appreciate the education you’ve provided me with, I’m unable to continue with the goals you’ve set in place. I’ve been treated like a possession for entirely too long.