Risking Fate (Mitchell Family #4)(79)
Author: Jennifer Foor

I stared at the envelope and tears filled my eyes. Conner pulled me into his arms. “Why are you cryin’, Darlin’? This is what you wanted, isn’t it?”

It was what I wanted. In fact, it was all I ever wanted, but I knew someone who wanted it even more. “You don’t understand, Conner. Everything that Ty did for this to happen, everything we went through, he thinks it was for nothin’. He risked our marriage and we went through Hell over it. This envelope means it wasn’t for nothin’, Conner. I hate what he did, but this changes everything. It was never about sex or him wantin’ someone else, it was all for her, it was always for her.”

“Of course it was. Did you actually think he would have gone to that girl, if it wasn’t about his daughter? You know I never wanted you to be with Ty, but that man loves you. I knew from the beginning that he couldn’t have wanted to cheat on you.”

I looked up at my brother and sat down the envelope. “What do you mean, you knew from the beginning?”

He smacked himself in the side of the head. “Ah, shit, Miranda. I didn’t want you knowin’ that I knew. He didn’t want to go there at all, you know that. When he asked me to hit him that night, I demanded an explanation. I had no idea that you two were plannin’ somethin’ so stupid, but I understood how important it was for you to protect Bella from that stupid bitch.” Conner looked down and shook his head. “I told him to do whatever he had to do to save his daughter, but he said he couldn’t do that. He said she made him sick. So, when he called me later that night freakin’ out, I helped him get calmed down. Miranda, he didn’t remember anything and from the very beginning, I knew he was drugged. Do you really think Ty would come to me if he’d just voluntarily cheated on my sister. He knew I’d kill him. Look, I’m sorry for lyin’ to you, but he was set up and I knew if you knew the truth, you would leave him and break up your family.”

I pushed my brother clear across the room and when he came back at me with open arms, I smacked him in his face. “How could you keep that from me? How could you do that, Conner?”

“Because I knew how much it would hurt you and how much it was tearing him apart. I did it for your marriage.”

I pointed to the door. “Get out of my house! Just get the hell away from me.”

I knew that my brother knew, but I didn’t know he was a part of it from the beginning. All that time, he knew Ty’s secret and never said one word to me. I couldn’t believe he would keep something like that from me. Without even thinking, I called Ty at work. Ever since he’d gone back, his phone stayed in his pocket.

Hey, Baby, is everything okay?

No, it’s not!

Are the kids alright? Are you okay? Do you need me to come home?

Yeah, Ty, I really do. The kids are fine and physically I’m fine too.

What’s……hold on…your brother is calling me now. What the hell is going on?

Maybe you should just let him explain. Then when you get home, you can explain to me why you protected him.

Is this about Amy?

Amy? What about Amy?

Fuck. Never mind.

No what about Amy? You better start talkin’ or I swear you will not touch me again.

Don’t threaten me with that shit, because he asked me to keep a secret. What is going on with you?

Screw you both! I hung up the phone and ran my hands into my hair. I was over the whole Ty and Heather situation as far as what happened between them, but this opened up a new can of worms for me. My brother knew and Ty never told me.

For the next hour, I kept myself busy scrubbing all of the bathrooms in the house. I found when I was frustrated, I cleaned up a storm. The boys finally woke up from their nap and I watched television while I fed them.

Since it was summer, we had enrolled Bella in an all-day bible camp that his mother ran. It was three days a week for a whole month and she loved seeing some of her friends from school. She came flying in the door carrying all kinds of crafts she’s made. “Mommy, guess what?”

“Shhh, Jax is sleepin’.”

She looked at her brother who was sitting in his chair sound asleep. “Sorry,” she whispered. “I won the prize in the treasure chest today for being the best behaved this week. Look what I picked.” She handed me a plastic necklace with a duck charm on it. “I want Uncle Conner to have it.”

I tried to hold in my anger when she said his name. She loved her uncle and it was so nice she thought of him. “I’m sure he will like it.”

“Can I go out and look for him?”

“Did you see Poppy outside?” She wasn’t walking around the farm without an adult. Sure, she was basically five, but still too young to walk around a dangerous farm. My daughter was too curious to stay out of harm’s way.

“He went inside with Mimi. They had to get in the attic.”

“Why?” It sounded funny.

“Cause Mimi said so.”

She obviously didn’t know why they were in the attic, so I just dropped it. “Just wait till Daddy gets home.”

I no sooner said his name when I heard the door open and keys hit the counter. “Daddy.” Bella went running toward the door and I didn’t have to turn around to know she was already in his arms. It was a daily routine for them.

“Hey, Sweetie. Did you have a good time at church?”

“Yes, but Ben kept taking my crayons.”

“That’s because you’re so cute, he likes getting your attention.” Ty carried her to the living room and sat her down in front of me. He looked down at a sleeping Jax and a very awake, still nursing Jake, and smiled.

“Boys are stupid!”

Ty leaned down to kiss me and I moved my lips away so he had to kiss my cheek. He pulled away and shook his head, knowing he was on my shit list.

Ignoring my attitude toward him, he turned his attention back to our daughter. “I’m a boy. Your brothers are boys. Noah is a boy. Do you think we’re stupid?”

“No, but you’re my family. Just other boys are stupid.”

He pulled her onto his lap and kissed her all over the face. “You keep thinking that way, Iz and Daddy will never have to use that shotgun on anything but a deer. She didn’t understand him, but laughed anyway. “Why don’t you go clean up your room since everyone’s coming for your party.”

“But I don’t want to.” She stuck out her little bottom lip to try and manipulate her father.