Page 215 of Speechless
I saw the words land. The pain. I took no pleasure in hurting him, nor was I going to pull my punches when it came to this. “You didn’t see it because you didn’t want to see it. That same day, when we ‘met’ Trinity out at the pool? She left the minute Val and the others came outside. You said yourself that she never talks about them. And it takes no skill at all to look at them and see the way they treat her. We saw it and we didn’t even know her yet.
“I’m not saying this to be cruel. I’m telling you because they might have been the ones who abused Trinity, but you’re part of it too. You left her behind so many times she assumed what Val said was correct. That you didn’t want her, even if you loved her.
“You didn’t see it because you didn’t care to look.”
Tears filled his eyes. “I’ve always wanted her. Nothing you said is untrue. I—” He shook his head. “I never knew I could look back on my life and see it in an entirely different light. I’m a fucking photographer. Perspective is literally my job, and somehow I didn’t think to look from hers.
“Trinity kept her distance after she moved out. I thought she had herown life and wanted her freedom as much as I enjoyed mine. Fuck, I even resented her a little for pulling so far away. And now I know why.” His voice broke. “I don’t know how she can even look at me.”
Val and Paige shoved back through the door under Aiden’s watchful eye for another load of their bullshit.
“Trinity loves you,” I told him. “She really does. That’s what Val used to control her. How much she loved you and didn’t want to hurt you. And she knows that you love her. Just not enough.”
“Fuck.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t know what to do. What the hell do I do? There’s so much, I can’t even see a way to start fixing it.”
“Listening would be a good start. As long as she needs you to, and no matter how hard it is to hear. Take it from me, it’s not an easy thing to sit through.”
He nodded. I turned to go back inside and had one more thought. “It also has to come from you.”
“What does?”
“Everything. It’s not Trinity’s job to fix this for you. It’s not her job to reach out or make you feel better about what’s happened. I love your daughter very much, and I will stand behind whatever she needs, but I will not allow her to manage your emotions. You want to fix it? Own the fact that you fucked up and do the work. And frankly, I really shouldn’t have to tell you that.”
Shame flooded his face. He looked at the ground. “I know.”
“I’ll be out there with her when you’re ready.”
Bastian was posted at the bottom of the stairs, I assumed to make sure they went where they were supposed to and not into other areas of the house. Now that I could feel echoes of the others through our bonds with Rin—which was reallyfuckingweird, but also cool—I felt that he held just as much molten anger as I did. As we all did.
Trinity felt calmer now. I found her curled up in Theo’s lap with a mug of tea that was about the size of her face. “They’re almost out.”
“Good riddance,” my mother said. “We were civil, but I know they weren’t fans of mine either. Neither of us was looking forward to cohabitating.” She leaned back and looked at the house. “It might be a good time to start fresh where that’s concerned.”
A flash of hope burst through Rin. I wanted that for her. If Cecil did what he could to fix everything, and I believed he would, my Omega deserved a place she could visit her father without being constantly triggered.
“That’s an amazing idea,” I said, pulling up a chair. “Plus, I don’t know that you and Cecil needquitethis much space. Especially if you’ll still be traveling.”
“We might be, but not for a bit. Until after the wedding at least.”
Mom glanced at me with a smile that I returned. I knew my mother well enough to know that her comment was meant to soothe Trinity.Her dad wasn’t going anywhere for a while. There would be a chance to heal.
It wasn’t long before Cecil, Aiden, and Bastian joined the rest of us.
“They’re gone,” Cecil said. “They won’t be back. If they want any of the shit they left, I’ll ship it to them. And I’ll be speaking to a lawyer to see just how many charges I can press.”
Trinity looked at him in surprise and a little awe. “Doesn’t it hurt?” She asked. “They’re your pack.”
“Theyweremy pack. Biology isn’t everything. Just because our instincts recognize something doesn’t always make it right. And it certainly doesn’t excuse what they’ve done. I have Liz. I have you. I have your mates. My life won’t be missing anything because they’re gone.” He sighed and sat in the chair next to Mom. “To answer your question, yes. It does hurt. It will take a while to make sense here.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “But it hurts even more that they could feelthisand do that to you.”
Liz stood. “I think I’ll finish making dinner. Boys?”
I was watching Rin. She bit her lip, her fingers tapped her legs, and her bond jangled with nerves even on Theo’s lap. “If Trinity’s okay with it, I’d like to stay.”
She nodded. “Yes, please.”
Everyone else stood and made their way toward the house, our pack kissing or touching our Omega when they could. I moved over next to her.
The silence was deafening.
