Page 84 of Resisting His Charm
Tomorrow. I’m going to bring justice to this town, to the many women who have suffered at Daniel’s hands, because I know I’m not the only one.
I’m just the only one who got a gift out of the torture. Poppy. I wouldn’t take it back, because I got her. John and I thought we would never have kids. He thinks Poppy is our miracle, and I’m going to make sure he continues to think that way.
I look up at Poppy, and my stomach drops. What the fuck am I reading?
Anger takes over me. Anger for her mother, for Poppy having to find this out. Standing, I pull the gun from my side and aim it right at Jaxson’s head. “Did you know?”
I don’t have to say a word before my cousin and uncle are both pointing their weapons too, one at Jaxson, the other at Joel.
Jaxson doesn’t flinch. “Know what?”
“Who is Daniel Kestral?” I grunt.
“My father,” he says, which is exactly who I thought he was.
“Did you know he was alsoherfather?” I nod to Poppy, who is still crying.
“What? That’s ridiculous.” Jaxson shakes his head.
Poppy stands. “Jaxson, you really didn’t know?”
“What are you talking about?” he asks.
“It’s written here.” Poppy hands her cousin the book. “My mom was trying to put your father away.”
“There’s no way that’s true. You’re our cousin, not our sister,” Joel says. “Uncle John was your father, Poppy.”
Jaxson’s face pales as he reads the journal. “What the fuck?” he hisses out. “I’m going to fucking kill him.”
“What? No, you can’t believe that, Jaxson. Dad wouldn’t do that.”
“He would,” Jaxson says. “I’ve seen him. When I was thirteen, I saw him with a woman. He said it was a game theyplayed. It wasn’t. He raped her, and then I just never saw her in town again.”
Joel looks from his brother to Poppy.
“Poppy, there is no way I would have let you stay under the same roof as that asshole if I thought he would do something like that to family. Did he… He never… to you, did he?” Jaxson asks.
“No.” Poppy shakes her head. “He was always so nice to me.”
“Where is he now?” I glare at Jaxson.
“In a nursing home.”
“Actually, he’s right here.” My mom’s voice has me spinning around. She’s standing in the doorway with an older man in a wheelchair.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Ithink I’m going to be sick. My uncle is here. He… What he did to my mom…
I bolt up from the ground and run out of the room. I don’t stop until I reach the bathroom. Falling to the floor, I lean over the toilet and empty the contents of my stomach.Oh god, this is not happening.
Someone sits behind me and brushes my hair away from my face. Sammie. “It’s okay,” he says.
“Everything I thought I knew… was a lie.”
“No, it wasn’t,” he tells me.
“My dad wasn’t even my dad, Sammie.” I choke out a sob.
