Unwanted Heat

Estelle doesn’t respond, but the look on her face is anything but surprise, and I immediately realize without a doubt that she knew how they were living. My stomach revolts with the idea that this woman allowed her own flesh and blood to live in the conditions that Kenzie has shared with me. I may not know everything, but I know enough that anyone who had seen where she lived should have stepped in and done something about it. Instead, she allowed her granddaughter to suffer at the hands of her drunk mother and the various men she allowed into her home.

“You knew, didn’t you?” I ask, Estelle immediately looks away, confirming what I already knew.

“You knew?!?!?” Kenzie exclaims. “All those years of living in different shitholes with little food, sometimes no heat or electric, with all those… men… you knew?”

“From time to time, I would I hire a PI to check in on you both. I knew the conditions my daughter was living in-”

“And you didn’t think to do anything about it? Hell, you could have at least called child protective services who would have done something!”

“Your mother made her choice, it was her life to live.”

“But it wasn’t my choice! I didn’t have a choice in how I lived!”

“Again, Mackenzie you are being so dramatic,” Estelle sighs heavily, shaking her head.

“Estelle, ENOUGH!” Donald speaks up. “Mrs. Parker, is there anything else you would like to know? Do you have any other questions you would like answered?”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“No, I’m finished here,” Kenzie says firmly.

“Mr. Parker, I would like to thank you for your time tonight,” Donald shakes my hand with a look of determination on his face. “If you don’t mind, I would like to reach out to you sometime next week to discuss PFS’s proposal-”

“Donald, with all due respect, my decision from earlier remains. PFS will not be associated with individuals who abused children.”

“Abuse? I never-”

“Shut up, Estelle!” Donald snaps. “I completely understand and assure you, that when I speak with you again, I will no longer be associated with a child abuser. I still think PFS is the best option-” “What are you saying?” Estelle gasps.

“I told you to keep quiet! If you won’t listen, and you want to further air your dirty laundry in front of these lovely people, then so be it. I have already contacted my attorney to begin divorce proceedings-”

“DIVORCE!?!?! Because of what this little BITCH is saying, you’re going to divorce me? You’re going-”

“You need to listen to your husband and shut up, Estelle, before I have my team physically remove you from this room. I have listened to you long enough today; I will not continue to allow you to put down my wife. She is a wonderful, beautiful person who has done nothing wrong in her entire life. She never deserved the life her mother gave her nor did she deserve the life that you gave her-”

“I gave her everything she needed! She went to one of the best high schools, attended college, she had a roof over her head and three meals to eat every day!”

“A child deserves more than to be treated like a prisoner! You made her sleep in a god damn closet, even though you had plenty of guest bedrooms she could have slept in. You left more scars on her than her fucking abusive ex did, even though you were her flesh and blood! Don’t you dare try to stand here and pretend you gave her the perfect life that she deserved,” I’m livid, utterly and completely livid. How dare this woman try to justify what she did.

“Nicholas, I’d like to leave now,” Kenzie says.

“Of course, baby,” with a protective arm around her waist, I lead her to the door where Carter is waiting for us. I have to give the man credit, he no doubt overheard everything, yet his face remains as passive as it always is. The only sign that anything is getting to him is his clenched fists by his side.

“You can’t divorce me, Donald! You can’t! I’ll have nothing-” I hear Estelle beg as we walk out of the meeting room before the door closes firmly behind us.

The car ride and subsequent elevator ride are quiet. Kenzie doesn’t say a word but leans against me with her head on my chest letting me simply hold her. I feel like I should say something, that I need to say something, but I have no idea what to say. Although, I could care less about Carter and Hunter being here with us, I know she wouldn’t want to talk about anything with them here. When the elevator doors open, she allows me to guide her down the hall as she leans on me. A nod to Jacobs confirms the room is secure, within minutes we are alone in the room.

“Kenzie… I’m so sorry how tonight ended up. I never expected Estelle to have been there-”

“It’s not your fault,” she walks to kitchen and helps herself to another glass of wine. “Actually, even though tonight was nothing what I expected, I’m still glad we came.”

“Really?”

“I learned so much tonight: my father’s name, how my parents met, what really happened to him. And maybe, if what my mother told her was true, a glimpse of the type of man he was. I didn’t know anything about him before tonight.”

“I’ve requested a background check on him, so we should have more information by morning-”

“Really? We’ll know more about him that fast?”

“Basic information, who his parents are, whether or not he had any family, that sort of thing. A more in-depth report will be available in fortyeight hours. It’s not much, but it might help… you know more about the type of man he was.”

“Thank you, Nicholas.”

“Of course,” I wrap my arms around her and pull her close so her head is on my chest. Her arms automatically wrap around my waist, anchoring me to her.

“Nicholas?”

“Hmmmm?”

“I’d like you to take me out of this dress now,” she whispers so quietly, I’m forced to ask myself whether or not I heard her correctly. It only takes a split second for me to remember her promise earlier in the evening, when I asked her why we were even leaving the room when she looked as beautiful and sexy as she does right now.

“Kenzie,” I sigh letting my hands run over the silk fabric that hugs her curves so perfectly. “Baby… you’ve had a rough night and you drank quite a bit… we don’t need to do this-”

“I’m not drunk, I know exactly what I’m doing right now. I need… I need you to make me feel better; I need for you to erase everything that seeing her reminded me of tonight. Please, Nicholas… I need you.”