Redemption (The Bet) (21 page)

"No you're not, but you are an adult and as such I expected you to
have a little more tact. My God Gabe, what the hell is Ellie going to say when her daughter goes home more upset than when she came?"

"She needed to hear the truth." He said with resolve. "Ellie is tiptoeing around the issue,
 you think she's just being a kid, I'm the only one smart enough to tell her how it is, no matter how painful."

"Are you listening to yourself? What you just did wasn't smart Gabe, it was dumb and careless." Ronnie pushed a wriggling Sabrina further up her hip.
"You're not helping anyone. Stop letting your hatred for Nicholas blind you to what's important. Slandering his name will only make Sophie defend him even more. You can be so insensitive sometimes." She walked away, her disappointment tolled like the bells of Notre Dame in Gabe's ears.

Sitting alone with
nothing else but his thoughts for company, Gabe was forced to admit that maybe he'd been a little too harsh with Sophie and that maybe he could've chosen a nicer way to phrase how big of a bastard Nicholas. How allowing him back into their lives, would inevitably bring about problems that none of them were ready to deal with again.

He
was big enough to admit that he could've used a little more tact, but the sentiments and where they had come from were mean and unforgiving. Gabe was not ready to abandon his hatred of the man who had ridden roughshod over Ellie's emotions and almost killed her in the process. That sort of cruelty was not something easily forgotten or easily forgiven. Because of Nicholas, Ellie's life had almost been forfeited.

Nicholas deserved to pay,
pay with his life it there was any sort of justice left in the world. Too bad it was frowned upon to take justice into one's hands. Otherwise, Nicholas would've been dead long before his cock twitched at the sight of Ellie.

With a resigned sigh Gabe slapped his hands on his denim clad thighs and stood.

It was time to form a game plan and do some major ass kissing. He'd be lucky if he got to sleep on the same bed tonight and if he did, he'd probably have to sleep with one eye open. Ronnie tended to be very vengeful when slighted.

~*
~*~*~

She felt like she was fighting a losing battle. One that even her family didn't want her to win. It was as aggravating as it disheartening and not for the first time since embarking on this futile mission did Sophie not wonder whether it was worth all the trouble. Was a reunion with a man who everyone believed far beyond redemption something she wanted to inflict on her mother? After all the pai
n she'd seemingly gone through?

Mom had told her over and over again that she didn't want Nicholas Grayson back in their lives. She'd gone so far as to beg and threaten Sophie to leave well enough alone and now her godfather was involved.

The words he had spoken had only fueled Sophie's anger because somewhere deep, where logic governed and doubts festered, she feared that those harsh words could be true. Really, what did she  know about Nicholas, except that he'd been a nice guy who had stayed up on nights and built her skyscrapers made of Legos? Or that he'd been very kind and sweet when she'd been around him?

Sure the guy had been the epitome of what Sophie wished for in a father, but was that truly who he was? Or was there a sinister man hidden far beneath the surface, who only came out when he was around her Mom?

She didn't know Nicholas. Sophie didn't know what he'd done in that past and she didn't know what he was capable of now. What she did know was that the Nicholas now, the Nicholas who had covered for her yesterday, the Nicholas who had confessed in his town car on the way to Sophie's house, that there wasn't a day in his life that he didn't regret what he'd done, was the Nicholas Sophie put faith in. Because despite all his wrongs, Nicholas really wanted to be a good person, Sophie saw that he did and she wanted to help him.

The bible preached forgiveness and forgiveness had been a major part of their lives when her grandparents had returned. There'd been lots of tears and lots of shouting, but afterwards, everyone had hugged, kissed and
 forgiven. Sophie didn't understand why the same couldn't happen with Nicholas now.

He was remorseful, he
 still loved her Mom, and there was nothing more sacred than the children they had together. All this should've spelled out a recipe for a great reunion and lots of hugs and kisses afterwards. But, none of those things would be happening anytime soon. Mom wasn't willing or even ready to try and Gabe's hatred of Nicholas undoubtedly created a major hindrance in Sophie's plans.

She wanted to give up---
wanted to, but never would. Fate had made it so that Nicholas came back in their lives and fate would guide him to where he needed to be. Fate had granted her wish once and it would do it again, all she had to do was have patience and think positively.

"Sophie?" Sophie sniffed her tears away and spun around to face her little brother.

Being the oldest sister of twin siblings was an honor Sophie always took to heart and ever since the birth of her half brother and sister she has continually looked out for them. She would always be there to protect them.

Sophie sighed and continued to stare at the embossed ceiling of the bedroom that had always belonged to her, since her godparents purchased the house. Dylan bunked with
Liam and Eric and Bella had a bed in Sabrina's room. "What?"

"Are you okay?"

Another sigh escaped her. No, she wasn't okay. She wouldn't be okay until their mother learned to forgive and Nicholas learned to perform a miracle. "I'll be okay." And that was the truth. Things would be okay, because things tended to work themselves out eventually. It sounded like a lot of crap, but Sophie needed to believe in something right now, even if it was a whole lot of BS.

The room fell silent for an eternal moment in which Sophie believed Dylan had left, but the scrunch of cheap leather coming from the beanbag chair to her far left indicated that he was still in the room.

"Soph?"

"What?" Her brother
had something on his mind and just like any Holbrook he'd open up when he was good and ready.

"I met him."

"Met who?"

"My
dad."

Sophie's brows creased, but she kept her head down. "And?"

"And I don't think I like him very much." Now this was intriguing. Where Sophie would’ve done almost anything to be Nicholas's biological child and on some days even went so far as to envy her siblings, it seemed Dylan didn't share the sentiments.

Sophie finally sat up and regarded her brother. "That's because you don't know him."

"He hurt, Mom, he doesn't deserve to be known."

"You idiot, he's your father, and how do you know he hurt, Mom?"

Dylan rolled his eyes pursing his lips. "I'm young Soph, but I'm not deaf. I hear things and I see the way Mom acts when he's around. I don't like him." he insisted.

"Like I said, you don't know him. He loves Mom and even if he did hurt her, he deserves a second chance. Isn't that what Mom always taught us? People are entitled to second chances, even if they hurt us."

"Devlin loves, Mom, he's never done anything to hurt her or any of us."

Sophie sighed in frustration. “That’s not the point. The point is that
Nicholas your father. He’s our family and families stick together. No matter what.”

"I think you should just butt out of Mom's business, it's not right."

"It is right, Dylan. Nicholas and Mom are like...like Allie and Noah---"

Dylan scrunched his face and shook his head in puzzlement. "Who?"

"You remember that movie Mom watches every time she feels lonely?"

"The one that always makes her cry?"

"Yeah, that one and just like Allie and Noah, Mom and Nicholas belong together...it's like their destiny or something. I wouldn't feel this strongly about it if I didn't think so. I know it's weird and you might think I'm just doing all of this because I don't care about Mom, but I do. And that’s why I don't want to see her live an unfulfilled life with someone who isn't right for her. I mean tell me what are the chances of both of them ending up in the same place, at the same time after all these years, if not a sign from God?"

Why was it that she felt as though she was the only one who saw things the way that they were supposed to be? It felt wrong having to defend the love of her Mother's life to their child! Seeing the traces of doubt creeping back into Dylan's face, Sophie stood and walked over to her brother. Sitting on the balls of her feet she made eye contact and held it as if life itself depended on it. "Dylan, I've never had to pull rank on you or Be
lla before, but this time I am. So as your older sister I'm asking, no demanding, that you help me with this...I don't think I can do it on my own."

They've never had a heart to heart before. Sure they've dealt with bullies and deciding who should tell their Mom about who broke things around the house, but they've never had to deal with matters this
grave. For Dylan, it seemed a little daunting to have his sister sitting in front of him demanding for him to mess around with their Mother's life. They were just kids! Kids didn't fool around with their parents lives! Especially if said parent was strongly against it.

Voicing his doubts as any child ought to, Dylan shook h
is head. "I don't know Sophie…"

"Would you rather see Mom miserable for the rest of her life? Because that's what's going to happen if she ends up marrying Devlin! They'll send us all away. You'll probably end up in some
all-boys school somewhere and Bella and I will probably end up in Germany or some other European country at an all girls' school. Devlin is going to tear our family apart, we'll be lucky if we even get to see each other for holidays after he's done."

"I don't want you or Bella to go away."

"Devlin will send us away if we don't do something about it."

"Why don't we just tell, Mom?" he whined.

"Mom and I aren't seeing eye to eye right now, so she'll think I'm making everything up just to get rid of Devlin!"

"Are you sure that's not what you're doing? I mean, we all know you don't like the guy..."

Sophie groaned, grabbed Dylan's arms and shook him a little. "Dylan!"

"Alright, a
lright! What do you want me to do?"

Sophie sighed in relief
feeling better than she had in weeks. With her brother as an ally they were sure to accomplish the impossible in no time. "It's simple; you and Belle just have to want to hang out with Nicholas. The more he's around, the more they'll remember just how much they meant to each other."

"Devlin isn't going to let that happen."

"He’ll have no choice, once mom and Nicholas start falling back in love. You just make sure Mom is around whenever you and Bella are with Nicholas."

"Do you think this will work?"

"It has to." She uttered gravely.

"Hey you two,"
The door swung open admitting Ronnie in the room.  "Are you alright?"

"We're fine,"
Sophie and Dylan chorused with matching pairs of duplicitous grins pasted on their faces.

Through narrowed eyes Ronnie looked from one transparent face to the other. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing, Auntie Ronnie, honest," and if that wasn't a bold faced lie from her godson, Ronnie didn't know what was.

"Fine, don't tell me. B
ut I'm going to find out eventually you know," she saw Dylan's gaze fly to Sophie's face before returning to Ronnie's with an uneasy smile. "And when I do, I'm sure your Mom will want to know what her children have been up to."

"We’re not up to anything.
" Ronnie locked gazes with Sophie, the 'mastermind' behind whatever it was that they were planning and couldn't help but see a vague flash of Tony Carlyle in those dark eyes. Of course Sophie was nothing like her father, but one couldn't help but wonder whether some of Carlyle traits had been passed on to his daughter. Those undesirable traits that could possibly turn a good child into a manipulatively deceiving person who didn't care who she harmed as long as she got what she wanted in the end.

Knowing that she was treading in dangerous territory, Ronnie abandoned her niggling thoughts and smiled at them. "Hey Dylan, you mind giving me a few minutes with Soph?"

Dylan shook his head before rising to his feet. "Okay, I'll just go hang out with Liam and Eric."

"They're playing downstairs with
Uncle Gabe, they're waiting for you." Ronnie waited for him to leave before she spoke to Sophie.

Sophie occupied the beanbag chair her brother had just vacated and looked at Ronnie expectantly.

"Soph, what your uncle said downstairs...it was wrong of him and I want to apologize on his behalf. It's just that we all have a history with Nicholas and we know what he's like. Your uncle just doesn't want to see you hurt again. You were pretty miserable when Nicholas left."

"It's okay, I'm over
it. I'm going to grab something to eat."

"Sophie...?"