35. Sabrina

After we caught our breath and found all our clothes, I texted Miranda to check on Keith and found a message from Dad waiting on my voicemail. My finger hovered over the icon, my heart in my throat as I worried over all the possible things he might say.

Chase looped an arm around my waist and pulled me in close to his side. His presence gave me the strength to press play.

“Sabrina, it’s Dad.” A long sigh, punctuated with a curse filtered through. “I don’t like how we ended things in the office. Can you come by the house tonight? I want to sort this out. Everyone will be there.”

Everyone? I arched a brow at Chase, who scowled. “We’ll go with you. If you even want to go.”

Did I? The constant worry I’d carried over the last few months fell away bit by bit as Russell and Garrett closed the circle around me. Whatever happened tonight, I would walk away better for finally having closed that chapter of my life. “What about Markus? You said you were meeting with him tomorrow. Why not do it tonight? He won’t be expecting it. And this way, once it’s done, it’s done. Clean slate.” I swiped my hands through the air like an umpire calling safe.

“If that’s what you want.” Chase kissed my temple. “I don’t want to get in the way of what you and Leon need to talk about.”

“It won’t.” I tapped Dad’s name and waited for the voicemail. To my utter surprise, he answered, leaving me gaping. “Hey, Dad. Just called to tell you I’ll be there tonight at seven.”

Chase motioned at himself, then the others with a raised brow. I shrugged, covering the microphone, and whispered, “Do you want him to know?”

Dark mischief glittered in his eyes, turning them a dangerous shade of midnight. He shook his head with a feral smile. “Let it be a surprise.”

Oh, Bailey was going to love this. All my siblings were about to get a face full of my dirty laundry. While I didn’t appreciate what I knew Bailey would do with the information that I was in a polyamorous relationship, I no longer cared. Happiness did that to a person.

“See you soon. Bye, Sabrina.” Dad ended the call before I reciprocated.

“Just so you know”—I held up both hands—“you’re about to enter the shit show of the century. I wouldn’t blame you a bit if you run the other way.”

“Not happening.” Garrett brushed my hair back from my face and kissed the tip of my nose. “Who’s driving? We can pick up Keith on the way.”

“I will.” Chase twirled a set of keys around his finger. “Russell’s driving almost dislocated my shoulder. Sabrina, are you and Keith coming back here tonight or do you want to go home?”

Um. What? I blinked and processed the last few seconds. “You’re asking us to come here?”

“Sure. If you want.” This time when he smiled, it was soft. A special smile meant just for me. “You and Keith are welcome here anytime. All the time. There’s a set of keys in the kitchen. I’ll get them for you when we leave.”

“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.” I put both hands on his chest and pushed. “You’re asking me to move in. Just like that?”

“Move in. Marry us.” He angled a look at Russell and Garrett who nodded their agreement. “Whatever you want. We want to be there for you. In any way. Every way, if you’ll have us.”

Well. Damn. I wanted to say they were moving too fast, but our whole relationship was built on feelings and trust that defied all logic and societal expectations. Why should I try and conform now? “One major life change at a time. First, we deal with tonight. Okay?” I could not make more decisions right now.

“Okay.” Chase dangled the keys. “Are we ready to go?”

An hour later, we pulled into the circular drive and climbed out of Chase’s SUV. Keith’s constant chatter faded into a desperate kind of silence. I reached for his hand. “You don’t have to go to dinner. You can play upstairs if you want.” I refused to subject Keith to more arguing, but Miranda couldn’t keep him any longer.

“I’ll go with him.” Garrett pulled a baseball bat, glove, and ball from the back. “Come get me if you need me.”

By which he meant come get him if a fight started. “We’ll be okay. I appreciate the backup though.”

Side by side, we marched up the wide steps. I raised my fist to knock, but Russell stopped me with a hiked eyebrow. Grinning, I twisted the knob and stepped inside. “Wow. It’s unlocked.”

Chase stilled on the threshold. “You’ve been locked out of your own house?”

“Yep.” I popped my lips together. “For two years now.”

“What?” Dad bellowed from the next room, his steps slapping the floor in his hurry. He stepped into the hallway with Bailey at his heels. “You’ve been locked out?”

“No. Honey, she’s mistaken.” Bailey’s baleful glare did nothing to intimidate me.

Chase and Russell stood at my back, letting me take the lead and fight for myself but ready to back me up if I needed it. I loved them for giving me the chance to finish this. “Mistaken. Right. Was I mistaken when you kicked me out of the apartment and ruined half of Keith’s clothes? Was I mistaken when your sons broke my things and tried to slash my tires last year?” I crossed my arms and managed to keep my voice at an even keel. “Was I mistaken when you cut me off without a word of warning?” I tipped my head to the side and met her stare for stare. “I’m actually okay with that last one, because I made it on my own without you.”

“Right.” Bailey snorted and jerked her head. “I see exactly how you made it. More like you slept your way into a new house and a cushy job.”

“Enough,” Russell shouted loud enough to blow the roof off.

The entire room turned silent as a tomb.

He took a single step forward. “You can say anything you want about us, but you will never speak that way about Sabrina. Am I understood?” Rage rolled off him in waves of heat that almost burned my skin.

I let him fume and enjoyed the way Bailey’s jaw locked, her disdain evident in every line on her face.

“While we’re here.” I cleared my throat. “Chase and Russell would like to talk to Markus.”

“No.” Bailey’s head shook so hard her blonde hair slapped her cheeks.

“Markus,” Dad barked the name like a curse, and my half brother shuffled into view.

He paled when he saw us and scrambled backward. “Dad, I … I …”

“Did you steal tech from Chase’s company?” Dad gripped Markus’s arm, holding him hostage.

Greasy, dirty-blond hair flopped over Markus’s forehead. He twitched in Dad’s hold, his head swiveling back and forth. I’d almost feel bad for the kid under different circumstances.

“Did you?” Dad shook him, not hard enough to hurt but it forced a gasp from Bailey who tried to pull Markus away from Dad. “Fuck off, Bailey. The boy’s going to answer, one way or another. And it had better be the truth.”

Bailey continued to talk, her voice lost in Markus’s mutterings.

“Speak up, boy.” Dad marched them all closer, with Markus’s eyes growing wider with every step.

“Yes. I did it.” He dug in his heels. “It was easy too.” The sneer appeared, and his pride took over. “Dad gave me a job in IT, and once I figured out how to bypass his system, I needed a new challenge. I heard him talking about how you had the best security on the market. I figured if I could break that, I could get into anything.”

“How long did it take?” Curiosity tinged Chase’s voice. He kept his arms crossed, and I was likely the only one who noticed his fingers biting into his skin.

“A while. I had to get into your building. All my other attempts failed until I set up the system in the storage room.”

“Wait. So you didn’t actually crack the security. You hooked up an old computer and found a backdoor into the system.” I gripped Chase’s arm. “The system is still the best.”

Even though it took us this long to figure out what had happened.

Dad released Markus’s arm and took a step back. “I can’t believe you. My own son.”

“I did it for you.” Markus whined, his mouth drooping in a pout. “You said that your company would never make millions like Chase as long as he continued to be the leading innovative company in the market.”

“That was not permission to break into his company and steal from him.” Dad threw his hands into the air. “Is the tech I bought what you stole? Did you do that to me?”

Markus’s head flopped forward, giving us all the answer.

“Fucking unbelievable.” Dad paced back and forth between us and Bailey. He speared her with a look. “Meanwhile, you’ve been doing God knows what to my daughter.”

The anger surprised me. I’d thought I was pretty much over Bailey’s petty games, but seeing her delight in my discomfort brought it all rushing back.

“I was so blind. So worried about work and providing for you that I overlooked so much.” Dad’s pacing slowed, then stopped altogether when he stood in front of me. “I’m sorry, Sabrina. So, so sorry. I thought I was hearing you. I thought your complaints against Bailey were a child’s worry that they’d lost their place in my heart.” He palmed his chest and I swore I saw a sheen of tears in his eyes. “You are my daughter. My one and only daughter. I love you.”

“Then why didn’t you give me your name? Why did you ignore me for years and give them everything?” My arms rose and fell against my legs with a slap.

Bailey scoffed and opened her mouth.

“Don’t you dare speak.” Dad held up a single finger without even bothering to turn around. He took a step closer to me, completely ignoring Chase and Russell. “I gave you your mother’s name so that I never forgot her. She was my first love, and I wanted you to have that piece of her to carry with you until you decided you wanted it changed. I should have told you. All of this is my fault. If I had been a better father, you would have known how much you were loved. All of this was for you. The money, the house. I worked so that you and your brothers never wanted for anything. I simply did a horrible job of showing you how much you meant to me.”

I fell into his open arms. For weeks now I’d worried that I would have to choose between Dad and my men. I would have chosen them. I would always choose them. Only a fool passed up love like theirs. And I’d never been a fool.

“I’m sorry.” Dad patted the back of my head.

I nodded into the side of his neck and gave him an extra tight squeeze before I pulled away and dried my face. In that moment, I had everything I’d ever wanted. Dad loved me. Chase, Russell, and Garrett loved and adored me. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for them and for Keith. They were my family, but I had a feeling that Dad wouldn’t stand in our way or let Bailey have any more free rein in ruining my life.

This was the happily ever after I’d always deserved.