Chapter 24
Reed had cried herself to sleep and Layne laid beside her in her old bed, their backs to the door, running her fingers through Reed's hair. Layne couldn't believe all that had transpired and told Reed the man was someone she knew long ago, warning her to stay away from him. Reed had absolutely NO problem or argument in doing so, especially after seeing her mother's hair nearly ripped from her skull.
"I love you my Little Star." She whispered, kissing Reed's forehead, and slowly extracted herself from her daughter to go to the bathroom.
They all had gotten their stories straight and since Damien was in NO condition to speak, he wouldn't be speaking for a long time. He would have to have his jaw wired so that was going to be a long term deal. The sheriff couldn't really contest anything and it helped that Dusty was backing their story and that Damien apparently had a reputation for being a cocksucker anyway.
After a shower and scrubbing her skin until it was raw, Layne stepped out and wrapped a towel around her body, trying to wrap her mind around Randy being here. Why her father would deliberately call and tell them she was there, after what happened, was beyond her. Layne sighed heavily, not even caring at the moment and blinked tears away as she brushed her teeth and hair, walking out of her bathroom and into the room, seeing Reed was still sleeping peacefully. That little girl meant everything to her in the world and Damien would never know the truth about being her father. Damien was her sperm donor, he was nowhere NEAR father material.
Dusty knocked on the door hesitantly, smiling when she cracked it open. "Baby girl, why don't you come out and let me explain?" He asked quietly, knowing she had to be feeling betrayed right about now. "Just you and me, no one else." He added, also knowing she probably didn't want to see Randy, who was currently chain smoking on the back porch.
"I'm not mad at you, Dad." She murmured quietly, her eyes moving from him back to her daughter, a few tears sliding down her cheeks and wiped them away. No matter how Reed had been conceived she was everything to Layne, the good thing that came out of her and Damien's fling. "I'll be down in a minute, I have to dress."
She was still in her towel and watched her father nod before shutting the door quietly behind him. Layne dressed in a pair of black cotton shorts and a matching tank top, not able to stop the tears from falling, and brushed her hair out again. Once she regained her composure, again, Layne made her way out of her room and downstairs, knowing Reed would sleep through the night.
Cody and Ted were sitting on the couch, both of them staring at the floor. Cody had tears on his cheeks, feeling horrible for his sister. One, she had just been confronted by the man who had raped her and, two, she probably hated him for bringing Randy here, but what else could he do?
"Lay..." He said when he seen her coming down, standing up quickly.
No matter how much she wanted to scream and berate her brother, Layne couldn't do it as the tears stung her eyes. "I'm not mad, Cody." She whispered, not trusting her voice at the moment and grunted when he pulled her into his arms for a tight embrace, burying her face in his strong chest, sniffling softly, trembling. "P-Please tell me he's gone..." She was referring to Damien and the fear was clear in her voice as his hold tightened on her.
Cody could only nod, holding her as tight as he could without hurting her.
"He'll be lucky if he's walking and talking again...within a year." Ted added helpfully, cowering when Cody shot him a dark look.
Dusty settled down in his chair, wondering how long till Randy joined them, wondering if this was going to be a family affair.
Layne sighed as she slowly pulled back, wiping her tears away and was next embraced by Ted, knowing he was probably worried sick about Reed. "She's upstairs sleeping." She said in his ear, feeling him nod, and pulled back before looking at her father. "You wouldn't have brought them here without knowing something I don't, Dad." She sat down on the couch beside her brother, who wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders, and put her head in her hands. "Just tell me, don't sugarcoat it."
Cody and Dusty exchanged looks, Ted looking uncomfortable before Cody took a deep breath. Now how to explain it? "You talked to Samantha, Randy's wife." He hated saying those words, making a face. "Randy thought he was divorced, Lay." He said softly, knowing he was going to wind up botching this.
"His lawyer was a scumbag and didn't bother telling him Samantha appealed it."
"What?" Her voice was filled with turmoil and could feel her heart shattering all over again. She wondered briefly if her brother and father believed it, but then again, why her father would deliberately bring them here was beyond her. Layne was so confused and leaned against her brother, wiping her tears away. "So he's still married?"
"Unfortunately." Ted muttered, sighing heavily and knew Randy would probably maim them, but it was better if she heard it from someone other than him. The man was livid at the moment, especially learning that Layne was raped, the reason why she'd left Austin when she was fifteen to begin with. "Look, Randy hates this bitch and he loves you. He loves you and Reed so much, Lay, but he understands why you left. What did she say to you on the phone?"
"She called me a whore and told me to tell Randy his wife was on the phone."
"I really hate that bitch..." Cody said, apologizing when his dad shot him a 'look'. "Lay...Sam appealed the divorce on grounds of abandonment because she has a baby." This is where things got messed up. "Legally, the baby is Randy's because they were -are- married. But the baby isn't his biologically. So he has to go through all the mess of getting a paternity test, pushing the divorce, and trying to keep this leech from taking everything he has."
"When Randy first filed for divorce, it was because he found out the baby wasn't his and Samantha cheated. Randy's lawyer was crooked and destroyed the evidence of that paternity test so he has to start from scratch."
"Oh my god..." Layne whispered, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening. Poor Randy! She couldn't begin to imagine how angry he was and sighed, raking a hand through her hair. "So she destroyed the paternity test to prolong the divorce proceedings and claimed abandonment?" Layne's nostrils flared, her eyes icing over. "That bitch needs to have her head removed from her damn shoulders."
"And now that that's out of the way...Layne, you have to stop running first, start asking questions." Dusty said gently, knowing if she didn't change her fleeing impulses, she was only going to hurt herself in the long run. "I love you baby girl, but that fight or flee instinct we all have...you use the fleeing too much." He patted her knee, trying to show her he wasn't being mean, he just wanted her to be happy. "He's outside."
"Chain smoking."
"And probably talking to himself." Ted added with a sigh.
"I'm sorry..." She whispered, knowing her father was right and wrapped her arms around herself, more tears falling. "I ran the first time because of Damien...because I didn't know how to tell you or Cody or Dustin what happened." The pain radiated from her in waves as Layne slowly looked up at her father. "I'm sorry daddy...I panicked and then when I heard that bitch on Randy's phone, which I shouldn't have answered to begin with, I was too brokenhearted to stay. I couldn't face him after that and I don't know if I can face him now." What the hell was she supposed to tell her daughter? Layne put her face in her hands and silently cried.
Cody wrapped an arm around his crying sister, pulling her into him, and looked helplessly at his dad.
"You go out there and let that boy know you're sorry and that ya still love him." Dusty said, frowning. "You do still love him, don't you?"
If not, Ted was leaving the Legacy because he WASN'T dealing with Randy's anger anymore.
"Of course I do." Layne whispered, nodding and knew her father was right as she looked back at her brother, who wiped her tears away. "I'll be back."
She stood up from the couch and padded out of the living room, knowing Randy was probably on the back porch and tried to stop the tears from falling, but it wasn't happening. She watched him through the window while he paced and seen he really was talking to himself, giggling quietly. Ted had been right as she slid the door open and stepped out, getting his attention, and shut it behind her as their eyes locked. Tears slid down her face and she didn't move a muscle, so many emotions swirling through her eyes, but the one that stood out the most was love. Unconditional love.
Randy wanted to do a lot of things all at once. He wanted to yell and rage at her for being stupid and running off without giving him a chance to explain everything. He wanted to apologize to her for still being married, even if he hadn't known he was at the time. He wanted to snatch her little ass up and make passionate love to her. Finally, he just reached out and pulled her into a bone crushing hug.
"I'm sorry, I love you so much and I'm sorry..." She whispered in his ear, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and felt her feet leave the ground as he held her against him, sniffling as more tears fell. "I shouldn't have run without getting the full story. I was wrong and stupid and inconsiderate and-" She was firmly cut off with a passionate kiss that stole her breath away.
~!~
"Well?"
"Randy's about to break his marriage vows, let's leave it at that."
Cody groaned when Dusty slapped him upside the back of his head. "Teddy is our snoop guy. Sorry..."
"Let them alone."
"Sounds like this Samantha is a...crafty woman."
"She's a royal-"
"Cunt." Ted was next to get a hand upside the back of his head.
"Mind your mouth son. I don't care what the woman did; we don't use those words here. Anyway, she wouldn't have any way of keeping tabs on Randy, would she?"
"Not that I know of, why would she- Ohhhh, she talked to Lay and-"
"And Lay and Randy are probably..."
"Committing adultery?"
~!~
A soft moan escaped her as Randy pressed Layne's against the house, her legs wrapped around his waist, kissing him like it was the first time. Like she would die if those lips weren't on hers, and loved how he looked in a white beater with jeans, her fingers gripping his hair. When Randy reluctantly pulled away, Layne could barely breathe and her lips were fully swollen, eyes nearly black with desire for him.
"I missed you." She whispered, staring his blue orbs and ran her hand up and down his face, cupping it.
"I missed you too." Randy murmured, bending forward to kiss her again.
"Randy, wait..." Layne hated doing this, but it was for his own good as she broke the kiss again, her eyes never leaving his. "Listen to me, Cody and Ted-" She groaned when he kissed her again, cutting her off, but she had to say this. She had to be stronger than this. "Listen to me, Randy!" Her voice was a little more forceful, chest rising and falling rapidly. "They told me about Samantha...I don't think we should do anything until after you're really divorced."
Randy stared at her, his eyes slowly clearing as the lust receded, and her words penetrated his foggy mind. "What?" He said his voice still husky and cleared his throat. "Baby, don't you think it's just a little too late for that?" He asked softly, reaching out to take a tendril of her damp hair, watching as it wrapped around his finger.
"She doesn't have proof that we've been together, but she could have someone following you. She sounds like that type of person." Layne hated saying this, but it was the truth, and she didn't want this bitch taking Randy for everything he had. Frustration was clear on her face as she pressed her forehead against his, squeezing her eyes shut, and felt her grip on him loosen. "I love you Randy and when this is all said and done, I'll be waiting for you. I just don't want you getting into trouble since you're still technically married to her."
