Caught in the Undertow (Hawaiian Crush #6) (12 page)

He smiled. “Thank you.”

“And I have Wednesdays off with you.”

“No, Wednesdays are the days you take for yourself. I’ll cook dinner and do the housework. You just lie on the couch and watch TV.”

Her eyes softened. “You’re so sweet, Coen.”

“Because you’re my wife and I love you. I would never help my mom out.”

“You’re a momma’s boy and you know it,” she said with a laugh.

“What’s wrong with that?” he said with a smile. “I love my mom.”

“That’s so cute.”

“I am pretty cute,” he said with a wink.

“I need to do something nice for you for being so good to me.”

His eyes brightened. “What did you have in mind, baby?”

“Why don’t you pick?” She rubbed his shoulders.

“Ooh…this could take a while.”

“Take your time.”

He smiled. “This is going to be the best week ever.”

She moved from his lap then grabbed her bag. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

“Bye.”

Sydney went to her classes and submitted her late work. Her professors
were understanding since she was legitimately sick. She scheduled her make up exams that week, but she didn’t feel nervous for them. She’d been doing nothing but studying in bed. Her lab professors waved her points and her lab write ups.

At lunch, Sydney sat down with her friends.

“Happy to be back?” Henry asked.

“You have no idea,” she said with a sigh. “It’s nice to walk around. And I was gaining weight since I was lying in bed all day.”

“Or maybe you’re pregnant,” Ren said.

Sydney laughed. “I’m not pregnant! Coen made me take a test three times.”

Ren looked sad. “Oh.”

“How’s Casey doing?” Henry asked.

“She’s happy in her new place.”

“I hope she escaped whatever was chasing her,” Henry said.

Sydney looked at him. “I think Coen took care of that.”

“How did Coen get involved in that?” Derek asked.

“Well, he’s a person trainer,” Sydney said. “He meets abused people all the time.”

“And he helps them?” Henry asked.

Sydney nodded. “It’s his passion in life. He wants to help other people, particularly women.”

“Wow,” Henry said. “I had no idea.”

“He’s an amazing man,” Sydney said.

“And a badass,” Henry said. “That’s so cool.”

Sydney smiled at him. “Now you know why I love him so much.”

Coen came to the table and placed a tray in front of Sydney. It was a grilled cheese sandwich and fries.

She eyed it but didn’t complain. “We were just talking about you.”

“Were you telling them what you are going to do for me tonight?”

Sydney rolled her eyes.

Derek raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on tonight?”

“I’m getting some serious loving for being an amazing husband.”

“They didn’t need to know that,” Sydney said.

“Yes, they did,” Coen said. “I don’t want them calling us while we’re humping away.”

Ren laughed. “It sounds like a romantic evening.”

Henry looked at Coen. “I have new respect for you, man.”

Coen met his gaze.
“Because I have sex with my wife?”

Henry smiled. “Sydney told us what you do. You protect women that can’t protect themselves. That’s awesome.”

Coen averted his gaze, his cheeks starting to turn red.

“He’s right,” Derek said. “You’re awesome.”

“And I feel horrible for accusing you of cheating on Sydney,” Henry said.

Coen didn’t anything, at a loss of words.

“He appreciates the words,” Sydney said. “He’s always been very humble about his good qualities.”

“Or silent about them,” Derek said with a laugh. “I always thought Coen was an ass before I met him.”

“I like to keep it that way,” Coen said with a smile. “It’s the element of surprise.”

Sydney placed her hand on his thigh and stared at him affectionately.

Coen felt the look and loved it. His wife could stare at him like that all she wanted.

After the afternoon classes were finished, Sydney went home and hit the books. Coen was working tonight so she was alone in the house. Now that she realized how hard she was pushing it, she decided to take a step back. Dr. Goldstein understood her need to cut her hours, and her teacher didn’t question her decision to drop the course. There was more to life than school and work.

There was a knock on the door. The sound made Sydney flinch. She didn’t know who it was. Coen wouldn’t knock, and her friends would call before they came over. And solicitors never came to her door because it was hidden from the road by the trees.

She walked to the door then looked through the peephole. Her heart raced when she saw the face on the other side. It was so unexpected that it made her shake.

She opened the door. “Mom, what are you doing here?”

Her mother’s bags were at her feet. She looked thin, like she had lost substantial weight. Her clothes were baggy, and her hair was
unkept. What light she had in her eyes was gone. She looked like a shadow of the woman she used to be. “Hello, honey,” she said quietly.

Sydney immediately scanned the yard, looking for her stepfather and brother.

“I’m alone,” she said.

Sydney stared at her. “Mom, what are you doing here?”

“I—I couldn’t stay there any longer. It got worse…”

Sydney felt her heart ache.

“I had to get out. And—I have nowhere else to go. You’re the only family I have, Sydney.”

She didn’t know what to say. The shock still gripped her. “I’m so sorry, Mom. Are you okay?”

She nodded. “I will be eventually.”

Sydney stood still, frozen in place. Her heart slammed in her chest.

“Can I come in?” she asked.

“Oh…yeah, of course.”
She gathered the bags and helped her mother inside. After she shut the door, she locked it.

Her mother looked around. “You’ve decorated it well.”

Sydney wasn’t expecting the compliment. Her mom usually tore her apart. “Thank you.”

“How’s your husband?”

“He’s good,” Sydney said.

“He’s a fine young man.”

“I know.”

Denise sat on the couch and sighed.

“What happened?” Sydney asked.

“Dan has only gotten worse. He lost his job because of his drinking, and when
he got it back, they demoted him to a lower position. He’s been taking it on me. I just got sick of it and ran. I couldn’t be there any longer, not if I wanted to live.”

Sydney grabbed her hand. “It’ll be okay, Mom.”

Her mom started to cry.

Sydney held her in her arms and patted her back. “You’re safe here.”

“Thank you so much,” she said through her tears. “You’re so wonderful, Sydney. I don’t know you became the amazing woman you are now. But I know it has nothing to do with me.”

Sydney couldn’t disagree more. It was those horrific experiences that made her become strong. “Can I get you some tea or water?”

“I’m okay,” she said as she pulled away.

“Let’s get you settled,” Sydney said. “I have
an air mattress you can have.”

“Thank you so much,” she said. “I have nowhere else to go.”

“You’re always welcome here, Mom.”

She nodded, tears still falling down her face.

Sydney helped her mom get settled in the house. It was awkward for a few hours. Sydney wasn’t sure what to say or how to act. She had never been close with her mom, and for most of her life her mother was someone she didn’t like. But now she was here, begging for her help.

They made dinner together and made small talk.

“How’s school?” she asked.

“I like it,” Sydney said. “I’ve been doing research at the aquarium.”

“That’s wonderful,” she said. “I’m happy for you.”

Sydney was surprised once again.

“How’s the marriage?”

“We’re very happy,” Sydney said.

“Does he go to the same college?”

Sydney nodded.

“What have you been doing lately?”

“Well, I was sick for a long time. I was pretty much handicapped for weeks. Coen had to take care of me.”

“I’m sure he didn’t mind,” she said. “Are you still a vegetarian?”

“Forever and always,” Sydney said.

“You’ll live to be two hundred,” her mother said with a smile.

When dinner was ready, they left it on the stove and moved to the living room. They watched TV in silence. They were waiting for Coen to come home before they sat at the table.

The front door opened, and Sydney knew her husband was home.

“That smells great,” he said as he put his bag down by the front door. He came into the living room and kissed Sydney, unaware of her moth
er sitting across the room. He grabbed her face and deepened the kiss. Sydney knew what that touch meant. She pulled away.

“Hey, how was work?”

“Long,” he said.

“We have company.”

“Oh.” He turned and saw her mother. He froze, staring at her.

Sydney felt the tension pick up. “She’s going to be staying with us for a while.”

Coen looked angry, livid. “Let’s talk outside.” He walked out the front door and slammed it behind him.

Sydney looked at her mother. “Uh, I’ll be right back.” She followed him outside and saw him pacing in the yard. “What’s wrong?”

He turned to her, a glare on his face. “What the fuck is she doing here?”

“Dan isn’t here,” she said immediately.

“Obviously,” he snapped. “And that isn’t what I asked.”

“She left him.”

“And came here?”

Sydney stared at him incredulously. “She has nowhere else to go.”

“That’s not my fucking problem!”

“Why are you acting like this?”

He came to her then stared her down. “And you think Dan isn’t going to come looking for her?”

“Well…”

“He will,” Coen said. “And I’m not letting him near you ever again. She isn’t staying here. That’s final.”

“Coen, she needs our help.”

His eyes shined with flames. “Where was she when you were being beaten with a baseball bat? Where was she when Johnny would molest you? Where was she when Dan would verbally abuse you, calling you a bitch and a brat? I don’t give a shit if she needs our help. She did this to herself.”

Sydney blinked back her tears.

“You don’t owe her anything, Syd.”

“She’s my mom…”

“I don’t care. You have the same blood but you aren’t family.”

“She’s changed.”

“People don’t change,” he snapped. “Dan is going to come here and drag her by the hair, coming near you. I can’t let that happen.”

“What happened to helping others who couldn’t help themselves?”

His eyes grew dark. “How dare you say that to me! This woman let Dan break your ribs. She doesn’t deserve to be saved.”

“You don’t believe that,” she said with a sniff.

His voice became quiet. “Baby, I know how selfless you are. You need to help everyone. But this is not one of those times. Having her here is putting you in danger, which I can’t allow. She can’t stay here, Syd.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away.

“I want her out of the house.”

“I can’t just kick her out.”

“I’m not going to risk your life for hers.”

“She’s your family too.”

His eyes narrowed. “She’s no family of mine. I generously allowed her to come to our wedding. That’s it. She isn’t living with us.”

“And if I turn her away, where will she go?”

“I don’t care,” he snapped. “You were abused until you became an adult. You had no money, no family, and no protection. Look where you are now. You had to start with nothing. Now so does she.”

“Coen, I know you’re trying to do what’s best for me, but I can’t reject someone that needs help. I just can’t.”

He gripped his scalp, taking a deep breath. “Fine. You aren’t living here then.”

“What?” she asked incredulously.

“You can stay with Nancy and Thatcher while I stay here with her. I’ll get her back on her feet, and when she leaves you can come back. When Dan comes to drag her away, I’ll protect her. But you can’t be here when that happens.”

“But—no. We are married, Coen. We can’t live apart.”

“There’s no other way. I’m not letting her stay here. You have to decide what you want to do.”

“Neither one of those options is good.”