Holden's Resurrection (Gemini Group #6) - Riley Edwards Page 0,3
came after had been bad. Bea and Patty harassed Charleigh and scared Faith so bad the little girl had refused to go to school.
It seemed they were at it again.
“You know we’re not going to let that happen. I’ve already called a friend to look into the pictures they supposedly have of Charleigh. Though I can tell you right now, she never cheated on Paul, and if there are pictures, they’re fakes.”
What the actual fuck?
A sick feeling Holden hadn’t had in a long time roiled in his stomach.
Flashes of memories he didn’t want.
If only his team knew the truth.
The whole situation was twisted and fucked-up. It had been one gigantic disaster and Holden couldn’t deny his part in it. He was the catalyst that ruined four lives. His mistake had sparked a chain of events that would forever mark him.
Fucking hell.
There were a great many number of things that needed to change around Gemini Group before this situation got worse. The women seemed to be taking sides and it was causing friction. Especially between Genevieve and McKenna.
Holden was close to Evie. He’d almost died protecting her, and from that grew a tight bond. Not that he wasn’t close to all his friends’ wives, but he was closest to Evie. So naturally, she’d side with him. Bobby, being Evie’s best friend, would take Evie’s back in her crusade to keep Charleigh away from Holden. Evie knew the pain it caused him every time he was forced to see Faith.
McKenna loved everyone. She was also deliriously happy with her husband and daughter, Holly, and wanted the people she loved to have what she had—bliss.
That was not in the cards for Holden. He lost his chance when he lost Charleigh.
Though, ‘lost’ wasn’t the right word. He’d left her. Then she betrayed him in the worst way and sealed their fate.
Holden stopped eavesdropping and passed by Nixon’s office door, relieved that his friend didn’t stop him. He was in no mood to discuss Charleigh’s problems. Though he owed it to her to put a stop to them once and for all.
He’d just sat down behind his desk when there was a knock.
“Yeah?”
“You gotta minute?” Chasin asked as he walked in and closed the door behind him.
“By all means, come in and make yourself comfortable.”
Chasin took a seat, completely unaffected by Holden’s snarky remark.
“I know this isn’t something you wanna hear about,” Chasin started and Holden braced. “Charleigh got served with custody papers. Beatrice Towler is claiming Charleigh’s an unfit parent and wants sole custody.”
“Say again?”
Holden hadn’t thought the bitch would go that far. He’d assumed she was once again trying for visitation.
“Charleigh didn’t want to share, but Micky pointed out this case wasn’t about her but Faith, and that little girl needs all the help she can get. Charleigh finally agreed and let us read the documents. It’s all bullshit. Beatrice claims Charleigh was having an affair. They have pictures. But they’re taken out of context.”
Apparently, Holden hadn’t braced enough because he felt like he was going to come out of his skin.
“What’s that mean?”
“Nix put in a call to Rhode Daley. After he left the teams, he started to do some PI work, mostly for an outfit called Takeback. Anyway, I just talked to him. He found the pictures. They’re of me and Charleigh. Like I said, they’re taken out of context.”
Holden was at a loss for words and the oxygen in his lungs seized.
“How in the fuck are there pictures of you and Leigh-Leigh?”
“This is the part you’re not gonna want to talk about.”
“And what part is that, Chasin? The part where you were fucking—”
“Don’t go there, brother. You know that never happened so don’t say shit just because you’re mad at yourself for the epic fuck-up you instigated.”
Good Christ.
He hated it, but Chasin was right. Everything that had happened all started because he’d fucked up.
“Then what don’t I want to talk about?”
It was a stupid question, considering Holden didn’t want to talk about any of it.
Chasin leaned forward, placed his elbows on his knees, and speared Holden with fiery regard.
“I suppose you don’t want to talk about any of it, but particularly the reason why I was visiting Charleigh.”
“Christ, Chasin, cut to it.”
“Those pictures were taken a few hours before Paul and Charleigh’s wedding. She called me and asked to meet her at Red Wing Park. She was having second thoughts. Or maybe she was having third and fourth thoughts.” Chasin paused and Holden didn’t like the way his chest tightened.