So do I...

“Last documented sighting. This one was only caught because someone was trying to snap the car and happened to get the tiniest glimpse of him as well. Doesn't do me much good, but more evidence is more evidence.” Reaching for his coat he sighs, “I have to go back into the office to meet with Jon. Looks like Tyler's been arrested and he wants a favor to get him out.”

He's barking up the wrong tree. Dad breaks the laws for no one. Not even sure he's ever bent them aside from using his extensive reach to search for the person who caused my mother's death.

I nod and lower the photo back to the desk, casually sliding it under the calendar that stay on his desk instead of back in his file.

“But this conversation isn't over, Jovi.”

With my mind completely occupied on a different subject, I whisper, “I know.”

He gathers the photos he can see and shoves them back in the file before slipping them back in his briefcase. On the way out of the room he presses a kiss on my forehead. “I'll always do whatever I can to protect you. You're my little princess Jo', no matter how old you get.”

Softly I smile and let him exit the office before I grab the photo and a random photo album off the shelf to conceal the evidence that I need just as much as he does.

Did you know? Did you know this entire time? You knew this entire time and didn't say a goddamn thing? No it's too late now! Much too late!

I send Merrick a quick message giving him the go ahead to come over before preparing to have the worst conversation I ever will in my entire life.

Maybe if you would've been a good friend it wouldn't be this bad, but you weren't. You didn't even try to warn me! How could you betray me like that? How could you let him do this to me? Put me in this position. No! I don't wanna talk to you right now. Space. Just...go. Give me some space.

Jovi

It takes Merrick longer than he had planned to come over. In fact, I end up nibbling through an awkward dinner with Nadie before he even sends me a message finally telling me he's on his way.

The sound of his car grabs my attention before the sight of it. As he pulls up to the curb outside of my house, nausea rocks back and forth in my stomach.

God, I hope I don't throw up. Oh and you....I'm still not talking to you.

He climbs out, the disheveled look proof of the restless days he's been having. Instinctively my fingers reach out for him, but I quickly fold my arms across my chest, gripping the photo tightly.

Nope. Can't cave right now. Can't.

“Baby,” the whisper weakens my knees and trembles my jaw.

Fighting the urge to fall into his arms, I simply clear my throat.

Merrick gives me one glance before he questions, “What's wrong?”

My heart starts to race as the words do their best not to shake as they fall out of my mouth. “You promised if I ever asked you something you would never lie to me. That you would be completely honest. That if I asked you anything you would tell me.”

“Right...”

Bluntly I bark, “Are you Ghost?”

The look on his face gives it away before his mouth does, but that's not enough. I don't want a look. I don't want to be right. I want be wrong. I want to be so wrong that it hurts to breathe. Merrick wets his lips slowly and adjusts his baseball cap, silence still swaying between us.

Finally he replies, “Yes.”

The three little letters are enough to have me slightly doubling over with instant tears. Shaking my head I simply whisper, “How could you...”

“Baby-”

“Don't you fucking baby me!” I snap harshly. His bottom lip lands between his teeth. “Is that why you wanted to be with me? So you could keep an eye on how close my father is to finding you?”

“Fuck no,” he rushes to say. “I had no fucking idea he was your father before you said it! And by the time you did it was too late. I was...I was already in love with you.”

“Don't...”

“I was in love with you the first time I set eyes on you-”

“Stop...”

“I couldn't explain it then. There was just something, Jovi. Something about you I wanted. Something about you I needed.”

Wiping away the fallen tears, I shake my head. “I trusted you. And you lied to me.”

“I didn't lie to you.”

“On a technicality!” I can tell the blow goes straight to his chest from the way his body seems to curl forward. “You damn sure weren't honest with me!”

In a quiet voice he tries to plead, “Jovi I'm sorry-”

“No!” I shout. “Sorry isn't gonna cut it, Merrick! This isn't a forgotten date or a missed phone call! You're a criminal! A most wanted one at that! And you were just gonna marry me without so much as mentioning it?”

He sighs, “I didn't...I didn't...” Watching it become harder for him to breathe, makes it even harder for me. “I was...I was gonna tell you.”

“When! Minutes before we said 'I do'? Seconds after I signed the paperwork? Before the birth of our first child? Our third?”

His face softens. “You want a big family?”

I did. I wanted a bunch of little McCoys running around.

“That's not...that's not important right now, Merrick. Why didn't you tell me sooner?”

“Because I'm not that person anymore.”

“Really?”  I sarcastically laugh. Shoving the picture in his face I snip, “Because this was just a few weeks ago. So I beg to differ.”

Staring at the photo he whispers, “Where did you get this?”

“My father's fucking office.”

His mouth tries to harden. “How'd you know it was me?”

“A girl doesn't forget the car that she rode in the night she lost her virginity.” Coldly I press the picture against his chest. “That's the only thing I regret as much as falling in love with you.”

“You don't mean that,” Merrick croaks, tears sticky in his own speech. “I know you don't.”

“That makes one of us,” I whimper. “I don't even know you, so how could I be in love with you?”

“You do know me!” He shouts tossing the picture to the side. “You fucking know me like no one ever has! Like no one ever will.” Taking a step towards me, he begs, “Please don't give up on us yet Jovi. Let me explain. Give me a chance to tell you everything.”

Slowly I shake my head and wipe away the tears that are still falling. “No.”

“Jo-”

“No, Merrick,” I deny softly. “Just go...”

While I'm expecting a stronger fight, I'm surprised when he backs up slowly towards his car. “Fine.”

“Fine,” I echo.

“But this isn't over.”

In a low uncertain voice I argue, “But it is.”

Merrick slams his car door before accelerating harshly down the road and around the corner. The sound of his screeching tires burns my heart. Clutching my aching chest, I turn around and head for my front door. Just as my hand prepares to touch the knob, I'm grabbed from behind. Desperately I start kicking. I take a sharp breath to scream when a damp rag covers my mouth and nose. After just a few short inhales, my eyelids start to get heavy. Another struggle comes out of me seconds before the blackness lures me away.

Merrick

You ever get to a point where you just can't fathom life getting any fucking worse than it does? Yeah I'm tired of being fucked in the ass again and again. I just...I need just one single moment suspended in time for me to just...fuck I don't know. Not hurt so much?

Walking through the front door after an unplanned drive around town for a couple hours, I'm surprised to see all my brothers and Knox scattered around the living room.

No. I can't fucking have another McCoy pow wow like this.

Madden growls, “Where the fuck have you been?”

Unable to hold back my own anger I toss my keys on the bar. “I went for a fucking drive. In my fucking car. To try to clear my fucking head.”