Jonny's Redemption (Gemini Group Book 7) by Riley Edwards (audio ebook reader TXT) 📕

to swallow the shit flung at her and move on. Be strong for Caleb and Aurora. Pretend everything was okay to protect her children. Jonny didn’t ever want to be the cause of Macy having to pull herself together. He’d taken great pains over the years to hide his anger from her, to keep all the fucked-up secrets locked away when really all he’d ever wanted to do was come clean. It might be stupid but some part of him wanted Caleb and Aurora to know they were his niece and nephew by blood. Which was selfish on his part and wouldn’t have made a bit of difference. Jonny long since understood that blood didn’t make a family, yet he still felt the self-serving desire.

“He…told me,” Macy stuttered. “Doug did. Remember when Rory was born and she had jaundice?”

Jonny remembered the weeks after Rory was born vividly. She was so tiny and yellow. God, she was yellow even after days under special lights in the NICU.

“I remember,” he confirmed.

“Well, when her bili levels weren’t going down the doctor suggested a blood transfusion. Doug freaked out. It was the only time I’d ever seen him cry. The truth is, I didn’t think he cared enough about any of us to get that upset, but he was beside himself and was carrying on about how he didn’t want Rory getting a stranger’s blood. Doug was insistent we call you and have you donate blood in case Rory needed it. He was adamant that she got your blood, no one else’s.”

Macy paused and looked down at her lap. “Jonny, he told me he wasn’t adopted, that your dad was his biological father, that the two of you were half-brothers. I think he was in such a panic after the doctor explained that if Rory’s bilirubin count got any higher it could cause permanent damage to her brain that he just lost it. He wasn’t thinking clearly. We were talking about a transfusion. My parents’ blood was incompatible, we didn’t have another blood relative to donate, and he was out of control and ranting about you being the only one who could save Aurora.”

Fucking hell.

Macy had known the truth a long damn time.

“Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

Macy didn’t lift her head but Jonny didn’t miss the way she pinched her eyes closed.

“Because he made me promise I wouldn’t say anything. He lied and told me you and Anita didn’t know and if I told you it would tear the family apart. He lied and lied and lied. He used it as his get out of jail free card. He drank too much, it was because his father was hiding who he really was from his wife and son. He gambled away a paycheck, it was because his father had cheated on his mother and married another woman. He screamed and yelled and got in my face because his father didn’t love him. It was twisted and ugly. Every day I felt like shit keeping the secret. But I didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t know if I should. All I knew, Jonny, was it hurt so damn bad.

“Then he died and Calvin died and I wanted to tell you but I was afraid you’d hate me. I was scared you might not believe me. I couldn’t lose you. Rory and Caleb couldn’t lose you. I didn’t know what to do about any of it. Then Anita got arrested and you all were trying to hide her problems so I kept quiet that I knew she was an alcoholic. Doug didn’t tell me that, but she didn’t hide it as well as she thought she did. I was so worried and disgusted with myself that I’d waited so long but I knew I had to tell you. And maybe I was waiting until I knew you had someone that would help you get through all the pain.”

Christ.

They’d been thinking along the same lines, not wanting to pile the truckload of hurt and lies on the other until it was safe to do so.

“Now you have Bobby and I knew I could tell you.” Macy finally lifted her head and fixed her stare on Jonny. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Actually, neither of us do. Calvin and Doug put us here. This whole fucked-up mess is because of them. I’m not saying I didn’t play my part, I kept the lie going. I was complicit in their bullshit. That part’s on me. But the rest is on them. I think we’ve both had enough and it’s time we let it go.”

“I agree.” Macy nodded. “I have to tell you one more thing. No, two more things.”

Macy paused and looked over at Alec, and when Bobby hummed Jonny knew she saw the same thing he did—everything about Alec Hall’s demeanor changed. The gruffness left his features and his eyes softened when he smiled at his wife.

It might make Jonny a son of a bitch, asshole brother but he was happy Doug was gone and Macy’s years of misery were over. He was happy that she’d moved on and found a man who deserved her kindness. But he rejoiced every day his niece and nephew had a good man in their lives—a good father to teach and guide them.

“A few weeks ago,” Macy started. “I broke down and told Alec. I wasn’t trying to talk behind your back, Jonny, but I had to get it off my chest. I’d held it in for so long it was eating me up inside.”

Jonny’s gaze snapped to Alec’s.

Fucking, fuck, fuck.

Alec had been in an impossible situation. Smack dab between Jonny and Macy. His friend and his wife. Both sharing a secret that wasn’t even a secret seeing as they both knew. And Alec had kept quiet, the only person who knew the truth, the real truth.

A truth Alec—his friend—did not share, not even with his wife.

Brotherhood.

Jesus.

Once Jonny was able to shove the lump in