Driving away from Laura’s house, especially after what we’d done, somehow felt shallow. I couldn’t find it in me to feel embarrassed at having fucked her in the front seat of my car. No, as crass as it was, the sex never once felt that way. My cock stiffened in my pants as I remembered Laura’s tight pussy squeezing me as I came inside her. I quickly deflated thinking about why it was possible to spill inside her without using a condom, or any contraceptive. Fucking cruel is what it was, the realisation that I’d never be able to give her everything she might have wanted, cut at me. I shook it off, didn’t want the day sullied with her past or mine. She’d been smiling when I left. I’d take that and be happy with it.

Parking the car in the driveway, laziness had me leaving it there instead of pulling it into the garage. The lights were on at the front of the house, telling me Ayden had come home, with Jake in tow most likely. My evening got better. I opened the front door, loud angry voices greeting me. I frowned in confusion until I heard the all too familiar shrill of Stella’s voice.

What the fuck?

I hurried my steps toward the racket and stormed into the kitchen to be confronted with the image of my ex-wife all up in my son’s face, pointing at him, screaming obscenities. Oh, hell no. Wasn’t happening, not in front of me, not in my house, not ever.

Ayden looked my way, unperturbed by his mother’s theatrics, which relieved me but didn’t quell the anger that exploded.

“Get the fuck away!” I yelled, marching towards Stella. She flinched as I shouted, her tirade toward Ayden stopping abruptly. I pushed between them and got up in her face. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I left some things.”

She looked behind me to Ayden who was chuckling humourlessly. I took a quick look back at him too and he shrugged at me, folding his big arms across his chest. Jesus, when had he grown so big, where had my boy gone? He was no longer a child but a man. A big one at that. And his mother was trying to goad him into an argument. She had no fear. He’d been taught never to hit a woman, and here Stella was - pushing buttons I wasn’t sure he knew how to control yet.

I turned back to the woman I couldn’t wait to be rid of. “Then get your shit and leave.” I pointed to the kitchen door. “And don’t come back. You’re not welcome here, Stella. Ever.”

She glanced around the kitchen, smirking. “Cleans up good, huh?” I didn’t miss her meaning and it only served to boil my anger hotter. Time to get a few things straight.

“You mind leaving us, son? I need to talk with your mother.” I didn’t take my eyes from her, feeling Ayden move from my back, his hand sweeping across my shoulder, a sign of assurance that he was okay.

“No mother of mine.”

“Watch your mouth!” Stella barked, scowling as Ayden left the room.

She made to move after Ayden. Having none of it, I grabbed her arm, my fingers tightly digging into the flesh of her bicep. I had not an ounce of sympathy left for this woman.

“Don’t you fucking move,” I warned. “What are you doing here, Stella?”

I took a quick inventory of my kitchen before I dragged her from the room and down the hall to my office, not letting go of her arm, not caring if she stumbled in her ridiculous heels.

“You’re hurting me, Lucca,” she whined from behind.

“Do I look like I give a shit?” I gripped harder, likely leaving bruises. I was past the point of caring with this woman. I barged the office door open and propelled Stella inside before kicking shut the door behind us. I launched forward, my face barely an inch from hers. “You don’t get to come into my house again. Not after what you did.”

She stood stiff, no emotion crossed her face. The woman was hollow. How had I never seen how empty she was before? It felt like an eternity until she spoke. I didn’t move, I stood my ground, not giving her an inch. She’d seen me that way one too many a time, enough was enough.

Through gritted teeth, she delivered what she clearly felt was her parting blow. “I should have killed you.”

Her noxious words having no effect on me. “Maybe you should have. Let me tell you, Stella,” I took a step backward, “anything happens to me? They come looking for you first, I made sure of it. The settlement’s more than fair. Take it and fuck off. Stay away from Laura. Stay away from Ayden, it’s perfectly clear how he feels about his mother, don’t you think?” I moved across my office and yanked the door open. “You go after either of them, or I hear anything...” I looked her straight in the eye, making sure she heard my promise. “I’ll come for you myself and I won’t leave you lying in a hospital bed. You hear me?”

She stalked past, her heels clacking down the corridor. Not a word passed her lips, not a look came my way. I heard rustling as she collected whatever it was she’d claimed to have forgotten then the bang of the front door as she left. I sagged where I stood, relief washing over me.

Ayden cleared his throat off to the side and I swung my head his way, deflating at the sight of his filled eyes.

Still a boy...

I reached out and pulled him into my chest. He gripped my shirt and sobbed, the sound cutting my heart painfully. We held one another for a long time, gathering strength.

“What happened to her?”

I sighed, not sure of the correct answer to give him. I’d eventually learned of her history before me, events that explained why our love had never been enough for her. Why she was bitter. It was a can of worms I wasn’t willing to open. Not now, perhaps in the future I’d be able to sit down and tell my son that his grandfather had killed his grandmother, and we were revenge for an event that happened over twenty years ago. Stella’s history was dark and putrid, I refused to taint my son with the truth until it became a necessity. I’d shown him love and comfort his mother wasn’t capable of, and for once I’d felt I’d done something right. I loved my son unconditionally enough for both of us.

He whispered, ‘thank you.’ I had so much pride in my son and hope for our future.

“Jake here?”

“Yeah, he disappeared when she banged the door down.” Sounded like Jake, great young man, hated confrontation of any kind. He’d seen enough dramatics throughout his years of friendship with Ayden and he always took flight. Right choice in my opinion. “You okay? You want to talk about it?” I ran a hand through the dark hair on his head, like I used to when he was a young boy and he’d cuddle into me before bed.

“Nah, dad. It’s nothing new, you know.”

“You shouldn’t have to hear it, Ayden.”

He shrugged again, telling me it would roll off his back. I knew better, had been on the receiving end all too often. It was difficult to ignore her jibes, not let them sink in and gnaw at you, make you question yourself. I prayed her actions didn’t impact too harshly on his life or his outlook. I’d tried to protect him, Ryder had too, hopefully it’d been enough.

“How’s Laura?” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down and I slapped him as I chuckled at his change in subject.

“She’s fine.” I checked my watch. “I have to call her shortly. You and Jake keep your noise down, yeah? This old man needs his sleep.”

Ayden turned and bounded up the stairs towards his room. I wandered through the house, giving each room a once over, switching off lights and closing doors. I found myself standing in the kitchen, staring at the floor ten minutes later. Memories still raw, thinking I was taking my last breaths on the tiles beneath my feet. It seemed only fitting I took my first free breaths here too.

Shutting off the light, I climbed the stairs, looking for the comfort of my bed. Thoughts of Laura whirled around my head. The woman had stolen my breath, stolen my heart, undoubtedly. I pulled my phone from my pocket and slung it on the table by the bed. Peeling off my clothes and carelessly dumping them in the corner, I climbed into bed naked, a dangerous thing considering I was about to call Laura. She made my blood stir at the slightest thing, there was no way I wasn’t going to be tenting my sheets when I got her on the line.

Not bothering with the lamp, the outside lights at the back of the house had been left on, casting enough of a faint glow across the room. I could see plenty. I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and searched Laura’s number, then called. I waited about as patiently as a kid in a candy shop while it rang on her end, then flipped over to voicemail. I hung up not bothering with a message, I’d call again in a while.

The boys laughing down the hall made me smile. At their age, my life had been vastly different and stressful, I couldn’t remember ever being as care free as my son was, until recently.

My phone beeped, and I held it up to my face, so I could see the screen better.

Ryder: 6 am. Be up!!!

I was getting too old to be up before the birds. I scrubbed my hand down my face and typed a text back.

Me: I’ll be up, dude

No reply, which figured. He was probably all tucked up nice and cosy with his woman. I regretted leaving Laura. I called again, voicemail picking up for a second time. I shoved my phone back on the bedside table and closed my eyes for a minute...