CHAPTER 26
Kyle
I wake up in a daze feeling completely disoriented. When I poke my head out from under my covers I look to the clock and see that it’s showing 10. The bright light blasting through my window and into my heavy eyes lets me know it’s more likely morning than night.
“Fuck.” I wipe my good hand down my face and curse my brothers. The throbbing in my elbow became unbearable on the plane so Jay decided to give me my painkillers. Asshole must have given me too much because I don’t remember much after that.
How the hell did I get home?
I reach for my cell phone on my nightstand and press Josh’s name. He answers on the third ring.
“Good morning sunshine! How are you feeling today?”
“Awful. Why the fuck did you guys leave me to fend for myself? I could have died last night.”
“With how you were snoring we were pretty confident you wouldn’t stop breathing in your sleep.” He laughs.
“I was supposed to go see Soph…”
“I know man but by the time we got in it was 3 AM and you were in no shape to fight for the love of your life. You should be thanking me. Jay wanted to let you go and do your whole Romeo routine you kept talking about outside her bedroom window.”
“Christ. Thanks man. Listen, I need to hop in the shower after figuring this cast shit out. I’ll call you later.” I hang up the phone after he says goodbye.
A quick google search, a trash bag and duct tape later, I’m showered and ready to take the day head on. The pain is still excruciating but I forgo the pain pills so I’ll have a clear head when I go see Sophie.
I’m still not sure what I’m going to say but I’m hoping if I shoot from the cuff and speak from the heart something genius will come out. Something to make her jump into my arms and tell me how much she loves me. At least this is the outcome that keeps playing in my head over and over convincing me it’s going to happen.
You don’t realize how difficult driving is until you take one arm out of the equation. At first, I got into my sports car but realized real fast that I couldn’t shift and drive with one hand. The SUV it is. After the quick drive across town I park at the top of Sophs driveway and cut the engine.
I take a few deep calming breaths and try pulling myself together so my nerves don’t end up ruling this conversation. As I step out of the car the front door to the house opens and Gabe comes flying down the steps.
Damn I’ve missed him.
I drop to my knees and pull Gabe to me with my good arm. Closing my eyes, I revel in the warmth Gabe’s hug sets off. When I open them back up I’m met with an extremely pissed off Sophie.
“Dad, are you okay? I saw your fight and I was so scared for you. But you’re okay right? That’s what I told Mom. You’re a badass!”
“Gabe! Get back in the house please.” Sophie demands.
“But Mom…”
“Don’t argue with me, get in the house please.” She gives her Mom face which has Gabe sighing out loud and marching loudly back into the house.
Once he walks past her she turns to follow him inside.
“Soph!” I yell to get her attention. When she whirls around I know this isn’t going to be easy by a long shot.
“Don’t. Do. Not!” She pinches the bridge of her nose and discreetly wipes a stray tear from her eye. “You don’t get to waltz up in here after what happened!”
“I’m not waltzing anywhere. Sophie, please just hear me out. I know the truth, I know Preston lied.”
“That’s great. But it’s a little too late for a heart-to-heart Kyle.”
“Babe…”
“You do not get to call me that anymore!” She screams as the tears fly freely from her eyes. I take a step closer and she takes a bigger step back. “You lost that right the moment you accused me of sleeping with someone else. The moment you accused me of passing Gabe off as your kid and lying about it. You’re the liar here! You act like you can have it all. The lavish life of MMA bad boy Reckless and still be able to play house back home with me and Gabe.”
“I don’t think that! You’re the most important people in my life Sophie.”
“You did a real bang up job of showing it.” She spits out. Sophie takes another unsteady breath before continuing on. “If you truly want to be in Gabe’s life I’ll get an official paternity test done so there’s no questions. I will never and I repeat never, go through that ever again.”
“There’s no need baby, I believe you…”
“No Kyle, it’s happening. God, do you know what I’ve been through? Being thrown all over the news as a cheating whore! There’s no coming back from that!”
“I’ll set it straight.”
“Oh, will you now? I think you’ve done enough Kyle.”
“Okay, what’s going to happen…”
“I’ll tell you what’s gonna fucking happen. You’ll have partial custody of Gabe because I’d never break his heart and take you away from him. He loves you too much. Exchanges will happen at school so I don’t have to see you. I’ll drop him off then you can pick him up or vice versa. If it needs to happen on the weekends my Mom already agreed to bring him to you.”
Everything she’s saying I love because it keeps Gabe in my life. But what about seeing Soph? She’s completely cutting me out and it’s like a kick to the gut knowing she doesn’t want me in her life anymore.
“When will we see each other? I’ll prove that you can trust me again.”
“That’s happened before and look at what went down! Never again will I ever trust you Kyle Cage. Never.” She walks back into the house and slams the door. I stand in the driveway for a while trying to process everything she said… and not accepting any of it.
Did I fuck up? Hell yes. I’m the worst kind of person for what I accused her of. Denying that Gabe was my son and kicking them out of my Vegas home. But I will not go down without a fight. I’ll get my family back and I’ll show her exactly why she fell in love with me in the first place.
Starting right now.
***
Sophie
After I slam the door on Kyle I drop to the ground. With my knees held tightly to my chest I bury my face in my legs and try to calm myself down.
Seeing Kyle was way harder than anticipated because my body still calls to him. Not to mention my need to take care of him when I saw the full cast on his arm. But I need to set boundaries now otherwise he’ll take advantage and weasel his way back into my life… and my heart.
I get off the ground a few moments later and walk into the kitchen where Gabe’s resumed the position he was in before he heard his Dad’s car coming up the driveway.
“You still want juice bud?”
“Yes please. Where’d Dad go? I really wanted to talk to him about his training.” It takes a lot not to laugh but I refrain and feel bad for being so stern with making him come back in the house.
“I’m sorry Gabe, I’ll call him and set up a time for you to see him tomorrow. Maybe if his arm is feeling okay you can have a sleepover?”
“He’s not sleeping here tonight? What’s going on here?” He places his tiny hands on his hips and gives me a stern look.
“No baby, he’s going back to his house…”
“I wanna go with Dad!” He cuts me off and this is the first time he’s ever chosen Kyle over me. It stings and I try to tell myself it’s because he’s injured.
But then I need to remember that my issues with Kyle are my own and that will no way shape or form hinder Gabe’s relationship with him. He fucked up but Gabe will never know his father doubted him. That’s something I’ll keep secret forever to keep any pain away from my boy.
Making the decision, I pull out my phone and call Kyle. “Hey Soph…”
I cut him off not wanting to hear anymore apologies or excuses. “Gabe wants to know if he can go to your house today?”
“Of course he can. I’m still in the driveway.”
“I’ll get him ready.” And I hang up the phone without hearing his reply.
“Good news, Daddy’s still in the driveway. Let’s get your shoes on.”
“Hell yeah!” He fist pumps the air and runs for his shoes.
“What did I tell you about saying that?” I yell.
“Sorry Mom! Heck yes!” He yells through the house.
“Much better.” We throw on his shoes and he bombs out the door. Kyle’s waiting at the bottom of the steps with a massive smile on his face when he sees Gabe running for him.
When he pulls Gabe into his arms he mouths “thank you” and I nod my head.
“He needs to be home by dinner because my Mom’s coming over.”
“No problem. Gabe, tell Mom bye.”
“See ya!” He waves and they both walk to the SUV. After Kyle has Gabe all buckled into his booster seat, he levels me with a look that nearly has me running into his arms. There’s so much pain swirling behind his eyes and I almost forget for a second that I’m the one that was hurt. Almost.
I give him a chin lift like all the indifferent people of the world do in acknowledgment, then walk back in the house. After walking around for a few minutes unsure of what to do I grab my keys and head for my car. It’s a little chilly out but I was planning on taking Gabe to the park.
One things clear, I know I don’t want to be alone right now.