He hasn’t left my house at all. He’s been here for two days straight. He’s waiting for something, but I’m unsure of what. I’ve been ignoring Robbie’s phone calls, unsure of what I should say, or be saying. Today I have Isabelle, and it just makes the day even better. I have to pick her up. Liam has been taking me to work every day and picking me up. Today I drove myself as I need to pick up Isabelle. I don’t know what he does when I’m at work, and I don’t really care, as long as he’s there when I come home.
Roger answers the door. He looks me up and down and sticks his nose up at me.
“He told you yet?” he asks, smugness in his voice, thinking he wouldn’t.
“Yes! You’re a fucking evil man,” I spit at him, wanting to throat punch the cunt.
“I’m surprised, you must be a better lay than you were before. Especially to hook a man like Black.”
“Oh really? I thought it was your small dick that was the shit lay.” He steps closer to me. His fist at his side is bunched like he wants to hit me.
“Watch what you say, Rose. I still have our daughter full time.”
“Please don’t threaten me.” Isabelle comes running out and straight into my arms. I don’t say goodbye. Instead I grab her bag and walk off with her.
I tell her on the drive about Liam that he will be at our house and she claps excitedly.
He’s at the door when I pull up. Isabelle runs from the car and straight into him, hugging his legs. He looks down, unsure of what to do. Then she tells him to pick her up like she understands that he doesn’t know. He does, and she wraps her little arms around his neck. His eyes are wide, and he looks to me for help. I walk past him, slapping his ass, and he laughs. The first ever laugh I’ve heard from him, and it stops me in my tracks. Making me turn to him, it’s a beautiful laugh.
“Don’t say a thing,” he warns. He puts Isabelle down to the ground and she runs inside.
He grabs my hand stopping me from going in after her. “I have someone here.” Panic sets in. I get my hand free and run inside to where Isabelle is and see her sitting on the floor talking to a little boy with blond curls.
“He’s harmless,” Liam whispers into my ear from behind me. “Hayden, you remember Rose,” he says, to which the little boy’s head turns around. His eyes are black. Shock radiates through me on a gasp.
“Hi, miss,” he says, turning back to Isabelle, who’s claiming his attention.
“What happened to him?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out tomorrow. He’s staying the night.” My hands fly up to my hips, not because of the little boy—no child should be put through that—but because he’s saying what goes.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Is this your house?” I ask. I’m just joking, but his face turns serious. His hand goes to pull his beard again, and all I want to do is pull that beard so his lips smash on mine.
“I can go,” he says, walking past me. And just as he does, I do what I’m thinking by pulling his beard and placing his lips on mine. I don’t let our kiss go long, too many little eyes around. But, boy, do I want those lips in other places as well.
“Get your mind out of the gutter,” he says, breaking away. I smile and walk into the room. Hayden looks up to me and smiles. He looks thin for a kid his age. Like he isn’t eating enough.
“When was the last time you ate, Hayden?” I ask, and his little head turns to me.
“A day ago, miss,” he says like it’s not bad. I look to Liam to see him already cooking. I follow him in.
“They don’t feed him either?” I ask, my heart breaking for this kid even more.
“Not as much as he should be fed. That’s why he comes to me. I feed him and give him money.”
“Where would he be without you?” I ask.
“I don’t want to know,” is all the answer I get.
“Will you go to his place? Take him from them legally, though,” I add, knowing what he could do.
“Legally?” he questions.
“Yes, legally, Liam. Get them to sign a form or something. They can’t raise a child, look how they treat him. How do you think he will turn out?”
“Like me.”
“I remember,” I say, referring to his bruises from back when I first met him. “You aren’t bad though, Liam, just dark in some places.”
Liam cooks us chicken and veggies, and Hayden eats as much as he wants. As the kids are getting ready for bed, a knock sounds at my door and my heart rate picks up. I can’t answer it. I’m too afraid of what will be on the other side. Liam steps into the room I’m in and checks on me, then goes to the front of the house. I watch as he opens the door. Then I hear a familiar voice. Shit. I so didn’t want to have to deal with this.
“Why the fuck are you here?” Robbie barks at Liam. Liam just stands there, hands crossed over his chest, not answering. Robbie spots me straight away and goes to take a step inside the house, Liam blocks his path with his body, and it’s a pretty big body to block.
I walk up behind him and tap his shoulder. He relaxes just a bit but lets me through. “I have to talk to him,” I tell Liam. His head shakes no, but my eyes plead with him. He lets up and I walk outside with Liam watching us. Robbie starts to pace the front lawn, unsure of what’s happening, and keeps on looking back to Liam.
“What’s going on, Rose? Because I’m completely lost.” He stops and stands in front of me.
“I can’t explain it, Robbie. Liam…” I trail off, not even knowing how to finish that sentence.
“You want him?” he asks, looking over my shoulder. I turn and see Liam in the doorway with Isabelle on his hip.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you.”
“I know, you were always one touch away… two heartbeats away.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, just…” he pauses, looking at Liam again, “…just don’t trust him. He isn’t good.” He turns and walks off, not saying another word as he climbs into his car and drives off.
“I don’t like him,” Liam mumbles, bouncing Isabelle on his hip.
“You don’t like anyone,” I reply, stepping up to him.
“That’s true, though I seem to have some feelings for a beautiful blonde.”
“Me, I’m blonde,” Isabelle shrieks in his arms.
“Well, make that two blondes,” he says, winking at me. And shit, fuck a duck, my heart just grew ten times its size and my girlie parts just melted.
Fuck, that wink.
Fuck.