CHAPTER 6
Kyle
I wipe my hands on my jeans for the hundredth time in a five-minute span. I’m usually not a nervous person but this shit has me worked up. When I’m in the ring fighting in front of thousands and watched by millions I’m never this anxious. Christ!
When Sophie text me this morning asking if we could meet at the park I quickly said yes. I would have cancelled anything to make it here. I was an hour early just in case she decided to show early and let him play.
When I look up my eyes meet Sophie’s emerald gaze before she quickly looks away. It’s nice to see I’m not the only one who’s nervous. Then I look to her right and down a few feet where my boys holding her hand with a huge smile on his face. I can’t get over how much he looks like me.
When they get close, Sophie stops several feet away. I can’t help notice the tired look in her eyes and the worry as she bites her bottom lip. Damn that’s sexy.
Wiping that thought from my head because this isn’t the time or place for it, I stand up and meet them the rest of the way. “Hey guys.” I wave like a lame ass because I don’t know how Sophie wants to do this?
Gabe looks at me with so much excitement before he lets go of his Mom’s hand and walks the last two feet between us. He stands in front of me smile completely gone as he stares into my eyes and it takes everything in me not to squirm from the scrutiny. Does he hate me already?
“Daddy?”
And just like that he has my heart. One word, just one is enough to knock me on my ass and give him anything he wants and protect him for the rest of my life.
I look over to Sophie for guidance and she nods her head.
Dropping to my knee so that I’m on Gabe’s level, I place my hand on his shoulder and nod my head.
“Mommy’s shown me pictures. There’s some in my room and I’ve seen you fight! Can you teach me how to kick ass like you do?”
I whip my head towards Sophie with tears in my eyes. She already told him who I am, he knows.
“I’ve only let him see parts of your fights, usually the first couple rounds.” She chuckles.
“I’m so sorry I haven’t seen you up until now but I’m here. That’s all that matters and I’m never leaving you again.”
He looks a little hesitant, probably confused by the tears leaking from my eyes until I open my arms. As if we haven’t missed anytime at all he jumps into them. When I look up at Sophie I see fat tears working their way out of her eyes as she watches on. Our eyes stay locked for a few seconds before she mouths “I’m sorry”.
In this moment all is forgiven. I still want to find out what happened and why she kept him from me but no matter what, I know I need my family. These two have just become the most important people in the world to me and I know I’ll do anything to make them happy.
“Daddy, can we go play on the swings?”
“Of course, we can Gabe.” I look over to Sophie to invite her with us but she shakes her head no.
“I’m going to sit on the bench and let you guys catch up. Is that okay baby?” She drops to her haunches so she’s level with Gabe. “Do you wanna go with just Daddy?”
“YES!” He yells and it makes me laugh. Gabe’s so full of life and a much-needed breath of fresh air.
“We’ll be back and I promise he’s safe with me.”
“I know. But maybe pick something that doesn’t involve his hand.” She whispers then runs her hand through Gabe’s hair before standing back up and heading for the bench behind us.
For the next half hour, we play on the jungle gym and go down the slides together. He’s so animated in how he talks just like his mother and he says the funniest shit.
“You’re stuck with a cast huh?” I rub my hand down his bright orange wrist.
“Yeah, cool huh! You ever break any bones Dad?” He smiles and it takes my breath away.
“Yeah but nothing major. I’ve broken my nose a few times.”
“Wow, did you have a cast too? That must have looked awesome!”
I laugh. “Let’s get back to Mom. I’m sure she’s missing you.” I slide down the slide and stand at the bottom waiting for him to come down his side.
“She sees me all the time.” He huffs. “Will I see you again?”
“Absolutely. You’re going to see me so much you’ll get sick of me!” He bombs down the slide and into my waiting arms. I hold on for a little longer than necessary but when Gabe squeezes me back I know he loves it just as much as I do. I have a huge smile on my face as I hold his hand and walk back to where Sophie’s sitting.
It’s hard not to notice how beautiful she is. She’s always been sexy as hell and my Mom was right, I’ve had a crush on her since middle school. Her long red hair is up in one of those messy buns and her glasses put off a sexy librarian vibe. Christ, my dick needs to take a time-out right now.
She stands up and starts walking over towards us. Gabe lets go of my hand and runs towards her like a flash of lightning.
“Did you have fun with Daddy?”
“Of course I did Mom! He’s Reckless you know!” He yells in excitement.
“How silly of me to forget.” She looks up at me and rolls her eyes making me laugh.
“Mom I have a Dad now and I’m gonna see him so much I’ll get sick of him!”
Fucking Christ this kid just keeps hitting me in the heart. I know our visits coming to an end and I don’t want to see them go.
“How about I take you two out for lunch?” I blurt out.
Sophie looks skeptical but Gabe’s jumping up and down so I have my answer. She won’t tell him no, Sophie’s always been a sucker and it’s working perfectly to my advantage right now.
“Oh alright, but we have to be quick because then we have to get home for preschool this afternoon.”
“Do I have to go? Bo-wiener always make me draw stupid triangles.”
“Excuse me mister, what did we talk about?”
“Sorry, Mrs. Bonina…” He grumbles.
“Yes, if I hear you call her Mrs. Bo-wiener you’ll lose your tablet for a week.”
It takes everything in me not to laugh from the look on his face. I lose the good fight and have to turn my back to them when I burst out laughing. Come on, would you be able to keep a straight face?
“Well, you’re just gonna have to suck it up and draw your shapes. You get to play with your friends too.”
“Yeah, Tray said he was going to bring in his bug today.”
“Ugh, I hope not. Let’s go we don’t have that much time.”
I gather my composure and turn around and see the laughter Sophie’s trying to subdue.
“Dad, can you bring me to school today?”
“As long as it’s okay with your Mom I’ll come for drop off with you two.”
“Of course, you can! I can’t wait to tell all my friends about my Dad!”
I can’t wait to tell everyone about my son.
***
After dropping Gabe off at preschool Sophie’s driving me back to my car. I’m not set up to have a child in mine yet and that’s going to be changing today.
“Can I come with you for pick-up?” I probably don’t have to ask but I don’t want to make her think I don’t care about her feelings. She’s been doing this parenting thing for four years and I don’t want to step on her toes.
“Yeah, that’s fine. You can meet me at the park again if you want? He only has a few weeks of school left before summer break. Then he’ll be in kindergarten next year.”
“Wow, Jesus a kindergartener… that’s so insane to me.” I shake my head trying to process it all. “Nah, I’ll meet you at your house. It’ll be easier then I can at least spend some time with Gabe after.”
“Oh, you wanted to come over after?”
“Yeah, is that okay? I don’t want to miss out. I told him he would be seeing a lot of me and besides training I don’t have much going on.”
“Yup, that sounds great. I can make us some dinner… if you planned on staying to eat?”
“Dinner sounds fantastic. I should warn you, I told my Mom about all of this last night and she’s chomping at the bit to meet her newest grandson.”
“Invite her over, it’ll be great to see her again. I can make enough food.”
“Do you remember my family?”
She laughs. “Okay, invite them all over. But can we do it a night next week or the one after so we can get Gabe used to you first?”
“Absolutely but are you sure? I know this is all new and I don’t want to overwhelm Gabe.”
“He’ll be fine. Actually, he’ll be ecstatic he has some cousins to play with. Since we moved to town he’s had a hard time, he was nervous to start school and meet new friends. He’s doing great but having some more family will be awesome for him.”
I place my hand on Sophie’s thigh after she throws her car in park. She looks over to me after I feel her leg tense beneath my hand and that’s when I realize where I placed it. Pulling it back, I smile then look down at my lap. When did I become such a pussy? I’m usually confident when I’m with a woman. The difference is this is Sophie.
“Sorry, old habit.”
“It’s okay. But while the subject is being brought up, I need you to know that ship has sailed.”
“I didn’t know we were on that subject… what do you mean that ship’s sailed? It barely left the dock four fucking years ago.”
“I’ve seen the tabloids and all the women you traipse around with. I want to make it perfectly clear that we are co-parenting and can maybe be friends again… but nothing more.”
Shot down before I tried anything on her. That’s got to be a first. I look into her eyes and it’s hard not to remember all the feelings that were between us. Our relationship was brief but it was passionate and matured too fast. When she said we were having a baby, we were barely talking at that point. She wasn’t happy with my new-found popularity but we made it work… until we thought we lost the baby.
Plain and simple we were too young and if it happened now I’d like to believe things would be different. The reality of the situation is a lot happened, too much for a couple of college kids to handle.
I give her my trademark smirk. “We’ll see.”
A smile lights her face and nearly takes my breath away. “Glad to see you’re the same stubborn guy I knew all those years ago. Maybe you haven’t changed.”
“Who are you calling stubborn?”
“You… Baby Cage.”
I growl as we get out of the car but don’t miss the mischief dancing in her eyes. That nickname is the bane of my existence, I fucking hate when anyone calls me that. I’ll show her.
She’s already at the front door with keys in hand when I catch up to her. I spin her around and pin her back against the door with my body weight. One hand holds both her wrists above her head and the other starts tracing a line at her thigh. It travels all the way up her hip, to the side of her stomach and stops right below her tits. Her tits that have me salivating at the thought of touching them.
“I can’t wait to show you how much this baby’s grown.” I lean in and bite the shell of her ear as my fingers tease the underside of her breast before I release her wrists and back away. If the dazed look is anything to go off, she wants me just as badly as I want her.
Sophie looks me over trying to feign indifference but I know her. She’s anything but indifferent.
“Well… it’s a shame we’ll never find out.” She turns and unlocks the door before stepping inside and slamming it shut.
That’s twice in a 24-hour period she’s slammed a door in my face. I smile to myself because now I’m determined. I’ll get her back in my bed even if she fights me the whole way.
I’m stepping onto the walkway when my phone chimes. It’s a text from Sophie.
Sophie: Be back at two o’clock sharp. If you’re late I’m leaving without you.
Yup, she still wants me. She can have some time to process because Gabe’s my main priority now. Getting to know him and merging my world with his has to take precedent over everything else. I can already tell he’s a great kid and I’m hoping I can be a good Dad to him.
Looking back at the house I smile.
I’ll get another chance with her, I just need to figure out how to make her drop her guard.