“How dare you call my daughter an insurance policy?” The sex comment was the least of my problems. My blood gurgled and boiled in my veins, and if I didn’t spot two coworkers in the coffee shop, I feared I’d topple the table over on the asshole’s lap. How could he speak about Piper like that?
“My granddaughter,” he said, not flinching. “Don’t forget, she has my blood too. You know, if I wanted her, I could get her.”
“Look,” I said, trying to reason with him when I knew better. “You’ve left me alone for all these years. I didn’t take your money way back then, and I don’t want it now. I don’t want anything. I don’t hold you or your son responsible in any way for Piper. She doesn’t know who you are, or what you do, or how much you’re worth, or that you even exist. She doesn’t know Aston exists. She thinks my ex is her father, and he is, for all intents and purposes.”
“Bullshit. You’d tell her in a minute if it would benefit you,” Peter said, glaring at me. “I want you to let go of my son, because when he finds out about all this, he’ll lose his mind. He’ll learn about Piper, and it will all be over. Everything I’ve built will be for nothing. He won’t be able to stay away from you or her. He’s a sucker for a happy ending, like the one his mom never got.”
Taking a deep breath, I decided to use the dagger I knew would mortally wound him. It was more about self-preservation, having the last word and getting away from him.
“He already knows. Guess he played you too, old man.”
Standing, I decided it was time for my coffee. The asshole stood too, staring at me with his mouth hanging open, speechless in a way I’d never seen.
What? He didn’t think anyone would ever play him?
Stepping around him, I went to the counter and decided a cookie was in order too.
Aston
“Do you get what I’m saying? This isn’t a punishment for you. It’s actually something special, okay, guys?”
During my regular business day, I closed million-dollar deals, but when it came to parenting, I was way out of my comfort zone. All I knew was I grew up with bitterly divorced parents, and I didn’t want the same for my kids. They also didn’t deserve a broken lush of a mother, so they’d have to settle for divorced parents who did their best not to be bitter.
Aston Junior nodded, and Mara asked, “Will you be able to braid my hair in the morning?”
“No, but Denise will do it before you go to school. I promise. What’s important is that both of you know Denise will be in charge. Your mom’s not feeling well, and so you’ll stay with me all the time, until she gets better. But now I have to go to work.”
“You mean, when she’s not drunk, we get to see her again.” Little Aston spoke of his mother’s problems so matter-of-factly, like no child should ever have to do.
A shudder ran through me. To say I’d fucked myself royally wasn’t harsh enough. “Don’t worry about that, okay, buddy? Just worry about having fun and being seven.”
We were sitting in my car outside the kids’ school after I’d picked them up, both of them in the back seat, and me twisting around to see them from the front seat. We could have had this conversation once we got home, but I wanted to get it over with. I had too many things to tick off my to-do list, but this was the most pressing.
“Most days I won’t be able to pick you up, so Denise will come in this car. You don’t ride with anyone else, especially Mommy. You get in this car with Denise.”
“Because she could be drunk. Mommy,” Mara said. She was six going on twenty-five. “That’s what Denise told us one time. To have a teacher call you if Mommy was drunk, or acting funny, when she picked us up.”
“Right. It’s bad to drink and drive. Denise is right. But now you don’t have to worry about it.”
“You drink coffee and drive,” Mara said.
“That’s right, baby. Coffee doesn’t have alcohol. I mean a drink like wine or beer, a special-occasion drink. Those don’t mix with driving.”
This discussion was way above my pay grade. I fumbled with my words and needed to get this conversation over, and I still had to get in touch with Bexley and my lawyers.
“Oh.” Mara tilted her head as she considered what I’d said, setting her braids swinging.
“What if you’re drinking?” Little A asked, eyeing me from the back. “Mom said you drink, and you know, the other kids at school said their parents are talking about you. Is it because you drink?”
Facing the front to collect my thoughts, I took in a few deep breaths before turning back to the kids. Of course, Aidan had warned me about all this before I pulled this power move. It didn’t take more than threatening Cass with her access to funds for her to convince the kids that they might lose both of us. I’d reminded him that it was his job to keep me free, and not behind bars.
“Don’t listen to them. They’re gossiping, and gossip is for old ladies in church and people on the golf course. You’re both future CEOs or lawyers or doctors, so you don’t need to gossip. You hear me?” I said, and they both nodded. “Let’s roll.”
Of course, they picked that moment to go in for the kill.
“Can we get ice cream? We’re hungry,” Little A said on a moan, and Mara chimed in. “We are.”
“Ice cream it is, but don’t pull this with Denise, kids. Got me?” I said it knowing they would do
