I disconnected the call before Mike could protest, wishing for a cigarette or a bottle of Scotch.
I didn’t open my eyes until I heard a car pull up and stop in front of me. Looking up, I saw Mike waiting in his Hummer. Not one for the environment, and always wanting to make it clear he had the biggest dick in the room, Mike bought a car that personified him.
After rolling down his window, he said, “Get in.”
Happy to comply, I jumped in. “Talk,” I said when I was seated in the passenger seat.
“Well, I’m actually just coming from Bexley’s. A month ago, she hated my guts. Now she says I was right all those years to keep you two separated.”
“What the hell?” I blew out a long breath. “Did you tell her she was mistaken?”
“I didn’t get a chance to say much. By the way, you self-centered prick, did you hear me say Milly’s cheating on me?”
I nodded, feeling the burn in my eyes. “We all knew. My guy, he knew.”
Mike slammed his hand against the steering wheel. “Christ, do you ever do what’s right? Do you ever think of anyone else?”
“I try. It’s not my strong suit. My life was fucked up—”
“Enough of that shit, Aston. Grow the fuck up.”
“I’m trying. Really.”
“Look, man, you’re a good dad. You were way better to Cass than she deserved. You lived your whole life for your mom. But your dad is pure evil, and I don’t want to see you become him.”
“That’s what I’m trying not to be. Look, I’m sorry about Milly. She doesn’t know what the fuck she’s doing. She has a good life, and she should wake the fuck up and realize that. You’re not some robot.”
“Try telling her that,” he said, glancing at me for a second as he drove toward my house. “She says I’m not there for her. Christ, I have to make money, and a lot of it, to support her and our lifestyle. She thinks it’s easy.”
I huffed at him, rolling my hand in the air to tell him to get on with it, and he glared at me but continued.
“Anyway, she calls me tonight as I’m finishing up a work dinner. Says Bexley needs help, and I need to go right away. That’s our new reality. Milly says jump, and I say how high . . . and Bexley is fucking furious with me since the last time I saw her. Why? Because I told her you had someone watching her and knew about Piper.”
“Did you go help her? What did she say?”
“She was hysterical, consoling Piper. Told me I should have never let you close, that this was my fault. I should have stopped you from intruding on their lives.”
“Did you tell her I meant well? That I want to be with her, and Piper?”
“I told her how fucked up you are, confused and misguided, but you love her. Always have.”
“Good. Maybe I should go there?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why?” I swiveled my body to stare at his profile.
“Seth brought Tyler home, and Piper told him what happened.”
“That fucking ass. She’s my daughter. And that’s my woman.”
“For a minute, Aston. Seth’s taken care of them for a long time.”
We pulled up at my house, and Mike put the huge beast of an SUV into park. “You stink and you look a mess. Go shower, hug your kids, and go to bed.”
“Nah, I’m going to do all of that and then go see Bexley.”
“I don’t recommend it. They’re quieted now.”
“Are you saying that to defend yourself? You put yourself back in Bex’s good graces, and you don’t want to ruin it? Milly is waiting to hear a good report on you? This is my life too. You’ve had it good for years, and now it’s rough. It’ll be good again. Milly will get her head out of her ass.”
“No, I’m telling you to go to bed. That’s all.”
“Huh-uh. I’m not,” I said, whipping off my seat belt once I remembered I had it on.
“Don’t go there, Aston.”
“Why?” I practically growled at him.
“Piper asked Seth to stay. First, she asked me, but I can’t. I have to go home to Milly.”
“Fuck!” I roared, slamming the dash. “Forget the shower. Take me to Bexley’s. Now. I’m too fucking mad to drive.”
He set his jaw and shook his head.
“Mike, you know me better than this. I’m not getting out of this damn fucking car until you take me.”
Cursing under his breath, he put the Hummer back in gear, and we sped off.
Bexley
“You don’t have to stay. She’s asleep now,” I said to Seth, my back to him while I steeped a mug of tea at the kitchen counter.
After crying on my shoulder, then Mike’s, and finally Seth’s, Piper wore herself out. She vacillated between being scared of and mad at Peter. Mostly, she was worried for Aston, but I wasn’t. He made his bed.
Once again, Seth did the right thing. Despite being mad at me, he comforted Piper. Told her she was going to be okay, that no one was going to hurt her, saying all the right things.
“Hey,” he said, tugging on my shoulder and turning me. “It’s going to be okay. Piper’s young. She’ll get over this.”
Looking at him, I wondered if I could love him again. “Yeah, but I don’t know if I’ll get over this.”
He lifted my chin with his finger. When Seth looked at me like he did when we first got married, with caring adoration, I wondered if this was the same guy who’d refused to meet me recently for a cup of coffee.
“You need to forget about Aston. He’s haunted you for too long. It’s time to give him up.”
“I know, but it’s not that easy.” As I stepped back, Seth held on to my arm. “This
