“It’s too late for that now,” Seth said, stepping closer. “He’s in Piper’s life now, and I’m smart enough to know he isn’t going anywhere. I’m forever connected to the guy because I care for Piper. Love her like she’s my own, and she was for a while. This hurts me too.”
“Ugh, Seth. This is a mess.” I sighed and stepped into his arms, my tea forgotten.
Of course, at that very moment, my back door burst open and a haggard Aston appeared, ready to tear Seth to shreds.
“Get the fuck off her, dude.”
His hair unruly, eyes wild, clothes rumpled, I’d never seen Aston look this disheveled.
“Sorry, Bexley, but there was no stopping him,” Mike said as he begrudgingly trailed behind Aston.
“Listen, calm down.” Seth stood tall, but he was no match for Aston’s six-foot-plus frame.
“Don’t you fucking tell me what to do.” Aston stomped toward me, and I regretted not checking to see if the back door was locked. “Where is she?”
“Who?” I asked, playing dumb.
“Don’t be coy.”
“She’s asleep, and if you don’t stop stomping around here, you’re going to wake her. It took us a long time to calm her down, and may I remind you, it’s almost midnight?”
“I want to see her. I won’t wake her.”
“Why? Because you feel guilty exposing her to the asshole who is your father? Or because your childish outburst led to someone calling the cops?”
Aston didn’t answer, and I dropped my face in my palms and took a long breath.
When I looked up, I said, “You all need to go. All three of you. Mike, go home to Milly. Seth, call me in the morning, and we can work out when you’ll see the kids next. Aston, just go.”
“No. You two can go,” Aston said while waving his hand in front of the other two men who were just standing there, bearing witness to our private battle.
“I don’t want to do this right now, Aston. Please.”
“We’re not doing anything. I’m here to see my daughter, and these other guys are leaving. I won’t wake her. I’m just going to look in on her. Then I’m going to set her mother’s mind at ease and take care of you. Why? Because you’re mine now.” Turning toward Seth, he said, “Not yours.”
“Don’t, Aston. It’s not necessary. Seth was here tonight, and he’s a part of Piper’s life. He always will be, because he was there when she was born.”
Seth shook his head, walking toward Aston. “Christ, you don’t have to defend me, Bexley. I took care of Piper tonight because I wanted to, because it was what she deserved. I changed her diapers, bathed her, held her when she had a fever, gave her a brother, took her to her first day of school, while you,” he said, glaring at Aston and pointing a finger at him, “built a business and a different life. You weren’t there, and I was. Yeah, I got the shit end of it, learning she’s not my daughter, and getting a divorce. I may be bitter, but you know what? I do what’s right when it’s needed.”
“You son of a bitch. I didn’t even know she existed,” Aston growled out. “And that wasn’t my fucking fault.”
I worried this was going to escalate quickly as I watched Aston’s fists clench and unclench. The last thing I needed was for him to break someone else’s nose tonight.
“This is all my fault,” I said quickly. “The blame is on me. Listen to me, both of you.”
Aston and Seth continued with their stare-down, not bothering to even glance my way.
Frustrated, I shrieked, “Look at me!” and then clapped my hand over my mouth. I didn’t need to wake Piper. Lowering my voice, I said to Aston, “Don’t disregard me and my feelings. I loved you, and I thought I could love you again. Or maybe I never stopped loving you.”
This got his attention, his wary eyes turning on me.
“And I loved you, Seth, very much at one point. Cared for you very much, I should say.”
Seth shrugged. “I’m over the hurt, Bexley. Truly. Now I do what’s right, and none of that has to do with my feelings for you.”
“Look, guys, I love Piper the most. I’m her mom. I’ve always been there for her, and she doesn’t deserve this, all this fighting between the three of us.” God, I was bone tired, and I didn’t have the time or patience for temper tantrums from grown-ass men.
“This isn’t a debate over who loves her the most,” Aston said, then spoke with authority. “Mike, leave.”
Mike shook his head as he turned and walked out the back door. When he was gone, Aston turned to me.
“This is about a girl who has a lot of people who love her, and me, who was shut out of her life. I want back in.”
“Not everything is always about you, Aston,” I shot back, and he looked at me like he’d been punched. “Don’t look at me that way. I mean it. That’s the whole point . . . you can’t punch someone in front of your daughter.”
“And expect me to pick up the pieces,” Seth said.
“Dude, get out,” Aston said to Seth. “Seriously, get the fuck outta here. Thanks for helping. I mean it. When I calm down, I’m sure I’ll appreciate it even more, but just go home.”
Aston glared at Seth until he started walking toward the door.
How does he do this? Always get his damn way?
Aston turned his focus on me. “Bex, look at me.” Moving to stand in front of me, he said softly, “I’m sorry. I fucked up.”
I shook my head. At what, I didn’t have a clue.
“I fucked up, Bex. You know how messed up I am when it comes to my dad, but the fact that you turned to him—Seth, I mean, not my father. Seth, your fucking ex.” Aston spat out the name like he was choking. His expression anguished, he said, “I
