Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Ayden
Ican barely think straight as we pull into the driveway.
Serena’s bouncing in the back seat with a sugar high as she talks about a boy named Sawyer Beck.
We saw his family at the ice cream parlor, and apparently, the kids had a spat in school a few months ago.
Laney assured me she handled it, which I have no doubt she did, but I was ready to tell that little boy to keep his hands off or it’d be the last time he used them.
Being a girl dad suddenly brings out a rage I thought was only fueled by my parents. Turns out it’s also brought on by little nine-year-old boys who dare to push my daughter and make her bleed.
My anger wouldn’t be so high if it weren’t for what Laney told me. Howie’s secret life, him having a partner, helping with my daughter, and now, husband to my high school girlfriend.
Though I’m not mad about them being married.
I’m upset they had to.
And enraged my father threatened her and she didn’t tell me about it sooner.
I didn’t plan to see him while I was here—fucking prayed I wouldn’t—but there’s a sudden urge to change that. He deserves some payback for the black eyes and broken ribs he gave me.
Once we’re inside, Serena takes her shopping bags to her room and starts organizing the new things I bought her. Laney said I shouldn’t spoil her, but I can’t help it. I have nine years’ worth of spoiling to do. If my daughter wants it, her daddy’s getting it for her.
“Ayden?” Laney murmurs in the doorway of her bedroom as I sit on the mattress.
“I need a moment,” I tell her honestly. My brain is still playing catch-up.
After a minute of silence, she speaks up. “I loved Howie as my closest friend. Nothin’ more.”
“I’m not upset about that, Lane.” Tilting my head, I meet her gaze.
“You came to me over three weeks ago and told me I had a daughter. Then you neglected to tell me details about the lives you three shared after sayin’ you wanted me here.
You said you were gonna tell me, but then why didn’t ya? Why keep it a secret?”
She frowns, inching closer. “I did try a couple times. We either got interrupted or I chickened out. I was scared I’d lose you again.”
Her soft, nervous voice has me furrowing my brow, and I stand. “Why would you think that?”
“If I’d told you those things—that your father threatened me, and Howie and I were married for five years—I was scared you wouldn’t want this.
Us. I didn’t know what to expect or how you’d act when I saw you for the first time in ten years.
I worried all this baggage upfront would be too much to handle.
Your dad’s the reason you left in the first place.
I thought anything involvin’ him would make you pause at comin’ here.
” She takes a deep breath, her eyes downcast as she bites her lower lip.
“So I waited to tell you because I selfishly wanted you here. I wanted you to meet our daughter and show you the possibility of what we could have. As a family.”
The pain in her voice has me closing the gap between us, and when I tilt up her chin, tears fall down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry you felt like you couldn’t tell me, Laney. I’ll do whatever it takes to rebuild that trust so you know that I’ll be here for you and Serena no matter what. I don’t care how big or small. If it involves either of you, I wanna know. I’m not goin’ anywhere. I promise.”
“I’m sorry. You deserved to know sooner.”
I cup her face, wiping away her tears with my thumb. Unable to resist, I lean in and softly press my lips to hers.
Slow and hesitant, she moves her tongue with mine, and I tease her mouth with mine. Tasting, giving, taking. I want to claim her.
Laney Bennett has always been mine, even miles apart and a decade later.
She always will be.
“Please tell me what my father did to you...” I murmur, pulling back just enough to lean my forehead against hers. My thoughts immediately go to what he did to Gabby, and I’ll kill him if he touched Laney. I’ve seen him do shady shit my entire life, so he’ll pay for whatever he’s done.
She nods. We sit on the bed and face each other.
“A few months after I found out I was pregnant, your dad came to the store while I was working and asked if what he heard about me was true. I pretended not to know what he was talkin’ about, but he could see my little baby bump and said he’d be takin’ me to court for full custody.”
“Full custody? That’s fuckin’ crazy.”
“He proclaimed I wasn’t fit to be a mother or to give a child what they needed without a father. I was too young, and since I was raised by a single mother who then got knocked up at eighteen, there was no way he’d let his only grandchild be raised by a single mom, too.”
“That bastard,” I mutter, shaking my head. “Shoulda told him to go fuck himself.”
“I wanted to. Mama was so mad when I told her, but a family lawyer friend said he’d have no grounds for gettin’ custody and not to worry.”
“But my father isn’t just anyone...” I say, knowing where this is leading.
“Exactly. A couple months later, I received a letter from a judge sayin’ if I couldn’t prove sufficient stable income or a spouse with insurance, Mr. Carson would become the legal guardian on behalf of his son...you.”
“There’s no goddamn way.” I shake my head in disbelief. “In what world is that possible?”
“Accordin’ to the lawyer, if a judge signs it, then it is.”
My father has so many connections and dirt on everyone from being a lawyer, it shouldn’t surprise me that he’d find a way to use that to get what he wants. He’s a dirty authority leader and always has been.
“How’d the conversation of you and Howie gettin’ hitched happen?”
“Mama told me she’d spend every penny she had payin’ a lawyer to fight this, but I didn’t want her to lose the store.
I knew your father would win if it came down to goin’ to court, so when I asked the lawyer what my best option was, she suggested findin’ a husband.
Someone who had a job and health insurance so Mr. Carson had no claims to his case. ”
“Christ.” I shake my head at the thought of how I’m the one who put her in that position in the first place. It’s my fault. I’m the one who left. Of course my father would shove his nose where it didn’t belong. He always inserted himself into places he had no business being in.
“I told Howie, and he suggested we get married. We were already friends, but I couldn’t see how it would benefit him.
Then he told me his grandmother and aunts were pressurin’ him to get married and settle down with some kids.
I had a gut feelin’ why he didn’t want that, but when he emphasized that his religious Southern family would never accept him, a former football player, for who he was, I knew. ”
“Wow, I can’t believe he’d rather hide than just tell them.”
“You know how it is down here, Ayden. Similar to the stigma of being a young, single mom out of wedlock. People judgin’ all the time.”
“Yeah, I do know.” I was expected to follow in my dad’s footsteps, play college football, graduate from his alma mater, settle down with a family, and then start a political career. Doing anything outside of that would be frowned upon.
“Howie was workin’ full time at his daddy’s garage and makin’ good money, so we knew it’d be enough to get the mayor off my back and his family’s off his. So we got hitched, and he moved in with me at Mama’s house until we bought a house a year later.”
“Did you have plans for how long y’all would stay married?”
“Not really. We were good friends and happy being roommates since neither of us had any interest in datin’, so it wasn’t a pressin’ issue. I figured once I was on my feet financially, there’d be no reason for your dad to come after me. It wasn’t until he met Reagan that things shifted.”
I blink, processing everything. “I can’t believe Howie did all that.”
“He loved you, Ayden. You were his childhood best friend, and he would’ve done anything for you.
Anything to make sure Serena and I were protected.
Includin’ marryin’ your baby mama in a courthouse when she was eight months pregnant and then helpin’ with the baby.
” She releases a small, humorless laugh.
“I should’ve been here.”
She shrugs. “Or I should’ve gone with you.”
“How’d Howie’s family take the news about Reagan and the divorce?”
“Not well at first. Especially his father and grandmother. Eventually, they came around and decided they loved Howie enough to understand he was with a man, whether or not they accepted it. They ended up lovin’ him once they put their judgments to the side.
His father even walked with him down the aisle at the vows ceremony. It was very sweet.”
“Thank you for tellin’ me, Laney. I want to know everythin’, okay? No more hidin’. I’m not goin’ anywhere.” I lean my forehead against hers and fight the intense urge to taste her lips again.
“Ayden, there’s one more thing...”
“Mommy! There’s an old man at the door.” Serena’s voice has us breaking away before Laney can continue.
“Who could that be?” I ask Laney.
“I’m not sure. Probably a salesperson. They get a little ridiculous ’round here.”
The weight of what Howie and Laney had to go through weighs heavily on my shoulders as we walk down the hallway. I wish I could’ve paid him back for what he’d done to protect my girls.
“Dad, can you get me some juice?” Serena asks me.
“Manners,” Laney reminds her as she walks toward the door.
“Please,” Serena immediately adds.
“Of course.” I smile, then follow her into the kitchen. “What kind?”
“Grape! That’s my favorite.”
“One glass of grape juice comin’ up,” I singsong as she hops on a stool.
“What do you want? You can’t be here.” Laney’s strained, hushed voice from the living room has me focusing on her conversation. “Go. Now.”
“Who’s that?” Serena asks.
That’s a goddamn good question.
“Be right back. Stay here.” My voice turns stern.
“I’m not leavin’ until I—”
“Dad?” I ask when I see him across from Laney.