Chapter 55
It all happened so quickly.
I knew I shouldn”t have said anything, but in that moment weeks ago, it seemed like the right time. Idiot. I was a fucking idiot.
I walk towards the exit of the hospital, head dropped, lip throbbing, nose feels like it”s broken. Probably is. Titus has a solid right hook. She told me to go. She didn”t want me there. I fucked up.
Exhaling a shaky breath, the cool air hits me as soon as I step out the front of the hospital and that”s when I see Titus. The security guards have roughed him up a bit and he is sitting on the curb, head in his hands.
I fold my hands into my pockets and walk across to him, perching myself next to him. Slowly, ever so slowly, does he lift his head from his hands and look at me. Eyes darkening within a matter of seconds.
“What do you want?” he hisses, face turning away from me as he looks up the quiet road.
“Nothing,” I admit. And it”s the truth. I don”t.
“Then why are you out here?”
“She didn”t want me in there,” I shrug my shoulders up, bringing my knees to my chest and resting my arms.
He laughs.
“I didn”t tell her.” I lick my lip then wince as the sting presents itself.
“Figured that one out,” he says sarcastically. Neither of us say a word. We get an odd look from a passer-by and I just hold my hand up, giving a small smile which has them walking that bit faster.
“You should have.”
“I should have what?”
“Told her.”
I scoff. Preaching to the choir.
“I should have done a lot of things,” I nod, letting my head drop, my eyes pinned to the road.
“Is not falling in love with my daughter one of those?”
“Not for one second. I will always love Arizona.” I roll my shoulders back and look him dead in the eye. “That will never change. But just so you know,” I sniff, touching my left nostril with the tip of my index finger and wiping some blood away, “this wasn”t what I had planned when you asked me to watch her. Nothing happened for a while, we were like passing ships in the night until I bumped into her at work.”
I see the look of horror on his face.
“No, not like that,” I shake my head from side to side knowing full well what he thinks.
Silence crackles between us and I sigh, heavily.
“I”m mad at you,” he states, and I roll my eyes.
“Yeah, I get it.”
“No, you don”t.” Titus stands and looks down at me still sitting on the curb. “You were my best friend. I trusted you to look after my daughter. Out of all the women in this city, I don”t understand why you had to choose her.”
“I didn”t choose her,” my tone flat as I look forward.
“She chose you?”
A snort of a laugh leaves me.
“It just happened. Right moment, right time.”
“She is my daughter.”
“Yes, I know,” my tone was a little condescending there, granted. “It doesn”t change anything Titus,” and that”s when his hand grabs the collar of my shirt and drags me up to my feet.
“What happens when you get bored of her and decide to go back to your playboy ways?” his eyes bounce between mine.
“Playboy ways?” I crinkle my brows, scrunching my nose up and ignoring the throb that pulses across my face.
“Yeah, ‘cause let”s be honest Keaton. You”re hardly husband material, let alone da...” and he doesn”t have a chance to even finish his sentence. I launch myself at him. My hand is on his stupid face as I push it, Titus”s hands are on my shoulders as he tries to shove me back. Sliding my elbow back, my fist jolts forward and lands on his jaw causing him to lose his stature for a moment. Anger seeps out of me with every fist I throw, but he blocks every single one thereafter. I step back, panting as I shake my head.
“What the fuck gives you the right to even say that to me?”
“I am looking out for Arizona, I will always protect her...” he steps towards me, “even if that means from you.”
“I have never once hurt her or upset her until you, you big, tall, idiot came into the hospital room like a raging bull,” I laugh a little, “so maybe I should be protecting her from you?”
And that winds him up.
“What?”
“Yeah, we were fine until you came in all angry and shit,” I stand tall, as he steps towards me.
His eyes burn into mine, but he doesn”t scare me. Never has. He can throw a punch, sure, but that”s about it.
“I will never leave her, the only time I will is when she tells me to leave. But you? Nate? Kaleb? Killian?” I laugh, “fuck no, she”s my wife, the mother of my children. I love her with everything I have and if that means losing you as a friend after all this time?” I pause for a moment, and I can see the rage filling Titus”s eyes. “Then fine.”
And that”s when he unleashes his anger on me. But I don”t take it this time. No, this time I fight back until we”re both bruised, bloody and sitting back on the curb like two naughty schoolboys.
“Do you feel better?” I ask, poking the bear.
“Not remotely.”
“That”s a shame,” I nod.
“I am done with this, with us,” Titus groans as he stands up.
“Yeah?” I ask, looking up at him.
“Yeah,” he nods before he turns and walks away.
Not going to lie, fucking broke my heart.