Chapter 25 #2
Liam brings his lips to mine in a soft, unhurried kiss.
The warmth of his embrace flows through me, settling deep in my weary bones.
My hands move of their own accord, slipping into the hair at the base of his skull.
He groans into my mouth, and the sound reverberates through me like a tidal wave crashing on the shore, mirroring the events of the night before and what led us to this moment.
We’re both breathless when we pull apart. I close my eyes and rest my cheek against his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heart beating in tandem with mine. Neither of us speaks. We don’t have to.
After a prolonged moment on the porch, we go inside. Liam tugs me onto the couch and wraps me in his arms again, like he can’t stand not to be touching me at all times. I lean into his chest and pull out my phone to dial my lawyer.
The call rings through the speaker, and the line clicks over. “Hello?”
“Hey, Adam. Is there any way you can get me information on someone? Her name is Breanna…” I pause, trying to recall a last name.
“Astor,” Liam says. “At least, it was.”
“Breanna Astor.”
Adam repeats the name back to me, and I hear him type it into his computer. “May I ask why?”
“She’s trying to blackmail me. She has pictures and videos of me and Liam in a… compromising position. I need to know what we’re up against. The sooner the better.”
“Fuck, Ruby. I’m on it. Stay out of trouble in the meantime.”
“I’ll do my best.”
The call ends, and I release a long, steadying breath.
Liam palms my head and kisses my temple. “I’m sorry.”
My brows draw together. “What are you sorry for? We’re in this mess because of me.”
“No. We’re in the mess because Breanna is a greedy bitch, and she saw an opportunity to make money. This isn’t on you.”
“You warned me. And if we hadn’t been so careless yesterday, she wouldn’t have that video to hold over us.”
“I’m positive she would’ve found something else. Judging by those photos, she’s been following us for days—ever since we got back from Nashville. Stop blaming yourself for things you can’t control. Where’s the Ruby who said she was going to fight like hell?”
“Maybe I’m tired of fighting.”
“Then I’ll fight for you. You’re not alone in this.”
I close my eyes and let his presence soothe my frayed nerves. It’s so like Liam to be the calm in my storm—to say the right thing when I need him most.
I’m not sure how long we stay like that, the moment broken only by the quiet creaking of a door down the hall.
“Dad?” Aiden peeks his head around the corner, his eyes red-rimmed and blotchy.
“Hey, bud. Come here.”
Connor comes out behind him, and I give him a subtle nod of appreciation. He reciprocates with one of his own before retreating into the kitchen.
“I’ll give you two some time.” I go to leave, but Liam grabs my wrist and keeps me there. “Stay.”
“I’m not sure…”
“Stay, Goldie. It’s important to me.”
“Ok.”
Liam
I pick Aiden up in my arms and carry him into the living room.
He’s getting so big now, I’m dreading the day I won’t be able to carry him anymore.
A rush of anger courses through me for all the time Bree robbed us of.
I didn’t get to see him come into the world.
I don’t even have any baby pictures to look back on.
Now she’s back, and her presence threatens to tear apart this life we’ve built together from the ground up.
I set him down on the sofa and squat in front of him.
Ruby takes a seat a little farther away, but just having her here is enough for me.
“Do you wanna talk about it?” I ask.
“That lady… was my mom?”
Aiden’s memories of Breanna faded a long time ago.
Even when he spoke to his therapist about her, he couldn’t recall specific details, but the effects of her neglect still linger years later.
He still has difficulty regulating his emotions, and things like raised voices can sometimes trigger him.
I hope like hell seeing his mother again doesn’t cause him to regress.
“Yes. Do you remember her?”
His bottom lip trembles, and he shakes his head. He’s disappearing into himself. It breaks my heart to see it. “Is she gonna take me away?”
My chest tightens. “Oh, buddy. No.” I slide over to the couch and wrap my arm around his shoulders. “I would never let that happen.”
He turns and buries his face against me while his fist twists in my shirt like he’s afraid I might leave. I’m torn between the need to comfort my son and the overwhelming urge to fight some invisible force because I can’t fight Breanna.
I glance over at Ruby.
She’s putting on a brave face, but I don’t miss the sadness in her eyes. She mouths the words “I’ll be right back,” and disappears from view.
“I love you, Aiden. No one in this world will ever take you away from me.”
He looks up at me through glassy eyes, and my heart leaps into my throat. I don’t cry anymore—my tears dried up long ago—but if I could cry, it would be for him.
I see so much of myself in Aiden. Not just because he looks exactly like me at that age, but because this scared, hurt little boy is a mirror to the one I became when I lost my parents. I know all too well what he’s feeling, and I wish I could shoulder it all for him.
Soft footfalls approach, and Ruby perches herself on Aiden’s other side as she wraps his threadbare baby blanket around his shoulders and tucks his dinosaur plush in next to him. Her palm skates up and down his back until his breathing slows to uneven breaths.
I fall even deeper in love with her in this moment. Somehow, she knew exactly what he needed and gave it to him without hesitation. She’s gonna be an amazing mother someday. A vision of Ruby pregnant with my child crosses my mind, but I have no business thinking about that.
Aiden's grip on my shirt loosens and he wraps his arm around his stuffy, playing with its tail to soothe himself.
“Is there anything you want to talk about?” I ask.
Again, he shakes his head.
“We can talk when you’re ready. Or not at all. Whatever you need, I’m here for you.”
He quickly swipes at his eyes and sits up, all the while keeping a tight hold on his dinosaur. “I’m hungry. Can I have dino nuggets?”
Just like that, life goes on—at least for Aiden. Only time will tell if this incident leaves a lasting impression, but I hope for Aiden’s sake it doesn’t. In the meantime, I’m still left with this intense need to see Breanna pay for everything she’s done to my son.
We’ll have to tread carefully. I can handle whatever she throws at me, but I refuse to let Aiden be caught in the crossfire.
We let Aiden stay up a little later than usual to make up for the colossal disaster that interrupted their movie night.
He’s been much more subdued since everything went down, and I’m afraid he’s internalizing it.
The chief didn’t bat an eye when I said I had a family emergency, but I’ll have to make it up to him with an extra shift tomorrow, and I’m worried about leaving Aiden so soon.
As the credits roll, he lifts his head from my shoulder and releases a yawn.
“Time for bed,” I tell him. “It’s been a long day.”
He groans, but his tired eyes betray him.
“If you go to bed now, we can have another guitar lesson in the morning,” Ruby offers.
Her presence is the only reason I’m still holding myself together. I don’t know what I would’ve done if she hadn’t been here. I’m starting to lean on her more for support, and that realization is terrifying.
I’m not used to needing anybody.
“Really?” Aiden says.
“Mhm. Pinky promise.” Aiden holds up his finger between them and wraps it around Ruby’s. She is such a natural with Aiden, and the sweet gesture sends a spark of longing straight to my battered heart.
When she lets go, he practically throws himself at her, wrapping her in a tight hug. She cradles the back of his head and breathes him in.
“Love you,” he says.
Her brows draw together in surprise, and her eyes fill with tender affection. She kisses his temple. “I love you, too.”
There’s no hesitation. No pretense. She just told my son she loves him and she meant it.
Fuck.
Aiden gathers his dinosaur and blanket, then stands on the sofa. I grab him with one arm and hoist him over my shoulder. He laughs at the unexpected position as I jog down the hallway to his bedroom. Ruby’s laughter follows us all the way down the hall. That sound is better than any drug.
I set Aiden at the foot of his bed and pull back his comforter.
He’s already in his pajamas from movie night, so it’s an easy transition to bedtime.
He quickly checks on Jerry, who’s fast asleep—not dead—in the corner of his enclosure.
Satisfied, Aiden settles himself beneath the covers, and I sit on the edge of his bed near his legs.
I smooth a hand over his head, ignoring the pang of sadness that hits me.
He’s growing up too damn fast. I wish I could say his age makes him ignorant of all the pain and suffering the world has to offer, but he’s seen enough of it in his short time, too.
We’re kindred spirits in a way, but I’ve done my best to ease the hurt Bree left behind.
“You feeling ok after everything?” I ask, keeping my question vague. I don’t want to get too specific in case it triggers something.
He nods and hugs Rex a little tighter.
“Ok, buddy. I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
I lean over and kiss his head. How many more times will I be allowed to do that before he insists he’s too grown up for his dad’s affection? I’ve missed so many of his milestones that the ones we have left always come with a bittersweet tang.
I start to stand, but Aiden’s quiet voice stops me. “Dad?”
“Yeah, buddy?”
“Is Ruby your girlfriend?”
I wasn’t sure how to broach the subject, so I never brought it up. Now seems like as good a time as any. “Yes. We’ve been together for a little while now.”
“Could she be my mom someday?”
His question is arresting—not because I haven’t thought about it, but because I have.
I’ve thought about having a family with Ruby far more often than I’m willing to admit to myself.
Seeing how much Aiden has opened up to her, and how much she cares for him in return, has consumed my waking hours since the moment she snagged those baby carrots from the produce aisle.
“Ruby is special, and she loves you very much, but that’s not something I can answer for her right now.”
“Do you… love her?” he asks.
I should lie, but I don’t. “Yes.”
“Good.” He shifts onto his side and closes his eyes. “Maybe we can be a family someday,” he murmurs sleepily.
Denial would only break his heart, so I don’t tell him my fears.
I can’t admit that she’s not going to be ours forever—that someday she’ll leave this place and us behind.
I wait a few more heartbeats before rising from the bed.
Leaving the door open just a crack in case he has a nightmare, I pad into the living room to find Ruby fast asleep with her legs curled under her.
Even after all these years, she still stops my heart from beating.
I can recall in vivid detail the first time Connor brought her home.
She was like this blinding light walking into our gloomy house, with a smile so intoxicating I couldn’t help but stare.
The spark was instant, almost desperate, but I couldn’t let myself feel it.
That same spark is what brought her back to me.
Now we’re like this raging wildfire, and I’m standing in its path of destruction, waiting for the flames to consume me.