Chapter 49
Cori
The kitchen is filled with so much tension that I think even the dog feels it. Finch lies under the table with her paws covering her face. It would be cute if she weren’t a monster. A monster that will soon go missing again. Since I got to the kitchen before Dax, he’ll be in for a surprise.
He whistles at her, and she walks slowly to him. He crouches down and rubs her head.
“Who put this ugly thing on you?” He coos at the dog, but when he tries to take off the purple, sparkly tutu, Finch growls. Dax sighs. He scratches behind the dog’s ears, and she whimpers.
“Don’t be sad, Finch. Daddy still loves you. Don’t worry about Mommy. She’s not right in the head. Maybe a stay at a mental institution will fix her.” I ignore him. He’s trying to goad me into conversation, and it’s not happening. I don’t give a shit about him or his stupid dog.
He sits at the island while I make myself breakfast. I plate my steak, toast, eggs, and bacon. I put fruit in a separate bowl and sit at the table, far away from him.
“Where’s mine?” Delusional fuck. I don’t answer, but I do roll my eyes while I put a piece of toast in my mouth.
“Mmhmm,” is the only sound I make.
“You didn’t make me any?” The idiot asks again.
I stick up my middle finger and say, “Suck on this.”
“Selfish.” I don’t answer, but when he stomps to my table, I hold my steak knife up as a warning. He ignores it. Sticks his hand in my plate and takes half the eggs and a piece of steak before he runs away.
“You’re like a back-alley rat.” He shoves everything in his mouth before he returns to the table and snatches my coffee. “I hope you choke.”
After my unsatisfactory breakfast, I hole up in the library with a new coffee and a good book, but I can’t focus on my book. All I can think about is my exit plan and the call with my attorney scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.
I give up on the book, toss it on the floor, and stare at the ceiling. I don’t know how long I lay there like that, but the door of the library opens.
“Get the fuck away from me before I kill your sorry ass,” I hiss.
“Sweetheart!” Momma Had’s voice forces me to sit up. I cross the room and take her hands.
“I’m sorry, Momma Had. I thought you were Dax.” Her eyes widen, and I want to bite my tongue. That’s not the best thing to say to the mother of the man you’re married to.
The man I loathe more than anyone on earth strolls in behind his mother with his dog. He hasn’t let that thing out of his sight all day. Finch must read the room because she whines and runs out.
“That’s what I came to talk to you about.” I drop her hands and walk away.
“I’m sorry if what I said about him upset you.” I point dismissively at Dax, who, for once, is keeping his mouth shut. I refuse to apologize for anything else.
“Honey, I didn’t come here for an apology. I’m concerned about you both.”
I finally look back and search her face. She has Dax’s eyes, coloring, and energy, and as angry as I am with him, I’m not going to take it out on her. It’s not her fault she has a snake for a son.
“Well, you’re kind of biased.” She opens her mouth, but I hold my hand up. “As you should be. He’s your kid.” And other than Selene and Eden, I have no one else to take my side. I’m suddenly jealous of the relationship between Daxton and his mother. Mine would only tell me to change and fix myself.
“You’re my kid too.” She looks from me to Daxton.
“Come sit with me.” She takes my hand and leads me back to the couch, while her son leans against the wall a few feet away.
“What’s going on? Dax asked me to come over and talk to you, but I’m very concerned after what I witnessed last night.
” I purse my lips and look away. I’m not dragging her into this.
“If it’s just a fight, let me know, and I’ll drop it, but it looked like more than that. Let me help you, sweetheart.”
“You can’t help.” I extricate my hands, stand, and give her my back while I look out the window facing the backyard.
“Tell me what’s wrong, and I’ll decide whether or not I can help.” I hear her muffled footsteps before gentle hands rest on my shoulders.
“What did he tell you?”
“Not much. Only that you were pretending to care about him, and—"
“He said what?” I walk in his direction to confront Dax, but Haddie wraps her hand around my wrist and pulls me back to the couch. I take a deep breath and force myself to calm down. “He told you I was pretending to care about him?”
I shoot Dax a look, but he just stands there like he’s offended.
“You were. I read your texts.” I decide to ignore him and focus on Haddie.
“Those were private,” I say to no one in particular. “I guess I’m not allowed to have privacy.”
“That’s such bull,” Dax says. “You act like it’s such a hardship being married to me and getting whatever you want.” He pushes himself off the wall and gets closer, but not close enough for me to smack.
“Whatever I want.” I nod, pretending to concede. “Like what?”
“Like what?” Dax gestures around the house.
“This house. I’m financing your business and helping you reapply to fashion school because I want you to have everything you’ve dreamed of.
I care about you. I do everything to take care of you and make you feel like you’re the most important woman in my life, and after all of that, you try to play with my emotions. ”
“Is that why you told your mother? Because you want her to hate me?” I snap.
“Honey, I could never, and I didn’t believe him.” Haddie pats my hand. “I want to hear it from you because the girl I’ve gotten to know doesn’t have that in her.”
I flare my nostrils and take a deep breath. I’m done with the lies. I’ve lied to everyone. I’ve lied to Dax, his mother, and my parents. The only people I’m honest with are Eden and Selene. That ends today. A lot of things are ending today.
I rise from the couch and pace in front of Haddie while I get my thoughts in order.
“It’s true, Haddie.” Whispering the truth feels like a huge weight off my shoulder.
To my mother-in-law’s credit, she does not react.
There’s no anger on her face. There’s nothing.
“I did what Dax said.” She purses her lips but says nothing.
So, I approach her son. “I find it funny that out of everything you could have told your mother, you told her that I was playing with your emotions, but I know why you did it. You want her to hate me. You want to take her away from me like you’ve taken everything else. ”
“No one could ever do that, sweetheart.” Haddie pats the seat next to her. “Come, and the three of us will figure this out.”
“Everything else? What are you talking about? What have I taken?” Dax nearly thunders. A tear slowly slides down my cheek. I shake my head and wipe it away.
“I know everything, Daxton.” I get closer to him and stop just a few inches away. “I heard you.” His head rolls back, and his mouth pops open.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he lies, but from the tone of his voice and the cagey look in his eyes, I’m certain he knows exactly what I’m talking about.
“I heard everything. All your little dirty deeds.” Another tear falls, but I leave it. This is the first and last time I will cry in front of this man.
“What dirty deeds, honey?” Haddie suddenly sounds frantic.
“Well, Momma Had, I’m glad you’re already sitting down. Your son is good at playing the victim when he should be playing the villain. A few days ago, I overheard him talking with my dad.” Daxton pushes himself off the wall and tries to take my hands, but I practically jump away.
“Mom, I need to speak with Cori alone—”
I immediately cut him off. “No. You invited her into this, so she needs to hear it all.”