Chapter 7 #4
Macy looked at him with wide, curious eyes. “Can we play dress up? I can make you a prince.”
“A prince, huh?” He smirked. “I’ve been called a lot of things, but never that.”
She giggled. “You have to wear the crown.”
Rio leaned in close and whispered, “Only if I get the sparkly one.”
Macy shrieked with laughter and ran to her room to grab the costume box, while Kayla cooed from her bouncer, kicking her feet.
Rio knelt down in front of her, gently brushing a wisp of baby hair from her forehead. “Hey, peanut,” he murmured.
“You don’t know me yet, but… I think I’m gonna be around for a while.”
Kayla blinked slowly, then broke into a gummy smile.
“Yeah,” he whispered, his heart unexpectedly tugging. “I think I could get used to this.”
Macy returned with an armful of tiaras, boas, and glittery wands. “Okay, Prince Rio,” she said with a giggle. “Time for your royal makeover!”
He sighed dramatically. “Lead the way, Princess.”
As the sound of Macy’s laughter echoed through the house, Kylee sank deeper into the bath, tears mixing with the steam not from sadness, but from something closer to peace.
For the first time in what felt like forever…
someone was loving her kids, not just tolerating them. And loving her, too just as she was.
The warmth of the bath still lingered on Kylee’s skin as she stepped quietly into the living room, wrapped in one of Rio’s oversized T-shirts, her damp hair pulled into a loose bun.
The house was calm. Macy had fallen asleep on the couch beside Rio, her tiny hand curled around one of his fingers.
Kayla dozed peacefully in his arms, her chest rising and falling with each soft breath.
Kylee just stood there for a second, her eyes misting over. “You did that,” she said softly, her voice catching.
Rio looked up. “Hey, mama,” he whispered, careful not to wake the baby. “You feeling better?”
Kylee nodded, then walked over and sat beside him. “I haven’t had a moment like that… a quiet moment… in so long. You don’t know what that meant to me.”
Rio turned toward her, eyes steady. “You deserve peace, Kylee. Not just a bath. Real peace. Peace of mind. Safety. Love. All of it.”
She bit her bottom lip and leaned against him. “Thank you, Rio. I mean it.”
He kissed the top of her head gently. “I meant it when I said I’d protect you. I called in a favor from one of the best lawyers I know. She’s flying in tomorrow morning. You’re not gonna go through this alone.”
Kylee’s eyes widened. “Rio… you didn’t have to do all that.”
“I know I didn’t have to,” he said quietly. “But I want to. You and those kids… you’re worth fighting for.”
Her voice cracked. “Nobody’s ever done this for me.”
Rio took her hand and squeezed it gently. “Well, get used to it. Because I’m not going anywhere.”
The next morning, the smell of fresh coffee and something sweet wafted into the bedroom, nudging Kylee from her sleep.
Her body felt heavier than usual but not from exhaustion.
It was a kind of peace she hadn't known in years.
For a moment, she lay still, listening. Laughter. Tiny giggles. His voice.
She slipped quietly out of bed and tiptoed down the hallway.
The sun poured in through the kitchen windows, painting the walls in a soft golden glow.
Rio stood at the kitchen island in a wrinkled white tee and sweatpants, holding Kayla in one arm while awkwardly scooping mashed banana into a spoon with the other.
She squealed, trying to grab the spoon, and he laughed. “Easy, short stack,” he chuckled. “I’m not as fast as your mom.”
Macy sat on the counter beside him, swinging her feet, holding a slice of toast in both hands. Her wild bedhead framed her face as she looked up at Rio with sparkling eyes.
“I told you I like peanut butter and jelly, not just jelly,” Macy announced.
Rio raised an eyebrow, pretending to be scandalized. “Now you tell me?! I thought jelly was the move. Rookie mistake, huh?”
Macy giggled, clearly smitten. Kylee stood just out of sight, arms crossed gently over her chest, her heart so full it ached. This wasn’t some rock star pretending for points. This was real. He was trying. He was present. And he looked good doing it.
She wiped at a tear that slid down her cheek before stepping into the kitchen. He noticed her immediately, eyes lighting up in that way they always did when she entered a room.
“Well hey there, sleepyhead,” he grinned. “Don’t worry, your girls already trained me. I’m up to level two in diaper duty and breakfast negotiations.”
Kylee laughed, walking over and kissing Kayla’s head, then Macy’s, then leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to Rio’s cheek. “I could get used to waking up to this.”
He tilted his head, smiling. “Then maybe you should.”
The doorbell rang just as Kylee finished brushing Macy’s hair into two bouncy pigtails. She opened the front door to find Lillian standing there with her usual warm smile.
“Hey, Lillian. Come on in,” Kylee said, stepping aside.
Lillian walked in and paused when she caught a glimpse of Rio in the kitchen, crouched in front of Kayla’s high chair, wiping her mouth gently as she squealed and kicked her feet.
Lillian blinked. “Um… is that who I think it is?”
Kylee gave her a tight, awkward smile. “Yeah. Long story.”
Lillian’s eyes widened, but she quickly glanced back at Kylee, respecting her cue. “Well, everything okay?”
Kylee took a deep breath, trying to hold it together. “Not really. Jake left. He took Jakey. I don’t even know where they are. Rio and I are going to see a lawyer this morning to figure out what I can do.”
“Oh my god,” Lillian whispered, instinctively stepping closer and lowering her voice as Macy played nearby with her dolls. “Are you okay? I mean how did it get this bad?”
Kylee shook her head, her voice cracking. “Jake cheated. Then he found out about Rio and freaked. Said horrible things. That’s when he grabbed Jakey and left.”
Lillian softened, putting a hand gently on her arm. “I’m so sorry, Kylee. I’ll keep the girls happy and busy. Don’t worry about anything here.”
Kylee looked toward the kitchen where Rio was making Kayla laugh, then back at Lillian, her eyes glassy. “Thank you. I really mean that.”
“Go,” Lillian said softly. “Handle it. I’ve got them.”
Kylee leaned in and gave her a grateful hug, then turned as Rio appeared beside her, dressed in black and holding the car keys.
“You ready? Let’s go” he asked gently.
She gave him a nod, stealing one last glance at her girls before walking out the door. She was terrified but for the first time, she didn’t feel alone.
The drive to the lawyers was quiet but peaceful. The office was nothing flashy, a borrowed space tucked into a small brick building downtown but Kylee could tell right away the woman sitting behind the desk was anything but small-time.
She stood when they entered. “Kylee Waterman?” she asked confidently, holding out a hand. “I’m Layla Navarro. A friend of Rio’s.” She nodded toward him, giving a warm but knowing smile.
Kylee shook her hand, surprised by the strength in her grip. “Thank you for coming all the way out here,” Kylee said, her voice a little shaken, but grateful.
“Of course. When Rio called, I dropped everything. He doesn’t do that often.” Layla gestured toward the chairs. “Let’s sit. We’ve got work to do.”
As they settled in, Rio placed a reassuring hand Kylee’s back before taking a seat beside her. Layla opened a folder and glanced at the notes she'd already compiled. “He took your son without consent?” she asked.
Kylee nodded. “Jake, my husband, stormed out with our son after a fight. He left our daughters with me, but he didn’t say where he was going. He won’t answer my calls, and he told my five-year-old some awful things before leaving.”
Layla's brow furrowed. “That's not just inappropriate. Depending on the details, it could be considered parental kidnapping. Do you have joint custody established in writing?”
Kylee shook her head. “No. We never expected to separate. Everything was informal.”
“Then we need to act fast,” Layla said. “I’ll file an emergency custody order today. Once we have a judge, we’ll push for a temporary custody hearing to bring Jake Jr. home to you. We’ll also request supervised visits until this is sorted out.”
Kylee blinked rapidly, trying not to cry. “Thank you.”
Layla softened. “You’re doing the right thing. He doesn’t get to weaponize your child just because he’s angry.”
Kylee turned to Rio, who gave her hand a squeeze and smiled at her. “We’ve got you, Idaho.”
Layla smirked at the nickname, flipping her laptop open. “Alright. Let’s get started. “Layla’s fingers hovered over her keyboard. “Okay. To prepare your case thoroughly, I need a clear timeline. Let’s start with what caused the fight that led to him leaving with Jake Jr.”
Kylee took a shaky breath. “It started… a while ago. I caught Jake cheating on me. With his receptionist. Rachel.”
Layla blinked slowly. “You caught them?”
“I walked in on them at the clinic. He told me he was working late… I tried to surprise him with coffee. I opened the door and” her voice cracked, “they didn’t even stop. They just stared at me.”
Rio’s jaw tightened. His hand balled into a fist on his knee, but he kept quiet.
Layla nodded gently, not interrupting. “And what happened after that?”
“He didn’t deny it. He just… tried to make it go away. Bought me backstage tickets to Rio’s concert, told me I deserved a night out. I went. I met Rio.”
Layla glanced at him, then back at Kylee. “And the relationship with Rio… began then?”
Kylee blushed slightly. “It wasn’t planned. It just… happened. We spent a weekend together. When I got home, the pictures were all over the internet. Paparazzi caught us. Jake saw them. That’s when he lost it.”
Layla typed furiously, absorbing every word. “And that’s when he left with your son?”