Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“Ha, Daddy would have whooped my butt if we went home and he found out y’all got beat up and I didn’t do something. Then you guys wouldn’t get to come play with me.”
“Mommy wasn’t going to allow that.”
“Your mom was something truly special. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you in the end.”
“Don’t worry about it. The guys were here. All of that made us closer. I wasn’t as alone as you were.”
“But I’m not alone now.” I smile. “You’re right, I need to pull it together. I’m no one’s victim. I’m taking my life back. Thanks, Ven.” I put my mug down then move to pull her into a tight embrace.
“I love you. I’m so happy you’re coming home.”
“I love you too. Thank you for having my husband’s back.”
“You don’t have to thank me. Ox has saved my life more than once.”
“I’ve heard. He’s something special, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, which is how I know it’s not over between you two.”
“I hope you’re right because I’m ready to fight. I want to fight for him. I want to fight for what’s mine.”
“Then why are we out here? Let’s go get your man.”
***
Too bad when I finally finish making myself look halfway decent and find Ant, he’s passed out on the game room couch with AJ tucked into him. My heart swells as I get to see them like this for the first time in person.
I can’t help the tears that fall. AJ has started to look so much like his dad. I only see me around his mouth and brow; everywhere else is Ant. As I look down at them, I have so many mixed emotions.
Ant looks so peaceful in his sleep and AJ looks like a little angel. I take a seat on the floor in front of the couch to keep watching them. I don’t know if going back to Vander is the best idea, but Ven is right, I’m tired of being the victim.
As I sit and watch my family before me, my blood starts to boil. This is what I’ve sacrificed for… For what? I’m angry with whoever is doing this and angry with myself.
I should have fought from the beginning. I’ll never get that time back, but I have myself back. I will not allow this to break me any further.
Ant inhales and his hand flexes in AJ’s hair, telling me he’s not sleeping. He kisses our son’s head and lifts his to look at me. We lock eyes and that anger in his speaks on its own.
He sits up and nods for me to follow him. I stand and walk behind him as he leaves the room and moves through the house to the kitchen.
I look back toward the room we left AJ sleeping in. “We went out for supplies. I have a baby monitor.”
I turn back to find him watching me as he holds his phone up. I lick my lips and nod.
“It connects to an app on my phone. We’re going to have a bunch of houseguests. It’s Pit’s birthday.
“I plan to sleep on that couch, you can have the bedroom. That’s why I have the monitor in there. AJ can sleep with me.”
My mouth drops open. “You can barely fit on that thing. The bed in the room I’m in is big enough for you and AJ to stay with me.”
He grabs a glass and fills it with water. I watch as he chugs it down. I lick my own suddenly dry lips.
“That’s not going to work for me.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t stand to be around you.”
I fight through the hurt and lift my head. I’m not giving up. I won’t run with my tail between my legs.
“Tough shit. That’s something you’re going to have to get over. It’s a bed, most of the time you’ll be asleep.
“Get over yourself, Ant. We’re sharing a room. AJ can sleep between us if you need space away from me.”
“There’s not enough space in the world for what I need.”
“Why are you being such a dick?”
He tilts his head. “Let me see. You married me, knowing how deep my wounds were. You spent three months hiding me from your family and then you up and left without a word.
“I spent nearly eleven years wondering where the fuck you were, only to find you in New York with a fucking fiancé.”
“That wasn’t real,” I demand, balling my fist. “I wasn’t going to marry him. He was so pushy, I just wanted all those people in the restaurant to stop looking at me.
“I never had a real relationship with Eric and if I never saw you on that street, I would have told him I couldn’t get a divorce, so there would be no marriage.”
“I didn’t know that. All I knew was that you left and some cornball asshole was in my face telling me you wanted to divorce me. I fucked you to get revenge for how you did me and only ended up fucking myself.