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Rose
KYLE HAD AN INCH, MAYBE less on Jackson. But Jackson had the muscles. My man visibly inflated, staring down his long, patrician nose at a smiling Kyle, whose smile was starting to waver with uncertainty as he glanced between the two of us.
“Rose?” Kyle asked, looking unsure.
Jackson was practically vibrating with anger, he was so pissed. I didn’t doubt he could chew nails right now if he really wanted to. His hands had curled into fists and I had to admit, seeing him like this, all sexy and manly and cavemannish... Wow. It made me hot for teacher.
But not here.
Not at my baby’s party.
So I grabbed his wrist, petted him softly. Once. Twice. Three times. My heart trembled as I saw him start to relax beneath my touch. I couldn’t believe the kind of power I had over this big man, but it was an addictive feeling.
“Kyle. Sheila. This is Jackson,” I said softly. “My... my boyfriend.”
The tumbler full of sparkling water in Sheila’s hand shook, and Kyle’s jaw actually dropped. He recovered quickly enough though, pounding a fist into his chest and coughing slightly.
Jackson, on the other hand, had practically morphed into a peacock, sexy lips curling up, looking down at me with heat and fire in his eyes. And pride.
I hadn’t been sure whether to go there or not, but I was suddenly happy I’d taken the leap into the deep end. His hand curled possessively around my waist, and I had to bite my lip to keep from grinning like a freaking idiot. My pulse stuttered and it was hard, but I forced myself to look away from the heat in his gaze.
“Boyfriend?” Sheila gave a small, hiccupping gasp, which caused Kyle to toss her a dirty look before turning back to face Jackson and me.
“Boyfriend, huh?” Kyle said, jaw muscles clenching just briefly before he held out a hand to my guy.
“Yeah, that’s right,” my sexy piece of man meat said with obvious smugness in his voice before taking Kyle’s offered hand.
“Good to meet you,” Kyle said with a nod, even though I knew he didn’t mean it.
Their handshake lasted what felt like an eternity, their forearms flexing. They were obviously posturing, taking each other’s measure.
I wanted to just tell them to compare dicks and get it over with, but I knew Jackson would win that contest too. Which thrilled the angry bitch in me to no end.
And then little arms wrapped around me and I was covered in deliriously happy kisses.
“Mommy!” Adam, dressed up in a Batman mask, launched himself at me, knocking the breath from my lungs even as I scooped him up and kissed his cheeks like a psycho.
“Monkey butt! Happy birthday, baby boy.”
He grinned, nodding his thanks. “What’d you bring me? What’d you bring me?”
“Hm.” I sniffed, tossing Jackson a happy smile, which he gave me right back. “Beginning to think I’m being used here.”
“Nooo.” Adam giggled, hugging my neck tight. “I was getting nervous you weren’t coming.”
“Ah, come on, munchkin, you know I’d never miss your sixth birthday.” With one final kiss to his head, I set him down and reached into Jackson’s back pocket, pulling out our gifts.
Adam tore through the envelope, gasping at seventy dollars’ worth of gift cards inside.
“GameMakerz,” I said. Sort of like Build-A-Bear but for model cars. There was a really rad Spider-Man car that he and I we were gonna build together. His eyes bugged before hugging the cards to his chest.
“Toys“R”Us!” He squealed. “Swicked! Can we go today? Right now!” He hopped on his feet, and I tossed Jackson a see-I-told-you look.
He grinned, and I was so grateful that my boy had made a big deal out of that card; my guy had needed to see it, to know that to a six-year-old, that was possibly the best gift ever.
“No, not today, bud. But maybe this weekend, okay?”
Beaming, he nodded. “’Kay!” he chirped before turning and running down the hall, waving the cards over his head and yelling to his friends, “Look what I got, dudes!”
“Swicked.” I giggled, looking at Kyle. “What the hell kind of word is that?”
Sheila’s lip curled into a snarl. “He’s always saying those weird words. Who cares?”
I snarled right back at her, but it was Jackson’s turn to wrap me up in his arms and hold me tight. Then he was kissing my temple and whispering, “Pretty sure that means sick and wicked, cupcake.”
“Ah.” I shivered, loving the feel of his arms around me. “You don’t say. I suddenly feel like a granny that I didn’t know that.”
“Ugh.” Sheila rolled her eyes in obvious disgust. “God, I’m so hot. Gotta get out of here.” Then she turned, waddling off, snapping her fingers at two women sitting on the couch as she headed out the back door. And like the meek little mice they were, they followed her out.
The woman thought she was the shit. What she didn’t realize was her throne sat on a pile of shifting sand. Someday she’d figure it out.
Kyle shoved a hand into his back pocket, eyeing us both as he rocked back on his heels and gripped his green-necked Heineken loosely.
“Okay, this isn’t getting awkward at all,” I singsonged. “So is Daniel here yet or what?”
“Yeah, out back by the snack bar.”
“Snack bar?” Jackson asked.
My poor caveman, I was pretty sure by the time the day was over, we were gonna need to pay for therapy for him. He was clearly going into shock.
“C’mon, babe,” I whispered, “let’s go.”
“Robert’s here,” Kyle said to my back.
I stiffened, hating my ex so much right then that if I could have, I’d have punched him in the balls for not giving me the heads-up sooner that his douchehead dad was gonna show up.
Jackson squeezed my fingers. A question. Support.
Holding my head high and my shoulders straight, I walked out into the lion’s den, determined that no matter what Robert did—and he would do something totally inappropriate—I would remember that the day wasn’t about me but my boy. Nothing else mattered.
~*~
DANIEL HAD HIS LEGS sprawled open, slowly drinking from his beer. If looks could kill, I’m pretty sure Robert would have keeled over.
Daddy dearest was standing by the grills, regaling his captive audience of ass-kissers with whatever the hell exploits he thought made his dick look big. His charm was always freaking on for everyone except for me. He’d never once tried being nice to me.
What a bag of dicks.
I wasn’t sure who hated Robert more, me or my bestie. Robert had never approved of Adam’s “uncle.” He’d been quick to say Daniel wasn’t family and never would be, but Daniel, bless his heart, was as stubborn as I was. It’d now become a matter of pride to keep coming around, giving the Thorne patriarch the bird every chance he got.
Made me love him so much more.
Daniel fought like a lion, had all his life, and he’d never been intimidated by the snake oil salesman in our midst.
It had always struck me as odd that Kyle, daddy’s little brownnoser, had always stuck up for Daniel. In his own way.
Kyle knew daddy dearest hated having an open homosexual as part of the “family,” but Kyle had never barred Daniel from coming. In fact, there’d been many a time that it’d been Kyle and not me who invited Daniel and Tanner over for dinner.
It was one of the very few things I still liked about my ex.
I sighed, watching as Adam ran around, opening his button-down shirt to reveal the Superman S on his chest. “I’m Super Bat!” he’d yell, startling the grown-ups drinking peach melbas and looking like they’d rather be anyplace but here.
The clowns were a fucking joke. Pun intended. What few kids remained around them were crying, screaming, and crawling toward their nannies who’d force them right back into the seventh circle of hell.
Nursing the same—now warm—beer that I’d had for the past hour, I sighed again, my heart hurting for my baby. This wasn’t a birthday party. This was a nightmare. No one here really knew him. The kids were playing on the rides, but only a few of them were actually bothering to hang out with him.
A part of me wanted to go over there and take him away from all this fakeness, but he was laughing, having actual fun, and I was suddenly so glad my six-year-old had the capacity to see good in almost everyone. I wished I could just be a tenth as positive as him right then.
The fucking bleating sheep were getting on my last damn nerve. Kyle hadn’t gotten goats, but I wasn’t sure sheep were any better. The place stunk like shit too. Every time the humid wind shifted, I got a noseful of it, causing me to grimace and gnash my teeth.
Beside me Jackson chuckled. I glanced at him side-eyed, noticed it was me he was laughing at, and hissed.
“Kitten.” He snorted. “Put the claws away, will you? Don’t forget we’re at your kid’s birthday party.”
Shoulders heaving, I sighed, weary to my very core.
“Come on.” He patted his knee. “Come here.”
All afternoon we’d been getting odd looks from gossiping hens everywhere. Almost everyone here I’d met at some point or another during my long incarceration with Kyle.
They knew who I was.
There’d been a few shocked exclamations; a group of women had even loudly laughed, talking about cougars and jail bait.
I’d pretty much heard all the heated, hateful whispers. There wasn’t much else anyone could say to me at this point. Oddly enough though, I wasn’t mortified by it. I was just pissed, tired of being there, and knowing there was no way I could leave.
“Babe, come,” Jackson called again, and I gave him a tired smile.
“You’re a brave man, Jackson Moore. I’m pretty sure I’ve got steam pouring out my nostrils and ears right now. You don’t watch it, I might take a bite out of you.” I grumped but got up and settled onto his cushy thighs.
And the moment his arms wrapped around me and he dropped a kiss to my head, sighing deeply against my chest, I did actually start to relax.
“You’re like freaking magic,” I said, tracing the thick vein in his hand as I smiled, getting comfy on him, wiggling my bum and making a show of looking for just the right spot.
He leaned in, nipping at my ear. “Behave, kitten.”
I snorted. “Whatever. You know you love me naughty.”
Daniel chuckled. I looked up at him, but he was staring at us. “You guys look good together. Glad you two dickheads finally figured it out. Only took me about ten seconds to know it.”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “Whatever. And why didn’t your gorgeous piece of ass show up today? Can’t believe he let you have all this fun by yourself.”
Daniel twirled a finger through the air. “Lucky me.”
“Hey,” Jackson grumped, “you don’t get to notice any other gorgeous piece of ass but mine.”
I scoffed. “You wish, babe. I’m not blind.”
“At least tell me mine is better, otherwise I might weep,” he said with a nip of my ear, making me shiver despite the unusual warmth of the day.
I laughed, slapping at his hands before leaning up and kissing his cheek. “Yours is the best.”
“Please stop. I’m feeling that hamburger coming back up.” Daniel grabbed at his stomach, pretending to heave.
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever, diva. You only have yourself to blame. Maybe we should get really obnoxious about this, Jackson.”
“Yeah, what are you thinking?” he asked, smacking me on the cheek and making me giggle.
Daniel groaned, shaking his head.
I loved how easily Jackson played back with me.
“Maybe we should go full-on porn or something, really make him gag. What do you think?”
A pair of little old biddies with perfectly manicured bobs humphed, standing and walking away as though they really did have sticks shoved up their skinny asses.
I snorted, laughing hard at that. So did Daniel, slapping his knee. He tossed his head back and knuckled a tear from his eye. “I think you just terrified them, Rosie. Doubt those women have ever had a real orgasm. You’ve scarred them for life.”
I probably shouldn’t have said that, because suddenly there was something thick and hard poking into my backside and Jackson was groaning low. “Rose, behave.”
Realizing he meant it this time, I settled down. A couple of minutes later, I noticed Daniel looking out over the crowd with a fixed scowl on his face. Something was bothering him.
He was dressed in black again. Granted, not all over. His slacks were gray.
“Hey, pumpkin,” I whispered as I continued to stroke Jackson’s hot skin, “what’s the matter with you today? Something you want to talk about?”
Daniel glanced between Jackson and me, and I felt Jackson shrug.
“I can leave if you need me to.”
I loved how thoughtful he was for even suggesting it and kissed his cheek, nuzzling it for just a quick second.
“No.” Daniel sighed. “It’s good. It’s just my mom’s been calling for the past month. Wanting to meet up. With Tanner and me.”
“Oh,” Jackson said like he got it. And I suspected he did. My guy was no one’s dummy.
Heaving a deep sigh, Daniel nodded. “Yeah. Like that.”
“And?” I asked gently. “What have you decided?”
Shaking his head, Daniel brushed his fingers through his dark blond hair. “She called again last night. Tanner picked up.”
“Ow.” I wrinkled my nose.
“No, that’s the thing.” He scratched his jaw. “She talked to him, Rosie. Asked him questions and...”
He swallowed hard, glancing aside, but not before I’d caught the sheen in his blue eyes, which brought a sheen to my own. I covered my mouth with my hands, hoping against hope that I was actually going to witness a miracle for my best friend’s sake.
Blowing out a heavy breath, he gave me a tilted grin. “Anyway,” he said, voice thick, “we’re gonna meet up for dinner this weekend at Subway. Terrible food.” He snorted.
I gasped, unbelievably thrilled for him. Even though I heard fear in his voice, there was hope there too. And it was a cutting thing.
Daniel shifted. “Had too many beers. Gotta take a leak.” He stood.
“You’re so gross.” I crossed my eyes at him, knowing he was shielding himself but giving him the privacy to work through his emotions as he needed to. This was a big, big thing for my friend.
Laughing, he waved a goodbye at me.
“You know, I’ve never seen him like that,” Jackson said when Daniel was finally out of earshot.
Twisting so that I could look up at him, I frowned. “Who, Daniel? Like what?”
He shrugged, fingers stroking the line of my exposed belly almost absentmindedly, his face one of total concentration. I felt so warm, so content in that moment. The day had gone from being a perfect hell to now pretty damn good.
“He’s my boss, you know. Everyone at work sort of thinks he’s got a stick up his ass.”
I choked on a laugh, ’cause they had no idea just how much fun Daniel actually could be.
“Don’t let him hear you say it. And FYI, there are two faces to your boss.”
“And you know both?” he asked, looking at me almost tenderly.
“Daniel and I, we go way back. We’re practically like brother and sister. I couldn’t love him more even if he was blood. He was there for me through some pretty heavy shit, and I was there for his. We’ve always had each other’s backs, and that’s never really stopped.”
He went still, looking at me as if he could peel beneath my layers and see into the heart of me. I shivered.
“I’m so glad I met you, Rose Thorne.”
That would have been the perfect moment for the perfect kiss. Would have been. Except Sheila’s nasal, high-pitched laugh was suddenly all up in our bubble and she was yanking on me, tugging me away from my nice, warm seat.
“Mommy duty. Come on you!” she all but gushed.
Sheila did not act like that. Like ever.
Swallowing my anger at her for ruining the moment, I shook my head. “What?”
“Hello.” She gestured between us. “Maybe if you stopped pawing your young stud for a second, you’d actually remember it’s our boy’s birthday.”
I ground my teeth together, my cheeks flaming as dozens of eyes turned toward us. The pitch of her voice rose obnoxiously—I didn’t doubt the bitch could break glass with it.
“Come on and sign the card, Rose.” She rolled her eyes, smile slipping.
Viperous fucking... Adam was mine. Not hers. Mine. Always.
“Go on, babe. It’s for Adam.”
I blew out a deep breath, loving Jackson so much in that moment that I twisted off his lap, grabbed his chin, and gave him a kiss from the bottom of my very heart, whispering a soft thank-you against his lips before standing up.
His eyes gleamed back at me before he nodded and patted my bottom.
After following Sheila back into the house, I crossed my arms, just wanting to sign the stupid card and get back to Jackson. But Sheila had other ideas. She grabbed a clean glass off the bar, then dropped one cube of ice after another into it with slow deliberation.
The steady clink, clink, clink drove me nuts.
“Where’s the card?” I grumped. “Just tell me and I’ll go sign the damn thing.”
Her red lips were a thin slash as she said, “What’s the matter, Rosie, huh? Why in such a rush to run back outside and make a bigger fool of yourself?”
“Fool?” I jerked as if slapped. “How dare—”
“Uh, no.” She flicked her finger up at me. “This is my house, and you’re acting like a fucking whore.”
“Oh.” I laughed. “That’s rich, coming from the woman who actually is a fucking whore. How dare you.”
She curled her upper lip, slowly pouring spritzer into her glass. “You’re making a scene. And it’s actually kind of embarrassing. Aren’t you like... ashamed of yourself? It’s so obvious how much younger than you he is.”
My heart was pounding hard and my mouth was dry. I wanted to cry. Puke. I was shaking with anger. But I’d be damned if I let her see how much her words hurt me. She was lying. Jackson was a man, I was a woman. I was twenty-nine for God’s sake, and Jackson was twenty-five.
Only for three more weeks, my traitorous brain whispered.
“What’s the matter, Sheila? Upset because you stole the wrong guy? That what this is? Wishing you’d waited for Jackson instead? Can’t blame you, he is much hotter. And by the way, last I checked, Kyle’s almost eight years older than you. So what does that make you, exactly? Baby bait?”
A face I’d once thought so pretty contorted into something hateful, almost demonic. Her eyes burned; her nostrils flared. “See my new Beamer Kylie got me? Cherry red, wood trim. Purrs like a kitten. You still in that Toyota?”
Her eyes danced, and she looked supremely pleased with herself, like she’d one-upped me. But all I felt for her now was disgust and even a little bit of pity.
She had no idea the kind of family she’d sold her soul to. If she thought for a second that Robert would ever, ever be okay with her being part of the illustrious Thorne clan, she was in for a powerful disappointment.
My mouth turned downward. She was pathetic.
“Kyle really scored a winner.” I chuckled. “God, you two so deserve each other.”
She gasped. “What is that kid anyway? Twenty-one? Twenty-two?”
“Twenty-five and the best GD lay I’ve ever had in my life,” I snapped, taking the bait, hating myself the moment I did it.
And then her lips were curving up into a brilliant smile, and my stomach lurched. “Oh, hi, Jackson. We were just talking about you.” She laughed.
I spun, blinking, my stomach rolling, shaking my head.
He was so damn beautiful and cold, his jaw tight and hands flexing. Jackson’s eyes were hard. His jaw stern. He looked at me like I’d betrayed him, and heat shoved up my throat, burned through my eyes.
“Jack—”
He held up a hand, his look silencing, formidable. Turning on his heel, he walked back out the door, and my heart felt as though it’d just been sliced open with a thousand razor blades.
“Oh, look at that. Here’s the card. How ’bout that.”
Slowly, I turned toward Sheila, watching as she waved it back and forth with a smirk. “You’re a goddamn bitch, Sheila.”
Yanking it out of her hand, I signed it quickly, reminding myself that the only reason I didn’t storm out now was because of my son. After tossing the pen at her head, I ran after Jackson, but when I got to our chair he wasn’t there anymore.
The grounds were so massive that I knew I stood little chance of finding him. This was a twenty-acre estate; he could literally be anywhere right now.
So I sat, waiting. Dying inside. Feeling the hateful stares all around me like a sharp slap. Telling myself that I couldn’t run away. Not from this.
I’d screwed up, I knew that.
I closed my eyes, shaking hard.
The sudden awareness of a large body sitting beside me had me crying out, begging Jackson to forgive me.
But it wasn’t Jackson looking down at me—it was Robert. Smooth. Slick. With a few extra wrinkles around his eyes, but looking like a sixty-year-old clone of JFK.
Wrapping my arms around myself, I eyed him like a trapped and cornered animal, my heart racing.
“Just because you’ve lost weight and look passably human again doesn’t mean you’re shit to this family. I gave you a chance years ago. You squandered it. I’m not the kind of man to forgive or forget. Don’t ever bring that kid”—his lip curled in obvious disgust—“to this house again. You are through humiliating my family.”
“How fucking dare you?” I hissed, keeping my voice low, trembling all over and fighting back angry tears.
“I dare much, little girl. And if you think for a second that you can take Adam away from his grandfather, you’ve got—”
I didn’t think. I rarely do when I’m around Robert.
I slapped him.
Reared back and give him everything I had, leaving a blazing trail of red on his cheek.
If I thought I’d been the center of attention before... Holy shit, all eyes now turned toward us. Blood rushed through my ears as the control I’d fought so hard for began to crack.
Laughing, Robert licked his teeth, and that’s when I spotted the blood.
“Oh God,” I whispered.
What had I done?
I jumped to my feet. And he did too. My hands went up as I took a step back.
And then a big muscular body was between us, and Jackson was shoving me back, pushing me behind him, the muscles in his large frame trembling almost violently. And I was shaking so hard, clutching his shirt for strength, for support.
That’s when I noticed that Daniel had returned and he was shielding me too. They’d created a living wall around me. Daniel dropped a hand onto my shoulder and moved in behind me.
I was vaguely aware of Kyle standing off to the side, looking at us with something almost like shock.
But the worst part of the whole damn thing wasn’t Sheila’s smirk or the eyes of people I didn’t give a damn about mocking me and glaring at us.
It was Adam, hugging Kyle’s leg and shaking his little head, looking lost and scared and worried for his mommy. My heart bled, feeling like it’d been ripped right out of me and tossed onto a bed of razor-sharp nails.
“Something the matter here?” Jackson asked, voice deep and authoritative, looking at Robert like he wanted to literally strangle him.
I’d never seen him so angry before, and it scared me how much I liked it. How much I liked having someone like him in my corner. For so long I’d been alone in this world, left to flail and try not to drown.
“Not a damn thing,” Robert said smooth as silk, then looking at me, he grinned. “See you in court, Rose.”
“Rose, what the he—” Jackson turned.
But I couldn’t stand the looks, the eyes, the questions, the tears sliding down my son’s cheeks.
“Just stop. Just...”
I ran for the safety of the house.
I was halfway down the hall when he caught up with me. Wrapping me up in his soap-scented arms, he hugged me so hard I felt like my bones might break.
I would not cry.
Because if I did it wouldn’t stop.
So instead I shook and he held me against his powerfully beating heart, whispering over and over to me that I was safe. Always safe.
“Hey,” he said when the shakes finally started to lessen. “Don’t give them this power, Rosie. You hear me?”
My face crumpled, and tears started falling then. I felt like I was literally dying. My heart hurt so bad it was real pain. I clutched at his wrists and held on tight, my world feeling like it was starting to collapse in on me.
“Dammit,” he growled, looking frantic, “which one is the bathroom?”
Lifting a shaking finger, I pointed to the door at the end of the hall.
“Come on.” He pulled me, opening the door and tugging us inside.
The shower curtain was closed. He slapped it open.
Even though I was crying and shaking, I asked, “Why... why’d you do that?”
“Seen too many movies, I guess.” He still sounded pissed, and I wasn’t sure if it was me, or Robert, or just this whole damn day.
I wilted against the door. Hard, solid wood pressed into my back. Stained-glass window. Subway tiles. Travertine floors. Pedestal sink. Claw-foot tub. Each and every thing picked by hand, lovingly thought out down to the tiniest of brass screws.
I’d poured my heart into this house that now felt like a prison.
I closed my eyes as tears gripped me and panic took full control.
“I’m sorry, Jackson. Don’t hate me. You can’t hate me too.”
“Oh baby, baby.”
I heard the click of a locking door.
“Cupcake, come here.”
I spilled into his arms, tossing myself into him and burying my face into his spicy warmth. “I’m sorry I said what I did. It wasn’t right. I let her get to me. But I—”
“Look at me,” he said roughly.
I did, staring at him through lashes coated in tears. He scraped his palms down my cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” I whimpered.
His nostrils flared. “I hate this place. These people. Fake-ass people. But they aren’t you, Rose. You’re so much better than all of them. You hear me?”
I nodded.
Grabbing my hand, he pressed it to his chest, and I felt the racing beat of his heart. Amber eyes gripped mine, holding me fast. “I like you, woman. A whole fucking lot.”
I nodded again, heart hurting so bad. I needed him. More than was normal. More than was sane, not realizing just how much until the thought of losing him had felt so very, very real.
“Don’t ever use what we have as fodder. It’s ours. Private. Special. Between you”—he pounded our joined fists against his chest—“and me. Only.”
“Yes,” I whispered.
I hated the hurt in his eyes. Hated knowing I’d done that to him. I’d have been devastated if I’d ever heard him talking about me that way, like I was nothing but an easy fuck.
“I didn’t mean it, Jackson. I took the bait. I turned what we have into something ugly. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
He kissed me. Gently. Tenderly. Scraping his knuckles down both my cheeks, and my heart blazed with fire. His touch was soothing. Healing. Sealing up the cracks in my chest.
“Well,” he said when he finally pulled away a few moments later, “I hope you did mean it a little. I kind of like knowing I’m the best you’ve ever had.”
I laughed, hurting so bad but so damned relieved.
He kissed me again, stealing the very breath from my body. But I didn’t care. Breathing seemed insignificant when compared to this.
“About Robert—” he started.
“No.” I covered his mouth with my hand. “No. I’m done with this family and I don’t want to think about them another second. All I want is to start this day over and give my baby the best birthday I possibly can and have you stand by my side as I do it.”
He sighed deeply. “Always.”
Nodding, I stood up on tiptoe and gave him one last desperate kiss. This man was becoming my addiction, drug, and all-consuming desire.
The rest of the day saw me desperately trying to be supermom and make up for the shitty start. I hugged Adam, telling him Mommy was sorry, then rode so many rides with him my stomach grew topsy-turvy from it. And by the time I’d finally helped tuck a very sleepy Adam into bed and my baby had whispered it’d been the best birthday ever, I couldn’t stop from feeling crushed by the weight of Robert’s obvious hate-laced stares.
I knew he was far from done with me.