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“He’s gorgeous. You’re a lucky guy,” I told him.
“I am. I just wish his mom wasn’t such a bitch. I’d swear she wasn’t like that the night I spent with her but I was honestly too drunk to remember,” he admitted.
“Is she a good mom?” I asked.
“Not really,” he shrugged. “She takes good care of Zack, but I don’t think she loves him. I’m not sure she even likes him all that much. He’s just a hinderance for the lifestyle she wants to live.”
“Have you thought about fighting for custody? You have a good job and a good home and you’ve been supporting them both since he was born. You have a good case.”
“She’d never let him go without one hell of a fight. She likes the money she gets too much.”
“I’m sure it’s a fight you could win though. I could help you. I know some great family attorneys,” I offered.
“Thanks, but he’s better off with Kayla. I’m not exactly daddy material,” he replied.
“Your son seemed pretty happy to be in your arms,” I pointed out.
“Just leave it, please Evie. He’s better off where he is.” Nick headed off to the kitchen before I could utter another word, and I decided I should leave it. I didn’t know Nick well enough to push the matter.
“You okay?” Harris asked as he approached me.
“Yeah. I might just go to my room for a bit. I need to start work on those tattoo pictures for Aleks.”
“You can stay down here and do that,” he argued.
“I know. I just…I need some space. Is that okay?”
“Of course it is, sweetheart. You know where we are if you need anything.” I leaned into place a kiss on his cheek as I thanked him, then I headed upstairs. It had been a wild morning and I just needed some time and space to think.
When I got to my room I went straight through to the bathroom and pulled up my sweater, looking at the scars Soloman had put there that last day. Lines crisscrossed each other all across my stomach. They had healed months ago but they were still slightly red and the scars were raised and jagged. I thought about the crazed look on his face as he had sliced into me with that blade and yelled over and over again for me to finally say those words.
I wondered if the same was happening to those three girls he had taken at that exact moment? One thing I knew for sure was that those girls were terrified and suffering. I had to find a way to stop that. I had to find out who Soloman was so he could be stopped and hopefully those girls he took – saved.
The urge to cry and break down was right there at the surface, but I pushed it back this time. I had to be stronger. I had to keep fighting, this time, not to survive but to catch this bastard and make sure he paid for all he had done.
I took a deep breath and replaced my sweater, heading to my room to draw every tattoo I had, so Aleks could identify just who exactly Soloman really was. Whoever he was, he was going to pay for every single woman he had hurt. I was going to make sure of it.
CHAPTER 17
HARRIS
I had woken up early that morning, after another night of restless sleep. I could hear Zack happily chattering away to himself in his crazy baby language from the room next door and decided to get up and take care of him before he woke Nick. Now we were downstairs, Zack in his highchair, eagerly awaiting the breakfast I was preparing.
The previous night, Nick had shocked the shit out of all of us when he didn’t open a bottle of scotch. He always opened a bottle of scotch, even if he had Zack. Sure, he drank less if he was caring for his son, but he still needed a drink. But last night he hadn’t touched a drop. He’d eaten with us all, then taken Zack off for a bath and bedtime story. Afterwards he hadn’t even come back downstairs. He’d gone to his room. When I peeked in, worried about him later that night, he’d been fast asleep in bed and looked pretty settled. It wasn’t like him at all, which was good because he needed to change his habits. He had been spiraling for months and we all knew it.
“Ha-Ha!” Zack cried excitedly from his high chair in the kitchen as I approached him with a bowl of cereal and a sippy cup of fruit juice. I smiled as I sat before him, laughing at the way he had shortened my name to sound like he was laughing at me every time he said it.
“Now I see why you were up so early, little chunk. You’re hungry aren’t you?” I said softly, not wanting to wake anyone else.
“Yum yums!” Zack demanded as he reached for the food. His way of telling me he wanted it.
“Hold your horses there, cowboy. It’s coming,” I laughed as I filled the little plastic spoon and fed it to him, laughing when he dove forward to get the spoon in his mouth quicker.
I fed him the whole bowl, followed by a yogurt and half a banana before he shook his head at me, telling me he was done.
He was so fucking cute as I lifted him from the high chair. He cuddled into me and laid his head on my shoulder and I felt a peace I never got from anywhere or anything else. Having a baby in your arms was just the ultimate reset. I forgot everything else when he was gurgling happily at me.
We had all been fucking terrified the first time Kayla dropped him off with us. He’d just been released from the hospital at the time and he was so fucking tiny, weighing just over five pounds at the time. I could hold him with one hand.
