Page 26 of Ruin

My anger level leaps from fifty to a hundred in naught-point-one second. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?” I yell.

“Do I look like I’m joking?” he bellows.

The door opens behind me.

“Enough.” Aunt Elle’s voice comes from behind me. “If I can hear you, then Gigi can hear you. You need to leave, Zeus.”

“Not until I get answers.”

“You want me to sling your ass in jail? ’Cause, honestly, it’d be a pleasure after everything you put Cam through.”

“Put me in jail?” He laughs a sound of disbelief. “Are you shitting me right now? Cam has been keeping my kid from me, and you’re giving me shit? What a fucking joke.”

“I did what?” I screech. “It was you who wanted nothing to do with her!”

Zeus turns his flaming eyes on me. “How could I say that when I didn’t even know she existed?”

“Stop it. Now. The both of you. Gigi doesn’t need to hear this.” Aunt Elle turns to me. “Cam, I’ll take Gigi to ballet. You and Zeus talk. Because it’s clear you need to.” She yanks open the door and calls inside, “Gigi girl, I’m taking you to ballet. Grab your bag, and let’s go.”

“Coming!” Gigi comes happily skipping through a few seconds later, thankfully unaware of what’s been happening out here.

Gigi looks up at me. Her happy expression dims at whatever she sees on my face. “You ’kay, Mommy?”

I clear my expression and paste on a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine, baby girl. I just need to speak to the new mailman, is all, so Granny Elle’s going to take you to class.”

“He forget the mail?” Gigi frowns.

I glance up at Zeus, who’s not looking at me. His eyes are fixed on Gigi. My stomach balls into knots.

“Yeah, he forgot the mail. But don’t you worry. You go have fun at ballet.” I lean down and cup her chin in my hand. I kiss the tip of her nose. “I love you.”

“I wove you, Mommy.”

“Come on, let’s get in the car,” Aunt Elle says, grabbing her keys from the key hook by the door.

“Bye, Mommy. Bye, Mr. Mailman.” She waves and starts skipping toward Aunt Elle’s car parked on our driveway.

“You going to be okay?” Aunt Elle checks before leaving.

“I’ll be fine.” I nod.

“I’ve got my cell with me, if you need me.” She turns her eyes on Zeus. “I’ll be back in an hour. If I find out you’ve upset her again or hurt her in any way, then I’m coming after you with my shotgun. You hear me, Kincaid?”

Zeus works his jaw. “I hear ya.”

“Good.”

Aunt Elle gives me a quick hug, and then she goes over to her car and gets in.

I watch her and Gigi drive away, not wanting to look at Zeus.

When I do, his burning eyes are on me.

“She’s mine?”

“Of course she’s yours! Did you not get the memo the first two times?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”