Page 27 of Ruin

I realize we’re both yelling again, and I don’t want the neighbors knowing my business.

“I’m not doing this out here with you. Come inside.”

I open the door, standing aside while he steps in. I shut the door behind him and lean against it.

He’s an imposing figure in our little hallway. Zeus was always big. But, looking at him now, in the light of day, he looks even bigger than he did five years ago.

“She’s mine? I have a daughter. How could you…Jesus, Cam.”

“How could I, what?”

“Jesus, I know I hurt you…but keeping my kid from me? How could you do that?”

“What?” I straighten up, my eyes bugging out of my head. “I think you’re a little confused here. I did not keep Gigi from you. You said you wanted nothing to do with either of us!”

“Was I fucking asleep when that conversation happened?” he yells, taking a step toward me.

Any other person might be intimidated by this move from him. But not me. I know Zeus. I know he’d never physically hurt me. Still, it doesn’t stop me from shuddering inside.

“You need to back the fuck up.” I jab my finger in his chest. “And how the hell should I know what you were doing when I couldn’t get in contact with you? I tried to call your cell, and you’d either blocked my number or changed it. I even tried e-mailing you, asking you to call me, but they all went undelivered. So, I called Marcel. I knew he would be able to get me in touch with you. He took my call. Said you didn’t want to talk to me. I told him that it was important. But he wasn’t listening, so I told him that I was pregnant. Then, he started listening. He said he’d have you call me. And the rest you know.”

“No, I don’t. I don’t know a fucking thing. What is the rest, Cam?”

“Are you being serious right now?”

“As serious as a heart attack.”

“Oh God. Jesus. You didn’t know…about Gigi?”

“No. But Marcel knew, right?”

I nod my head, watching as his face darkens like a thundercloud. “He called me back. Said that he’d talked to you. Told me he was sorry, but you’d said that you wanted nothing to do with the baby—our baby. That you’d support it financially, but that was it.”

His eyes close, as if the pain is too hard to control.

“Marcel never told you, did he?” I say softly.

“No.”

“Jesus. All this time…you didn’t know. I…” Words are failing me.

This entire time, I thought he’d walked away from Gigi, and he’d had no clue that she existed.

Zeus backs up and sits down on the stairs, like standing is just too hard for him right now. He covers his face with his hands as he takes deep breaths in and out. “I can’t believe Marcel did this. I’m gonna fucking kill him. With my bare hands. Jesus! Fuck!”

I don’t say anything. I’m trying to take this all in myself.

I hated him for leaving her, and he never even knew she existed.

My eyes close on the reality of the situation. I take a few deep breaths, trying to steady myself.

When I open my eyes, Zeus is staring up at me. Emotions are glistening in his eyes.

“She’s really mine,” he says more to himself than me. “Jesus, Cam, I have a daughter.”

“Yes.”

“Fuck.” His hands cover his face again, and he blows out a harsh breath.