AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And then suddenly, like a passing storm, Oliver’s anger rolls over.
“JudeMotherfuckingHawkins. You’re in love with my sister.” His stern features break into a smile.
I want to wipe that smug smirk off Oliver’s face, but I leave my energy for Peyton.
“I guess so.” Who is he to tell me I’m in love? I don’t want her to ever leave my side. I am desperate to claim her every chance I get, but did that mean I’m in love?
Seeing how I never considered marrying any other woman, and now that I’ve uttered the words, they are growing on me.
“I’m so happy I could provide your evening’s entertainment,” I say, wryly. “I need to talk to Peyton now so will you kindly fuck off now? And thanks for looking out for Lila. I should have insisted I attend the wedding.”
Oliver comes down the steps and slaps me hard on the back. “No problem. That’s what we do, right man? Take care of our families.” He heads toward his parked car. “Have my sister call me with the good news. I’ll act surprised. And every designer wedding planner in LA owes me a favor so Peyton can have her dream wedding like she’s always wanted.”
Dream wedding? My mouth goes dry—my mind never got that far in the planning. For the thirty seconds that I have this plan, I pictured a wedding on the patio here at the house, followed by a honeymoon filled with lots of getting to know my new wife.
Breathe. One thing at a time. Not having to fight Oliver is a stroke of luck.
I enter my house, go straight to the bar, and pour myself a double whiskey. This has been the most protracted evening ever. I toss back the whiskey, letting it burn in my throat, grounding me.
First thing tomorrow, I’ll direct my lawyer to request full custody of Lila. I am done with this bullshit with Amber. She can come to visit Lila whenever she wants, but Lila needs to be her priority, not an accessory for photoshoots. Two, I need to make sure Peyton knows I will always take care of her. And three…what the hell is three?
“Daddy, come and have a cinna bun with us,” Lila sings from the kitchen, her childhood name for our favorite dessert making me smile.
In the kitchen, the people that matter most in the world to me are at the table. Each wearing icing on their lips. Lila’s bun is mostly eaten already while Peyton’s sits with only a couple of bites missing. Between the glasses of milk and plates of treats, I see my daughter is still holding Peyton’s hand tightly.
“Why don’t we play a game before bed?” I can see Lila is wound up. It has been a stressful few days for her and a little family time will give us all time to gather our thoughts.
“All of us?” Lila’s eyes are wide with surprise.
I wince. It is well known I’m not a fan of family games but tonight warrants exceptional circumstances. “Your choice, sweet girl.”
Lila squeals in delight before selecting a game from the nearby cupboard. The next hour passes with me running afoul of the rules, which delights my daughter and eases the tension between Peyton and myself. By the time we have finished, Lila has won every piece of cardboard candy imaginable. And thankfully, a few yawns have escaped her. Lila gives me a hug and goodnight kiss before dancing off to bed with Peyton in tow.
Peyton sends a backward glance at me. Good. Tonight I’ll hold her in my arms as I tell her my dark past. And then find a way to ask her to marry me. She will be back after she gets Lila settled. They have a whole bedtime routine that helps Lila feel secure. That has been sorely missing from the other nannies. My mind is a mixture of relief that Lila is safely here and frustration.
Jesus, I need some fresh air. I go out to watch the night sky and wait. When I turn off the lights, the sky is filled with stars.
I wait.
And wait.
It seems like forever since Peyton took Lila upstairs. How many stories can one little girl wrestle from her nanny?
I go back inside, and that’s when Peyton’s phone on the kitchen table gets my attention. A flood of messages clog the phone screen and they are all from Conner.
At first, all I see is red and murder courses through my veins. I have to take several deep breaths before I can see clearly enough to hit reply.
“Where the fuck have you been, bitch? I’ve been calling you. Do you have the goods, yet?” The other man’s voice explodes on the line without any greeting.
“This must be doucheface Conner I keep hearing about. Do you mind if I call you that? I don’t know your last name.” My voice is deadly. “Which is lucky for you.”
“Who the fuck are you? Where is Peyton?”
“Listen to me carefully, you piece of shit.” My voice is low, so as not to disturb the bedtime routine above me. “You’re dealing with me now. Peyton is no longer available to you. If you ever contact her again, it will be the last thing you do in your pathetic life.”
“Oh, this is sweet. Do I hear a note of possessiveness? Yeah, she does that to a man with that sweet cunt of hers. I thought you might be tapping that ass. Classy move.” His sneer and snide remarks wash over me.
“Small-time criminals always overstep their abilities. Don’t think you can threaten me, Conner. There’s not a place on this fucking earth you can hide where I won’t find you. Do yourself a favor and find a hole to live in. Stay there and you’ll be safe. Don’t and you’ll force my hand.”
