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“How are you holding up? Honestly.”
He combs a hand over his spiked crew cut in a gesture that reminds me of Mick. “Most days I firmly believe no judge would take Dwayde away from us. But…” The stress lines around his dark eyes deepen. “There are times when I think, what if the system fails and these people that I don’t trust for a minute get custody of my son? You heard Dwayde, he’ll run. He’d be back on the streets before the ink dried on the paperwork.”
“Stop.” I put my hand on his forearm. “Don’t even go there. The strength of our case is you and Isabelle, and the life you are giving him. He has a wonderful extended family. Friends. He’s healthy, safe. Loved. He’s thriving. Dr. Sass will confirm that. His teachers will confirm that. Your character witnesses will as well. While a judge will factor in the biological relationship with the Franklins, we will keep coming back to what Dwayde wants, and what’s best for him. And that’s clearly you.”
“We work in the system, Dee. We know it’s not perfect.”
“It isn’t always,” I concede. “But I have confidence and faith in our case.”
“That’s not a guarantee.”
I can’t argue that, so I don’t.
“Sometimes I wish I were more like Mick, “Victor says. “He’s not constrained by rules and boundaries. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good man, one of the best I know, but to him, the end justifies any means.”
“That doesn’t make it right, Victor.”
“No, it doesn’t. But he thinks it does.”
“And that’s all that matters to him.” My voice catches.
“Hey…”
“I’m sorry. You don’t need this right now.”
He frowns at me. “You sound like Mick. I can deal with more than one thing at a time. What’s going on?”
“I wish I knew.”
Victor nods slightly. “He left to clear his head, but said he’d be back to see Dwayde. You got any ideas on what’s got him all screwed up?”
“No. I really don’t. His behavior changed yesterday morning between the time he went out for a jog and returned home.”
“Did he get a call or text?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. But whatever it is, he’s convinced himself that it’s his problem to deal with alone.”
“That’s pretty much the same BS I got from him today.”
“I don’t know what to do. I told him I could handle anything. He doesn’t have to shield me. But he’s chosen to anyway.”
“Mick will come around.” His arms envelope me in a supportive embrace. “He loves you, Dee.”
I wish I could believe that love would be enough. That it would conquer all. Because there’s no doubt that Mick loves me madly…endlessly. The same way I love him. That’s never been our issue. It was my secrets that had broken us before. And now I fear it will be his.
ChapterThirteen
Micah
I get back to mycondo, pissed at life. Pissed at myself. I change into shorts, and going shirtless, take to my home gym. The first crack of leather sends the punching bag swinging on its chained hinges. Rapid jabs and uppercuts work me into a blistering sweat. Down my back, my chest, my face, burning my eyes. Can’t stop.
I shouldn’t have gone to Victor’s today knowing she’d be there. I should never have gone to her house last night, either. I should have ignored her message and drank myself into a blind stupor. I knew what would happen. As soon as I walked up those steps and saw her beautiful face—eyes like spun gold, her sultry curves…
One kiss was all it had taken. Feeling selfish, greedy, out of control, without any thought to gentleness, I plunged inside her, hard and raw. The feeling was indescribable. Desperately reckless, I immersed myself in her scent, in the creamy give of her body, going as deep as I could get. I put my fingers in her mouth, watching her suck and roll them with her tongue. I had to claim her everywhere. Her ripe, round ass, her tight clenching pussy, that little pink kernel of flesh. I marked them all until she exploded around me. Her muscles contracting, her moans throaty and sexy, I’d come with all my might. Emptying myself, giving everything I had to give.
Except the truth.
She’d given me hers.
