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He knows what it is.
“I planned to tell you tonight,” he says.
I scoff. “Youplannedto tell me the day I confronted you? How convenient. Why wasn’t I told weeks ago?”
“I had to know if she was mine.”
“You’ve known she was yours for a while. Not only did you keep this from me, but you’ve also been hanging out with Jessa behind my back.” Tears sting the backs of my eyes. “You came home, smelling like her perfume. You were never helping Cohen, were you? You weren’t in the city with him. You were with her.”
“I was with my daughter,” he corrects, grinding his teeth.
“And her!”
“I had no choice!” His voice rises. “Molly didn’t know me! I couldn’t walk in and expect her to be comfortable. Jessa had to be there.”
“You could’ve told me.” I choke back a sob. “I would’ve helped you work through it. I would’ve been with you like agirlfriendshould.”
He draws in a breath, his body tensing. “It was complicated.”
My pulse slams into my throat as all rationality flies out the door. “I can’t.” I shuffle back a step. “I can’t do this.”
He winces. “Can’t do what? Be with a man who has a child?”
Hell no.I won’t allow him to turn this around on me.
It’s my turn to raise my voice. “No, be with a man I don’t trust.”
He scowls. “You don’t trust me?” His shoulders straighten. “Before this, I never lied to you. Not once. Hell, Sierra, you’re fucking married, and I’ve accepted that!”
“Not for long. The divorce will be finalized this week.” My answer is firm. Flat. No expression shown.
He blinks. “What?”
“Devin signed the divorce papers. You’d know that if you came around.”
His face softens. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
That flat voice rises a few notches. Okay, a lot of notches. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a child?”
“I was scared it’d become an issue, like it fucking is right now. You’re young, Sierra.”
“Screw you. Don’t you dare use that as an excuse for your fuckup!” My chin trembles, my voice shaky. “I’d have accepted you in any way I could have you—daughter, no daughter, twenty damn daughters. I would’ve held my arm out and helped with your baggage because you’ve accepted mine, but that acceptance ends at lying.” My voice cracks. “I should’ve known when you came back smelling like her, when you went MIA for hours, when you weren’t working in your own goddamn bar!” Tears swim in my eyes, and I jerk my head to the side, wishing I could rid myself of them. “You and Jessa can make yourselves a happy little family and stay the hell away from me.”
Maliki’s eyes glaze over. “I don’t want Jessa.”
“Yet you’ve been secretly hanging out with her.”
“Don’t do this. Don’t fucking walk away from us, Sierra.”
I whip around, and he’s on my trail as I storm toward the bedroom. I scoop up what folded clothes I see, not even caring what they are, and shove them into my bag, overfilling it. Items fall, but I don’t care.
Like with Devin, I’ll buy new shit.
Maliki stays at my heels as I leave the room, pleas falling from his mouth. “Don’t do this. Don’t fucking walk away from us.”
I don’t stop until I’m at the door.
That’s when I face him.
