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Stassi’s eyes blazed with intensity as she attempted to block Alex’s path, her voice laced with desperation. “He’s not a pawn, Alex! He’s my heart, my soul!”
Alex’s patience wore thin as he interjected sharply, “Your checkbook.” His eyes darted to hers. “I seem to recall you saying the same thing about Theo. Remember Theo?”
She winced at the recollection, confused. “Theo was sick.”
Was she making this shit up as she went along? A small doubt hooked his heart. Was she telling the truth? “Theo was three years old.” And then, his beloved Irish Setter was dead.
Her voice hushed to a whisper. “I know I wasn’t the mother you thought you deserved.” Her statement hit him like a slap. She welled up, her tears catching him by surprise. “So with AJ, I kept my distance. I shielded him. Don’t you understand? That’s why I did everything I did.”
He stared down at her in disbelief. “No, I don’t understand. And I never will.”
His footsteps were wide and determined. She rushed to the door, barring it from his departure. “But, you need to stay. I know I haven’t always done things the way you thought I should, but now it’s different. Now—”
He didn’t want to know what surprise she had in store. “You’ve only ever set out to destroy anything and everything I’ve ever loved. Including yourself.” His gaze traced the path down to her wrists, a cluster of faint scars etched like threads along her wrists. Regret threatened to swallow him whole. “You’ll never meet her.”
“But, I have to,” she cried. “I’ll give you Alexander. He needs normal, and he can never get that with me.”
“You’ve got that right.” He paused for a moment. “You would sign the papers?”
“But I want to meet her first, Alex. To know she’s good enough.”
“And if she isn’t?” They stared, the silence stretching out between them. With a swift and forceful movement, Alex shoved her aside, and opened the front door.
Now face to face with Madison.
CHAPTER22
MADISON
Two hours earlier
“You’ll be fine,” Madison said as the golden hues of the sunset painted the cityscape with a warm glow. It gave AJ’s hair honey hues, and brought out flecks of gold in his sad eyes.
They were on top of the world—the roof of their penthouse home—amidst the panoramic view of skyscrapers reaching up to the skies. But nothing about this felt right. In a few minutes, AJ would be gone, and Madison missed him already.
The helicopter approached from the distance, its blades slicing through the air, stirring up a mix of emotions in her chest. Or, maybe that was the hormones. Whatever it was, it was cold and empty, and she hated it.
Still, she painted her smile wide and took hold of his hand.
AJ tugged his backpack straps tighter. “I don’t want to go,” he said defiantly. Hopefully.
Apprehension wrapped her as he prepared to depart. Unlike when he arrived, this time, he had a bag full of clothes at his feet, an iPad full of ebooks, and a bag of S’mores for the road.
Jess and Mark were capable, responsible guardians, fostering dozens of kids over the years. It should be reassuring to have them look after him—it was for the best.
But, was it?
The sadness in his eyes wasn’t going anywhere.
Confidently, her hand squeezed his. “We’ll see each other soon,” she shouted over the loud whir of the incoming chopper. Then, to sweeten the deal, she added, “If you promise not to crash, Mark promised to give you your very first flying lesson.”
AJ’s eyes met hers, filled with concern and an unexpected closeness. “Who’s going to take care of you?” he asked, worry in his tone.
It tugged at her heart. Before her eyes, this fifteen-year-old boy was molding into a man.
Affectionately, she wrapped him in a tight hug, then ruffled his hair. “I’ll be fine,” she assured him, her voice filled with conviction and love.
Mark landed and hopped out with a grin. He wasn’t overly clingy. With his experience, he knew the drill. At first, kids need, kind, casual, and a good distraction goes a long way.
