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“Same,” I answer honestly as she rests her head against my chest and wraps her arms around my waist. Valance chooses that moment to look over and at the sight of Leah and me, she frowns for a brief second before tearing her gaze away and forcing a smile as Dawson says something to her.
“What are you going to do, Becky?” she whispers. I keep my eyes on my son as I answer.
“She hid him from me, Lee. He has gone four years without a father because of her choices. I fucking hate her and if I could get rid of her and keep my kid, I would.”
“He loves her, B, and he needs his mother. Even if you hate her, you have to find a way to work things out with her for his sake. She… needs your help.” I frown and push her back. She drops her gaze to the floor and that pisses me off, so cup her face and lift it until she meets my gaze.
“What does that mean?” I ask quietly as I search her gaze for an answer. She reaches up and grips my wrists in her hold as Darius rounds the corner and comes to a halt at the sight of us. I ignore his presence needing to hear her answer more than I need to draw in my next breath.
“I think she is struggling financially–”
Leah is cut off before she can finish telling me what I want to know. “That is none of your business!” Valance snaps from beside us. Leah yanks free of my hold and stares at her friend with wide eyes. Valance has a murderous look on her face as she stands there with Dawson in her arms. He looks like he’s ready to crash. Darius pushes forward and wraps his arm around Leah drawing her into his side.
“Val, I wasn’t trying to overstep–” Valance scoffs forcing Leah to clamp her mouth closed.
“Yeah, you were. You don’t know anything about me, Leah. You have no right to assume or speak on behalf about matters that don’t concern you!” I growl as I step in front of Leah blocking Val’s view of her, we stand here glaring at each other.
“She has every right to speak–” I start but the little bitch cuts me off!
“Well, the next time one of your bed warmers speaks to me about my kid, I’ll make sure I listen to every word,” she snaps mockingly before turning to leave. She makes it two steps before Darius is in front of her. I don’t know why but I push forward ready to stop him if he tries anything with her. I frown at my actions and the fact protecting Valance came so naturally without even having to think about it. The look on Darius’s face is murderous, his brown eyes shine with hatred as he scowls down at Val.
“You want to lash out at Beck, then have at it, but the next time you come at my girl or insinuate that there is shit happening between them when there isn’t, you and I are gonna have fucking problems, feel me?”
Valance doesn’t cower or drop her gaze as she answers. “Oh, then I look forward to sparring with you because I won’t roll over and allow any of you to walk all over me and try to take my son away.” She doesn’t stick around for a reply, brushing past Darius as she heads up the stairs. I see it the way her shoulders droop as she climbs the stairs, she feels like a bitch for having a go at Leah. Valance is taking her anger out on Leah because she thinks her friend betrayed her. D cuts his gaze to me and raises a brow.
“Handle that shit now. I’m not gonna let your baby momma drama affect me and make me see things between you and my girl that isn’t there.” I hear his warning loud and clear. Darius is a jealous fucker and already hates how close Leah and me are. Val putting shit in his head will drive a wedge between me and him, and I won’t fucking allow that to happen.
Valance
Just as I lay Dawson down and pull the covers up, the bedroom door bursts open. Beck opens his mouth to no doubt shout at me but I launch across the room and slap my hand over his mouth.
“Shh, he’s asleep.” When his eyes narrow, my eyes widen when I realize what I just did. I drop my hand and take a step back. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. His brows draw in as he shoots me a filthy look before turning back to Dawson. The sight of him has all the anger draining from his features and a ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He steps around me heading for Dawson and on instinct, I follow his movements until he sits down on the edge of the bed and reaches out to run his fingers through our son’s hair. The site has a lump forming in my throat. I never thought I would ever see Beckett again, which in turn meant Dawson would never meet his father. I lived with that guilt every single freaking day, but standing here and seeing the way Beckett looks at our boy, has a strange feeling blooming inside me.
“I want to know everything about him, Valance, every single detail!” he whispers. I hear the undertone of hurt that laces each of his words. I don’t know what to say, so I just remain silent as guilt consumes me. I shouldn’t feel bad but I do. I never intended for Beckett to not be a part of Dawson’s life but by the time I found out I was even pregnant, he was gone from my life. He leans forward and places the softest kiss on Dawson’s forehead before slowly climbing to his feet and looking down at me. “You’ve had every first with him. Tomorrow, that changes.”
“What do you mean?”
“From now on, I’m a part of everything to do with him. Every holiday, special occasion, fuck, anything to do with him. I am going to be a part of it and I don’t give a fuck if you don’t like it.”
I stare at him utterly thrown for a second before I gather myself. “I never tried to stop you, Beckett.” Dawson stirs at the sound of my raised voice. I motion for Beckett to follow me out of the room, which he does and shuts the door quietly behind us as I move toward the banister.
“Continue on with your bullshit,” he rasps out, earning a scowl from me.
“It’s not bullshit, it’s the fucking truth!” It all happens so fast. His hand is around my throat and then I’m pushed against the banister with my back arched over it. I grip his shirt in an attempt to hold on so he doesn’t throw me over the edge.
“You fucking hid him from me, Valance,” he shouts.
“Let me up!” I cry but he’s too lost in his anger to see reason right now.
“You think you get to dictate what the fuck happens withmyson?” I hear footsteps pounding up the stairs, but I don’t dare take my eyes off him.
“He isn’t just yours! I never hid him from you, Beckett. I tried to find you after that night but you were gone!” I scream.
“You fucking left me!” he shouts so loud I fear it will wake Dawson, who sleeps mere feet away.
“Beck, let her up, man.” I think it’s Corvin that says that but neither of us take our eyes off the other.
“I never left you, Beckett. My mother dragged me to the car and tried to leave town. I jumped out of the moving fucking vehicle, broke my ankle and limped all the fucking way home praying you would be there, but you weren’t!” His face contorts in pain as he steps back and releases his hold on me. My anger is peaked and I’m not ready to stop lashing out. “I had no one. My father was dead, my mom ran off and I was on my fucking own.” I spy Corvin, Darius, Leah and Crue out of the corner of my eye but I can’t stop the words from spewing out of me. “I was alone, Beckett, everyone had left me. I had nothing and still when I found out eight weeks after you left that I was pregnant, I wasn’t even mad because I had a part of you with me!” Tears trail down my cheeks as emotions I have fought for years to keep buried surface. “I raisedourson on my own. I had no fucking help or even a place to call home. We went from shelter to shelter as I tried to finish school and busted my ass to earn a scholarship at CHU so I could make a better life for him and give our fucking son what we never had!”
