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“I think your momma needs to help, don’t you, little dude?” Before I can decline his offer, Dawson shouts.
“Yes, Momma helps too.” Corvin grins triumphantly and winks. I sigh before following him back downstairs into the living room where the fire is going. I frown when I notice that tree is by the open fire. Everyone is gathered around, waiting for Dawson. I move to stand by the fire and keep my gaze focused on the floor not wanting to look at the others.
“Too good to sit with us, huh?” I snap my head up to see Beckett standing in the middle of the living room with an angry look on his face. Corvin and the others are sitting on the ground with Dawson opening decoration boxes.
I harden my stare and shake my head. “No, Beckett. I’m standing here because there is a fire behind me and in case you haven’t noticed I have a four-year-old.” His jaw locks for a second.
“How could I forget!” he snaps.
“Yo, enough,” Corvin growls at Beck, before turning to look at me from his spot on the floor. “We lit the fire so it wasn’t cold for the little dude.” Corvin sounds genuinely confused and I feel like a bitch now.
“I appreciate that, I really do–”
“But?” Beckett cuts in. I cut my stare to him as I finish.
“It’s an open fire! Kids and fires don’t mix, Beckett, so no, I wasn’t standing here because I think I’m better than anyone, I’m standing here so Dawson doesn’t get burnt.” His eyes widen as he curses under his breath. The other four guys jump to their feet and look at me with worried expressions on their faces. I take a step back suddenly feeling afraid with all their attention on me.
“What do we do?” Saint asks me and I frown. “About the fire.” I stare at him in surprise.
“Uh…” I’m lost for words.
“We’ll put the heat on and douse the fire, then move the tree to the games room,” Corvin says.
“Yeah, we can carry it through the kitchen,” Darius tacks on.
“Where are the buckets?” Crue asks, before they can continue rearranging everything to suit Dawson I cut in.
“Stop!” Everyone turns to face me, even the girls. “The fire is fine, do you have a screen?” The guys all exchange looks clearly not knowing what I’m talking about. Katie jumps to her feet drawing my attention to her.
“Yeah, there’s one in the basement. Crue, Saint, come help me.” I smile thanks as she leads the guys from the room. Beck walks over to me and I tense in anticipation, while the others go back to helping Dawson open up the boxes. We stand here shoulder to shoulder with a foot of space between us as we watch the others. Darius sits behind Leah with his arms wrapped around her waist, and Cody and Corvin keep a foot of space between them as they sit there and smile at my little man. Seeing him smile melts me every time, his happiness is the most important thing in the world to me.
“Why do you call him Dawson?” His voice has an edge to it, I keep my gaze focused on the others as I answer Beck.
“Heis the one who demanded to be called Dawson, not Matthew,” I answer honestly.
“Why?” I take a deep breath and decide to be honest. He deserves to know the truth about his son. I turn and look up at him to find his gaze is already on me.
“He asked me why our last names were different. I told him that Dawson was his daddy’s last name and ever since that day he demanded to be called Dawson.” Beckett’s brows draw in as he frowns down at me, clearly not sure if he should trust my word or not. The stare-off between us is broken when Saint and Crue come into the room carrying a screen for the fire. I smile and thank them as they set it up around the fire. Saint and Crue head back to Katie and drop down onto the couch on either side of her. I furrow my brow trying to work out how the three of them fit.
“I won’t let you leave with him.” The conviction in his voice has me steeling my spine.
“I won’t let him go, Beckett. Hate me all you want but my son stays with me.” He reaches out, and grips my chin, turning me to face him. The look in his eyes steals my breath, his eyes daring me to challenge him. He should know me well enough to know I never do as I’m told.
“Ours!” I scrunch my face in confusion. “He’s our son, Valance.” Hearing those words come from his mouth has all the air whooshing out of my lungs and tears stinging the backs of my eyes. I flick my eyes between his and see nothing but sincerity. “I won’t allow you to take him from me.”
Beckett
I’ve been standing here strangling the fuck out of my beer for the past hour. Corvin, the prick, thought it would be a great idea to get everyone in the hot tub. It was, until Valance walked out in a fucking one piece that has more holes in it than the fucking holy Bible. I can tell she is uncomfortable in her own skin now, the girl shouldn’t be. Having a child didn’t diminish her beauty it only enhanced it. She’s filled out in all the right places, her ass is bigger and each time she walks past it’s like it has a sign stapled to it sayingspank me.
“What was it you once said to me?” I don’t move my head but peer at Darius out of the corner of my eye as he rests his forearms on the counter next to me. “Oh, that’s it! If you glare any harder your face will crack.” I narrow my eyes at the smart fuck. He throws his head back and laughs, forcing me to grip my bottle tighter or risk strangling his dumb ass. Ignoring him I focus back on the others outside. Leah, Katie, Cody, Corvin, Valance, Saint, and Crue all clap and cheer as Dawson jumps from Corvin’s arms and paddles across to his mother. “He looks like you,” Darius says quietly.
A whoosh of air escapes me. “I didn’t even know I had a fucking kid, Darius. She kept him from me for four fucking years!” The bitterness that coats my tone is hard to miss. The sight of her makes me sick, I want to punish her and make her fucking hurt as I did all those years ago! The person I fucking trusted most in this world betrayed me!
“From the sounds of things, she wasn’t the only one who kept shit hidden.” I flick my gaze to him and raise a brow prompting him to explain further. “Was she talking out of her ass when she said you murdered someone?” I drop my gaze instantly and nibble on my lip debating on if I should tell him. If I do, that means he’s implicated in this as well.
“There is some truth to it.” This is the only answer I can give him. I refuse to bring him down with me if Valance does decide to out me after all these years.
“I’ll settle with that answer for now. What are you going to do, Beck? You can’t lock her up and force her to stay.” I lull my head to the side and shoot him a sly smirk.
