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“Dylan, we don’t have to do that. I won’t keep her from you.”
“I want it to be official. Legal. Documented. I don’t trust you. I’m sure you can understand why.”
It was like he kept dropping bomb after bomb over my head. Not giving me anytime to seek shelter.
“I also want her to carry my last name. She’s mine as much as she is yours. I want it—”
“Already done,” I blurted, cutting him off.
He narrowed his eyes at me in disbelief.
“I’ll show you the paperwork I filled out when I got my parental rights back. She’s carried your last name for the last six years, McGraw. I wanted her to know where she came from. Which is why she knows everything about you. Except, I didn’t tell her one thing.”
He cocked his head to the side.
“How much of a fucking asshole you are!”
I turned to walk back inside, but he grabbed my arm, stopping me. The mere touch of his hand made my belly flutter and my heart pound. I peeked up at him through my lashes. I could tell he was fighting an internal battle with how to respond to that.
How to deal with me.
That was the hardest pill to swallow.
“I’m going to be in her life. Which also means I’m going to be in yours. Get used to it, because this asshole, isn’t going anywhere,” he bit.
I tried to pull my arm away, but he wouldn’t let me.
“What happened to you?” I blurted, needing to know.
He reached out and touched the promise, always charm dangling from my neck. For a second I thought he was going to rip it off.
“You, Aubrey. You happened to me.” With that he let go.
Leaving me with nothing, but the hold he still had on my heart.
31
Dylan
It had been six months since I was released from prison. A few days after the beach, Jacob filled out all the paperwork in his office for us to share custody of Giselle. After we signed the papers I wrote Aubrey a check for child support to cover the last sixteen years. She fought me tooth and nail, claiming she didn’t want it or need it. We finally came to an agreement weeks later. She would open a separate bank account where all money concerning Giselle would go. A place I could deposit future child support checks that Giselle could use for college.
I was civil towards Aubrey, but to be completely honest we only spoke when it came to Giselle.
And I damn well preferred it that way.
Since Lucas was a general contractor he was able to work out something with one of his realtors for me to be able to rent a house near Aubrey’s in South Port. I wanted to stay close to Giselle. It was a two bedroom, two and a half bathroom colonial style that had been upgraded with modern finishes and fixtures. It had a huge back porch with a pool and outdoor kitchen.
Giselle immediately started decorating her room as soon as I got the keys. My baby girl loved purple. We spent a whole weekend painting her room a deep shade and buying furniture for her room and the entire house. I had always been good at saving money and smart with investments that were still earning me income during my time in prison. I didn’t have to work for years to come, so it allowed me the liberty to try to get whatever was left of my life back on track, without worrying about finances.
I got Giselle every other weekend and one day during the week. Aubrey and I each got our own holiday, switching back and forth every year. Giselle stayed with me every summer.
Aubrey was right about one thing. My daughter was exactly like me. Strong willed, stubborn as all hell, cocky as shit, and said what she felt, not caring about other people’s feelings.
She was perfect in my eyes.
She sat on the couch when I walked in from the grocery store.
“Darlin’, can you help me with the groceries?”
