AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Even so, it all boiled down to one thing for me. “If you’d loved her,” I said gently, “the distance wouldn’t have mattered.”
“She wasmine.” He jabbed his chest with his finger.
And if he were any other man, I would’ve reminded him that he’d let her go. Jude had let Kendall go. He’d moved on. Maybe she’d been his once, but she wasn’t anymore.
He clenched his fists, and I’d never seen him look so menacing. Certainly not toward me. “You just couldn’t stand that I’d have something so…”
“Stop.” I held up my hand, trying to remain calm. For all of us. “Kendall is a person. Do not talk about her as if she is a possession.”
His eyes darted to the bottom of the stairs where Kendall was now standing, hand to her mouth. Her bun had come loose, and tears streamed down her cheeks as the wind whipped her hair around her face. He scoffed and shook his head. “Fuck you,” he spat. “Fuck both of you.”
He stormed off, and I took a step to follow him before Kendall placed a hand on my arm. “Let him go.”
My eyes were glued to his retreating form. “I don’t want to leave it like this.”
“Neither do I,” she said, running her hand down my arm, soothing me in the way only she could. “But he needs to cool down. If you keep pushing, you’re only going to push him further away.”
I’d always put my relationship with Jude first. I’d always prided myself on being the kind of dad who was there for him. Who loved him unconditionally.
And yet…I’d done the unthinkable.
What kind of man was so selfish that he was willing to hurt his own child? What did it say about me that I’d been willing to take what I wanted, while foolishly hoping Jude would be okay with it?
I scrubbed a hand down my face. “Fuck.”
I knew Kendall was right, but that didn’t make it any easier. I hated hurting Jude. I hated disappointing him. I wanted to fix this, but I needed to give him space. Even when that was the last thing I wanted to do.
I cupped her cheek, scanning her eyes to make sure she was okay. She was my center even in the midst of a storm. And I’d been so focused on Jude that I’d neglected to check in with her. “I’m sorry for the hurtful things he said to you.”
She rolled her lips between her teeth, leaning into my touch. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
I rubbed my thumb along her jaw. “He was upset, but he shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”
Her eyes fluttered closed. “Hopefully he’ll calm down with time.”
I pressed my lips to her cheek. Her nose. Her forehead. Inhaling her scent as I reminded myself that this was what I wanted. That Kendall was what I wanted.
“I’m worried about him,” I finally admitted.
I’d never seen Jude so upset. I knew he was still processing the breakup with Chrissy. Then Kendall had rebuffed his advances. And now this… I squeezed my eyes shut.
I could only imagine how he was feeling.
Betrayed. Angry. Hurt. Rejected.
And that was on me.
I’d done this.
I’d broken my son’s trust, and yet I couldn’t fathom my life without Kendall. I had to find a way to fix this. Iwouldfind a way.
“I’m worried about him too,” Kendall admitted, her expression solemn, her big heart allowing her to overlook his spiteful words. “Why don’t you text Nate or Jasper?”
“And say what?” I asked, my mind stuck on fixing things with Jude. Not…involving anyone else. I didn’t want to make things worse by wounding his pride even more. For now, the fewer people who knew, the better.
“Just ask them to keep him company. Keep an eye on him.”
“Good idea,” I said, pulling out my phone to do just that. I was glad one of us was able to think clearly.
