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“My parents are paying. Daddy said this place is the best of the best, and he’s happy to do it, so please don’t fight us on this,” she tells me, and it takes everything in me not to roll my eyes.
Knowing Tim, he probably only thinks it’s the best because it’s the most expensive out there. Hell, this whole thing was probably his idea. If there’s something to fix, you bet your ass he’s going to be the one marshaling this thing. Anything for his little girl.
Jesus, when did I become so bitter?
“Just six more weeks?” I say, wanting to make sure I know what I’m committing to here.
“Yes. Six weeks. That’s it. I just… I need this, okay?”
I grit my teeth and nod shortly. “Okay.”
Turning away from her, I grab the first thing on top of the stack of forms she brought in with her. The divorce papers.
She already signed her portion, so I numbly follow suit. We already went over everything with our lawyers. We signed a prenup when we got married four years ago, at the behest of her parents of course—not that I fought it—which makes all of his a little easier. Not like I have many assets. Not like I want hers.
I just want my daughter.
My land and contracting business is a plus I can be grateful for later.
Next up is the consent for transfer of records to Black Diamond. Below that, more forms to fill out.
I bring the pen to the first page, just over where to sign, but pause, hesitating. I glance up through my lashes. “You promise this is it? I can see her when I get out?”
Her mouth parts, but nothing comes out.
“Melody,” I grit out in warning. “She’s my daughter too.”
Tears fill her eyes, her lips pressed together so tightly, they’re bleached of color.
“Mel,”I beg thickly, my voice cracking. There’s no mistaking the plea in my tone. I’ll get on my knees and beg if I have to. Whatever she wants me to do to prove what happened will never fucking happen again.
I’d die before letting that happen.
Lesson fucking learned.
“Yes. I promise, okay?” she whispers shakily, wrapping her arms tightly around her middle.
Releasing a sharp breath, I nod, look down, and scribble my name, signing my fate away.
Black Diamond Recovery Center, here I come.
CHAPTERFOUR
NOW
SKYLER
Nolan.
It suits him.
His eyes flick to me, and itdefinitelytakes me a second too long to look away. I’m usually better about this. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had a problem with staring longer than is socially acceptable.
But there’s something about him that just kind of…strips me raw, making it hard to mind my manners.
Like yesterday, when we were on the beach. He was so blatantly dismissive, there was no way I’d mistake it for anything else, and yet I found myself pushing, pressing, trying to keep him there. Despite how frazzled I was.
It was as if he stepped right into my storm, reached into the eye, and threw me back out. Somehow tapping into this braver, less refined version of me I’ve only gotten glimpses of before. A version of me that just didn’t…
