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“I don’t want to take up any more of your time, I know you’re busy, so I’ll be quick with the reason I’m calling. You and Dad are no longer welcome at my wedding. I know you were never going to come, but I’m rescinding the invitation anyway. I won’t allow anyone to hurt my family, especially my daughter.”
Her mother gasped. “I’ve never…”
“She heard you, Mom.”
“What?” she whispered.
Vada drove her hand through her hair. “I had you on speaker that day when you said Allie wasn’t my real daughter, and Hades manipulated me into raising her. I didn’t realize she was listening, but she heard it all.”
“Vada” —her mother’s voice shook— “I would never intentionally…”
Hurt Allie?
“But you did. And as her mom, and yes, that’s exactly who I am to Allie, whether you acknowledge it or not. She’s my daughter, and I will not allow anyone to hurt her, intentional or not.”
The silence lingered.
“I want you to know that I still love you and Dad,” Vada’s voice cracked. “I guess I just love Hades, Allie, and myself a little more.”
“Vada, wait…”
“Bye, Mom.” Vada hung up and stared down at the phone. She pulled up her contacts and blocked the number.
Vada sat on the porch, placing the phone beside her. Just breathe. It was a strange feeling. She just said everything she’d felt to her mother and waited for the regret to settle in.
It never came.
****
Hades had kept in contact with Trista and Phoebe all night. They’d given him updates on how Vada was handling everything. It was hard to take a step back when all he wanted to do was protect her. But as Bailey pointed out, Vada didn’t need Hades this time. And she was right.
Hades offered to come get Vada in the morning, but Phoebe was making breakfast for all the women. Trista was going to drop her off afterward. A little after two in the afternoon, she did just that. Hades was in the yard, working on his bike. It was mostly maintenance. It was a menial job for him, something he’d done a hundred times. It should’ve taken him less than an hour, but he’d been distracted with thoughts of Vada.
As much as she’d played it off, his woman was struggling and hurting. She was good at masking it, but Hades saw through it.
“Hi.”
Hades glanced up. Vada stood a few feet away. Her hair was damp, and she wasn’t wearing the same clothes from the night before. She had a plastic bag, which he assumed was her clothes, in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. She was a bit paler than usual. My girl had a rough night.
“How ya feeling?”
“Hungover.”
Hades smirked and straightened, wiped his hands on the rag, and tossed it on the ground. He was only halfway to her when she rushed forward, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek on his chest. She may have needed the women last night, but she needed him now. He curled his arms over her, holding her tight against his chest. A protective shield.
Hades pressed his lips to the crown of her head, and she dug her fingers into his back.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she whispered.
Hades glanced across the yard and up at the house. There was no mistaking what she was referring to. He knew his woman, knew how her mind operated and how she handled things. Vada didn’t want to talk about last night right now. But eventually, she would. And he’d wait.
I give it five minutes.
“Then we don’t fucking talk about it.”
She chuckled and looked up. Hades didn’t miss the opportunity and kissed her. It wasn’t passionate or the start of anything that would find them naked in ten minutes. It was soft and sweet. It was the kind of kiss that served as a reminder—I’m right here when you need me. Before Vada, he didn’t even know such a kiss existed.
Vada stepped back and walked over to the bench near the edge of the garage. He’d gotten the bench a year ago after noticing how often both she and Allie spent time with him while he was working on his bike.
