She shook her head. “No. You don’t know. He was sick. So sick, he couldn’t put his own jealousy and bitterness aside for his family. You’re nothing like him.”
I swallowed, my jaw tightening.
She cupped my face. “Look at me.”
I let my eyes linger at the corner of the room for a minute before finally pinning her with my gaze.
“I know why you left so early and stayed away all day. You wanted to protect us from you. From these feelings. But you’re not Jason Townsend. He’s dead and he can’t hurt you anymore,ifyou don’t let him.”
“H–” I hesitated, pushing out a breath, unfamiliar with the feeling of asking for help. “How do I stop letting him?”
She lowered her head, pressing her lips to mine before moving back. “You build new memories, better memories with us. Come home with me.” Her voice was so soft, so full of want and love.
I stood, placing her on my desk, and stepping into between her parted thighs. “I’ll go, but I need you first.” Reaching my hand under her dress, I tugged at the panties and stockings.
“You can have me,” she responded, her voice breathless. Just the way I liked it.
A while later we entered our house. I expected the children to be asleep, as either Michelle or Carter waited for us to arrive home. Instead, I entered my home to find my youngest brother with his bare feet kicked up on top of the glass coffee table that sat in our living room while Kennedy sat on one side of him painting the nails of his left hand and Kyle sat to the right, playing on his tablet.
“Daddy!” Kennedy, exclaimed, seeing me first.
I tore my angry gaze away from my shithead brother to my baby girl, scooping her up in my arms as she ran to me.
“Dad!” Kyle stated, tossing his tablet down and following his sister.
“It’s after nine o’clock. You two should be in bed.” I glared over their shoulders to Tyler who was just now rising from the couch.
“We were having way too much fun to go to bed, right, kids?” he moved closer to us, asking the twins.
“Yeah! Uncle Ty let me paint his nails when I told him you never let me do yours,” Kennedy stated, giving me the biggest puppy dog eyes.
My heart lurched against my ribcage. She’d inherited the same sepia eyes from her mother, and I was a sucker for both. I turned to Patience who stood at my right, smirking at me. These women would be the death of me…and the rebirth.
“Thanks for watching them, Ty,” Patience began, giving my brother a hug.
I grunted at the physical contact. Ty winked at me over her shoulder. I swear if I hadn’t been holding my daughter in my arms I would’ve punched the hell out of him.
“Well, it’s been a good night, kiddos. But Uncle Ty has to be at the field early tomorrow morning.” He gave the children a kiss each but I pulled Patience away from him with one arm when he went in for another hug.
“Dad, did you get my card?” Kyle questioned.
I stooped low, still holding Kennedy who was now drifting off to sleep on my shoulder.
“I sure did. I’m going to display it on my desk at the office, right next to the picture I have of the three of you.”
His face beamed with pride.
“Come on, buddy, it’s time for bed.” I took him by the hand and gestured with my head for Patience to walk ahead while I followed her up the stairs. “Hey,” I called when she went to open the room to Kyle’s door. I gestured again to our bedroom, leading her in.
She gave me a confused look.
“I want them with us tonight.”
Her eyebrows rose. “With the way this one sleeps?” she questioned, rubbing Kennedy’s back.
“I sleep with you every night and live to tell about it.”
“Haha, you’re so funny.”
