“You can come in, if you’d like,” I offered, even though I wasn’t in the position to be good company to anyone. I tried to be as nice to my father-in-law as possible. I knew he hadn’t responded well when Ace told him that we had gotten married. Though, he never told me word for word what Joel said.
“No, thanks,” he said, still staring at me. His expression wasn’t angry. It was more like distant and unfeeling.
Then he said the words that would effectively end my marriage as I knew it.
“This is all your fault. You know that, right?”
I bulged my eyes and shook my head. It was the same sentence I told myself repeatedly. But this time, they were coming from an outside source.
“He’s in so much pain because of you,” he hurled the words at me, and they impacted my heart like an arrow. “I knew you were too young for all of this. Now look, you couldn’t even take care of your baby, and my son’s heartbroken because of it.”
I stood there frozen, unable to speak.
Joel had just confirmed all of the doubts and fears that swelled in my mind and heart ever since AJ died.
I was the source of Ace’s pain. I was the reason he was living in this tiny apartment, hurting, instead of away at the Air Force Academy, studying to become a pilot.
I was holding him back in life. In the same way, I’d held back my mother’s life when she got pregnant with me.
I had fooled myself into believing that Ace and I could overcome everything together. But I was the ball and chain around his neck.
Joel took one final look at me then turned on his heel, walking away.
My entire body trembled. I couldn’t deny it anymore. If Ace was to accomplish everything he was meant to in his life, I had to leave him.
I couldn’t let myself be the source of his pain any longer.
As I stood in that doorway, my body shaking, tears running down my face, I decided to leave my husband.
CHAPTER22
Ace
My mind whirled as I sat on the edge of my bed with my head in my hands. Savannah’s revelation had knocked me over.
We were home from Micah’s, and I still couldn’t wrap my mind around all that she’d told me. Especially about Joel and what he’d fucking said to her.
My own father.
I stood up and patted my pockets to search for my keys. I was going to confront his ass before the night was over. Face to face.
“Aiden’s out for the night,” Savannah said as she entered the bedroom. She’d gone to check on Aiden after I carried him up to his bedroom and put him in bed.
She paused. “What are you doing?”
“Looking for my keys,” I answered while opening the drawer of my nightstand.
“Your keys are downstairs on the hook where you always leave them.”
I started for the bedroom door, but Savannah blocked me. “Why are you searching for your keys?”
I looked over her shoulder. “I need to make a run.”
“Where?”
I didn’t answer.
“Where?”
