“I don’t recommend it. They’re quieted now.”
“Are you saying that to defend yourself? You put yourself back in Bex’s good graces, and you don’t want to ruin it? Milly is waiting to hear a good report on you? This is my life too. You’ve had it good for years, and now it’s rough. It’ll be good again. Milly will get her head out of her ass.”
“No, I’m telling you to go to bed. That’s all.”
“Huh-uh. I’m not,” I said, whipping off my seat belt once I remembered I had it on.
“Don’t go there, Aston.”
“Why?” I practically growled at him.
“Piper asked Seth to stay. First, she asked me, but I can’t. I have to go home to Milly.”
“Fuck!” I roared, slamming the dash. “Forget the shower. Take me to Bexley’s. Now. I’m too fucking mad to drive.”
He set his jaw and shook his head.
“Mike, you know me better than this. I’m not getting out of this damn fucking car until you take me.”
Cursing under his breath, he put the Hummer back in gear, and we sped off.
Bexley
“You don’t have to stay. She’s asleep now,” I said to Seth, my back to him while I steeped a mug of tea at the kitchen counter.
After crying on my shoulder, then Mike’s, and finally Seth’s, Piper wore herself out. She vacillated between being scared of and mad at Peter. Mostly, she was worried for Aston, but I wasn’t. He made his bed.
Once again, Seth did the right thing. Despite being mad at me, he comforted Piper. Told her she was going to be okay, that no one was going to hurt her, saying all the right things.
“Hey,” he said, tugging on my shoulder and turning me. “It’s going to be okay. Piper’s young. She’ll get over this.”
Looking at him, I wondered if I could love him again. “Yeah, but I don’t know if I’ll get over this.”
He lifted my chin with his finger. When Seth looked at me like he did when we first got married, with caring adoration, I wondered if this was the same guy who’d refused to meet me recently for a cup of coffee.
“You need to forget about Aston. He’s haunted you for too long. It’s time to give him up.”
“I know, but it’s not that easy.” As I stepped back, Seth held on to my arm. “This is weird. I don’t want to talk about him with you.”
“It’s too late for that now,” Seth said, stepping closer. “He’s in Piper’s life now, and I’m smart enough to know he isn’t going anywhere. I’m forever connected to the guy because I care for Piper. Love her like she’s my own, and she was for a while. This hurts me too.”
“Ugh, Seth. This is a mess.” I sighed and stepped into his arms, my tea forgotten.
Of course, at that very moment, my back door burst open and a haggard Aston appeared, ready to tear Seth to shreds.
“Get the fuck off her, dude.”
His hair unruly, eyes wild, clothes rumpled, I’d never seen Aston look this disheveled.
“Sorry, Bexley, but there was no stopping him,” Mike said as he begrudgingly trailed behind Aston.
“Listen, calm down.” Seth stood tall, but he was no match for Aston’s six-foot-plus frame.
“Don’t you fucking tell me what to do.” Aston stomped toward me, and I regretted not checking to see if the back door was locked. “Where is she?”
“Who?” I asked, playing dumb.
“Don’t be coy.”
