“Here, let me help you, sweetie.”
Lana looked over at Mrs. Kenwood and softly smiled at the woman as she stepped to the side. She had been seriously dreading this moment all evening.
Not because she didn’t like the Kenwood’s. She actually cared for them a great deal.
She just dreaded the questions about what happened and why. Hell, even she didn’t know those answers herself.
“You must really hate me,” Lana softly said tears streaming down her face.
“No! Goodness no. We are hurt that we didn’t know about them. I mean, we are still confused about what happened between you and Jayson. You two were so happy together. He won’t even tell us what happened.”
Lana grabbed a dish towel and dried her hands as she turned to brace her backside against the kitchen counter. They deserved her honesty.
“To be honest, I don’t even know what happened. I thought once I’d been officially stationed at Bragg, alongside Jayson, everything would be great. We found a place together, worked a few missions together, and planned for our future. I was assigned to another team for an op that had us gone for four months. During that time, we kept in touch as best as we could. His team was assigned a new intelligence officer in my absence. When I got back from my op, she was bragging to me and a few other intelligence officers about how her and Jayson were doing the deed and about how I was holding him back from his true potential. He kept telling me she was lying about them being together, but she knew things about him that only I should have known.”
Lana startled when she felt Mrs. Kenwood pull her into her arms. She hadn’t realized until then she had folded her arms across her belly as if protecting herself and her babies, who were actually in the other room currently.
“The straw that broke me was when she showed up at the apartment with photos from an ultrasound announcing she was pregnant with Jayson’s baby. He just stood there. No reaction. So, I went to my X.O. and told him I needed an emergency transfer. I got sent to Texas and left a couple of weeks later. A couple of months later, I found out I was pregnant. Turns out I was already four months along. I had just assumed my symptoms were from the stress of everything and heartbreak. I tried to call him to tell him, see if it even mattered, but anothermale had answered his phone and told me to never call back again, along with some other harsh words. I tried to call again when the twins were born, they were born at twenty-five weeks gestation. Jay almost didn’t make it. He almost died twice in a twenty-four-hour period. When I called, a chick answered his phone. I won’t even go into detail of that conversation.”
“Oh, Lana. Honey, I am so sorry.” Mrs. Kenwood hugged her tighter, her own tears falling.
“Lana, I know my son isn’t perfect, but you two need to sit down and hash this out. I don’t know all of it, but I know a good majority of what happened. For my grandchildren’s sake, you two need to talk and find common ground. My wife and I would love to get to know our grandchildren and be a part of their lives.”
Lana looked at Mr. Kenwood and nodded. “I’m willing to do that, for the kids’ sake. And I would love for you guys to get to know them. They are great kids. I thought Jayson was going to be there with you?”
When the Kenwood’s looked at each other warily, she knew it wasn’t going to be good news. It rarely is with that kind of look.
“He and Peter went to Rusty’s. He’s hurting, Lana. A lot.”
CHAPTER
SEVEN
Jayson downed another shot then slammed his fist down on the bar. He was fuming.
He’d been so fucking furious ever since seeing Lana with his kids at her father’s funeral.Hiskids.
“She never told me about my own fucking kids,” Jayson growled at Peter.
“You two need to talk. Hash it out. Those kids need both of you.”
“She sure as fuck didn’t when she had them,” Jayson spewed, downing another shot.
“You’re so fucking full of shit. I did need you. I fucking called you. You know what, forget it. You think you know everything. Call your parents. They want to talk to you.”
Jayson swirled around in his bar seat and found a fuming Lana standing there with her two friends. Fuck, why did she have to be so fucking beautiful still?
“Pawning the kids off on my parents already?”
Jayson wasn’t prepared when Lana stormed forward and punched him in the face. She punched him hard enough to knock him off his barstool and onto his drunk ass.
“Call me or come by when you sober the fuck up and want to talk. You and me. None of your friends fielding your fucking calls or your whores answering while you two are fucking. One time, Jayson. You do that shit one more time and the kids and I are on a fucking plane back to Texas. Your parents can come visit them there.”
Jayson watched as Lana walked away, not giving him a chance to respond. Damn, his girl still had fire.
She wasn’t his girl, damn it. What the hell was wrong with him?
“She means it, bud. Tell the cat claw chick she comes near Lana again to rub it in her face she got you back, she’s going to leave for good.”
