“You think so little of me?” He rose from the bed, his stance tense and expression thunderous. “You think I wouldn’t take care of you and my child?”
“Lower your voice,” I hissed.
“This is so fucked up,” he groaned, raking his hand through his hair.
“Pretty much,” I agreed. “But whatever was between us – whatever the hell that even was…” I sighed and he narrowed his eyes. “That has nothing to do with why I left.”
“Yeah, we’re gonna get to that,” he declared.
I sighed, utterly spent and overwhelmed. “I know you probably hate me,” I murmured. “But Ax, I’m so tired. I don’t even know what to say to you right now.”
His grey eyes swept over my face and I was sure he was taking in the dark circles under my eyes and pale complexion.
He nodded, his expression cool. “We’ll talk again in the morning.”
“Where are you staying?” I asked with a yawn.
“Here,” he answered with zero hesitation.
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, dumbfounded.
“You and my son are under this roof and I’m not going anywhere.” He shook his head with determination.
“There’s nowhere for you to sleep!” I protested.
He eyed the bed with a cocked brow.
“There’s nowhere for you to sleep,” I reiterated with hands on my hips.
He sighed. “There’s a perfectly good couch.”
“Mad sleeps out there,” I shook my head.
“I don’t know much about babies, but Gracie always sleeps like the dead.” He shared, speaking of Cole and Scarlet’s little girl.
“He usually does,” I allowed. “But he’s cutting a tooth.”
“It’s fine,” he shrugged. “I’ve got lots of time to make up for.”
My eyes filled with tears as I whispered hoarsely, “I didn’t do this to hurt you. I swear it.”
He gripped the back of my neck, his eyes blazing down into mine. “Yeah, I’m counting on that.”
Then he was gone and I was left standing in my bedroom, listening to him quietly move around the living room.
Despite my exhaustion, I tossed and turned, worried about what his return could mean. I knew Axel well enough that once he saw our son, he’d never let go. I just had to hope we’d both survive what was to come.
I woke up late the next morning, jolting out of bed at seeing that the clock read 8 a.m. I hurtled out of my room worried for Maddox.
I was met with two identical sets of grey eyes looking up at me when I stopped abruptly in the living room, the past evening flooding back to me.
Axel sat with Mad in his lap at the kitchen table.
“I didn’t know what he ate,” he shrugged. “But he seems to like my banana,” he added with a grin as Maddox opened up to gum another bite.
I felt my entire being soften at watching the two of them together. “Yeah, he likes bananas,” I responded, feeling a tenderness toward him that up to this point, I’d only felt for Maddox. “He just started on some solid food.”
“I made coffee.” Axel cocked his head toward the coffee pot.
