you?”
“I’m looking for Theo. He missed our morning training session. Is he here?”
“Yeah.” I shake my head and open the door wider, placing my finger to my mouth, so he knows to be quiet.
He frowns, then follows me down the hall to where Theo is spread out on the couch, eyes closed, a sleeping Logan in his arms.
The giant clears his throat.
Theo’s eyes open wide as if startled. He looks between us.
“Shit, man. You playing house now?”
Theo clenches his jaw, looking down at Logan. When he shifts to stand, I move quickly to take Logan from him. He hands her over with some hesitation.
“What’re you doing here?” He bites out, glowering at Moody.
“Saving your fucking ass. You missed training and there’s a media crew downstairs waiting for an interview.”
“Shit.” Theo runs his fingers through his hair. He looks at Logan who’s starting to wake up, then up at me. “I can stay.”
“No.” I shake my head. “We’ll be fine.”
“You sure?” He stares at me, brown eyes locked on mine.
“Yeah,” I say, forcing the word out of my mouth. I keep my expression light, trying to hide the anxiety stirring inside me.
I’ve been alone for three years, I don’t know why it bothers me so much now.
He gives a sharp nod, then starts toward the door, Moody shadowing after him, like a brooding bulldog.
At the door, Moody turns to me and growls under his breath, “You better not be fucking with him.”
Stunned by the unexpected anger I see in his face, I just blink up at him. I know the look he gives me, what he thinks of me, and I shrivel under his dark gaze.
Theo must have caught the tension between us, because he turns and frowns. “You okay?”
I nod, not able to speak.
Moody pushes past Theo, continuing to mutter under his breath.
I start to shut the door, but Theo stops me.
“I’ll come back later.” His hand brushes overs Logan’s curls. “Feel better, Princess.”
“E-O,” she mumbles past her thumb.
He sighs. “We’re going to have to work on that.”
I know what he means, and it makes my stomach clench. I don’t know if I’m ready for her to call him daddy. It’ll change everything. Make it all that much more real.
But she is his daughter. I’ve already taken so much from him, and it’s obvious he wants a relationship with her.
How can I deny him that? Deny either of them that?
The realization of how selfish I’ve been slams into me, hard.
“You coming man?” Moody yells from the bottom of the stairs.
I’m starting not to like the guy.
Theo exhales heavily, then follows after him.
I close the door, locking the deadbolt, my new reality sinking in.
No matter what happens, I now know that leaving with Logan isn’t a possibility.
Chapter 15
Mackenzie
Standing in front of Theo’s apartment, my entire body trembles.
I have to do this. No more secrets.
Clair has Logan for the night, giving me the chance to finally talk to him alone.
He leaves for Vegas in the morning. I probably should wait until after his fight, but I’m tired of hiding. I just want everything out in the open, then I’ll know where he stands – with me, with us .
I haven’t told Clair about Stef or the drugs, but I know she’s suspicious that something is going on. She keeps asking me what my plans are, as if she’s afraid I’m going to take Logan and run.
I won’t. I’ve already come to terms with the fact that I can’t take my daughter away from her father and grandmother – no matter what I have to sacrifice to make it happen.
Yesterday I had an interview at Charlie’s. The bar’s under new management, but the owner hired me on the spot.
Starting next Thursday, I’ll be working two night shifts and one dinner shift a week.
I’m not sure how I feel about it. I know I should be excited, but to be honest, I’m terrified.
Other than the disjuncture between Theo and me, things are going
“I’m looking for Theo. He missed our morning training session. Is he here?”
“Yeah.” I shake my head and open the door wider, placing my finger to my mouth, so he knows to be quiet.
He frowns, then follows me down the hall to where Theo is spread out on the couch, eyes closed, a sleeping Logan in his arms.
The giant clears his throat.
Theo’s eyes open wide as if startled. He looks between us.
“Shit, man. You playing house now?”
Theo clenches his jaw, looking down at Logan. When he shifts to stand, I move quickly to take Logan from him. He hands her over with some hesitation.
“What’re you doing here?” He bites out, glowering at Moody.
“Saving your fucking ass. You missed training and there’s a media crew downstairs waiting for an interview.”
“Shit.” Theo runs his fingers through his hair. He looks at Logan who’s starting to wake up, then up at me. “I can stay.”
“No.” I shake my head. “We’ll be fine.”
“You sure?” He stares at me, brown eyes locked on mine.
“Yeah,” I say, forcing the word out of my mouth. I keep my expression light, trying to hide the anxiety stirring inside me.
I’ve been alone for three years, I don’t know why it bothers me so much now.
He gives a sharp nod, then starts toward the door, Moody shadowing after him, like a brooding bulldog.
At the door, Moody turns to me and growls under his breath, “You better not be fucking with him.”
Stunned by the unexpected anger I see in his face, I just blink up at him. I know the look he gives me, what he thinks of me, and I shrivel under his dark gaze.
Theo must have caught the tension between us, because he turns and frowns. “You okay?”
I nod, not able to speak.
Moody pushes past Theo, continuing to mutter under his breath.
I start to shut the door, but Theo stops me.
“I’ll come back later.” His hand brushes overs Logan’s curls. “Feel better, Princess.”
“E-O,” she mumbles past her thumb.
He sighs. “We’re going to have to work on that.”
I know what he means, and it makes my stomach clench. I don’t know if I’m ready for her to call him daddy. It’ll change everything. Make it all that much more real.
But she is his daughter. I’ve already taken so much from him, and it’s obvious he wants a relationship with her.
How can I deny him that? Deny either of them that?
The realization of how selfish I’ve been slams into me, hard.
“You coming man?” Moody yells from the bottom of the stairs.
I’m starting not to like the guy.
Theo exhales heavily, then follows after him.
I close the door, locking the deadbolt, my new reality sinking in.
No matter what happens, I now know that leaving with Logan isn’t a possibility.
Chapter 15
Mackenzie
Standing in front of Theo’s apartment, my entire body trembles.
I have to do this. No more secrets.
Clair has Logan for the night, giving me the chance to finally talk to him alone.
He leaves for Vegas in the morning. I probably should wait until after his fight, but I’m tired of hiding. I just want everything out in the open, then I’ll know where he stands – with me, with us .
I haven’t told Clair about Stef or the drugs, but I know she’s suspicious that something is going on. She keeps asking me what my plans are, as if she’s afraid I’m going to take Logan and run.
I won’t. I’ve already come to terms with the fact that I can’t take my daughter away from her father and grandmother – no matter what I have to sacrifice to make it happen.
Yesterday I had an interview at Charlie’s. The bar’s under new management, but the owner hired me on the spot.
Starting next Thursday, I’ll be working two night shifts and one dinner shift a week.
I’m not sure how I feel about it. I know I should be excited, but to be honest, I’m terrified.
Other than the disjuncture between Theo and me, things are going
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