Ash pinches my cheek. “Way to piss me off when I was starting to feel sympathy for you.”
“Aw, whatever.” I stand. “I’m out of here.”
She eyes me suspiciously. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to talk to Viv about Easton.”
“What are you doing back here?” Vivien asks when she opens her front door to me.
“I need to speak to you, and it can’t wait until Friday.” Viv lets me collect East from school every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I dropped him off earlier, but I didn’t stay because I was in a foul mood. Ash’s words have given me the permission I felt I needed, and I’m feeling invigorated. I don’t want to argue with Viv, but she needs someone to talk sense into her, and that job has got my name written all over it.
I push past her, not waiting for an invite.
“Dillon, wait.” Her sandals clack against the tiled floor as she chases after me. I duck into the formal dining room because the playground can’t be seen from this room. I don’t want Easton to see me. At least not until I have spoken to his mum.
Viv races into the room, scowling at me.
“Shut the door.”
“This is my house.” She folds her arms over her chest.
I glance at the large family portrait that hangs on the far wall. “I’m well aware. Now shut the fucking door, Vivien Grace. We don’t want Easton to hear this conversation.”
“I’m not telling him yet!” she shrieks, slamming the door shut. “It’s too soon.”
“Stop panicking, Viv. I’m not here about that. We need to talk about this crazy idea you have about taking East out of school.”
She crosses her arms over her chest again. “It’s not a crazy idea. It makes perfect sense, and I’ve already got tutor interviews lined up.”
“He needs to be around other kids, Viv, and he loves school.”
“I know he does, but this is in his best interest. You know what happened yesterday and we had a similar incident at camp. It’s not going to stop, and I need to protect him.”
“Mollycoddling him isn’t the same as protecting him. You need to let him fight these battles himself. Trying to shield him from them will only do more harm than good. This is the world we live in. There will be more assholes to contend with. He needs to understand that and learn how to handle it himself.”
“He’s only five years old, Dillon! How the fuck is he expected to handle it himself?” She throws her hands in the air, pacing the room.
“The same way you did. You can’t tell me you didn’t get shit thrown at you over your parents growing up.”
“Of course, I did, but—”
“Well, there you go.” I pin her with a knowing look.
“Don’t interrupt me before I am finished speaking.” She glares at me, and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t do this weeks ago. Viv needs to be challenged. I almost laugh at the irony. I’ve been mollycoddling her for months instead of forcing her to face the truth. I think it was right to do that at the start when her grief was so heavy there was no other way to manage it. But not now. Now, the gloves come off, and it’s time to push her to face her new reality.
I smirk, and she growls. I laugh before reining it in when I see the murderous look on her face. This isn’t a game. I came here with a purpose in mind. “Continue.”
She bites on her lower lip, and my cock jumps in my jeans. “I’ve had my fair share of shit thrown at me over the years, but—”
“But what?”
She looks at her feet. “Reeve was there. He always defended me.”
“That may be the case, but I’m betting he wasn’t always there because you know how to defend yourself. I’ve seen you in action.”
“It’s not about me anyway. We’re talking about Easton.”
“Easton needs to learn to fight his own battles, and he’s a smart little kid. I understand you want to protect him. I do too. But this isn’t the way. He’ll only come to resent you for it, and it’ll make things harder. Hiding him away from the world doesn’t make it go away. You need to let him be a child, Viv. You need to let him go to his friends’ houses. You need to bring him bowling, or let me take him on a hike, or go to the movies. You need to let him resume his life. It’s the best way of helping him to move on.”
Her nostrils flare, and she bares her teeth at me. “Are you done telling me how to raise my child?”
“He’s my child too.”
She harrumphs. “Aw, here we go. I was waiting for this to happen.”
“I’m not trying to question your authority or replace Reeve, but he is my flesh and blood, and I won’t stand by and watch you make a mistake which you will live to regret and our son will pay the price for. This isn’t the way to protect him, Vivien.”
“Get out.” She points at the door. “Get the fuck out of my house, Dillon, and stay out. You don’t get to come in here and dictate to me. I make the choices for my child. I’ve been the one doing it for years when you weren’t here.”
“That’s not fair, Viv, and you know it.”
“Fairness doesn’t come into this. The fact is, I have been the one raising my child. Not you. If anyone is qualified to make these decisions, it’s me. Not you.”
“Can you at least reconsider?”
“No.” She opens the door. “You’ve outstayed your welcome, Dillon. Leave.”
“This isn’t the end of this conversation,” I say as I move past her.
“Yes, it is.”
We’ll see about that.
I rock back on my heels, staring up at the impressive house with a healthy dose of trepidation as I wait for the door to open. I hope I’m not making a mistake coming here, but if anyone can get through to Viv, it’s her parents. They arrived back in L.A. nine days ago, but I know they only have a few weeks at home before they are on the move again.
The door swings open, and I’m greeted by a tall thin woman in an austere white and gray uniform. Her cold gray eyes and the grim set of her mouth are as unattractive as the outfit she’s wearing. “Can I help you?”
“It’s okay, Renata. We’ve been expecting Mr. O’Donoghue. I’ll take it from here,” Jonathon Mills says, appearing beside the unfriendly woman.
She nods before walking off.
I quirk a brow. “Was being scary and unwelcoming a trait you sought when you were interviewing for her position or a surprise addition to her skill set?”
Jonathon chuckles. “Renata is an acquired taste. A bit like beer.” He shudders, and now it’s my turn to laugh.
“I like beer.”
“I guess there’s no accounting for taste.” He is smiling as he stands aside. “Come in, Dillon.”
I step into Vivien’s childhood home, feeling like a trespasser. She is going to be so pissed when she finds out I did this. But it’s a small price to pay if it means she changes her mind and lets East stay in school.
“When the gate security called and said you were here to see us, I’ll admit I was intrigued,” he says, jerking his head and urging me to follow him.