“She looks like you,” he says, and I say nothing in return, because to me she looks exactly like him. “But she has my eyes.” And his hair, but he doesn’t comment on that. “Sailor…” when he says my name, his fingers stop tapping, “… I can provide you a better life. One where you won’t have to work.”
“And what does that entail for me?” I ask, leaning in close. “To be what? Your whore! While you marry someone else?”
“You would never be my whore.” I notice how he doesn’t correct me on marrying someone else and that shit hurts more than anything. It shouldn’t after all this time, after wanting nothing more than to move on, but it damn well does.
“You still plan on marrying her?” I ask. “Even after…” My voice breaks just a little bit.
“Come home. Bring my daughter and come home.”
“And what if I don’t?” I oppose.
“You know what happens to people who challenge me. I always have my way, Sailor.” He stands, strides over to me, and looks down at Wren in my arms. “Can I hold her?” Wren lifts her head from my shoulder and looks at him. Usually with strangers she avoids all contact, but she moves and reaches out for him as he offers her his hands. A small part of me breaks when she goes into his arms so willingly. I have to remind myself he is her father, and she is my gift. And that no matter what, I would do anything and everything to make her happy in this life.
“I want my old apartment back. I don’t want to live with you. And you aren’t welcome to come over whenever you want. We will set visitations like normal people do.” The words leave me in a rush as I watch my daughter look up to the man who rocked my life and my world, in the worst and best possible ways. How can I hate someone so much but appreciate everything about them at the same time? It’s because of her, I know it is. Wren.
“You’re negotiating?”
“I will stay exactly where I am otherwise.”
“No, you won’t,” he bites out through gritted teeth. “I gave you time. Now is not the time to argue.”
I smirk up at him. “No, I won’t.” Knowing full well the minute I can, I’m running.
“Fine. Instead of me hunting you down and kidnapping you, then trapping your ass, how about we negotiate?” Wren reaches up and touches his face and he doesn’t push her hand away, just looks at her as he speaks to me. “You want your own place, and I want you with me.”
“You can’t have your cake and eat it too,” I snap.
He smiles at Wren, and it makes it so much harder to stay angry at him. I hate that she instantly trusts and loves him. She always wants me, but for some reason she seems lost in him right now.
I feel ya, sister. I feel ya. He’s easy to get lost in.
“If that’s the saying you want to go with.” He shrugs, not denying it.
“I’ll be in a place owned by you, remember,” I point out. “But that doesn’t mean you can pop over unannounced,” I reiterate, sitting taller.
“Why? Do you plan to have company?” He’s careful with how he words it, and I’m not sure if it’s because he has Wren in his hands or because he doesn’t want me to say no.
“Why does it matter?” I shoot back. I shouldn’t be playing with fire, but I can’t help myself. He reaches up and Wren grabs hold of his hand and wraps her little fingers around one of his. She smiles and giggles, and I melt, just melt. I didn’t know I wanted to see this. I assumed I could do this all on my own, and I have.
But seeing them together? Now I am questioning, is it mean of me to keep him away from her?
“I still want you. Let’s make no mistake there, Sailor.” He gets straight to the point. “I will not share you.” His eyes move from our daughter to me. “Do you understand?”
“Luckily for you, I’m not yours to share.” I smile sweetly at him. “And I won’t negotiate with you. If you think out of all of this you still get me, you’re wrong,” I point out.
Benny walks in, limping. His eyes fall to Keir, and he pauses before he looks at me. “We have company,” he states, straightening his back. “Hello.” He nods to Keir, and I shake my head.
“Benny, this is Keir.”
Keir walks over with Wren still attached to his hip and offers him his hand. “Wren’s father,” Keir announces.
“Mmm…” Benny shakes his head, but not for long. “I’ll let you two be.” He turns and walks away.
“Her father?” I ask him when Benny’s gone. “You haven’t seen her for six months, and all of a sudden you’re her father?” I chuckle. “Tell me…” I pause before continuing, “… if I was a random one-night stand who just so happened to have your child, what would happen then?”
“I would have shot you the minute I found out you were pregnant,” he replies coldly, making my heartbeat pick up.
“You would have shot me?” My breath hitches. “I’m glad I never told you then.”
“Not you. We’ve established this, Sailor. You said any other girl. I would have shot any other girl but not you.”
“Doesn’t make me feel any better,” I mumble.
“I should have shot you when I found out, so it wouldn’t incite a war between the families.”
“A war?” I ask, confused.
“Pack your bags.” Keir walks to the living room and then straight to my bedroom. I follow and watch him open the door before he steps in and sits on the bed with Wren. “We’re leaving today.”
No more discussion.
That’s it.
Well, that isn’t how it’s going to go anymore.
Chapter Five
Keir
“You haven’t agreed to anything I mentioned.” I had hoped she would forget. Wren touches my face, and I’m amazed by her. She’s so quiet and calm. I’m in love with her already. Why did it take me so long to come back for them?
“What?”
“I want the old apartment. I want you to call before you come over. You are not my boyfriend nor my lover. You are Wren’s father and that’s it.” Sailor’s arms cross over her chest, pushing her boobs up and I smirk, and she looks down at her top, which is covered in stains, then scowls at me.
“I’ll call first,” I tell her.
“Thank you.” She moves to the closet, pauses, her hand still on the handle before she speaks. “You won’t ever take her from me, will you?” Her soft eyes look over her shoulder at me, and the vulnerability there is hard to take.
“Never.”
She blinks a few times before she turns back and starts to pack her things. “I have to speak to Benny. Can you watch her?” She leans down, her face directly in front of mine, but it’s not me she’s looking at. She leans in farther and kisses Wren’s cheek before she straightens. I nod and watch her walk out.
Wren starts making some noises, her hands patting my face.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. I miss her already too.”
I actually haven’t held a baby before Wren, and I’m glad I never did. Wren makes more noises, and before long she starts to cry just as Sailor steps back into the room.