But they deserved the truth.
“Marcus was havin’ an affair with Sarah Rein.”
They shift uneasily.
“You’ve met her,” I surmise.
“Unfortunately,” Jesse mutters.
I look to Blake for her confirmation, but she looks away, unfazed by my curious gaze.
“He knocked her up and my mother found out,” I continue when she gives me nothing. “Sarah was feedin’ dodgy intel to Marcus about Rein’s business. Marcus freaked about Kane—my dad—findin’ out, so he and Sarah killed her.”
Confusion settles across their faces.
“Why didn’t Kane retaliate?” Blake places the frame neatly back on my mantel.
I gesture for them to sit down, only doing the same after they’ve settled. “He didn’t know. He thought Dominic was responsible. Spent the three years before he died plotting his revenge.”
“And Parker just married Codi?”
I nod. “I took on Dad’s revenge. I wanted to hurt Dominic. My plan to do so involved hurtin’ Codi.” I feel sick. “Parker fell in love with her instead, everything went AWOL and we found out the real story. My aunt Mira died in the fallout, Dominic killed Marcus and the world kept turnin’.”
They watch me with wide eyes.
“I’m telling you this because I want you to know from the get-go, I’ve done some seriously shitty things in my life. Unforgivable things. I’m not the greatest role model. I’m not sure I ever will be. But, I promise you I’ll try. I want you both in my life. Obviously, as my kids, us building the relationship we should’ve always had. But, if that’s too much to ask of you, in whatever capacity you will consider. You haven’t ever had anyone in your corner, fighting for you. I understand that.” I implore them to believe me. “You need to know, you have me right beside you now. And Parker, and Cami, Codi, and Dominic. You have a family, whether you’re interested in it or not.”
Standing abruptly, Jesse rolls his shoulders. “Can I use your bathroom?”
I scared him. Or he thinks I’m full of hot air, spilling shit that I think he wants to hear.
“My ensuite is down the hall, my bedroom is on the right.”
He leaves the room without another word.
“Nice speech.”
I move my gaze to my daughter, body settled comfortably into my couch, arms crossed against her chest, one leg crossed across the other, kicking out; back and forth.
“Wasn’t a speech.”
“Mmm,” she dismisses me. “Do you have any food? I’m starving.”
“Thought we could go out for lunch?”
“Sounds good to me.” She stands, ambling into my kitchen lazily to open my cupboards.
Shaking my head, I move down the small hall toward my bedroom.
Jesse, head bent down, hand rifling through my side table with fervor, doesn’t hear me approach.
“Anyone ever tell you it’s rude to snoop?”
Standing quickly, he turns, slamming the drawer shut as he goes. “Just trying to get a better read on who you are.”
He’s not in the slightest bit apologetic and I respect the hell outta him for it. If it was anyone else going through my shit, I’d lose my head. I’d be fucking furious for my privacy being invaded in that way. But truth is, the situation reversed, I’d be doing the exact same thing.
“Sit.” I gesture to my bed.
He drops his gaze to the comforter, then back up. “I’d rather stand.”
“Please,” I exhale.
Shifting forward, he sits along the edge, his reluctance making his movement jerky.
“Kid,” I start. “I don’t want us to fuck this up before we’ve even had a chance. I get at this point, you owe me nothin’.”
Palm pressing against a closed fist, he cracks his knuckles, refusing to look at me.
“But I owe you patience and understanding and a whole lot fuckin’ more. What I won’t stand for is you comin’ into my home and sneakin’ around. You wanna know somethin’, Jesse, just ask me. If you need somethin’, it’s yours, you don’t need to steal from me.”
Teeth grabbing hold of his bottom lip, he rolls it back and forth.
“Blake wants to start staying here,” he says. “Instead of Dominic’s,” he clarifies unnecessarily. “I want you to say no.”
“I can’t do that,” I deny him. “I could, but I won’t. If you belong anywhere, it’s with me, you’re a Shay, Jesse, not a fucking Rein.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Camryn
“You need to sit down before you wear a hole in the floor.”
He stops the constant pacing of his bedroom, glancing at me then back to the door.
“I offered to buy him a bed, but he refused,” he tells me for the twelve millionth time. “He’s sleeping on the floor at the foot of her bed.”
“It’s very sweet, Rocco,” I assure him. “He’s being protective. They’re in a new place. Let them settle the best way they know how.”
Throwing himself back onto his bed, I bounce at the weight. His large frame shaking the mattress.
“I’m gonna suck so fuckin’ bad at this,” he groans, palms pressed into his eye sockets. “At least when you fuck up when they're babies, they don’t know. Two sketchy-as-shit-on-me teenagers are gonna hang me out to dry the first opportunity they get.”
“First of all,” I combat. “Give them some credit. They’re not expecting the world. Secondly, who says you’re gonna fuck up?”
Pulling his hands away, he tips his head backward, looking at me upside down. “Me.”
“You know who sucks at parenting?”
He remains silent.
“People who don’t want to be parents. Making mistakes along the way, which you will absolutely do, I have no doubt, doesn’t take away your parent card, Shay. You panicking about it makes you a better parent than you already realize. Take it as it comes.”
Pushing his body upright, his elbows rest on his knees. “I caught Jesse going through my shit today.”
I frown, removing it from my face before he turns to look at me. “He’s sixteen. He’s used to hustling to survive. You didn’t go all Rocco on him, did you?”
That makes him laugh.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“Did your head start spinning around on your neck? Did you rip your shirt open and bang on your chest like an animal ready to fucking attack?”
“No,” he bites out defensively. “We had a fuckin’ conversation.”
Arms crossing over my chest in awe, I smile wide. “Look at you being a dad.”
Moving to his feet, he grabs my ankle, pulling me down the bed. I squeal, the sound echoing through the room.
“Shh.” He laughs lightly, hand cupping my mouth to cut off the sound.
I lick his hand.
“Didn’t realize the whole daddy thing would make you hot.” He releases my mouth, grinning down at me.
Palm to his face, I push him away. “Gross.”
“Distract me for a bit?” His mouth moves to my neck, his teeth skating across the delicate skin tenderly.