Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74390 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
My tone was angrier than I intended as I spat, “So, this is all my fault. I’m the reason you didn’t tell me that we had a son!”
“Well?”
“That’s bullshit, Londyn!”
The words had barely left my mouth when the front door opened, and Jackson peeked his head out. “Is everything okay out here?”
“It’s fine, Jackson.”
“Are you sure? Cause there are some pretty big ears in here, and they’re getting a little worried.”
“I won’t be much longer.”
“Okay. Holler if you need me.”
Once he’d closed the door, Londyn turned her attention back to me. “Look, I know you’re angry, and you have every right to be. But you have to understand my situation. I was in a really bad spot. I didn’t want to ruin your life or make things harder on myself. I had to do what I had to do.”
I just stared at her, still trying to process what she was saying, then muttered, “You did what you had to do, huh?”
“You know how I felt about you, Malcomb. I told you over and over that I loved you, and I wanted to be with you. But you didn’t feel the same.”
I clenched my fists, trying to control my anger. “You don’t get to blame me for the decisions you made. This isn’t all on me. You’re the one who chose to keep our son a secret from me. You could’ve told me at any point in the last five years.”
“I did tell you. Did you even read my letters?” When I didn’t immediately answer, she grumbled, “Of course, you didn’t!”
“Would it have really mattered?”
“I don’t know.” Rage filled her eyes as she snapped, “Why don’t you read them and find out.”
She turned and started up the steps, and when she reached for the doorknob, I shouted, “Londyn, wait! This conversation isn’t over.”
“Oh, it’s over. Just like we’re over! It just took me until now to see it.” She opened the door, and as she stepped inside, she said, “Goodbye, Malcomb.”
With that, she closed the door and disappeared into the house, leaving me completely dumbfounded.
Fuck.
There was no way around it.
I was absolutely, positively screwed, and I’d done it to myself.
Now, I had to figure out what the hell I was going to do about it.
CHAPTER 14
Londyn
“Well, that just went about as bad as it could go.” I went over to my bed and opened my suitcase, quickly shoving my things inside. “I mean, I knew it would be bad when we finally talked, but I wasn’t expecting it to be that bad.”
“Yeah, it sounded like it got pretty heated.”
“It did.” I dropped my head into my hands and sighed. “And I was stupid to think it would go any other way.”
“You weren’t stupid, Londyn.” Jackson came over and sat on the edge of the bed. “You were hopeful that you two could work things out. No one can blame you for that.”
“It doesn’t matter now.” I started unzipping my dress as I told him, “I’m pretty sure he hates me and will never forgive me for keeping Dalton from him.”
“Don’t get where he gets off being mad at you about that. It’s not like you didn’t try to tell him.”
“I did.” I slipped off my dress and tossed it into the bag. “But it wasn’t enough. I should’ve had someone go to him and tell him, or I should’ve tried talking to one of his brothers or his folks.” I pulled my t-shirt over my head as I continued, “But I was too embarrassed and didn’t want anyone to know that he wouldn’t see me or talk to me.”
“Just hearing you say that makes me hate this guy even more.”
“Dalton is his son.”
“And he would’ve known that if he wasn’t such a fucking dick.”
“You’ve got a point there.”
I slipped on my shorts and shoes, and when I started collecting the rest of my things, Jackson asked, “So, what’s the plan here?”
“We’re going home.”
“Now?”
“I don’t want to take a chance on him coming back.”
“And what about your parents?”
“We’ll wait until they get home, and then, we’ll go.”
“Whatever you say, boss.”
I finished getting my things together, then went down the hall to help Dalton. He wasn’t happy about packing to leave and was putting on quite the pouting show—which only got worse when my parents arrived. Mom walked into the living room, and she looked like her world was coming to an end when she saw our bags sitting by the front door. “What’s all this?”
“We’ve decided to head back.”
“But it’s so late. Why not wait until morning?”
“It’s not that late. Besides, I think it’s best if we go.”
“Why? Did something happen?”
“Malcomb came by, and things didn’t go so well.”
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”
Her eyes skirted over to Dalton, and before she could ask, I said, “He knows, and he wasn’t exactly happy about it.”