Series: The Laws of Opposite Attract Series by Vi Keeland
Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 105253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
When we arrived back at the apartment, Vera finally mentioned Heath and Hannah for the first time all day.
“Where are my kids?”
“Nice of you to ask about them,” I said sarcastically. “They’re at a friend’s for the night. They have no idea what a mess you’ve gotten yourself into, and I don’t want to scare them this late.”
She kicked off her shoes. “Okay, then. I’ll take advantage of the peace. Gonna take a shower and head to bed.”
“Yeah, you do that,” I said bitterly. I turned to Owen and muttered, “She’s enjoying the peace. How nice, right?”
Owen didn’t say anything, just wrapped his arms around me. “I’m so sorry.”
I spoke into his chest. “It’s not your fault.”
“Well, I feel like someone needs to apologize for that woman. You deserve much better.”
“In some ways, I wish she’d never come back. Now I have to figure out how to manage her as well.” I looked up at him, noticing my reflection in his gorgeous blue eyes.
“Why don’t you stay at my place tonight? I promise I won’t try anything. Just wanna sleep next to you.”
Normally, I would’ve taken Hannah’s bed, but I wasn’t ready to leave Owen. Tomorrow was going to be a shitshow. All I wanted tonight was to fall asleep in Owen’s arms.
“Yeah.” I nodded. “Let’s get out of here.”
Back at Owen’s, he drew a bath for me and left me alone to soak.
When I emerged from the bathroom, he’d sliced up an apple and topped it with peanut butter. He served it to me on a plate with some chocolates.
“It’s not much. But it’s the best I could put together with a near-empty fridge. If it weren’t so late, I would’ve gotten you some pie.”
“This is perfect,” I said as I bit into an apple slice. It really is.
Owen rubbed my feet while I ate my apple and peanut butter. I held out a slice for him, and he took a bite. A little of the panic from earlier returned for a fleeting moment, though not because of Vera. I’d suddenly remembered what Billie had texted me the other day: the website for a noninvasive paternity test that could be done as early as seven weeks. I almost wished I’d never found out about that. I wasn’t ready.
If there was a chance I could lose Owen after finding out? I might not ever be ready.
CHAPTER 23
Owen
Devyn had been quiet most of the night. Who wouldn’t be after the day she’d had? Though she seemed especially lost in thought once we got into bed. She lay on her side, facing the other direction. I wanted to give her space, but then I heard her breath hitch.
“Dev?”
“Yeah?”
“Turn over.”
“I can’t.” She sniffled.
“Why not?”
“Because you’ll be sweet to me, and then I’ll completely lose it.”
I put my hand on her shoulder and gently guided her onto her back. “Maybe you need to lose it in order to feel better.”
She groaned. “God, why can’t you be mean? There you go…” Devyn flailed her arms around. “Are you happy now? I’m crying. I’m freaking crying.”
I sat up, scooped her from the bed, and cradled her in my arms. “No, I’m not happy you’re crying. I’m really fucking pissed at Vera about it. But you need to let it out, sweetheart.”
Devyn burrowed her head into my chest. Her shoulders began to shake, and I felt warm tears trickle down my skin. I stroked her hair and whispered, “I got you. I know it feels like everything is a mess right now, but I promise it’s going to get better.”
She sobbed. “How? How can you promise that?”
“Because I’m going to stay right next to you and hold your hand. The weight is lighter when you aren’t carrying it alone.”
Devyn let out a wail. “God, you’re so good. I don’t even deserve you.”
“Don’t do that. Don’t put yourself down. Your mother’s actions are not a reflection of you.”
She wiped her cheeks and shook her head. “How am I supposed to leave the kids with her? She’s going to pull this again. It’s only a matter of time.”
“Would you consider fighting her for custody? I mean, you’re already their temporary guardian, and she’s just been arrested for assault after taking off on her kids. I can’t imagine her actions wouldn’t be taken into consideration if you wanted to get permanent custody.”
“I don’t even know how I’m going to run my business and have a baby, much less have three kids.”
“It’s a lot. I get it.”
She took a deep breath and let out a shaky exhale. “But on the other hand, how can I leave them with her? I feel like Heath and Hannah have just started to trust me. The last thing they need is another person who ditches them. If I left, the next time Vera took off they wouldn’t even call me. I’d just be another person they can’t depend on, and they’d fend for themselves.”