“Not late, and no, she ain’t pissed.” I looked around at the guys he was with and knew none of them. “Just left before she was awake this morning and thought I’d offer her something that would make her forget.”

  I noticed one particular guy kept watching me, no trace of a smile on his face. He was tall, light shaggy hair, his arms crossed over his chest, his lips pressed in a flat line.

  “She should be thanking you for sparing her from seeing your ugly mug first thing in the morning,” Xavier regained my attention. “That right there is a gift in itself.”

  “Is that why Morgan wears one of those face masks at night? So she can imagine you’re someone else?”

  He reached out and flicked my forehead, knowing my hands were full and I wouldn’t be able to stop him.

  “Dick.” I swept my foot out and hooked his leg, making him laugh.

  “You better get moving before Emelie’s muffin gets cold.” The guy liked to tease me, and even Eli about being whipped by our girls, but fact was he was just as bad. Morgan had him by the balls and he’d jump through hoops if he had to just to make her smile. The guy was a sunken ship right beside the rest of us.

  As he stepped around me and they all started walking away, the one guy lingered back a bit and just gave me that same fucked-up look.

  “You need something?” I asked him, feeling myself grow a little irritated by his actions.

  “We met yesterday,” he finally said after watching me for a few seconds longer.

  “Sorry, bud, wasn’t me.” He didn’t seem to believe me. “You probably met my brother.”

  “So you expect me to believe that you have a brother that looks exactly like you.”

  This asshole was really starting to piss me off.

  “What’s going on?” Xavier asked from behind me, but I didn’t turn away from the guy still giving me the evil eye.

  “What’s going on is that your friend here seems to have an issue with Corbin yet wants to insist it’s with me. Which in a way I guess he’s right, because any prick that has an issue with my brother, I have one with by default.”

  I remained squared off with the guy as he stared back at me too. At one point he did look over my shoulder, my guess is to weigh out Xavier’s reaction.

  “So you have a brother?” he asked and I nodded. “Apparently a twin.” Again I nodded. “And what, the both of you are sharing Emelie?”

  “What’d you fucking say?”

  Xavier instantly got in between us and held us apart. “Hold up.” He gave me a warning look, knowing I was hanging on the edge. “What the fuck are you talking about, Mark?”

  “This guy, or his brother, who the fuck knows, got up in my face yesterday. I was talking to Emelie about my son and—”

  “Your son?” Xavier asked before I could, but I didn’t really need his answer to figure out the rest. Suddenly my stomach felt sour.

  “Ethan’s my son.”

  I think I may have growled, and by Xavier’s reaction, I’d say that was a safe assumption. “You talked to Emelie yesterday?” It was fuckwad’s turn to nod. “And my brother?”

  “Yeah,” he stated. “He didn’t seem to like the idea that I wanted to see my son.”

  “What I find funny is that you keep calling him your son, yet you signed him away without ever meeting him.” Mark tensed his jaw a few times, like that shit would intimidate me.

  “I think that’s a matter that is between me and Emelie.”

  “And me,” I said, stepping toward him a little further, only to be once again held back by Xavier. “Since she’s my fucking girl, and that makes Ethan mine too.”

  The guy grinned, yeah, fucking grinned at me.

  “Playing daddy to my boy make you feel like a man?”

  “No,” I said, finally dropping everything I held in my hand to the ground, “but this does.” I swung, and though Xavier kept me from hitting the prick like I wanted to, I still connected, forcing him to stumble back. “Stay the fuck away from them both.”

  People around us paused, and I knew staying here was only gonna get me arrested, so I grabbed the only salvageable item I could and walked toward the building behind him. I was seething, my hands shaking, my legs feeling like a thousand pounds each.

  When I stepped into the room, I zeroed in on Emelie and watched as her smile faded. Her eyes brows crinkled up and she started to stand. With purpose I walked toward her, placed the bag of now smashed muffins on the table before her, and leaned in near her ear. “Here’s your breakfast. There was coffee too, but I dropped it when I was forced to punch your friend Mark in his fucking mouth.”

  I heard her intake of breath as I leaned back and looked at her now widened eyes. The professor announced class was started and I walked away from her without letting her say a word.

  Throughout class I couldn’t sit still, my leg bouncing, my fingers bending my pencil to the point where it would almost break in half. Each time Emelie would look back at me, it only managed to piss me off more.

  I didn’t even gain one fucking thing from being there because I couldn’t concentrate. In fact, I couldn’t tell you a thing the professor said. My head was spinning, that fuck’s words rolling around in my mind over and over.

  The second class ended, Emelie was up and moving toward me.

  “I was gonna tell you.” She’d left behind all her things and stood in front of me to block me from leaving.

  “That’s funny, because you had plenty of chances.” I stood from my chair, staring back at her. I couldn’t remember ever being as pissed at her as I was right then. “Before we had sex last night, or after when we took a shower. Even when we were lying on the couch watching a movie. Instead you played it all off like nothing ever took place, so why don’t we just be honest now and admit that you weren’t gonna tell me at all?” She didn’t reply. “That’s what I thought.”

  I stepped around her, and when she reached out for me, I shrugged away.

  I thought we were past shit like this, like we were solid. Him being here wasn’t her fault, but her choosing to lie to me by omission was.

  ***

  My phone rang a hundred times since I left class, but I chose to ignore it. Avoiding her was best because I was pissed and jealous, which never played well when I needed to hold my tongue.

  I entered the house and found Xavier was already home, and by the looks on Corbin’s and Isaac’s faces, I would say that he’d already told them about today.

  “We need to talk,” I said, looking directly at my brother. I wanted to see if he was gonna attempt to lie to me too.

  “I messaged you and told you that we needed to talk,” he said with a shrug. “I wanted to give you forewarning of the asshole before you had a run in with him yourself. I knew she wasn’t going to.”

  “What do you mean? She wasn’t gonna tell me?”

  “She didn’t ask me to lie,” Corbin seemed suddenly sympathetic, “but she did ask me to keep the topic hushed unless you asked.”

  “And?”

  “I told her that I didn’t hide shit from my brother.” It was true, we didn’t. The idea that she wanted to hide this only made it all seem worse. If there was nothing there, no old feelings or wants, then why keep him being here quiet?

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Emelie

  “Have you talked to him?” Palmer asked as she sat down at the table across from me. Shaking my head, I picked up the orange slices I just peeled and placed them on the tray in front of Ethan. “He just needs to cool down, I’m sure.”

  I didn’t look up at her. I couldn’t, because she had been right from the start. I should have told Clayton, but I didn’t want to interrupt the bubble we were in. Everything had been perfect, and bringing up Mark would just uproot all of that. Yet here we were exactly where I didn’t want to be. Only now it was worse because he was angry at me instead.

  “I’ve called him so many times that I’ve lost count. His mailbox is full just from the messages I’ve left him.”

  We both grew quiet, only the sound of Ethan saying “num” every time he took a bite filling the space.

  “He’ll call,” Palmer said confidently. “Like I said, he just—”

  “Needs time,” I repeated her earlier words.

  Again we fell silent, before Palmer stood and offered my shoulder a gentle squeeze, before leaving me and Ethan alone.

  The sound of someone knocking on my door caused a knee jerk reaction. I was up out of the chair so fast it fell backward to the ground and I practically tripped over it in the process. I didn’t even take the time to look when I jerked open the door.

  Coming face to face with Morgan and Blake had not been what I expected, nor the fact that Mark was standing directly behind them, either.

  “Hi.” Morgan was the first to speak as she offered a nervous wave. Blake said nothing, just looked over her shoulder at the man behind her and wrinkled her nose up in irritation.

  Just then Palmer came flying past me, pushed her way in between Blake and Morgan, and her hand flew out to connect with Mark’s cheek. She was like a whirlwind of anger. “What the fuck are you doing here? Why now, you piece of shit?” She pushed against his chest. “She has taken care of him every day since he was born. She’s sacrificed and gone without just so he could have what he needs. All of this has been done in your absence. While you were out there partying, getting laid, and living your life, she was here. They don’t need you, so why are you even here?”

  Now Blake and Morgan were staring at Palmer and Mark, standing in front of me almost like some type of shield or protection duty. I wanted to laugh, but this entire thing had gotten out of control.

  Mark looked over Palmer, directly at me when he replied. “Because I regret walking away.” And my heart sank. “I never should have.”

  Hanging my head, I tried to control my erratic heartbeat, but it only seemed to speed up with each passing second.

  “Mommy,” Ethan wailed out in an irritated tone and I turned around to find him halfway out of his booster seat.

  I moved quickly, and I guess by my reaction they all grew curious, and before I knew it every one of them was standing in my apartment, staring at me as I held Ethan in my arms. I wanted to hide him from Mark, shelter him from the guy who walked away, because in my heart I truly believed he didn’t deserve to see him. He said he didn’t want him, those were his exact words.

  “You cannot just show up after more than two years and decide you made a mistake.” I could feel myself losing control. “He deserved more than that, and now here you are thinking that you’re entitled to spend time with him. Like you deserve a second chance. Until you wake up one morning and decide that it’s all too much? That you can’t handle the dedication it takes, because he’s cramping your style, interfering with the booze and the girls?”

  Hot tears ran over my cheeks and I did nothing to stop them.

  “What amazes me is that you’re tied to him by blood, yet you turned your back on him so easily. Then some random guy, one with a heart bigger than any other man I’ve ever known, accepts him without pause. He treats him as if he’s his own son, he loves him and spoils him, now here you are ready to take all that away. Haven’t you taken enough away from him already?”

  “That guy isn’t gonna stick around forever either, Emelie,” Mark snarled. “He’s just playing house.”

  “I suggest you shut your mouth right there.” I was shocked to see Blake turn on him so quickly. “That guy you’re referring to is one of my best friends, and I can guarantee you one thing. He is a hell of a lot more than you’ll ever be.”

  Mark had a stare down with her and I almost wished he’d fire back. The thought of seeing Elijah put Mark in his place after squaring off with his girlfriend gave me a rush I shouldn’t have.

  Someone that didn’t know Mark may have felt sorry for him. They may have believed his line about making a mistake or regretting his decision to sign over his son, but I knew better. He was not the kind of man who felt guilt over anything. He took and took and never once gave back. He was a selfish prick and I wouldn’t ever allow my son to reap those hazards.

  Mark looked around at the four woman who stared at him, each of us feeling repulsed by his presence. Then he turned around and walked away without another word. I had never felt more relieved.

  “That guy is,” Blake paused as she looked over at Ethan, “a bad, bad guy. A monster that we need to squish like a bug.” I knew that was the furthest thing from what she really wanted to call him, but was thinking of Ethan instead.

  “Well, I guess Clayton’s worries are far from the reality of the situation.” Morgan crossed her arms over her chest. “He couldn’t be more wrong.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Your guy has somehow convinced himself that you’ve got these unresolved feelings for the bad guy, which is why you chose to not tell him about your run-in with monster man.” I stared at Morgan with my mouth hanging open in confusion. “We tried telling him he was being a tool, but when he started drinking one shot after the other last night, it was pointless to argue.”

  “So instead, we came over to sort it out for ourselves,” Blake interjected. “Hate to see my pal all kinds of sad, ya know.” I nodded, because frankly the idea that Clayton could think I would want Mark over him, or anyone over him for that matter, broke my heart. After the guy he’d been, the devotion he’d shown when he owed me and Ethan absolutely nothing, the idea of him hurting was too much.

  “Sometimes guys handle jealousy for shit,” Morgan added, and I looked down because I could feel myself falling apart.

  “Palmer.” I turned and looked at her.

  “Need me to watch the little man?"

  “Please.”

  She held out her hands and took him from me without hesitating. “We need to go wash the sticky off you, boy.” As she passed me, she gave me a reassuring hug.

  “Let’s go fix the heart of the guy you love.” Blake put her arm over my shoulders and together the three of us left. It took me until we were halfway to the house to notice that I still wore my pajama pants and a ratty t-shirt. At this point though it seemed pointless to worry about my appearance because it just mimicked the way I felt inside.

  Chapter Thirty

  Clayton

  “You just planning on pouting around here all day?” I lifted my head and found Corbin standing in the doorway of my room. “Don’t you think you need to talk to her or, hell I don’t know, maybe take a shower?”

  “Close the door.” I placed my arm back over my eyes to shield the sunlight. It hurt, everything hurt. Apparently I got so drunk last night, the guys had convinced me I knew how to breakdance. Let me just clarify that I do not, in fact, know how to breakdance.

  “It’s been more than forty-eight hours, Clayton.” My brother didn’t seem to get the message. “She’s called a million times and texted.”

  “Do you have a point?”

  “Yeah, you need to listen to the fucking messages and read the damn texts.” I found myself rolling my eyes much like Palmer and Emelie often did in reference to one another. Which of course only seemed to inflict another round of an entirely different type of ache inside of me.

  “Close the door, asshole,” I mumbled as I rolled to my side and pulled the pillow over my head. “She needs to figure out on her own what or who she wants. It’s not my choice.”

  “I want you.” I remained still, convincing myself that at this point I had to be hearing shit that wasn’t being said. “There’s never been a second of doubt in my mind.”

  Slowly, I pushed back the pillow, and after blinking a time or two, Emelie came into view. Her hair was a fucking mess, like it hadn’t been brushed, half of it falling out of the ponytail she’d obviously once had. She wore the pajama pants I’d seen her wear so many times before, blue with little yellow stars all over them.

  “How could you even for a second think that I would want him? That what I feel for you could ever be erased by anyone?” I stared at her, seeing her throat bob as she swallowed hard.

  “I love you, Clay, so much that at times I feel like if I lost you, I would lose myself in the process.” She took a step toward me and I watched my brother out of the corner of my eye pull the door shut, leaving the two of us alone. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him being here, but I guess in a way I thought if I ignored it long enough the entire thing would disappear. I wanted it to just go away. It was never because I felt unsettled or unsure.”

  Emelie moved around the side of the bed and crawled up next to me, sitting back onto her legs that were tucked beneath her.

  “Do you know that you were the first person besides Palmer that ever made me feel like being imperfect was okay?”

  “You are perfect,” I said, remaining perfectly still though I really wanted to reach out and pull her body to mine. She closed her eyes for a moment as if to accept that I felt this way, because I know she battled with her insecurities daily.

  “The only reason I pushed you away so much in the beginning is because I knew having you in my life would change everything. I knew that not falling for you would be impossible. From the first moment you held Ethan and showed him more attention than his own father had, I understood just how special you were.”

  Tears pooled in Emelie’s eyes, making it harder for me to hold back.

  “You are the only man I want, Clayton.” Her voice cracked with emotion. “I love you so deeply and so strongly that it’s crippling. I don’t wanna lose you.”

  I couldn’t hold back any longer, as I lifted my upper body off the bed and wrapped my arms around her.

  “I just wanna fix this,” she cried into the crease of my neck and I held her tighter. “I should have told you, and I’m sorry.”

  “Shh.” I tried to calm her, but she only cried harder.

  “I understand why you were upset, but you have to know that it never was about second-guessing my choices. I need you.” Emelie fisted my shirt in her hands.