Nate(20)

She hurried, her voice rising. “We both know what your father is going to say. It’s what he’s always going to say. Babe—” She broke off, and I could hear her taking a deep breath. “You and me, we don’t always talk about what went down in your childhood, but it wasn’t right. What he did—”

I shoved to my feet. “Don’t, Ricci! Don’t say something you can’t take back.”

My chest was so heavy.

Something was pressing down on it.

My head was starting to spin.

She kept on, sounding almost desperate, “Look, your dad. He’s—he’s cold, Quince. It’s never been anything he’s out and out done, but he always made you feel guilty about having relationships with other people. I got a pass because I was in dance with you and you needed one friend, but how I saw it. Anyone you liked, he’d say one bad thing about them. Then another bad thing. Then another. He planted seeds in your head, and he turned you against people. I know your mom. She’s freaking kick-ass, but it’s like you can’t let yourself love her like a mom. And it’s your dad. It’s all him. It’s like if you love someone else, you can’t love him or something. Whether Nate is in the picture or not, that’ll happen with Nova if you don’t fight him. Leopards don’t change their spots, babe.”

“Ricci!”

She was crying on her end. I heard her sobs. “This might be a blessing. You never know, just... I just have to say that I'm here for you if you want to move out on your own. You can live here. I know it’s not what you’d be leaving, but it’s better than nothing. And I’d help you with Nova. You’re not alone. Okay? I… you have to hear that. You are not alone. I’m prepared to go the distance with you.”

I almost crumpled.

It was the lion pressing at the gate, wanting to get in.

The gate kept rattling, shaking, trembling. She opened it, and there it was, an ultimatum she wasn’t putting into words. She didn’t need to.

I knew it.

She knew it.

Everyone who knew my father knew it.

He would fight for Nova for the sheer sake of winning, and if we lost, we lost everything.

I couldn’t let that happen.

I knew what the end would look like. I felt it in my bones, and if I walked into that house, told Duke again that I wanted to compromise with Nate, he would tell me to either get out or get behind him. It was an either/or scenario with him. There was no gray. No in-between.

It was how it had always been.

I wasn’t ready for that.

“I have to go.” I said it so faint that I barely heard myself.

“Quincey?”

But I was already reaching for the phone to end the call. “I have to go.”

The light on my phone cut out, and I was alone in a studio with snow falling all around me.

A sob caught in my throat. I didn’t want to feel right now.

I wanted to dance.

So I did.





13





Later that same day





Nate: I want to see my daughter today.

Quincey: Give me a few days.

Nate: No.

Quincey: Please.

Nate: I want to see my daughter today.

Quincey: I’ll bring her to you.

The next morning.





Nate: Legal papers will be drawn up concerning my daughter. My question is, what stance should I let my lawyers take? Is it a full-on custody battle, or are you going to be cooperative?

Quincey: I am asking you for a few days.

Nate: No. You brought Nova to me, then left. You and I need to talk about this ourselves.

Quincey: I. Need. More. Time.

Later the next day.





Nate: Fine, but I want Nova here for the whole day. My sister is flying in to see her.

Quincey: I’ll bring her within the hour.

Three days later.





Quincey: I’m ready to talk.

Nate: Where?

Quincey: My lawyer’s office. I’ll text you the address. 3 pm.

Nate: See you then.





14





Quincey





I was nervous. I didn’t want to be, but I was.

Who was I kidding? I was always nervous for almost everything in my life. I just hid it well. Dancing and being Duke Royas’ daughter would do that to anyone.

“You ready?” Phillip was a friend from college. He was also my personal lawyer now.

I nodded.

“Okay. So I’ve done some research of my own since you called me. Logan Kade doesn’t specialize in child custody cases, so that’s a plus for us. It’s also a plus that he’s the only lawyer coming today. That’s a good sign. I think Mr. Monson will be open to working with you, that is, if this is still what you want to do?”

I couldn’t risk losing Nova.

I jerked my head up and down. “It is.”

“Okay.” His phone buzzed then, and he hit the button. “They’re here, Annette?”

“Should I show them to your office?”

“Please. Grab coffee and drinks for everyone, too.”

He released the button, and then we waited.