Addicted After All(144)
“We already tried that,” I remind Daisy. “She was terrible at it.” Rose delivered cliff notes half the time. And the other half, she didn’t even bother to relay the information.
Just as Rose opens her mouth to snap back, the door swings open. Samantha Calloway stands poised and rolls her eyes at the sight of us. It reminds me so much of Rose that I have to bite my tongue to swallow a retort. Comparing Rose to her mother, out loud, is a low blow that I’d like to avoid.
Anyway, I don’t believe Rose is exactly like Samantha. She’s more self-aware for starters. I listened to what Samantha had to say to Lily, and honestly, it was ass-backwards. Samantha should’ve apologized to Lil first. She should’ve admitted to treating her differently than her other daughters. But she just doesn’t get it. I don’t think she ever will.
There’s one thing I never want to do—and it’s be so blind to my kid’s life because I can’t see my own faults.
The room silences the longer Samantha lingers in the doorway. Despite seeming strict, her blush is tear-streaked and her eyes are red.
“Where are the babies?” Samantha asks, skirting past Rose’s body. “I want to see them before I go.”
Rose pulls away from the door. “They’re in the nursery. You can follow me there.” Rose cautiously glances back at Lily on her way out, but Lil is still hidden in the sunroom.
My pulse skips, and I force the door open wider. Lily sits on a wicker ottoman, her eyes swollen and her head hanging in exhaustion.
I slide between the door and Ryke’s chest, trying to enter the room. Lil rubs her eyes by the time I kneel in front of her, collecting her hands in mine. I kiss her cheek and whisper, “You did good, Lil. I’m proud of you.” She needed to confront her mom. The silence had been eating at her for years.
“She said she’s going to treat him just like Jane.” Lily sniffs before she cries heavily again. I stand and wrap my arms around her thin body, lifting her to her feet. She rests against my chest and stares up at me. “I never thought she’d try, but she said that she wants us to have a better relationship.”
I nod a couple times. “That’s good, Lil.” I’m always going to be cautious of Samantha. I can’t help it. My barriers will rise if Lil drops hers. And she should try to lower hers some. That’s her mom at the end of the day.
“I know she doesn’t understand me completely or what happened,” Lily whispers, her hands tightening around me. “But she can have her truth, and I can have mine. It’s better than a lifelong standstill.” She must be thinking of Moffy.
She’s willing to bury this fight for our son. Closing old wounds.
Our choices will affect him, and for the rest of our lives, we’ll make decisions in his best interest, not ours. I thought it was going to be hard—being selfless. But when you love someone with the deepest parts of your soul, they become your biggest exception.
I know he’s ours.
{ 47 }
LILY CALLOWAY
My fiancé is the sexiest person on Earth. Fact. It’s a biased fact, but many people would agree with me if they had my view.
I brace the red sheet to my chest, my back against the headboard, and gawk as Lo walks buck naked to the bathroom. His ass. His muscular back. His lean, toned body. I am in my kinda heaven.
I’m sure he’s grinning, aware that I’m filing this mental image in my spank bank for eternity. It will remain in a section called naughty things. Granted, that portion of my brain is jam-packed with Loren Hale.
He disappears behind the wall. All the pictures pop in an instant. “We should go again,” I call out, scooting to the edge of the bed and bringing the heavy champagne-colored comforter with me. “We need to make up for lost time.”
Today is the day.
We’ve already had sex once. The kind that slams backs into walls and causes the bed to aggressively shake. I’m ready for a round two. Possibly even a three or a four. If I can control myself. The insatiable beast has to remain locked away, and I’ll need to stop when I have to stop.
He returns from the bathroom with a glass of water, taking small sips.
“I’ve overworked you?” I ask with a frown.
He gives me a look like really? Because I’m drinking water? His brow ticks upward a notch. “You think this is work for me?”
“You get all sweaty and out of breath so…yeah,” I mutter. “It can be work for me too though.” My words tumble out fast. “Lots of limber positions and…stuff.” Shut up, Lily.