Reconcile by Nicole Dykes
“Mommy,can we get ice cream tonight? Pleeease?” Audrey looks at me with her big chocolate-colored eyes and toothy grin.
“Not tonight. You’re already in your pjs, and it’s almost bedtime.”
She sulks, folding her little arms and puffing her bottom lip out, but then I see she’s formed an idea. “Tomorrow?” I smile as she wraps her arms around my waist. “I’ve been good.”
“I know you have.” I also know that by the time I get home from work, I’m usually completely wiped out, but it’ll be a Friday.
“Maybe.”
“Yay!” She squeezes me tight and then does a little happy dance. “I’m going to go play now.”
“Okay, sweetie.” She heads down the hallway to her room, and I flop down on the couch in the living room, wearing the tank top and shorts I always wear to bed.
Yes, I’m twenty-four and in pajamas at eight o’clock at night. Don’t judge me.
The sudden knock on the door startles me, and I grumble as I walk to the door. It can’t be who I think it is. But no one else knows where I live.
I look through the peephole and grumble again under my breath when I see Sawyer’s smug face. “Piper. Answer the door.”
I take in a deep breath. It’s only been a couple of days since he found out about Audrey, and since then, I’ve been holding my breath waiting for this moment.
Why can’t he just let it go?
I glance toward the hallway, but I’m relieved when I don’t see Audrey. She either didn’t hear the door or didn’t care. I yank it open and glare at Sawyer, hating how good he looks in the expensive black suit that hugs him snugly. His hair is perfectly styled and his shoes more than likely cost more than two or three months rent at this place.
“What are you doing here?”
He’s wearing black sunglasses that he whips off his face, sporting an arrogant glare of his own. “What am I doing here? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“It’s been days. I thought maybe you forgot.”
He knows I didn’t think that. I can tell by the look on his face, but he remains calm. “I had to do a little research.”
I eye him with suspicion, his words sending a chill through me. “What kind of research?”
He looks over my shoulder into the apartment and then around the outside of the building with a look of disgust. “How the fuck did you end up here? You have a drug problem or something?”
I’m going to kill him, like actual homicide. I wonder if I can claim insanity. “You arrogant, spoiled son of a bitch . . .”
He holds up a hand to stop my tirade. “You’re a Ward. You’re in an apartment building where the average income is fifty thousand a year. In California. What the fuck is happening?”
“Will you watch your mouth?” I push him back as I walk out of my apartment and close the door behind me. “It’s not that bad.”
It’s small. I know that, but I hate the shame I feel as he stands here, judging me. “It is. And my kid is not living here any longer.”
Against my will, my heart rate speeds up at his words. Is he threatening me? “What do you mean?”
He straightens his tie and stands even taller. “I’m going to give you two options. I have no idea why you’re living in a shithole—”
“It’s not a shithole,” I interject, but he ignores me.
“I can only imagine you were cut off by your parents.” I don’t give him an answer, staying very silent, and he goes on, “Which I’m sure is partially my fault.”
I snort in irritation, “You’re such an asshole.”
How the hell could I ever think I was in love with him? I was such an idiot.“Yeah well, that’s nothing I haven’t heard before. Still . . . I can’t sleep, knowing my kid is living here.”
I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my stomach. “You’re such a snob.”
“For wanting better for my kid?”
“A kid you just found out about.”
“Because you didn’t fucking tell me about her!” he shouts. I’m not used to Sawyer losing his cool. Not ever. He was always the one in a fight who would provoke someone to hit him with his arrogance and goading. He never got angry.
“And whose fault was that?”
He takes a deep breath, seemingly keeping himself under control yet again. “I didn’t come here to fight.”
“Then what the hell do you want?”
“I told you, Piper, you have two choices.” I despise the sickening feeling of fear in my belly. “You can let me find a house for you and our daughter,” he continues, ignoring my fury, “or you two can move in with me until you can find somewhere more appropriate.”
“You. Asshole.”
“Language, Piper.”
Yeah, I might actually go to prison. But I try to think about Audrey. I can’t leave her.
“I’m not moving in with you.”
“Okay, then I’ll find you a house . . .”
“I’m not taking any of your money. I don’t want that life for her.”
“What life? The best possible start she could get?”
I roll my eyes and clutch my stomach. “I don’t want her growing up like we did.”
“So, you’re going to deny her the better things in life as, what, some kind of fuck you to your parents?”
I shake my head. “I haven’t denied her anything.”
“Bullshit, Piper. I get that you don’t want her to be a spoiled brat, but living in a tiny apartment and going to public school . . .”
“You’re the worst kind of elitist. I can’t believe you.” I shake my head in disgust at the man standing before me. “You were the one who always fought against our upbringing.”
“And I’m not saying we should schedule her to the max and make sure she has no joy, but she’ll have everything I can offer her. And it’s a lot.”
I feel sick, but I’m hoping my face doesn’t show it. “Your parent’s money. Are you really that proud of that?”
“I have a job.” I cock my head to the side, challenging him because no matter how much he’s making with Linc, we both know the purchase of a house for Audrey and me would come out of his hefty trust fund.
“I don’t want your money.”
“Fine. Then move in with me because my kid is not living here another week.”
“She’s not yours,” I say through gritted teeth with tears welling up in my eyes. I hate him with everything I have in me.
“She. Is. And you will do this.”
I laugh facetiously, “No. I won’t.”
He takes a step closer to me, his large body crowding mine. “She’s mine too. I didn’t know about her or I would have been there for her.”
“Bullshit, Sawyer,” I spit out, my anger unleashed. “You really think that eighteen-year-old you would have stepped up? Do you think you’d have pulled your dick out of my sister long enough to do that? And all the other women?”
His dark eyes somehow turn darker as they search mine. “Is that why you didn’t tell me? To punish me for fucking your sister? For some goddamn high school drama?”
His words gut me. I’m sure to him that’s all it was. Puppy love drama. I was just a fuck to him. He has no idea why I’m so angry. “Fuck. You.”
“Listen to me . . .” His eyes hold mine, both of us glaring at each other with absolutely no trace of tenderness, not even a minuscule amount. No . . . all that’s left is hate. “You’ll either move in with me or you’ll let me buy a house that’s good enough for my daughter.”
“You arrogant prick! What makes you think I’d ever agree to either of those things?”
He’s deadly serious as he tips my chin up with his finger. His touch makes me cringe and shamefully shocks me with an electric charge at the same time. “She’s half mine. There’s no denying that, but if you fight me on this, I’ll call my lawyer back and demand a DNA test. After that, I’ll move for custody, and both of us know money talks.”
“You son of a bitch.” I jerk my chin out of his grasp.
“I won’t do that if you’ll let me do this one thing. Give my kid what she deserves.”
“A fancy house won’t make her love you.”
“It’s a start,” he says with so much confidence I ball my hands at my sides. What if she does fall for his charm?
God knows I did, along with so many other people over the years.
“No.”
He steps back and takes a deep breath. “Then my lawyer will be in contact with you. I suppose I’ll see you in court.”
“You’d do that to her?”
I don’t want her to find out about her father in a cold courtroom. I don’t want her to know about him at all.
His eyes meet mine, and I swear I see a hint of pain in them, but it quickly disappears, leaving cold arrogance in its place. “If you force my hand, yes. Make no mistake, Piper. I’m going to be in her life, regardless.” He turns and starts walking before he turns and regards me again. “I’ll give you a few days to decide.”
He leaves, climbing into his fancy, shiny black car, sliding his sunglasses on before he drives away.
This is so not good. And I know I have no way out of this.
