Kaius the Fierce by Cara Wylde

Chapter Fourteen

“Sasha, please go play upstairs, baby.” Grace gathered the remaining candy and shoved it in her little hands. “Aunt Meg told me you were painting.”

“Yes, but it’s not done yet.”

“Oh. Then how about you go finish the painting and then show it to me?”

“Okay.” As she walked past Carl, who’d just entered the living room, she smiled at him and chirped, “Hello!”

“Hi, sweetie!”

Grace wanted to smack that grin off his face. Once Sasha was upstairs with her door closed, she walked back into the kitchen, knowing that Carl and Meg would follow her.

“You don’t get to call her sweetie, do you hear me? Now, what the fuck are you doing here?”

“Calm down, babe. Take a breath and give me a minute to explain.”

“Calm down... take a breath...” She ran her hand through her hair as she paced the floor. Then, she turned to her aunt. “You. You’re the one who has to explain herself first.”

The woman sighed and sat down at the table. “What was I supposed to do, Grace? He shows up, out of the blue, after seven years! Seven! And says he’s changed and wants to build a family with you and Sasha. I tried to kick him out. I did. But he threatened to tell Sasha he’s her father, and I had no choice but to allow him to see her once or twice. Believe me, it’s not like he moved in or something. He brought her a doll a few weeks ago, and last time he came over, they watched a cartoon together in the living room.”

“No way! Jesus Christ! No way!” At least Sasha didn’t know the truth about Carl. That was something. The last thing she wanted was to confuse her six-year-old even more. Not that she was never going to tell her who her real father was. Of course she was going to, but later. In a few years. She threw Carl a murderous look. “You have no right. You piece of shit, you have absolutely no right.” She hadn’t spoken like that in years. When Sasha came into the world, she promised she’d change as much as she could, and that included her vocabulary. She made sure to whisper, so her daughter wouldn’t hear her. “You got me pregnant...”

“Hey!” He waved his hands. “I didn’t use protection, and you didn’t either. It’s on both of us.”

She pointed a finger at him. “When I told you, you said it was my problem and I should take care of it. You didn’t want her. And when I decided to keep her, you fucking left. You didn’t help me have her, you didn’t help me raise her, and sure as hell you didn’t pay any child support! And now you show up like nothing happened and you demand to see her? You threaten to tell her the truth if you’re refused access to her? Who do you think you are? Aside from a coward and an asshole who can’t take responsibility for his actions to save his pathetic life!”

“Oh! Oh, and you’re the one to talk about responsibility!” Carl raised his voice.

Meg shushed them both. “Keep it down or take it somewhere else.”

He ignored her and stepped closer to Grace. She stood her ground, looking at him defiantly. He was older than her, in his early thirties now, and she could see he was beginning to bald. He’d been handsome when they’d first met, but now she couldn’t stand the sight of him.

“I might be an absent father, but you’re a bad mother. Where were you? You left your own daughter for two months! Where did you go? To see your boyfriend?”

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” she sputtered. His accusations shocked her. “I’m not... I’m not a bad mother...” But the way she choked on the words said he’d hit a sensitive spot.

Carl grinned with satisfaction. “Yes, you are. What kind of mother puts herself first and abandons her child?”

“I... You... You have no right.” She turned around and pressed the palms of her hands to her temples. She had to get a hold of herself. This man was trash. He’d been trash seven years ago, and he hadn’t changed. Yes, she’d made mistakes, but he was the last person she’d ever allow to judge her. “Get out. You don’t know what you’re talking about, and I’m done listening to you.” She turned back around to face him, this time her eyes throwing daggers at him. She was ready to claw his face off if he didn’t comply with her request. “You’re not Sasha’s father. You’re no one to her and to me. Aunt Meg made a mistake to let you see her.”

“Grace, you can’t keep me away from my daughter. You can’t keep me away from you.” His tone changed slightly, sounding pleading now. “I was a moron. I was young, and I wasn’t ready to start a family. You told me you were pregnant, and that scared the shit out of me.”

“You’re older than me, Carl! You were supposed to be the mature one!”

He shook his head. “I was going through a lot... I couldn’t possibly support you and Sasha. But I can now. I’m ready to do it, if you’ll just give me another chance.”

“Oh my God, you’re delusional.”

“Come on, Grace. You need me!” He motioned at their surroundings, at the old sink that dripped and the paint that was falling off the walls in places. “Look at this! After all these years, you still live with your aunt. Do you really want Sasha to spend her childhood in this house? In this house that you hated?”

“Watch it,” Aunt Meg warned.

Grace sighed. “She won’t spend her childhood here. I came to take her. And no, I don’t need you. She doesn’t need you, either. We already have a family.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “I see no ring on your finger, Grace, so don’t lie to me. What family? Do you think the guy you’re seeing now will be there for you in a month’s time?” He laughed. “Don’t kid yourself, babe. Have you learned nothing?”

She blinked. There was no way Carl could know about her numerous failed relationships. Right? Maybe it was all written on her face, or maybe he was bluffing, assuming what was easiest to assume about her. Either way, she wasn’t that woman anymore.

“If you really need to know, Carl, then here’s the truth. You’re wrong about me. I’m not a bad mother. I’m not perfect, either, but I do my best. I raised Sasha on my own, with very little help. I got clean, worked two jobs, and stumbled along the way. Now I found a real family for me and Sasha, and a place where we will both be safe and happy and want for nothing. I’m taking her there, and you’ll never see her again. When she’s older, I might tell her about you. It’s only fair. And if she wants to see you then, it will be her choice.”

“What are you talking about? What family?”

Aunt Meg stood up and shook her head. She threw Grace a warning look, and when Grace ignored her, she disappeared into the living room.

Grace straightened her back and pushed her chin up. “I’m an orc bride, Carl. I volunteered as tribute, got picked by an orc captain, and now I live with his horde. All this time, I’ve been at an institute, learning about their culture, and then with the horde, building a future for me and my daughter. It’s a done deal. I’m taking her today, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You’re not welcome here. You’re not welcome in our lives, so it would be best if you left quietly and forgot about us.”

He was silent for a minute, his eyes wide with shock. His face went red with anger, and he started sputtering, unable to find the words to express how horrified he was.

“You... you... you didn’t! You bitch! You gave yourself to one of those ugly beasts, and now you want to give them our daughter, too? You... you’ll pay for this!”

She rolled her eyes, unimpressed by his reaction. But then he turned on his heels sharply, rushed out of the kitchen, and took two stairs at a time to Sasha’s room. Grace yelled after him and tried to catch up.

“No! Carl, no! Don’t do it!”

She ran up the stairs, but when she reached the landing, it was too late. Sasha was already in his arms. She seemed confused and uncomfortable.

“Mommy, what’s going on?”

“Baby, come here...” She extended her arms, but when Sasha tried to reach to her, Carl tightened his grip. “Give her to me,” she said between gritted teeth.

“No.” He pushed past her and ran down the stairs. “I won’t let you ruin her life. You want to make her a tribute, too.”

“For fuck’s sake, no! What the hell? That’s not how this works!”

“Mommy?”

“I’m so sorry, baby...” Grace ran after Carl. She caught up with him before he got to the front door and grabbed him by the back of his shirt. “Don’t make me call the police, Carl!”

“Do it! I don’t care!”

Sasha started crying. “I don’t want to go with him.” She struggled, but Carl wasn’t having it.

Grace pulled at his arm, and he turned around. They started fighting awkwardly, Sasha crying harder and harder.

“Young man, put the child down.” Aunt Meg said firmly.

They both turned to her, and Grace gasped. Aunt Meg was pointing her late husband’s gun at Carl. Well, in the current position, she was actually pointing it at all of them, so Grace stepped back, clutching Sasha’s little hand in hers.

“Meg,” she whispered.

“I’m not playing around.” The woman fixed Carl with a terrible gaze. “Give Sasha to Grace and walk out. Walk away. Never come back.”