So much for taking Everleigh for ice cream. She wouldn’t move off his knee. Her little eyebrow’s furrowed, her arms crossed over her chest.
“I stay here mommy”. She turned away from me burying her head in his chest.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. I wasn’t sure how I felt right now. As if I wasn’t already hormonal enough.
It shouldn’t bother me, but it did. I felt the jealousy within me start to creep out. “Everleigh, sweetheart, do you not want to come with mommy for ice cream?”.
“I stay daddy”. She yelled.
“That’s you told”. Duke laughed.
I didn’t find it funny. I tried my best to hide my feelings with a smile. “Okay baby you can stay with daddy”. I about turned darting for the kitchen.
I was being stupid, I knew that, but I couldn’t help the heaviness in my heart.
“You okay A?”. My mom asked.
“Fine”. Wiping my face, I turned to face her.
“Don’t take it personal honey. You had her all to yourself for three years”.
“And that was my fault?”. I frowned.
“She’s exactly how you were at that age. I didn’t get a look in when your dad was around”. She laughed.
“I know I shouldn’t be jealous, but I can’t help it. She’s never done that with me before”.
“She’s always going to need her mom baby but let Blaze have this one little moment. Here”. She passed me the hot mug.
“He didn’t even say anything, didn’t even look at me”. I took a sip of my coffee. “Sat there looking fucking smug”.
“You two are unbelievable”.
“Who’s unbelievable?”. My dad sauntered into the kitchen dropping a kiss on my mom’s forehead.
“Nothing, no one”.
“That fucker better not be stressing you out”. He glared. “And you should be bloody resting”.
“Don’t you start”. I sighed. “I’m fine”.
“And my grandson?”.
“We’re both fine okay”. Pushing back my chair I lifted my mug and got to my feet. “I need some air”. I left out the back door not giving them the chance to say anything else.
I was sat outside enjoying the peace and quiet. Too wrapped up in my own thoughts I didn’t hear him approach.
“Straightened that face yet?”. He sat opposite.
Big girl panties!
“Where’s Everleigh?”.
“With your dad”.
“I’m taking her home”.
“She wants to stay with daddy”.
I snapped my head up so fast a hiss fell from my lips at the pain that shot through my neck. Of course, the bastard was smirking.
“Fuck you Blaze”.
“Fired up and ready to go baby”. Eyes blazing the smirk disappeared. “You want a fight Ava, that why you started your shit back at the house?”.
“I don’t want to fight”.
“Then what the fuck was that all about?”.
Placing my hand on my stomach I didn’t miss his eyes following my movement. “Pregnancy”. I shrugged.
A laugh fell from his lips. “You’re fucking at it princess”. Pulling a smoke from his cut he lit it up. “But I’ll let you off seeing as your carrying my son”.
“You’re in for a shock when out pops another girl”.
“Nah sweets it’s defo a boy this time”.
Rolling my eyes I took a sip of my coffee. “We’ll see”. Truth be told I believed it was a boy too. I felt different this time, my mood, my body. Everything felt different.
“Wanna bet?”. He smirked.
“Bet what?”. I frowned.
“If it’s a boy you marry me after he’s born”.
I choked on my coffee. Was he serious?
“C’mon sweetheart. Let me finally give you my last name”.
Bikes entering the lot caught our attention. Marco had arrived.
“You’re being serious?”.
“As a heart attack”.
“Mommy, mommy, look”. She ran towards where I was sitting. “A lolly pop”. Getting to my feet I bent down to her level.
“Wow baby. Who gave you that?”.
“Uncle Ared”. She grinned.
Of course he did. He’s the only one that would buy her a lolly pop the size of her head.
“Come here”. I whispered lifting her into my arms.
“Be careful Ava”. He was beside me, his hand resting on the lower of my back.
“Always worrying”. I sighed.
“Can you blame me?”.
“I’m not doing this again Blaze”. Running my hand through Everleigh’s hair she smiled at me. “How about we go home, we get into our pjs, and we watch peppa?”.
“I stay here mommy”.
A laugh fell from his lips. “Good luck trying to get her home tonight”.
“We’re going home Everleigh”. Heading towards the clubhouse a sigh fell from my lips when she burst into tears. “You’ll see papa tomorrow”. Pulling the door open I struggled to hold her as she thrashed about in my arms.
Screw terrible twos, it was the three’s you needed to prepare yourself for.
“Hey, hey”. My tone lowered as I placed her on her feet. “Listen to mommy-…”.
“The fucks she crying for?”. My dad glared. “Come here sweetheart”. And off she went straight into his arms.
“Seriously dad?”. If there was ever a time I wanted a drink, now was it.
“What?”. He smirked. “She’s wants to stay with her papa”.
“I stay papa mommy”.
It amazed me how her tears had miraculously disappeared. Taking a deep breath I grit my teeth. I loved how much they loved her but when it came to discipline, they had none.
He couldn’t just overrule me when I was trying to teach her right and wrong. I was her mom.
“She’s coming home with me dad”.
“Aye Ava after dinner. Go help your mom”. He dismissed me by turning his back and walking over to his table.
I wanted to scream.
Storming outside I clocked Blaze standing with Jared and Duke. All laughing, all making jokes. Yeah well, I was about to burst his bubble.
“You need to help me”. I snapped.
The conversation stopped, everything turned quiet.
“Nice to see you to sweetheart”. Duke laughed.
“Fuck you Duke”. I turned my attention to Blaze. “Get in there and get our daughter before I take your gun and shoot my dad myself”.
“You really gonna make a big deal out of this because she wants to stay for a bit?”.
I saw red.
I wasn’t making a big deal because she wanted to stay. I was making a bid deal because my dad kept overruling every fucking decision I made about my daughter.
Well, it stopped now.
Turning my back on him I marched my way back inside, walked straight up to him and took Everleigh into my arms.
I didn’t care that she was crying, screaming and kicking she was coming home.
“Wait a damn-…”.
“No”. I yelled. “She’s coming home with me and that’s the end of it”.
He got to his feet. “Ava hold on a minute. I just-…”.
“You can’t make up with her just because you fucked up with me. She’s mine, I make the decisions, I make the rules”.
And I stormed my way back out heading straight for my car. She grew quiet, the crying simmered. Opening her door I strapped her into her chair, once secure I wiped the rest of her tears from her face and closed the door.
I was okay with being the bad one when it came to her. She was my lifeline and I’ll be damned if I was going to let someone else choose the way I brought her up.
Did I feel terrible? Yes, but it had to be done. I was thankful for everything him and my mom did for me, for us but there were lines you just didn’t cross.
“Can’t be getting riled up like that baby”. As he reached for my hand I pulled it away.
I was pissed at him as well.
I seemed to be pissed with everyone today.
“I’m going home Blaze”.
“What you pissed about Ava?”. He moved closer, his body shielding mine, trapping me against my car.
“Everything, I can’t control the rage I feel right now”. There was no point in lying to him. “Every little thing seems to piss me off and I can’t help but take it out on the wrong people”.
My dad being one of them. I didn’t need to say the things I did but still I said them.
“So, you’re a little hormonal. Who gives a fuck. They all know you’re pregnant, they can handle a crazy Ava for a few months”. He chuckled.
I know he was trying to cheer me up, but I wasn’t in the mood. “I’m going to head home. I’m guessing you’re going to stay a little longer?”.
“A little business to take care of baby but I’ll be home soon”. He kissed my forehead. “We good?”.
“I really am sorry about today”. I whispered. “The last thing I want to do is push you away”.
“You get a free pass Ava”.
I grinned. “What because I’m pregnant?”.
“Aye babe cause if you weren’t I’d have taken you over my knee by now”. His nostrils flared, his eyes growing dark.
“Maybe I’d like that”. I whispered sinking my teeth into my bottom lip.
“Fucking tease”. He growled. “Get home before I bend you over and fuck you right here”.
“Blaze”. My eyes darted to the back seat.
“She’s out cold baby”. He pressed his lips to mine and I kissed him back.
“Come home early enough and you might get some”. I slipped my hand lower cupping a hold of his dick.
“Fuck baby”. He hissed.
“Still got it”. I smirked.
“Never fucking lost it”. He growled.
“And don’t you forget it”.