by Lila Fox
Her heart softened until she remembered what he’d done. “I’m sure she’s fine.” She pressed her lips together to prevent herself from saying anything else.
“If you talk to her, tell her that her daddy is really worried and wants his little girl home where she belongs.”
She fought to keep from asking about the woman. “I’ll tell her if she calls.”
“Thank you.” Travis turned and walked out.
Kaleb pulled her into his arms and set his chin on the top of her head. “Are you lying to me?”
She thought back to what was said and then shook her head. “No, daddy. I promise.”
“If I find out you’ve lied, you are going to be in such trouble. You know I don’t like to be lied to.”
“I know,” she whispered against his shirt and blinked back her tears.
“Remember what I told you when we first got together?”
She nodded. “You said you didn’t want someone who deceived and lied as your little?”
“Do you want to change your story?”
“Nooo,” she stuttered.
He sighed. “All right. Go get dinner. I have work to do.”
She pulled away and walked toward the kitchen. Her heart felt like it was being ripped out of her chest. Her daddy somehow knew she was lying, and he was already distancing himself from her.
She didn’t know what to do. Aleena loved her daddy more than anything, but she loved Nia too, and at that moment, her friend really needed her. Something her daddy never did. It seemed no matter what, it was her daddy who took care of her. She was never the one taking care of him.
“God, I’m pathetic,” Aleena said. She walked into the kitchen. She looked down at both plates of fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
“Betsy, is it okay if I take this upstairs?”
“Where’s Mr. Spencer?”
“He’s working.”
“Go ahead. I’ll put his plate in the warmer.”
****
Nia held her breath when she heard footsteps come into the room.
“Nia,” Aleena whispered.
Nia exhaled and crawled out from under the bed.
Aleena rushed to her and set the tray on the floor.
“You take the fork, and I’ll use the spoon. We have to hurry. I know daddy will check on me eventually.”
Nia forced herself to take a few bites and then laid the fork down. “I can’t. My stomach is too upset.”
Aleena set her spoon down. “I know what you mean. Daddy has to go to the office for meetings in the morning. We’ll make plans then.”
Nia saw the flush on her friend’s face. “What?”
“Travis was here looking for you.”
Nia’s mouth dropped open. “Really? What did he say?”
“That he’s worried about you. He said he was miserable and was afraid someone would hurt you.”
“Why would he say that?” Nia asked.
Aleena shrugged. “He looked really sad.”
“What do you think I should do?”
Aleena took her hand. “I’ll back whatever you decide. I don’t like the fact you overheard that conversation.”
“Do you think he was lying to you?”
“I’m not sure,” Aleena said. “We can always decide tomorrow.”
“Okay. You better go.” Nia closed her eyes when Aleena hugged her. She needed it tremendously. She knew her life would never be the same, and she’d probably end up alone.
Aleena lifted the tray, turned off the playroom light, and walked away.
Nia felt tension build inside of her. What made it even worse than normal was she couldn’t pace because she was afraid Kaleb would find her, so she needed to stay still.
Tears started falling down her face, and she rocked back and forth, trying anything to release some of the pressure building in her.
She finally crawled into the huge basket with all Aleena’s stuffed animals. Nia thought being surrounded by anything was better than nothing.
She wasn’t aware when Kaleb came into the room a few hours later and looked in the closet and under the bed.
Nia had been sleeping so still, and she was so covered with the toys he hadn’t seen her.
Chapter Eighteen
“Nia,” Aleena whispered and shook her awake.
Nia opened her eyes and then rubbed them. The gritty feeling told her she’d had very little sleep and had cried quite a bit.
“Daddy’s gone. We’re going to go to Larkin’s. Her house is bigger than ours, and she’ll be able to hide us.”
“You don’t have to go.”
“Yeah, I do. Daddy told me he didn’t want someone that lied in the house.”
Nia grabbed her hand. “No, you have to tell him. I don’t want you to lose him.”
Aleena shrugged. “I’ll help you, and when we have a plan, I’ll call him.”
Nia swiped the tear that ran down her face. “I’m messing up everything.”
Aleena grabbed her arm. “No, you’re not. Stop it. We have to go.”
Aleena helped Nia out of the basket. They crept down the stairs and then out a side door. They raced down the driveway where an Uber waited.
Aleena gave him the address and sat back with Nia. She didn’t think she could feel worse, but she did. She prayed she hadn’t ruined her friend's relationship because of Aleena helping her.
“Stop worrying.”
Nia turned to her friend. “I just feel so bad.”
“Well, don’t.”
“You’re not worried you’ll lose Kaleb?”
“I’m sad he’ll be disappointed in me, but I really don’t think he’ll kick me out of his life.”
“I hope not.”
Nia clutched Aleena’s hand.
“Drop us off here, please.”
Nia had no idea where they were but followed her friend out of the car.
“Larkin is going to meet us by the small shed behind the big tree.”
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about, so I’ll just follow.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
“Over here.”
Nia jumped when a voice behind a tree murmured to them.
“There she is.”
“Hey, guys,” Larkin said and pulled Nia into her arms. “I’m sorry, Nia. I want to kick Travis so bad right now.”
“I do, too,” she admitted.
“Let’s get you both in the house. Stay behind the tree line.”
Nia followed the girls up the driveway and then into a side door. They stopped abruptly when Larkin held her hand up.
Nia’s stomach grew tighter as the seconds passed.
“Okay, I think we’re good. We’re going to go up the back staircase. Ready?”
Nia nodded.
She breathed a sigh of relief when they made it to Larkin’s playroom.
“Daddy won’t be home all day, so we have time. I also got some crackers and juice boxes for you last night when everyone was asleep.”
“You won’t get in trouble for this, will you, Larkin?”
Larkin grabbed Nia’s hand. “Daddy will throw a fit, but it’s been a long time since I pushed him, and it’s good to get them all huffy once in a while.”
Nia smiled for the first time since she learned Travis had another woman. She hadn’t thought she’d ever find anything to be happy about. She should have figured Larkin would. Nia enjoyed the time they spent together.
The three sat in the middle of the room with dolls.
“What do you want to do?” Larkin asked.
“I have to find someplace to live first and then figure out how to get my things from Travis.”
“Maybe we can help with that.”
Nia looked at Aleena. “How?”
“Larkin and I will go and pack up your stuff.”
“How will you get in?”
Aleena leaned forward. “You’ll have to give us the code, or we’ll all go over together in the morning when we know he’s at w
ork.”
Nia felt hopeless and lonelier than she ever had. Oh, she knew she had good friends, but they had to stay with their daddies. “I need my car, but I don’t know where Trevor put it.”
“When’s the last time you’ve seen it?”
“In Colorado, when David, the cop, stopped me.”
Larkin smiled. “I love that story.”
Nia tried to smile, but her eyes filled, and a sob broke from her mouth.
The other two hugged her tightly as she cried. “I’ve never had to look for an apartment. How do I do it?”
“Let’s get on the computer in the office.”
Nia wiped her eyes and nodded. “I have to start somewhere.”
“I think we should go and get your stuff today,” Aleena said. “What if he gets mad and tries to keep it or change the code?”
“I never thought of that.” Nia nodded. “How are we going to get there?”
“I’ll call Hicks. He’ll take us there.”
“Will he get in trouble?”
Larkin shook her head. “No.” She jumped up and ran out of the room and was back in a few minutes. “Let’s go. He said he’d meet us out front.”
The three girls snuck out the back of the house and ran around the corner to where the car sat in front, and they all piled in.
“Where to, girls?”
Nia gave him the address and sat back between the two. She blinked away more tears as they both grabbed a hand and held it all the way to Travis’s.
“Hicks, can you stay out here. We’re just going to go get some of her things.”
Hicks’s eyebrows rose. “Does Mr. Marsh know what you’re doing?”
“No, but I promise I’ll tell him tonight.”
Hicks didn’t look convinced but nodded. “I’ll wait right here.”
Larkin hugged him and then followed Nia and Aleena into the building. “We’ll be fast.”
“Hello, Ms. Langley.”
Nia tried to smile. “Hello, Sam.”
“Is there anything I can do for you?”
“No, thank you. How’s your head?”
“It’s just fine, miss. I’ve got knocked in the head harder than that before.”
Nia tried to smile. “I want to tell you again how sorry I am.”
Sam looked shocked. “It’s not your fault.”
“He was my brother, and if he hadn’t followed me here, then you wouldn’t have been hurt, and Tra … Mr. Forrester wouldn’t have had his home wrecked.”
“I know for a fact Mr. Forrester doesn’t blame you.”
Nia looked down. “I didn’t think he did either.”
“Nia, come on,” Larkin said impatiently.
“Thank you, Sam.”
Within three minutes, Elder, Darian’s butler, Hicks, his driver, and Sam, the doorman, had called up the men. The girls were oblivious and continued to pack her things in garbage bags and her luggage.
“Leave all of that, Larkin.”
“Why?”
“Because he bought me all of those outfits, and I don’t feel right taking them.”
Larkin opened her mouth, but Aleena shook her head.
“Let’s just get this done,” Nia said.
Chapter Nineteen
“So, you’re just going to leave me without talking to me first?”
All three girls screamed and whirled to face the bedroom door where Travis leaned against the doorjamb with his arms crossed.
Nia’s first thought was he looked haggard like he hadn't slept.
She cleared her voice. “I thought it best to make a clean break.”
One of his eyebrows rose.
“I’m serious, dad … Travis. I’ve put you through enough turmoil. I thought you’d feel relieved.”
“Relieved? Where the fuck did you get an idea that I wanted you gone?”
Travis held up his hand when she opened her mouth. “Hold it.” He turned to the other two girls. “Girls, your daddies are waiting for you in the living room. I suggest you hightail it to them.”
Both girls looked at Nia. As much as she needed them at that moment, she knew she couldn’t take them away from the families they’d built with their daddies.
She hugged them. “Thank you so much.”
Aleena sniffed. “I want you to call when you’re done here. I’ll come back and get you.”
“She won’t be going anywhere, ladies.”
Nia sighed. “I’ll call you.”
Aleena and Larkin turned and moved cautiously around Travis when he stepped into the room.
Nia heard several voices and then nothing. She turned back to packing.
“You might want to stop right now, baby. You’re not going anywhere.”
She straightened and turned to face him. “I heard you.”
Travis’s brows puckered. “Heard me?”
“You and Madelyn. I stopped by the building yesterday. You were both in your office.” She paused and wiped the tears that ran down her face. “You told her how if you’d known she wanted you, you would have never brought me home. You talked about if it weren’t for me, your apartment wouldn’t have been destroyed.”
“I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
She shrugged and looked down. “It doesn’t matter. I was going to find out anyway.” She brought the cloth she was holding to her face and wept. “I would rather this not be face-to-face.”
She jerked back when he tried to pull her into his arms.
“No!” She lifted her hand out to keep him away.
****
Travis stared at her. He was saddened that he’d hurt the person he loved more than his life. He could see she was devastated and hoped she would be able to hear what he had to say.
She tried to go for her bags again.
“Wait. Can you give me a chance to explain? It wasn’t what it looked like.”
She tried to laugh. “I think they all say that, but I’m not an idiot.” She started crying again. “Or maybe I am. I started to believe someone like you would want me forever.”
“I do, dammit.”
She shook her head.
“I was setting her up,” he barked.
Nia wiped her eyes and looked up at him.
“The email you sent when Russ was here, she deleted it before I could see it.”
“Why?”
“She has wanted me since she started.”
“I knew that,” Nia told him. “I was going to talk to you about it, but I got distracted.”
“She also heard me talking on the phone about Russ. I found out from Russ’s friends she looked for him in the SUV they were driving and told them how to get in here.”
She sucked in a breath. “Where is she now?”
“Jail.”
Her eyes widened. “Jail?”
“Yes, sweetheart. That’s where criminals go.”
Nia plopped down on the mattress and stared down at the cloth in her hands. “I don’t know what to say.”
Travis crouched next to her and tilted her chin up with a finger. “I understand why you ran. I don’t like it, but I get it. It had to be painful to hear that conversation.”
The tears started again. “It felt like my heart and stomach were tearing apart.”
He scooped her up into his arms, sat on the bed with her on his lap, and hugged her to his chest. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
“I’m sorry, too, daddy.” She peeked up at him. “Do you want me to go now?”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You’re never going anywhere, baby.”
“But I can tell you’re mad at me.”
“I’m not mad. I am a little disappointed that you didn’t trust me enough, but I get it. We haven’t been together all that long, and the conversation you overheard was pretty harsh.”
He pushed the clothes and bags off the bed and laid her down. Then he lay beside her and cupped her cheek. “I’m sorry you were hurt.”
She reached out and cupped his cheek. “I’m
sorry you were, too.”
He bent and pressed a kiss to her lips. Like every other time, their passion quickly grew out of control.
“I need to be in you,” he said gruffly against her neck.
“I need that, too, daddy.”
He stripped them both, pushed her legs open, and slammed into her, making them both groan. He set his forehead against hers.
“You’re never getting away from me, baby. You’re my life, and my obsession, and I can’t live without you.”
“I love you, daddy.”
He smiled gently and used his thumb to wipe a tear from her cheek. “I love you, too.” He pressed another kiss to her lips and started to move in and out of her.
“Please, daddy. Harder.”
He slid an arm under her hips to tilt her in a way that would enable him to go deeper at the same time he cupped the back of her head.
“Don’t close your eyes,” he said with a growl. He pounded into her for a few long minutes, knowing he wouldn’t last much longer. “Baby, I want you to come.”
She immediately stiffened, bowed off the mattress, and screamed.
His groan mixed with hers, filling the room with the song of their passion.
He balanced himself on his elbows as he tried to level out his breathing and gain the strength needed to move to her side.
She sighed when he pulled out of her and then wrapped her in his arms. He pulled up the blanket to cover them.
“We’ll rest for a bit. I just need to hold you.”
She kissed his chest. “I need it, too, daddy.”
He listened to her breathing even out and then closed his eyes. He assumed she got little to no sleep like he did the night before. He was exhausted, but she was back where she belonged.
His life was back on track. As long as he had her, he didn’t need anything else.
Chapter Twenty
“Daddy, can I call Aleena?”
“Yeah, baby. I’ll be in the kitchen.”
Nia kissed him, then walked into his office, sat down on Travis’s chair behind the desk, and dialed Aleena’s number.
“Spencer residence.”
“Oh, hi. Can I speak to Aleena, please?”
“Of course, miss. May I say who’s calling?”
“Nia.”
“Please hold.”
She didn’t have to wait long.