Her Marine Next Door - Aliyah Burke Page 0,67

arms. She headed straight for the bathroom and got him stripped and wrapped in a dry, thick towel. His blue gaze latched onto her, and he wasn’t releasing her.

“We have to leave Murray here for a bit with your wet clothes.”

Tears still fell from his eyes, and he shivered. “Stay with Mama.”

“Yes, you’re here with me tonight.”

Setting Murray in the sink, she took Cullen to her room, where she stood him on the bed.

He looked so lost and frightened her heart broke all over again. Mute, he tracked her with his gaze as she rooted for an older sweatshirt and swapped it for the towel.

“Better?”

“Hold Mama.”

No way in hell she refused that. The soft scent of his green apple conditioner filled her with a familiar longing she always had holding this boy. Kissing his damp head, she held him as she put his wet clothing and the bear in the dryer. He even felt like Brennen in her arms. They both had slight builds but could, and did, curl up to her so close. Their innocence and trust in her to keep them safe killed her.

Especially since she failed. And since Cullen had to come find her, it wasn’t just once she’d failed with Brennen, but twice, with Cullen.

Thunder boomed, shaking the house, and he whimpered, burying closer. She rubbed his back and sat on the couch, covering them in a blanket.

She hummed along with her music as she held him until he fell asleep. Once she was sure he was out, she got up and went to Parker’s house.

After no answer from her ringing the doorbell, she went into the backyard and entered the house, soaking wet, through the open sliding glass door. Lights were on, and her lip curled over the condition of the house.

Maybe this is why Parker stopped trying to talk to me, because he isn’t home. He’d never allow his house to get to this condition.

Gemma lay sprawled on the couch, and after calling her name twice, she approached. There’d been no response at all.

Drunk, high, or dead. Skylar checked for a pulse and after she found one, left a hastily scribbled note and retreated through the storm to her house and Cullen.

She’d allow herself tonight. Try to convince herself she could continue to live here and see Cullen with his father day after day, knowing she wasn’t going to be in either of their lives.

The tears fell, and she didn’t even wipe them away.

Cullen woke about six and she got him bathed, dressed, and fed. The storm had passed in the wee hours of predawn.

“Come on, Cullen. I have to get you home.”

“Stay with Mama.”

She wished. Holding out her hand, she waited for him to follow the silent order. He took it, and they went out the front door. Anger grew with each step she took, and everything within her rebelled at the fact that she had to leave him here. This woman was an unfit mother.

She knocked and narrowed her eyes when she didn’t answer. Skylar pressed the doorbell and waited, praying for calmness.

Cullen released her hand as the door was yanked open. Skylar raked her gaze over the woman sneering at her.

“What do you want?”

So many things dangled on the tip of her tongue, but she did her best to rein it in. “I brought your son home.” The words were forced out between clenched teeth.

Her expression went from disgust to hurt and, dare she say it, flirtatiousness.

“What’s going on here?”

That explained it. Parker’s deep timbre rolled over her and she locked her knees. Hands off—he’s not yours anymore. Not that he ever had been, but it had been so nice to pretend.

Gemma sniffed. “She is trying to tell me how to raise our son. He’s my son, not hers. Hell, she doesn’t even have a kid.” She all but yanked Cullen from Parker, who’d just picked him up, and held him as if he actually meant something to her. “Is she his mother?”

“No,” Parker said. “She’s not his mother.” He cut his gaze to her, exhaustion, anger, and pain in his blue-green eyes.

Those five words broke her. Even more so than Gemma’s statement.

She turned and walked away without a look back and went inside her house to face her day. Instead of doing any work, she made sure Alpin was taken care of, then headed to her bed and cried.

Late afternoon, she discovered Murray on the couch. She had no desire to go back over there, but her love for Cullen