Never Give Up - Heidi Lis Page 0,66

aunt. Then nothing, so I went on and did my service. I deployed for a short time, and I hated every minute of it. It was someone else’s dream, no longer mine.

I did my time and as soon as I could, I got out. Sure, my father was less than pleased I did not make it my career choice, but I eventually stopped caring what he wanted. He’s not me, and I am not him. Enough had been enough.

In all that time, I stopped using my damn name. I couldn’t stand for any female to call me Micah, it felt like a betrayal. That was how messed up I was. A buddy of mine, Marcus, started calling me Ace and it stuck. The endless girls calling me Ace was easier to live with. I screwed every girl I could, to try to erase her from my mind, but it never worked. I even had to close my eyes, dreaming of being inside the sweet little body that belonged to my pretty girl. Finally realizing no girl felt good anymore, I gave it all up. Cut out screwing easy girls, and just lived my life day to day. Maybe one day, I’d move on.

The day I finally got to come home it was like I’d hit the damn lottery. Five God damn long years had passed. Driving down our street, my first stop was her house. Overly excited at the chance of being this close to her again, I damn near couldn’t contain myself. Her parents could at least tell me where to find her. I couldn’t wipe the damn smile off my face the whole time running up to her front door. Her menacing looking father though was less than happy when he realized it was me at the door. Seemed leaving his daughter with little to no explanation was not a wise move on my part.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing here, boy?” His voice was filled with contempt.

“Um…would Elsa happen to live here still?” I asked cautiously.

His snicker came across more like a sneer. “Got some balls to come here.”

Okay, needing to step back. “Um…Sir, I just want to see Elsa. Just got home from the Air Force, and I really need to see her.” I say holding my hands up, hell I’d pray if I thought that would help.

Appearing taller, he grimaces. “No.You.Don’t. If you cared for my daughter at all, you would forget all about her. She doesn’t ever need to see you again. She’s moved on, so should you.”

The door then slammed in my face.

In utter shock, I was at a loss for words.

“SHIT.DAMN.FUCK.” I shout at my brother.

“Listen dumbass, I told you to calm the hell down earlier. But, NO, you just went on and on. Give her time, Micah.” Matt said, raising his voice. The way he keeps moving his head from side to side, I can tell he’s tense and worried. He’s been making sure to let me know he was less than pleased with my rants from earlier. He told me he understood, but just the same, it wasn’t my most shinning moment.

We’ve spent hours looking for her, all the while he’s been preaching to me. All I seemed to do was screw this whole situation up. Finding out you are a father to a child you never knew about is a totally blow your mind kind of moment. At first I was so disgusted, thinking Elsa had an abortion, but I should have known she’d never do such a thing. Adoption though? Someone has my kid. Someone is raising my son… and it pisses me off. He should be my responsibility.

“Micah,” my brother interrupts my thoughts. “Did you once put yourself in her shoes, man? Christ, did you see her parents? Hell, she had to live with THAT shit for years. Can you imagine what she had to deal with… all alone.” Matt’s on a roll, slamming his hand on the dash of my newly detailed Camaro. Yes, my other baby is my Cherry Red Camaro…call her El. Yeah, I know…I had my pretty girl, so my car goes by El.

“Matt,” I grumble and moan. “I was way too mad to think about being rational. All I could think was I have a kid. A kid I never knew existed. Mom and Dad or even you never had a chance to raise the baby while I was gone. Hell, I would have stayed. I would have been back