for it was as if his voice echoed through the room.
“Get out.” The statement was low and harsh.
He crossed his arms and waited for her to come out of the closet and face him.
Seconds later, she stood there, her natural curls drawn up on her head and held in place by a bright multihued cloth. The curls peeking up from the top instantly drew his focus. He loved playing with her hair.
“Get. Out.”
“I came here to talk to you about something.”
She narrowed her eyes. “So get the fuck out of my house and use the doorbell like any person wanting inside someone’s house.”
He pulled the note from his pocket. “I’d tried that many times before I went to base and you wouldn’t open the fucking door. What the hell happened last night?”
“What did she tell you?” Skylar lifted her chin and waited.
He didn’t miss the slight tremble of her hands as she stood there. Not from fear. Knowing his woman as he did, it was anger.
“That you were lying. That you’d brought Cullen back over this morning because he sneaked through the fence again.”
“Right. Because as little as you know me, even though I uprooted everything in my life to pretend to be your fiancée, you take the word of the woman who you probably shared ten words with before you were dick-deep in her. But hey, she gave you a child and as you both so aptly pointed out, I’m not Cullen’s mother.”
Not going how he wanted. “Look—”
“No. Fuck you, Parker Jax. Fuck. You.” She dropped the clothes in her hand and took three steps toward him. “I told you at the hospital it was over. Foolish me, I thought you were man enough to accept that. I avoided you best I could, stayed out of your way. Last night, I was here, minding my own business at almost two in the morning when I look up and see your son standing in front of my sliding glass door, soaking wet, and scared out of his mind. Why was he here? Because the woman who knows so much more about mothering than I do, because I don’t have a child”—her voice broke on that—“was passed out on your couch, bottles of beer and liquor nearby. Let’s not forget the pills. I actually had to check for a pulse to make sure she hadn’t overdosed.”
He closed his eyes and tried to ground himself.
“Don’t you shut me out. You don’t fucking get that luxury. Look at me!”
He listened, the pain in her eyes killing him.
“This world isn’t just about you and what you want. So, I’m sorry I didn’t make him go back and sit in his bed crying, because his mother is a fucking lush and you’re dumb enough to believe the show she puts on for you and your parents. I took care of him like I did when you were staying here. I love that boy like he’s my own, but I know he’s not.”
“Skylar—”
“I’m not finished.” Her words were low and vibrated with anger. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re trying to play, but I will no longer be part of it. The snide remarks from her, the underhanded comments from your mother. You chose. You made your decision, now get out of my house and live with it. Time for you to realize life comes with sacrifices.”
“I don’t want her in my life.”
“I don’t care what you want. Our lives no longer have anything to do with each other. I will be polite if we see each other, but lose my number, forget we’re even neighbors. You’re allowing that woman in your life, and I refuse to be a bystander and watch her ruin that sweet boy. From what I saw this morning you’re good with getting pussy wherever it’s offered and I can’t. No, I just can’t.” Her body trembled.
Fuck, his heart was breaking. “I didn’t sleep with her.”
“No.” In that moment, her face lost all expression. No anger, no anything. “We have nothing to say to each other. Get out of my house. We’re done.”
He reached out to her and froze when she flinched as if he’d hit her. He hated that expression on her face.
Christ, he’d fucked up.
“Baby, I’m not done. I don’t want to lose you. I will be back.”
“I won’t be here. I mean it, Parker.”
Thinking she just needed a bit to calm down, he backed out and left her there. He’d be here again in the morning. Right