When the Heart Lies - By Christina North Page 0,53
and dropped down wetting her shirt, the kind she could keep silent, but couldn’t keep from flowing.
She took him into her arms and held him. “I’m going to make sure you’re with daddy soon. Okay? It might take a little time because Daddy works hard to take care of the princess and the prince, and sometimes he has to go away for work. You remember, don’t you?”
“What about Poppy? I miss him, too.” Her heart broke. She hadn’t considered nearly enough the effect of his being away from both Xavier and Nick. She’d been so selfish.
“You’ll be with Poppy, too.” They picked up the castle. She set him up at the table to color, went into the bathroom, and cried until there were no more tears while she stared at the stranger in the mirror. Seeing the effect her decisions had on Max made facing herself difficult.
When she cried all the tears she had in her, they took their daily nap. She didn’t fall asleep for a long time, letting her thoughts wander. She’d had to endure Nick’s affairs and drinking, but he’d never treated her like Wayde had. Nick, in most ways, treated her well. He even tried to keep his infidelities hush-hush. Maybe Angela was right; she should’ve looked the other way. Surely, being back with Nick would be better than this.
Shortly after falling asleep, she startled awake when Wayde came through the bedroom door like a rocket and just as loud.
“Git your ass out of bed if you want to go down to the café. I got things I gotta do in town.”
Max stirred, but continued to sleep with the depth only a child is capable of. She pulled herself from the bed, and let him snooze until she was ready to go. She was too tired to argue with Wayde anymore about the way he treated her. Besides, arguing wouldn’t do any good, so why bother? There was no more paid writing to do, but she wouldn’t tell him. She’d just work on her new book.
“Veda’s been bugging to talk to you. Use your skills and write a God damn note telling her you’re busy, you’ll get with her soon. I’ll give her the note when I take Max.”
“Why don’t I tell her myself?”
“Because you’re busy, and I got things to do.”
“Yeah, I’m so busy. I’ve never been so bored.”
He took her by surprise and pushed her hard against the kitchen sink. Her back bent in an unnatural way. Fat nicotine stained fingers grabbed her jaw roughly, and he pulled her face to his. Rank breath permeated her nostrils from the force of his words. “I’ll take care of that boredom tonight.” He pushed his lips cruelly against hers.
She turned her head sharply, and her chin slipped from his grasp. Tears threatened, but she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction. She blinked and held in the breath that would otherwise expel words she was sure to regret.
“I always thought you liked things a little rough, darlin’.” The pressure he held her with lessened, and he smiled.
She slipped from beneath him and went to get Max ready to go. No one ever treated her that way before. Nick was a dream comparatively. The booze and the women? As much as those things hurt her, she felt sorry for him. Nick was like a baby in a man’s body. He needed love and care almost the same way a child did.
Once she left the room, Wayde grabbed a cigarette and walked outside. He kicked the truck tire, opened his cell, and dialed. “Yeah, it’s me. Of course I’m alone. We need to decide what we’re doing here. I can’t keep her away from phones, internet, and people forever. I got her scared enough not to push things, but I had to threaten her good. What the hell did she do to get under your skin? Shit, when she’s treated right, she don’t act half bad. I want more money. I didn’t agree to all this for a measly fifty thousand. What do you mean we’ll talk about money later? I said I want more money. If I can’t have you, you’re gonna pay. This is more than you let on. Damn you!”
The phone went dead. He leaned against the dirty truck and pulled a picture from his wallet. As he studied the photo, tears rolled down his face. He snorted several times, wiped his snotty nose onto the shoulder of his T-shirt, then tucked the picture back