Page 109 of Beyond the Badge: Crew

She clung to that excuse to cover for her own transgressions. “Bullshit. Don’t act like you didn’t know what I did for a living on our first damn date.”

“That was a date?”

He ignored that cut. It had been a great date and the reason they went on a second. And a third… And eventually got engaged, married and decided to have a family. “Unlike you, I never hid who I was or what I did for a living. My family has always come first. And speaking of faithful, have you looked in the mirror lately?”

“That’s a low blow.”

The truth hurt sometimes. “So is trying to keep me from my own children.”

“You made me a widow when you weren’t even dead!”

Wincing from her scream in his ear, he yanked his phone away.

Worse than her screeching was the fact she blamed him for her own fucking cheating. Talk about projection.

He took a deep breath before putting the phone back to his ear. “Sasha, we’ve hashed this over time and time again. It doesn’t change anything, so let’s move on. If we didn’t have the kids, you’d never have to see me again. But we do, so we need to work together.”

“You can sign away your rights.”

Again with this shit? Every time she suggested that, a sharp shard of ice jammed him straight in the heart. “You know I’d never do that. And you keep forgetting that if I sign away my rights, you no longer get child support. You’d be one hundred percent financially responsible for them. Anyway, fuck you for even bringing it up again.”

“Nice way to speak to the mother of your children.”

He loved his children. The woman whose womb carried them, not so much.

Not anymore.

“Then act like their mother and stop the bullshit. I have every right to be in their life. Iwantto be in their life. Why do our discussions have to go down the fucking toilet every damn time? It’s been seven years since we split, and you still aren’t willing to work with me by co-parenting.” He closed his eyes, pinched his nose and pulled in a breath to keep from totally unraveling. If that happened, he might say shit that he could never take back. “I’m done with this conversation. I’ll pick them up Friday afternoon after school, so make sure they have their stuff with them. I’ll text you once I pick them up.”

“They have plans.”

“Yeah, with me.”

“They won’t be happy to be away from their friends.”

“When they have goddamn cell phones, they’re in constant contact with their friends.”

Originally, the cell phones were only supposed to be used in an emergency but now they spent way too much time on social media. And he doubted Sasha monitored their online activity. That was another reoccurring fight he didn’t want to start right now.

“Every goddamn month,” he muttered under his breath. “Every fucking time it’s my turn to have them. You’d think you’d get tired of being a fucking bitch. You know I am.”

“That’s fine. You can call me a bitch, even though I’m only looking out for my children,” she stated.

“They’re my children, too. No matter what you say, no matter what you do, that will never change. Make sure they’re ready for the weekend. Don’t make me have to get the lawyers involved.”

“Nice threat.”

“You’re goddamn right it’s a threat and you know I’ll follow through.” And, unfortunately, it would cost them both, but spending time with his kids was priceless and worth any legal expense incurred.

He would never give up on them no matter how difficult Sasha made it.

If it wouldn’t turn his kids against him more, he’d file for full custody. Then she’d be the parent only getting them one weekend a month during the school year and one week a month during summer break.

It was never enough time.

It was bad enough that the divorce was painful, but not having twenty-four-seven access to his own children made the whole thing worse.

“You’re an asshole.”

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