Page 54 of Claiming What's Mine

The damn smile on his face sent a rush of warmth through my belly and down through my thighs. My stomach fluttered as my body revisited the way it felt with him inside me.

Everything around me went silent, I couldn't hear the music in the speakers, I couldn't hear any other voices, all I could hear was my heart beating inside my chest like a drum.

Say yes! Say yes!

Screw him! Where has he been all these years?

The little angel and devil on my shoulders were both taunting me to make a choice. There were so many reasons for me to say no. He was the past, that was where he needed to stay. I had a new life, one I carved without him in it.

But there were so many reasons to say yes. Jayden was the only man I could say I loved, he was the only one to make me truly feel like I could take on the world and win. He was constantly in my head, and always in my dreams.

He left and never came back until now.

I wasn't wrong to think that. For years I thought he'd come back for me even though I was the one who ended it. He never did, and each year that passed, the more I tried to convince myself that he wasn't who I thought he was.

What if I was wrong?

Don't, you know better.

“I'm sorry, I wish I could, but—”

“But you're married?”

“What?No, no, I'm not married. That's not it all.”

Bliss rested back against the wall of shelves, keeping her eyes down on another package as she spoke. “She's divorced.”

“Bliss,” I snapped, giving her an angry look.

“What?” Shrugging her shoulder, she took a brief pause to look up at me. “It's true.”

Jayden smiled, tipping his head towards my daughter. “I like her, she's not afraid to speak the truth. Reminds me of her mother.”

Rolling my eyes, I had to agree. “Yeah, a little too much.”

“That's not a bad thing, Blue.”

Laughing out loud, Bliss cocked her head.“Blue?”she cut in, her face contorted and twisted. “Why did he call you Blue?”

“Your mother doesn't go by that anymore?” Jayden glanced between us, letting his eyes settle on mine. “I thought that would be your nickname forever?”

Not giving me time to answer, my daughter spoke. “Betty, that's what everyone calls her.” Bliss flicked her eyes back to me as she asked, “Where does Blue come from? That's a weird nickname.”

Shaking my head, I raked my fingers through my hair and shut my eyes for a second. “It's nothing really, just a dumb name people used to call me when I was a kid.” Giving her a head nod, I started walking forward. “Dinner sounds good,” I said as I stepped past him and looked over my shoulder, making sure Bliss wasn't far behind.

“Wait,” he called out, “I don't have your number.”

“Don't worry, I'm not hard to find.” Giving him a smile, I faced forward and kept moving.

“What does that mean?” he yelled across the store.

“You're a smart guy, Jay, if you want to find me, you'll know where to look.”

A flutter hit my chest, making my heart skip a beat. Dinner with Jayden Henry, I would never have thought in a million years I'd agree to that.

I swore I'd never waste another breath on him. Yes, I had pushed him away, but I did it because I had to. I didn't want to, but my father didn't give me a choice.

He had to know that, there was no way he couldn't. Jayden knew how my father was, he wasn't ignorant to the fact my father held all of the control. I just never thought he'd give up on us so easily.

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