Page 86 of Claiming What's Mine

“Blue went home, we kind of got into a fight.”

“Ah, okay,” Beth said, her voice soft and understanding. “She told you finally, that's good.”

“Wait—” Rocking my jaw back and forth, I glared at Beth. “You knew?”

“Everyone knew, Jay, the whole damn town knew for Christ sakes.” Hopping down, she opened the fridge and leaned inside, her voice echoing off the empty box. “I'm just glad she finally told you.” Shutting the door, she opened a bottle of water and took a sip.

Are you fucking serious? Everyone knew about this?

Everyone?

I didn't want to believe her. But I could see it in her face and hear it in her voice, this wasn't a shock to her.

“How long have you known?”

“I don't know, awhile I guess. People talk around here, something like that isn't going to stay quiet. But now you know, and that's a good thing.” Taking another gulp of her water, she flashed her brows.

How can she act like it's not a big deal?

How can she seem so relaxed about it?

“You knew this, and you never said anything to me?” Grinding my teeth down, I clenched my fists. “Why? Why would you do that?”

“Jay, I'm sorry, but it wasn't my place.”

“Not your place?” Shooting up from my seat, I slammed my fist down. “You're my sister! What do you mean not your place? How could you keep this from me?” My voice was harsh and cold. “After everything we've been through, after everything we grew up with, you think it's not your place to tell me I have fucking child?”

“Calm down, Jay,” she snapped, holding up her hands, palms facing out. “What was I supposed to do? It started out as rumors, I was just a kid when they started going around. And you were already gone, doing whatever the hell you were doing. What was I supposed to say? Oh and by the way, everyone is saying Blue's having your baby?”

“Yes, that's exactly what you should have said. Fuck, Beth, I had a child and not one person had the balls to tell me? I mean fuck, what the hell did I do to be treated like such shit?”

Beth's eyes started to water, and I couldn't help but see her as that little girl I took care of and protected. This wasn't her fault, and she wasn't responsible for what Blue failed to tell me.

My sister wasn't responsible for anyone else and their actions, but the feelings of betrayal were there. This wasn't just a secret, this was a life changing event that affected more than just Blue and her family.

My sister had her face buried in her hands as she cried. Stepping to her, I pulled her in and hugged her. “Beth, I'm sorry for yelling at you, I am, it just hurts me that no one told me I had a daughter. I mean that's a big thing, it's not like someone stole my bike and everyone knew but me. This is bigger than anything else in my life. I have a child, a daughter, my own flesh and blood. I guess I just expected I was worth knowing it like everyone else seemed to.”

Through falling tears and heavy breaths, my sister tried to speak. “I—I'm, I'm sorry.” Her words were choppy and raspy she gasped for air. “I'm so sor—sorry, Jayden.”

Rubbing her back, I pulled her away from my chest and tried to look in her eyes. “Hey, this affects you too you know.”

Sniffling, Beth lifted her face to peer up at me. “Me? How does this affect me? This has nothing to do with me.”

“Bliss is my daughter, Beth, which makes you her aunt.” Flashing a little smile, I wriggled her shoulder. “She's your niece.”

“Oh my God, she is.” Wiping her nose on the back of her hand, I watched her then run her hand across the bottom of my shirt, rubbing off her nose junk.

“Seriously? Did you—”

“I'm an aunt now, Jay, let's not focus on the stuff that doesn't matter.” Her lips formed a small smile as she moved to the counter and grabbed a paper towel. “So what now?” Blowing her nose, she kept her eyes on mine through the folds in the paper towel.

With a smirk on my face, I pulled out the trim of my shirt and looked it over, dusting off her snot streak. The answer was simple, I didn't even have to think about it.

I could spend days, weeks, even months being pissed off about this. I could let the hate and anger eat me up from the inside out, and control my every move.

There was no way I was going to do any of that, because I wasn't going waste one more second away from my daughter. I had ten years to catch up on, but first I was going to have a few words with her father.

He couldn't do anything to me now, he didn't have the power to keep us apart or control her life. That man was done making choices for Blue, he was done working her like a puppet with strings.

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