Page 103 of Losing Faith

Her brows furrow as she studies me. “Why are you asking me that?”

“Because you’re throwing me in for a loop with the mixed signals, Lisette. First, you let me believe you don’t want her in your life, then you tell me youdowant her only to literally turn around and say she doesn’t need a second mom.”

“Because she doesn’tneedone.”

I throw my hands up in defeat. “I don’t get you.”

“Idowant her in my life. Every damn day if you’ll let me, but she should believe she’s enough without anyone more than you,” she tells me sternly. “Either way,” she shrugs now, her eyes falling. “I’ll ruin your kid.”

My brows furrow as my gaze meets her worried one and it finally hits me.She’s scared.“You must not know me if you think I’ll let that happen.”

Her head falls as she takes a step away, but I pull her closer and harder than I meant, causing her to crash into me. Steadying an arm around her waist, I quickly catch her.

When she looks back up at me, her eyes are on my lips but I grab her chin and force her to look at me. “I’m not going to let you hurt her,ever. You need to accept that maybe youaren’tgoing to end up like your parents,” I tell her, remembering the jokes she’s made about having mommy issues.

Her eyes narrow, a hint of annoyance in them. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” She pulls her face out of my grasp defensively.

I open my mouth to mend my words but she doesn’t let me get a word in.

“You said we don’t have to figure it out right now, so just drop it because I don’t see this working out for awhile.”

I let her go and it physically hurts my chest watching her walk away.

Chapter Thirty-One

Lisette

Mybrainscreamsatmeto turn around. To run back outside and tell him he’s right. Iamafraid of becoming the epitome of the woman I hate. I’m terrified I’m not strong enough to break the generational curse.

I don’t turn around, though. Instead, my feet keep me marching forward, the fear of damaging his daughter is too big to overcome.

When I walk into the kitchen, Isabelle is sitting on the island, her wet curly hair falling around her face. She changed into a princess dress I’m certain is a pajama gown and she looks so damn precious.

“What took so long?” She pushes her hair out of her face as she cracks an egg into the bowl.

I don’t answer her and instead take the hair tie from my wrist and tie her hair in a high loose bun. I kiss her cheek, purely instinctively, but I freeze as I recall what I just told her dad, and knowing I can’t have them hurts.

“What do we have so far?” I muster up a smile. I adjust the towel around my chest as I look into the mixing bowl.

“One and a half cups of flour, two eggs, and half a tablespoon of salt.”

My brows furrow as I look at her printed recipe sheet beside the bowl, the pictures making it easy for her to follow with help. “You meanteaspoon, right?”

She glances over at me before slapping a hand to her forehead. “Shit.”

My jaw drops before I erupt with a laugh. “Do not say that,” I warn in a hushed tone. “Your dad will losehis shit.”

She shakes her head as she pushes the bowl away gently and slouches in her seat. “It’s ruined now.” She pouts. “That was all the flour we had left.”

She looks around the kitchen filled with flour. “Can we use some of this?” She scoops up some flour from the counter, but I stop her.

“I don’t think so.” I see her eyes prickling with tears and roll my eyes at how dramatic she’s being. “We can buy more flour, Belle.” I bite back a laugh but go still at the sound of footsteps behind me.

I don’t dare turn around and instead keep my eyes on Isabelle as she turns to her dad, tears threatening to spill from her gray eyes.

“What happened?” Jackson’s tone takes on a sudden gruff protectiveness as he strides into the kitchen.

I force my eyes to stay trained on his kid as he brushes past me. In my peripheral, I notice a towel wrapped around his waist but not a trace of anything else.

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