Page 24 of Hollywood Fairytale

A triumphant smile spread across his face and all I wanted to do in that moment was smack it right off. Instead, I put my hands in my jean pockets and rocked back on my heels.

“First off the house is paid for so nothing is ever going to happen to it and second, Luke isn’t going anywhere.”

“What makes you so sure? All it would take is one little call to the right office stating that he’s threatened Mason or more, and he’ll be out of the country lickety split. Visa revoked.” His smile grew into an ugly menacing grin.

“Are you threatening me?” I asked, my jaw clinched.

“Me? I would never.” Decker stated innocently.

The fuck he wouldn’t.

“I think with all that money you seem to have come into there’s no need for me to give you my hard-earned income every month. Now that you’ve got your sugar daddy, why should I have to pay child support for a kid I rarely see anyway?”

If it was possible, I was sure that smoke would’ve come out of my ears. It was Decker’s decision not to see Mason. He was the one who always unloaded our son on his parent’s or had them pick him up. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t the one who made him pay me child support every month - it was the state. If he wanted to stop paying that was fine by me, because maybe then he’d get his ass thrown in jail and if I was lucky I’d be awarded full custody.

Having full custody had been a dream since the moment the judge gave Decker any rights to Mason. If only they would have listened to what Mason wanted or how Decker had treated him all of his life, then maybe it would have gone my way, but the judge wouldn’t hear a word saying that Mason was too young and didn’t know what he wanted. That it was possible I’d been coaching him to say negative things about his father. I didn’t need to coach Mason for him to say how Decker had neglected him all his young life.

“Cat got your tongue? I can see that you know I’m right. One day not too long from now, when everything crumbles around you, you’ll wish you never left me. Mark my words.”

There was nothing else I could do but gape at him. How was he so delusional? There was no way in hell I’d ever go back to him. Even if Luke broke up with me tomorrow leaving me broken hearted, I’d rather die than be with him again.

“Now you really should go pick up Mason. It’s getting late and I’m sure my parents will need their rest after having Mason all weekend long. I know he wears the shit out of me when I have to spend any time with him.”

With that he turned and slammed the door in my face.

What the fucking hell had just happened?

Did he really believe all the shit he spouted?

Fuck him and fuck that.

Not in a million years.

12

Luke

Alex was hunchedover her MacBook, her smiling face greeting me as she answered our nightly FaceTime call.

“Hello, beautiful. How are you today?”

Placing her hands on her chest, Alex’s eyes tried to focus on me, taking a little too long. “Have you been drinking?”

“What else am I supposed to do? Mason is at his dad’s and you're all the way in California. I'm all alone.” Her lower lip stuck out in a pout looking cuter than ever.

“If I could, I'd be there with you. I’d hold you, kiss you, and make love to you.”

Closing her eyes, she smiled probably imagining all the things I’d just told her. “I know you would. Only one more week to go until I get to see your handsome face in person.” She bit her bottom lip as if she had something else to say but was unsure. Uncertainty won out as she kept quiet and watched me get comfortable on my new couch.

During the little down time I had between shooting, sleeping, and working out, I'd been trying to finish furnishing the house I’d bought before Alex and Mason arrived. I wanted it to feel like a real home not just a pit stop for when they were here.

“Are you excited for Leo to be there in a couple of days?” She asked before taking a sip of her drink. Her glassy eyes focused back to me and smiled again.

A smile grew on my face. I missed my family so damn much and Face Timing with them wasn’t nearly enough after not seeing any of them in over a year. Like it wasn’t enough with Alex.

“Your smile says it all.” She grinned back making me long to kiss her. “I can’t wait to meet Leo. Even though I’ve only talked to him a few times I already love him.”

“He loves you too.” Boy did he ever. Never had my brother liked any of the women I’d dated before. Not even in high school, but Leo asked about her every time we talked.

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