Page 76 of Secret Baby Daddies
“I never gave up on her, even after I gave up on the possibility ofus. I didn’t try to hurt her in the divorce. To my lawyer’s dismay I gave your mother half of everything. I put it in a trust she could only access once she could prove she was sober, though, because I knew giving her access to that much money would kill her.” Dad stood and handed me the papers. “Let me help you up.”
Once I was back on the porch, I collapsed into his arms and sobbed. Everything was so fucking horrible. I felt like a bruised husk of a person.
He held me and spoke into the top of my head.
“I failed you so many times, Harley. I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve a chance at a relationship with you. I know that. I can’t help asking for one anyway. I’m sorry for everything, Harley. Forgive me. Please.”
I forced myself to stand up and move away from him.
“I can’t just…forget. I need time. I need…god, I don’t know what I need.”
“I understand. I’ll be here if, and hopefully, when you’re ready.” He stood and did his best to put himself back together. “Your fellas…can’t say I like the idea of the three of them with mychild but I don’t get a vote. I understand that. But they’re not so bad. They canceled all their business with me, Harley. They did do one last thing for me, though.”
“What?”
“When I showed up and begged for help finding you, they told me where to come.”
It was one last parting blow from my dad but he didn’t realize it. They’d known where I was and hadn’t come for me.
CHAPTER 52
Harley
Reagan stood at the fence and stared at me until I couldn’t ignore her anymore. When I finally patted Tank’s butt to let him know I was done brushing him she cheered.
“I knew I’d break you eventually.”
I sighed. She couldn’t break someone who’d already been left in microscopic pieces.
“What is it?”
“I was just wondering why you’re still here.” Her smile faded as she grew serious. “You don’t need to be here, doing physical labor for twelve hours a day. You need to go back to your men and let them comfort you.”
“They know where I am, Rea. Do you see them? No. No, you don’t. Because they’re done with me. There’s nothing to go back to.”
She let out a loud groan.
“Oh, my god. Was I this dramatic when I was pregnant? Jeez, Harley. You’re killing me. You’ve been too chicken to look through all their messages and listen to the voicemails but let me tell you something. They love you. They want you back. They haven’t given up on you. They stepped back to let you come to them, to giveyouthe control. If they’d swooped in here and dragged you back with them, you would’ve accused them of using their power and wealth to control you. But since they went against their own needs to let you have the power, you’re hurt because they didn’t do just that? There’s no winning for them with you. But, you know what? Even in their silence, they’re fighting for you and you’re just…rolling over and letting it die. Shame on you. You’re causing your own misery at this point.”
I gaped at her, arms clutched around my middle as her words hit like fucking bullets.
“I love you. You know I’d do anything in the world for you, Harley. I won’t help you ruin something that could be beautiful, though. You have to leave.” She started to turn but stopped. “I’ll give you two more days to figure it out.”
I watched her go with my heart in my throat. She’d never been harsh with me before. Under the sting from her frustration, though, was a deep ache and longing that she was right. Was it possible they were just waiting on me to come home?
Tate walked out of the barn, eyebrows raised as he looked at me. It was clear he’d heard Reagan when he smiled and shook his head.
“Damn. We get a lot less of Reagan’s angry love these days so I kept my ass in the barn when I heard her tone. You good?”
He had received a lot of her angry love in the beginning of their relationship. Same as West and Mills, her other men. I’d been all for her tellingthemoff. It wasn’t so nice when it was pointed at me.
I sagged against the fence.
“I don’t know.”
He walked closer, slapping his own heavy work gloves against his thigh.
“You want an unsolicited opinion from a stupid guy who almost lost his woman not too long ago?”
