Page 26 of Stolen Kisses
“Maria, what the hell? Why wouldn’t you open the door?” His eyes blazed. It was like we’d only seen each other yesterday, not years.
“Maybe it was because I didn’t want to let you in.” I retorted.
“Why the hell not?”
Flynn chose that moment to run out of the room and Luc snapped his gaze to him looking him over with scrutiny.
“He’s four.” I stated pointedly. Luc looked back to me and intensified his stare.
Yes, he’d come for Flynn. Obviously. I could bet if it was just me, he saw in the street he wouldn’t have come like this to try and find me. He wouldn’t have wanted to know why I was back, or what was going on with me.
“Four?” He looked like he didn’t believe me.
“He’s four, don’t worry I didn’t come back here to shake up your perfect life. So, you can leave now.”
He actually looked hurt when I said that. “Maria you better not be messing with me, if this child is mine you better tell me now.”
“And, what would happen? You think you could just come here and take him from me?”
Anger contorted his face. “Is he mine?”
“No!” I cried. “I may be the nothing you didn’t think you owed the courtesy of breaking up with, but I wouldn’t have a child and not tell you if he was yours.”
That was it, what was on my chest all these years, but it wasn’t just him who treated me like I was nothing, and that I was just for sex. Right now I wasn’t sure what I was more mad about that or my current situation, because realistically I did need help. Franco would come here eventually and it was people like Luc and Dante that I’d need, but I didn’t want to need them—especially Luc.
“Maria, look … things were different and …” his voice trailed off, because he knew I was right.
“It’s okay, there isn’t anything to say. It’s been five years Luc, plenty of time to say whatever you wanted to say. Add that to the fact that we weren’t actually together and you’re good. I was just the thing you’d pick up when you got bored so what did I expect?” It was all true, all of it.
“Maria –”
I shook my head and held up my hand. “Please, just go. Please.”
He looked at me, then at Flynn and then around the place. “If you need me, please come find me.”
“I’m just fine, I don’t need you.” I sighed, taking Flynn’s hand and marched us back into the living room.
A minute later I heard the door open and close as he let himself out.
“Mama who was that?” Flynn asked.
“It’s okay sweetie. He was just … a guy I used to know.” Maybe I should have gone somewhere else. Not Chicago. Running for your life had to be a lot easier without all this unnecessary shit.
It was so much the worse for me when I was turning away all the help.
I sat down on the carpet and Flynn curled up in my arms. Despair and desolation hit me hard, because I’d actually gotten nowhere today.
I rested my head back against the wall as images from the past flooded my mind. It took me right back to the day I’d first met Luc and I foolishly believed that I’d be okay. I’d pushed Dante right out of my mind, because Luc was everything.
Maybe that was the very point in my life where I had gone wrong.
I chose left, when I should have gone right.
Chapter 8
Maria
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