Page 112 of Wed to You

“I love you, and your mom loves you. We have to share because we both love you. I don’t want you to ever think I don’t want you with me, because I do.”

“Jonny Lee’s parents live in two different homes.”

“Yes, it’s like that.”

“I’ve never been to her house. What if I don’t have a bed? What about my toys?” Tears filled Kaden’s eyes. Jagger’s stung with them as well.

“I’m sure you’ll have your own room. You can have toys for her house and my house. Or you can take some of the toys you have there.”

“I don’t want to go.”

Jagger blew out a breath. He stood and walked to Kaden’s side of the table, squatting down next to him. “It will be okay. No matter what, I’m always going to love you and be there for you. Okay?”

Kaden nodded, but his tears continued to flow.

“We’ll be okay, Kaden.” He hugged the boy, not caring when the ice cream cone fell down his back. He offered to buy Kaden another one, but he’d withdrawn. Jagger felt the same and tossed his ice cream into the trash.

“We’re going home now.”

“Your house?” Kaden looked up, panic etching his tiny features.

“Yes. Tonight you’re with me.”

He strapped Kaden into his booster seat and then headed home.

When they walked in the door, he told Kaden to bring his backpack upstairs. Kaden was barely on the first step when Chelsea, Grayson, Miss Z, and Mrs. Stanton rushed into the foyer.

“Oh, thank God.” Chelsea launched herself at him, but he took her arms and pushed her away.

“Don’t.” Jagger heard Mitch walk in the door behind him. He turned his wrath on him. The anger he’d hidden from Kaden burst through. “I’m home. You don’t need to babysit me anymore.”

Mitch stood near the door, like a guard.

“Jagger. You did the right thing—”

He whirled back on Chelsea. “You betrayed me. I was ready to give you everything. All of me, and you betrayed me.”

She retreated from him, fear shining in her eyes. He wouldn’t hurt her. The fact that she seemed to think he would reminded him what he fool he was to think she might love him.

Then she pulled in a deep breath and stepped toward him again. “I know what I did, but I did it because I love you. Because I couldn’t let you ruin your life or Kaden’s.”

“No. You were supposed to support me. Help me.”

“I did.”

He might have admired her strength, but he couldn’t get past her betrayal.

“You want Kaden to have a real life. That would never happen on the run. Do you think Tanya would bring him to visit you in prison?”

He hated that she made sense.

“Don’t you see, Jagger? You still have him. Not just visitation, but joint custody.”

Mrs. Monroe had said the same thing. She’d told him the decision was better than she’d hoped, which pissed him off even more. His lawyer didn’t think he’d had a chance?

“Tanya is on board. She wants you in his life.”

Jagger sneered. “I should have known when you suggested I listen to her that you were a liar.”

---