Page 97 of The Dating Pact

Sebastian stalked into the hall with Jude trailing a few steps behind. As soon as the younger Gray saw me, his lip curled in disgust. “What are you doing here?”

Amelia shook the box. “Look! Treats!”

Jude reached for Sebastian’s shoulder, but he shrugged him off, telling me, “Go away.”

I stepped toward him. “Seb?—”

“No one wants you here.”

I made sure to keep my face devoid of emotion even as my heart broke for the boy in front of me. Even as Amelia clung to me, shaking her head. “Don’t go.”

Jude gripped his son’s shoulder. “Stop.”

“Get out!” Sebastian pointed at the door. “Go!”

“Enough!” Jude spun him around. “That’s not how you speak to people. Apologize right now.”

Sebastian balled his fists, refusing to look at me or his dad. “No.”

When Seb didn’t move, Jude hunched over, nose-to-nose, seething. “I told you we’d talk later, but I’ve about had it with you today. You want to treat people with disrespect, you’ll get it right back. Go to your room so I don’t lose my temper and start smashing up every game you have.”

I picked up Amelia, hating that I was the reason for so much drama and heartache. I’d never seen Jude raise his voice to his kids. Both of the children were well-mannered and polite. Sure, they’d thrown the occasional tantrum or had a meltdown, but for the most part, Jude was a mild-mannered parent.

Until now.

And it was my fault.

As if Seb could hear my thoughts, he sneered at me then stomped off. Jude turned his back to me, tunneling both of his hands through his hair, obviously upset. Giving him some space, I carried Amelia into the kitchen and got her settled at the table with a popsicle and a plate in case it dripped. I sat with her, making small talk about the kind of backpack she wanted for school. Unicorn, obviously.

“I’m sure your daddy will find one for you,” I said, only for her daddy to speak up behind me.

“I promised we’d go shopping for one.”

I spun in my chair to find him leaning against the wall, his thick arms across his chest, his eyes a little bloodshot. It had only been this morning he’d rushed out of the house, yet he looked like he’d been through a storm for days.

“You okay?” I asked, standing up, and he nodded.

“Lulu, me and Brooke are going to go sit outside. You hang out here until you finish your popsicle, okay?”

She gave him a thumbs-up, her attention zeroed in on her iPad. I assumed she’d already had a lot of iPad time today. Then he motioned to the front door, so I followed him out. As soon as the door closed, he pivoted to me, his hands in my hair, his lips on mine. “How was your appointment?”

I curled my fingers into his shirt. “Good. Everything is good.”

“Thank god,” he rasped, tugging me into him, holding on to me like a lifeline in the water.

I couldn’t believe after everything that had happened today, he wanted to talk about me. I told him so, and he huffed gruffly in my ear. “I was worried all day.”

“You shouldn’t have been worried about me. You have enough to deal with here.”

“Like I can’t multitask?”

“Yeah, but I don’t want you worrying about me.”

He held me away from him, brow furrowed, offended almost. “You deserve someone worrying about you.”

As if his simple statement didn’t take my breath away, his kiss did. With his hands bracketing my face, he kissed me like he had something to prove. And maybe he felt like he did, but that was the problem. He had nothing to prove to me. I knew he loved me. Like I loved him.

There were no conditions.

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