Page 66 of Coveting Catherine

“I’ve let you have Melody at every opportunity, I willingly accepted to forego holidays with her to ensure you received the same time I spent with her. How could I be so stupid? I stayed with Ash to protect you and now you threaten to take my daughter away. Take me back to the hospital, right now.” Catherine yelled at Leo.

He reeled at her revelation. He thought she stayed for Melody’s welfare. He’d come back to that revelation, but right now he wanted to learn everything. “No. You put your health in jeopardy. My daughter’s mother needs to prioritize herself first to care properly for Melody,” he reasoned.

“How dare you. You’ve acted as a father for a whole fifteen minutes and you’re telling me about priorities? Try working, finishing school, caring for a child, and keeping a home while trying to save your ass from coming home in body bag. I missed out on helping my mom care for my dad because I worried he’d create opportunities to injure or kill you. You bastard. You were my priority.”

“You hated me and threw my ring at me like a piece of garbage. You knew you carried my child and passed it off as Ash’s.” Leo stood and leaned above her. His jaw ticked and he steeled himself for all the revelations he knew would come.

“I didn’t.” Catherine shook her head and scooted to the edge of his couch. “I swear, Leo I didn’t create a scheme in which your daughter was used as a pawn. Please don’t do this.” Tears ran down her cheeks as she shook her head. Her hands balled into fists at her side.

“Then I want you to tell me what you’ve hidden from me. I want it all. I expect to hear everything. Ash already confessed, whatever you try to gloss over, I’m keeping a record of,” his voice sound harsh.

Catherine sank to the couch and numbly nodded in defeat. She held her head in her hand. “What do you want to know?” she whispered.

“The truth. The good, the bad and the ugly.” He handed her a tissue and then held one for her to blow her nose like a child. “Start at the beginning.” He handed her the glass of tea and encouraged her to drink. The pink in her cheeks contrasted with the paleness of her skin indicating Leo hit his mark.

Catherine’s voice grew quiet as she somberly confessed everything.

“When they brought us news of Olaf's death, an emptiness filled me as I waited for you to come home. When my calls and texts went unanswered, I convinced myself you didn't feel the same way I did, or you would've showed on the most challenging day of my life. The pain of losing Olaf shook me to the core. Especially when I realized I could lose you the same way. My Mom and Dad stayed devastated for years. We barely made it through the funeral, and I listened to my mom cry at all hours of the night.” Leo brushed her hair away from her cheek. He moved to sit on the corner of the sofa and pulled her back to his chest.

“It’s okay, purge it. We can’t have a future if you don’t let go of the past. Tell me everything.” Leo whispered in her ear as he lovingly stoked her hair.

“The longer you stayed away, the further I pushed you from my heart. When you showed up on our doorstep, I hurt you as deeply as you crushed me. I drove to the local bar. I don't know how long I sat there when Ash approached me and told me you caused my brother's death. You split the team and didn't have his six. I drank myself into oblivion, trying to ease the pain of losing you and Olaf. I woke up next to Ash the following morning and later discovered I carried Ash’s child. At first, I counted the days, hoping the baby was yours. You insisted on using protection to keep us from pregnancy, and the only time I practiced unprotected sex was the night with Ash. On our wedding night, he hit me. I knew I made a horrible mistake, and I debated calling you. Then Ash threatened your life. He said he would ensure you came home in a body bag. After Melody’s birth, he threatened my child. I felt trapped.”

Leo held her tightly. The revelation tore his soul in half. Even hurt, she stayed to protect him. He wiped the tears from her face and wiped her running nose. He let her continue. They needed a clean slate.

“I don’t understand Leo. I ordered my records. I counted the dates on the calendars. How can you be her father? My period started the week of Olaf’s funeral. We made love two weeks before his funeral. Melody was a full-term baby. I checked the dates according to the doctor and his assistant’s notes.” She closed her eyes as she admitted everything.

“I slept with Ash the night I broke off our engagement. My drunken mistake cost you years of Melody's life. It's my fault, Leo. At first, I felt angry about Olaf, but then I realized he knew the risks of his job. I couldn't face you. When Kassie needed help, I found my excuse to call you,” she hiccupped. She sat up, her head hung down and she refused to acknowledge him.

Leo slid to the floor on his knees, feeling the pain she suffered, and laid his head in her lap, and she gently caressed it. The last time she’d feel him, touch him, and smell his spicy cologne.

He raised up and took her hand. “Kit Kat, I've rehashed the past for five years, wondering if I could've done something different. After Ash died, I kept my distance but often found myself in the hospital parking lot waiting for a glimpse of you. I thought the pain of losing Olaf was greater than your love for me. I stayed away. I longed for you from afar. When you called me concerning Kassie. I told myself, SEALS take care of other SEALS wives. The truth is, I finally found a reason to come near you again. I didn't move into the house because I finally obtained my dream home, yet something seemed missing. This house didn’t feel like home until you and Melody completed it. Catherine, coming home to you was my dream. Even if Melody belonged to Ash, she carries a part of you. She’s mine, regardless of what some test proved.”

Catherine gasped; her hand flew to her mouth. “I'm sorry,” the misery in her voice came out raw and bare. He knew she finally let go of the dark to allow the light in.

“I’m sorry too. I know I made colossal mistakes in our relationship. I assumed you knew how I felt about you but never communicated it.”

Leo pulled her hand to his chest. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, pulled a silver chain holding the ring she threw at him in anger all those years ago. “We can sit here and blame each other and regret our choices, or we can try something different. I came back to the house that day and searched for your ring. What if I made it five minutes before you left for the bar? What if I pulled you tightly to me and let you cry out all the hurt and pain of losing Olaf? I could’ve insisted you listened to me, but I let my guilt rule my decisions.” Catherine’s eyes widened in surprise at Leo’s confession.

“Catherine Reese, when I gave you this ring, I made a promise to you. I’ll love you till the day I die, and you'll always be mine. We can research what Ash confessed to the team and determine how this happened. In truth, it doesn't mean anything. I've spent a lifetime wanting you from afar, and now I want you here. Ash will never darken our doorstep again. We can't erase the past or the damage he did, but we don't have to let it define our future together. Catherine, will you be here when I come home and make my dream come true every day of my life?”

Catherine sat speechless as she smiled through tears and nodded. “What about the woman you were with at Ty's?”

“Rebecca? She brought my check. What does she have to do with anything?” Leo wiped her hair from her face.

Catherine shook her head, “Nothing,” she smiled. “Absolutely nothing. Leo, I’m ashamed. Why did Ash confess everything when he hated you?”

“I don’t know. We may never know all the answers, but we have our future. Kit Kat, I love you, I want you and Melody here with me.”

“Yes.” She cupped his face in her hands, and he gently kissed her lips.

“Good. Did I tell you I keep the refrigerator stocked with chocolate bars?”

“No, you didn't.” Catherine laughed.

He grabbed her by the hand and led her toward the fridge. He opened the door to show Catherine a door stuffed with her favorite chocolate bar. Catherine smiled and started to refuse when Leo growled at her. She pulled the chocolate bar from the fridge.

Leo smiled as he scooped her into his arms, “Hold on to that. I think I have the perfect place to feed it to you.”