Page 50 of Vengeful Secret

“You can try,” Kael points out. “But in the meantime, I’m here if you need to talk.”

“I just want to hit you one good time.” I get back into fighting stance, and Kael chuckles, coming at me.

We wrestle around on the ground, but what Kael doesn’t remember is that I was wrestling captain in high school, so I end up flipping him over and putting him in an arm bar.

“Jesus,” he mutters, tapping out. “You’re a lot better on the ground.”

“Hell yeah, I am.” I stretch out. “I appreciate the talk, Kael.”

“Of course. Anytime.” He smiles, and I’m glad that not only is he Declan’s best friend, but Paige’s soon-to-be-husband.

He’s always been family with how close he was to Declan, but I’m glad it’ll be official now.

I make my way back upstairs to my room, heading directly to the shower. I undress, finding myself sweaty all over, and step under the spray.

The water pounds down on my shoulders, seeming to massage my muscles, and it feels so good I almost forget the turmoil in my mind.

Sutton made a decision, just like she said, and even if it was the wrong one, we can’t change it now. All I can do is be the best father I can starting now.

And how do I even do that? How do we tell a four-year-old girl that her father is suddenly here and wants to be in her life?

It won’t be instant. We’ll have to work at it, and I’m willing to do that. I’d do anything to have Ciara and Sutton in my life. Because despite it all, I do want Sutton in my life. That hasn’t changed. Having them by my side is what’s important.

Kael’s conversation has helped me calm down, just having someone understand why I’m so upset. I feel a little bad for arguing with Sutton for so long. I know I can be a jerk when I’m hot in the head.

I still think I’m right, for the record, but in the end, it doesn’t matter.

I wash myself quickly, thinking of Sutton and my daughter, Ciara, how much they look alike. If Ciara hadn’t had my eyes, I might never have figured out that she was mine.

I wonder how much Sutton must have worried about this, how much she must have put herself through to make that difficult decision. It’s wrong of me to be angry with her. She’s been through a lot.

Determined to talk to her, smooth things over, I get out of the shower, dress in a pair of basketball shorts with a towel draped around my neck, and head into the bedroom.

I walk down the hall, and small voices come from Sutton’s room. I realize that Sutton is telling Ciara a bedtime story. Apparently about a man named “Green.”

“And the man named Green, he stayed behind while the princess ran away,” she says in a sing-song voice.

“Why didn’t he go with her?” Ciara asks in a tiny, chirpy little voice.

“Well, the kingdom was still at war,” Sutton explained. “And the prince, he had to help them fight the war.”

“Against the bad guys?”

Sutton pauses for a moment. “Yeah, against the bad guys.”

“And then what happened next?”

“The princess was sad. But then she realized that the prince had given her a gift—a baby.”

“In her belly. Just like I used to be in your belly.”

Sutton chuckles, and the sound is like music to my ears.

“Yes, in her belly. And when the baby was born, the princess was happy.”

“Wouldn’t she be happier with the prince?”

“Not without her baby.”

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