Page 40 of Piston

Shaking my head, I grab the next English paper, wincing at the misspelled name on top.

Come on, Connie! The girl is cute but doesn’t ever apply herself to her work.

Since Piston has been around, I’ve done my best to ignore him, giving him the same treatment he’s given me since we got married. I needed him, and I get it, I didn’t tell him about the miscarriage, but he still could have ensured I was alright when I stated the test was false. Instead, he treated me like I betrayed him, like I forced this life on him.

I didn’t ask for this, and I know he didn’t either, but he didn’t need to push me out the way he did, especially when we could have been friends at least, despite my feelings for him. We were friends in college, before we agreed to go our separate ways.

I sigh, hating that I’ve gone back down the rabbit hole.

For over two years, I put him and our past in a box, trying to live my life as normally as possible despite our once-a-month hookup, where I rarely got off because the ass was punishingme with his misguided anger. Having him around now, it brings everything back; hurt, anger, love, lust, it all consumes me, and I hate it.

I don’t know how much longer I can take this until I explode….

I’ve just finished grading my fifth paper when someone bangs on my door, and I furrow my brows wondering if Piston has called for help. He’s come downstairs three times, shaking his head, grabbing a drink, and shaking his head again before disappearing upstairs, mumbling something about hairclips.

My bad….

Wonder if I can clog the toilet up somehow….

The banging intensifies when I take too long to answer, and I quickly rush to the door and open it only to be shoved into the wall, my shoulder hitting it hard, making me gasp.

Christy gets in my face, her green eyes glaring at me with fury.

Great.

“Where in the fuck is my son?” she demands, and I just raise a brow, not at all intimidated.

I answer sarcastically, “Well, considering it’s two thirty in the afternoon, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say at school.”

Her nostrils flare, and she threatens, “Don’t get snarky with me, you little bitch, or I’ll rearrange your face like I should have done years ago.”

I snort and shove her away before moving myself behind her, ensuring she can’t enter my home any further. I cross my arms over my chest and state, “I would love for you to try, please, oh, please hit me, then I can say it was self-defense….”

Her face goes red, not happy that her treats are disregarded.

I’m not a child anymore and, honestly, I wish she had left visible marks growing up. Then, maybe I would have been taken from her and Henry.

She looks down at me, her eyes taking in my attire—leggings and, yes, Piston’s shirt, because men’s clothes are comfier. Distaste sours her expression, before her eyes widen when they zero in on my wedding ring.

Ah, here we go….

Her eyes shoot to mine in shock, and she snaps, “When in the fuck did you get married, and does your father know?”

I roll my eyes, because he clearly doesn’t. and snarl, “Over two years ago. Now, why don’t you do us both a favor and get lost? Cooper's not here; he’s at school.”

Her nostrils flare, remembering why she’s here—classic shitty mother right here—and she growls, “I told you to stay the fuck away from my son, Natalie!”

I nod. “You did, didn’t you, and yet if I had, then he’d be in state care right now because you’re an abusive bitch. So count your blessings.”

She takes a menacing step toward me, and I brace myself, ready to hit her back if she swings for me. Instead, she suddenly threatens, “If you don’t stay away from my son, I’ll find your husband, and I’ll fuck him, too. We both know he’ll prefer me, Chris did….”

I raise a brow at her threat.

Chris was an idiot who couldn’t find a woman’s G-spot. Piston, well, he wouldn’t touch her if she was the last person on Earth. Don’t get me wrong, I know he likes to watch the clubwhores get each other off, but he’ll never touch them, he’ll never cheat.

It was the one thing he refused to do during our college hookups. He has morals, and sharing someone is not one of them.

Speaking of Piston….

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