Page 19 of Jagger

What had I ever done to him other than find the courage to walk out? I’d found out his father had insisted his son marry. Why I didn’t know and had no care to find out. That’s the only reason Joel had shown me any interest. I’d had enough of a pedigree being a surgeon I wouldn’t embarrass him.

And I’d been stupid enough to fall for every line of bullshit he’d dished out.

“I’m going to tell you this just once, Joel. Stay out my life and my daughter’s life. You will never get your slimy hands on her. Not for a meeting. Not for a visit. Nothing. Am I clear enough for you?”

He snickered. “You’re clear, my darling. However, you seem to underestimate me. If you fight me on the custody, I’ll do what’s necessary to ensure the courts see how damaging you are to a young child in her developmental years. I’m just itching for everyone to see how beautiful you are in the porn film.”

The entire video had been shot exactly that way. He’d planned on using it as blackmail or to keep me in line. My stomach lurched and it was all I could do to keep from vomiting. No. He wanted me upset. He wasn’t going to win. I wouldn’t let him.

“You cruel son of a bitch.” While I tried to keep my voice down because of Cally, I was so angry I couldn’t think straight. “Don’t contact me again or I will talk with my attorney to get a restraining order.”

I had no attorney.

He’d made certain I couldn’t afford one. I’d talked to one who’d wanted ten thousand dollars up front before he’d speak to me. I didn’t currently have ten grand. After I’d spoken with the second and the jerk had wanted fifteen, half laughing that I had a case to win, I’d all but given up. I needed space and time to figure out what the hell I was going to do.

With all the money I’d made, I’d placed my trust in a man who’d professed to love me and he’d fucked me over. Just like everyone else had in my life. I’d thought for once, one time I could let go of keeping so much control. Being a fool didn’t look good on me.

He was laughing as I hung up.

When I heard a hard pounding on the front door, I was still in the throes of wishing I’d taken Esme up on her offer to hunt down and kill the man. With no one here possibly knowing who I was or what I was really doing in Danger Falls, I took long strides, throwing open the door.

“What are you doing here?” My tone was nothing but a bark, heavy on the sarcasm.

“I brought you some damn groceries. What does it look like?”

Seeing Jagger standing on the porch with his arms full was a reminder that I’d tossed and turned the night before. I hadn’t been able to get him off my mind. I’d thought of nothing but Cally and methods of murder, so having a man show interest in me had thrown me. He was rough around the edges and arrogant, but he had a gentle demeanor underneath all that macho bravado he wore like a badge of honor.

As a bonus, every time I looked at him, his rugged appearance set my soul on fire.

He didn’t ask if he could come in, he walked in. Or maybe I should say he wasn’t going to let some girl stop him under any circumstances. With four full bags in his hands, I was surprised he made it into the kitchen without dropping one.

“Why did you do that? I told you before I can fend for myself.”

“Yeah?” he asked, even grumpier than when I’d seen him the night before. “Well, you’re doing a shitty job of it so far.”

“Mama, he cursed,” Cally giggled.

“I know. He’s not supposed to. You can leave now.” I kept my hate-filled eyes on him. To think I’d been so stupid as to accept his hospitality burned me deep inside. Men expected something for their… generosity. My God. I needed a lobotomy.

“Not until I grab everything else. Then I’ll get out of your hair, lady. Don’t worry.” He didn’t bother unpacking a single bag and I didn’t offer to help including returning to his vehicle.

I was fuming. To some, it wouldn’t make any sense, but during the last few months of living with Joel he’d insisted on having a servant handle all the shopping. That had meant I wasn’t allowed to pick out anything I wanted for myself or for Cally.It had just been the beginning of his controlling mechanisms. It had been the same for clothing. I’d been forced to dress a certain way when not in scrubs. I could just kick myself.

When Jagger returned with four more bags then another four, I was fuming to the point of pacing the living room. Yes, I needed food and continued to remind myself of that, but his interference and not asking me what I wanted didn’t settle well in my mind.

I told myself to let it go, that he was trying to be a nice guy until he walked in with bags of toys from some toy store. The label was written in red and while Cally had just started reading, her Spidey sense picked up on the new toys within seconds.

Now I felt lower than low as her mother.

“Mommy! Look. Books. Stuffed animals. Yay!” She was jumping around the room, pulling out one toy then another. What was I supposed to do with that? Tell her no, she couldn’t have them?

She grabbed a stuffed koala bear from a bag and I bit back tears. They were involuntary and unwanted, but my heart ached for her more than anything. I’d wanted a father figure for my little girl. I’d managed to hook an uncaring prick instead.

“Do you like them?” Jagger asked her. He was just as uncomfortable as I was, maybe even more so. It was obvious he had no experience around children.

At least he was trying.

I was still angry with him for being so presumptuous, but I wasn’t going to dampen Cally’s excitement.

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