Page 57 of Pretty Baby

Finally, Caleb pulled the phone away and pressed end.

He couldn’t listen to it anymore.

Maybe one day his mom would go through with her threats and contact some paparazzi and drag his name through the mud. Would it even matter? He didn’t work in the industry any longer so who would care about him anyway?

Except that people loved to hear bad things about celebrities. It didn’t matter if no one had heard his name in over two years. There would be someone out there who’d love to see him fail.

Wasn’t it bad enough that he was alone? No, he had to have a mother that hated him.

Why?

What had he done so bad in his life that made people hate him so much?

Caleb screamed and threw his phone as hard as he could at the wall. The resulting crash as he hit the sheetrock at least was satisfying. He jumped to his feet and grabbed the stupid white vase that the decorator had insisted on.

Of course, she has insisted. She hadn’t listened to what he wanted. He threw the vase.

No one cared to listen to him. Just like the cook. Caleb raced to the kitchen and started to toss everything off the counters. He’d wanted to destroy everything. This wasn’t his kitchen. He wasn’t allowed to cook in it. Not that he knew how to cook. No! He couldn’t have even been shown how to boil water. Who needed to boil water when he looked good in skimpy underwear?

He screamed and yelled as the floor filled up with broken appliances, dishware, and food.

It wasn’t like he had to even clean up after himself!

He had staff for that.

All he had to do was make a phone call and his entire house would be spotless. And who cared about the stupid decoration either! He ran through the hall knocking down the framed pictures that he hadn’t picked out himself.

It wasn’t until Daisy barked and tackled him that Caleb realized he’d still been screaming.

He hit the carpet and wrapped his arms around Daisy’s neck.

Fuck, he wasn’t even a good parent to his babies! Caleb sobbed. He’d scared his babies!

Gus and Lily were hiding under the table next to the couch. Gunny had jumped on the couch as Lucy nosed Caleb’s cheek. Daisy still licking his face.

He was the worst person in the whole world.

And the worst part was that Caleb did not deserve Grant.

Grant was kind, loving, and perfect. Caleb had nothing to offer Grant and was just kidding himself. He tucked his face in Daisy’s chest and wailed. Her whimpers were killing him and he knew that he needed to get her calmed down.

With his entire body shaking, he rolled to his knees.

“It’s okay,” he called to his babies. “It’s okay. I’m so sorry babies! So sorry!”

Gunny barked then sailed off the couch right into his arms.

Caleb was scared. He’d never lost control like that before.

“Let’s go lay down,” Caleb whispered. His head pounding and he felt like shit. He had to step carefully since he was barefoot. There were broken pieces of glass everywhere.

He’d made the mess but he was going to ignore it.

Grant’s disappointed face flashed in his mind but Caleb shook his head. He couldn’t keep thinking of Grant as his Daddy. He was lying to himself and Grant. He couldn’t be Grant’s pretty baby. He was too much of a loser.

Grant

Grant pulled up in front of Caleb’s house while drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. He hadn’t gotten to see his boy in several days but Caleb hadn't been answering his text messages. That had stopped early in the afternoon and in his gut Grant knew something was wrong.

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