Page 134 of Passed Ball

I watch Xavier lean into the car from the passenger side. Does it make me a creep if I check him out while holding his daughter in my arms? Probably. But the way the fabric molds to his rounded ass as he digs around for his phone has me utterly transfixed, and no amount of self-scolding can tear my gaze away.

Holland gurgles, tugging at a loose strand of my hair, bringing me back to reality. I glance down at her, a blush creeping up my neck as I silently vow to focus onliterally anything else.

When Xavier straightens up, phone in hand, he shakes his head, looking frustrated. He looks back at us, a silent apology on his face, his thumb pointing towards the car.

I wave my hand trying to convey that we're fine here while he has a moment of privacy to do what he needs to.

"It's me and you, girlfriend," I say when he closes the door, closing himself inside.

She grins up at me, showing off a new white dot on her gum. She's changing so fast. With Xavier being gone, has he noticed? He didn't say anything and the idea that he might have missed her first tooth breaking through sits bittersweet in my chest. With the Bandits still in the postseason it means more time away and I know that's a heavy burden on him.

Lost cataloging every inch of Holland and taking stock of what else might be changing, I look up, glancing around. I expected to find Xavier leaning against his car watching with a coy smile, but he's not there. The goosebumps come in a rush, as if my body knows something I don't.

I tuck Holland in closer. Nothing seems out of place, yet everything feels very wrong. Heeding the alarms my body is throwing off, I stand, reaching for the car seat with a shaky hand to move inside.

I'm feet from the door when it opens and a stunning blonde walks out. She's tall, willowy, and heading right for us. I freeze, looking at the car, silently pleading for Xavier to open the door.

Whoever he's talking to can wait because his ex, the mother of his child, is walking towards me and I'm freaking the hell out.

Shifting Holland to the opposite side of my body, putting myself between her and Kristy I step out in front of the chair. The last thing I want is to get tangled up if I need to move quickly.

"Don't look so panicked." Her laugh is callous. "Do you think I'm going to try to take her?"

"I don't know what you're capable of, but we're sure as hell not going to stick around to find out."

"Cute. He already found someone else to play mommy." She tilts her to the side studying me like an art exhibit instead of a person. "Better you than me. This was never the life I wanted."

I round the table and she moves, blocking my path and cutting me off from Xavier and the entrance to Buns & Roses.

"If you don't want this life, why are you back?"

"Consider it a moment of weakness." Her hand digs through her purse and I'm a millisecond from taking off in the other direction when she pulls out a thick envelope. "I carried her for nine months. Annoying as it is, I couldn't shake the need to see her to make sure I was doing the right thing."

"Hey!" Xavier yells in the distance. I don't spare him a glance over my shoulder, not willing to take my eyes off Kristy.

Rapid footfalls sound behind me as he gets closer, but it doesn't stop me from telling his ex exactly what I think. "The right thing would be not scaring the shit out of her nanny yesterday. That was you, wasn't it, lurking around, watching?" I straighten my back, anger taking the lead. "Or not waiting until I was alone here to approach us?" Each ranting thought has my voice raising. "Or, I don't know, answering one fucking text from Xavier over the last six months and not putting him through literal hell wondering if you were coming back or not."

"Woah there, mama bear, simmer." She laughs. It's cold and I know she's Holland's mother, but I don't want her anywhere near us.

I almost laugh out loud at the absurdity of the situation, but my heart is still beating far too fast for me to do so. "Simmer!" I hiss, borderline deranged and giving no fucks who sees or hears it. "I absolutely will fucking not. You're selfish. You don't want to be a mother, fine, but why put them through months of wondering and court hearings you're not going to show up for? Walk away, but do it with some damn dignity."

"Like this?" she asks, sliding the envelope across the table. Still completely unaffected by the chaos she's causing, she crosses her arms over her chest.

I don't move to reach for it. I don't care what's in there. The only thing I want is for her to leave.

"Goody, you're here." She rolls her eyes as Xavier steps in front of me, easing me behind him.

He presses the keys in my hand. "Take Holland to the car."

"With pleasure." My entire body vibrates with rage as I leave them to figure it out.

"What are you doing here, Kristy?" I hear him ask as I walk down the block to where he's parked.

Chapter 58

Xavier

Sending Vivienne away so I can deal with my ex is the last thing I want to do right now. Especially considering I heard every word she said and all I want is to pull her to me and tell her exactly how much she means to me. The impulse is getting harder to ignore, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to quiet the call after that.

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