Page 67 of My Heart To Heal

‘Hey, Marissa.’

The voice I hear has my head snapping up and my heart racing. Not Nick, definitely not Nick.

‘Bax…’ I say, shocked. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘I’m here to see my son.’

The expression is one I’ve seen a hundred times, and all my hairs stand on alert. I need him out of here, away from my safe space.

‘Let’s go outside where we can talk.’ I force a soft smile and gesture to the door, and to my surprise, Bax turns and walks outside. Kacey grins at me, clearly not understanding that I want this man nowhere near my son or me.

‘Imagine my surprise,’ he starts as he turns on his heels to glare at me, ‘when my mom tells me you moved my son to this nowhere town and didn’t tell me.’

‘Bax…’

‘I’m not done talking, Marissa.’

I stop, inhaling through my nose and trying to release it slowly.

There are so many different versions of this man, and I know them all. Since we broke up when Jonah was a baby, I pretty much only got the deadbeat dad who hardly ever showed up and who, for the most part, I could be frank with, talking straight to him about not seeing Jonah and making arrangements on the rare occasion that he did.

Somehow, a couple of years ago, he managed to show me the version I first met. The nice guy, the remorseful, sorry for ever hurting me guy, and my lonely ass fell for it, but soon the violent, abusive asshole was back. This guy, the one right in front of me, has dark eyes and a cold tone to his voice that makes my heart race in fear. He strangles my vocal cords with a stare, silencing me and forcing me into obedience. This guy — he’s the one I’m terrified of, and I’m not going to push him.

‘I’m taking Jonah.’

His words pull me back from my fear and rouse the mama bear inside me.

‘Bax, no. He hardly even remembers you.’ My voice is small, the tremble undeniable.

‘He’s my kid. He’ll get used to it. Go and get him.’

I can’t do that. I promised Jonah he wouldn’t ever have to see him again.

‘He’s at school,’ I plead, and he smiles, knowing he’s got me scared. Just how he likes me.

‘Then take him out.’

‘You can’t take him,Bax.’ He steps forward, and tears wash over my eyes as I battle my own fear for the sake of my son. ‘Be reasonable, please.’

‘I swear to god, Marissa, if you don’t…’

‘Nick,’ I cut him off as I see the man I’ve missed so fucking much approaching, his green scrubs a beacon of hope and peace and safety as I reach for his arm without asking for permission or offering an explanation and Bax takes a step back, and Nick, without question, sticks by my side. ‘Nick, this is Bax, Jonah’s dad. Bax, this is Nick,’ I take a breath, ‘my boyfriend.’

I feel Nick tense beside me, but instead of throwing me to the wolf that is my baby daddy, he holds out a hand to Bax.

‘Hey, good to meet you finally.’ His voice is flat, not enough that someone who doesn’t know him would notice, but I notice.

‘Boyfriend?’ Bax questions, ignoring Nick’s proffered hand and glaring at me, nostrils flared. I’m about to answer when Nick pulls his arm from my grasp and wraps it around my back, pulling me to his side. God, he smells good.

‘Yeah, it’s new, but we’re pretty happy,’ he offers before pressing a light kiss to my temple, and I couldcry, literally sob, right here from his closeness and the feel of his lips on my skin.

‘Well, if you’re done makin’ out, Marissa was about to go get my son.’

‘Bax…’

‘Jonah’s in school right now,’ Nick says firmly.

‘Listen.’ Bax turns his full attention on Nick now for the first time, and I see the moment he realizes that myboyfriendis bigger than him, taller with broader shoulders and arms that make Bax’s look like spaghetti, and he shrinks back just a little.

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