Page 42 of Levi
“What?The girl has been put through hell and she deserves to have all that frustration put to good use.I’d even recommend a few good whacks with a wooden spoon.”Grandma shrugs, then pops a bite of a chocolate chip in her mouth.“Go and speak with him, Saylor, and then let him tell you his side of things.Either way, you two are going to have to work together as a unit to parent this little one.She deserves to have both parents in her life, even if they can’t be married anymore.”
“We aren’t married anymore,” I snap back, not meaning to take out my anger on her.Alice takes in a quick breath and caresses her hand to her chest.“Mr.Thorne made sure to publicly file the paperwork while I was being beaten by that horrible woman in jail.Remember?”
Alice starts to shake her head, “No Saylor, it’s not what you think.You two are still…”
“Alice, I think it would be best if Levi was the one to tell her.”Grandma pushes, then turns back to me.“Go and talk with him.”She gives me a knowing look.“Give him a chance.”
“Fine,” I throw my hands up in the air.“But don’t ambush me again like this Grandma,” I scold her.
“Promise,” she says while crossing her heart, then forcing us into a group hug with Halo in the middle.
I turn and see Alice with the biggest smile on her face and bouncing on her feet.She still looks a little unsure and would love to join in on the hug, but I’m not ready to receive any kind of affection from the family who kicked me to the curb so easily.
Grandma is right.I need to push my own issues with this family aside and try to get along with them, to some extent, for Halo’s sake.Taking Halo out of Grandma’s arms, I set her down and walk her over to Alice.Squatting down to her level, I point to Alice.
“Baby bear, this is your other grandma, Alice.Can you say hi?”
Halo is a loving child, but only to ones that she knows.She hugs me tight and burrows in my neck.Standing up with her in my arms, I need to set some boundaries with her and the rest of the Thornes.After everything I’ve been put through, I’m the one who’s in charge.
“I don’t mind you spending time with Halo, but it has to be in the presence of Grandma and Grandpa, myself, my grandparents, or Brody.If I find out that you and Mr.Thorne have taken her somewhere, without one of them, you won’t like what happens,” I threaten.I’ve never been a violent person in my life, but when it comes to Halo there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect her.
“Saylor, I’d never do anything to hurt or bring harm to my precious grandchild,” Alice says affronted, but I don’t care about her feelings.I’m not going to let them take my child away from me, and possibly turn her against me.I’ve seen firsthand the poison that Daniel can spew, and I won’t have it in front of Halo.
“And I bet you never thought your son would pay for escorts either,” I snap, then realize what I just said.That is between her and her two sons, not me.“Those are the rules.I know firsthand how cruel you all can be, and I won’t have that bleeding over onto my daughter and have you poisoning her.Take it or leave it.I sure as heck don’t want Mr.Thorne alone with her at any point.”
“That won’t be a problem, dear.Grandpa and I will make sure to abide by your wishes,” Grandma says, rubbing my arm.She gives a stern look over to Alice, then takes Halo over for some more sugar.
I go to leave the kitchen, but Alice blocks the doorframe.
“Saylor, I’d never hurt her or you for that matter.I’ll do as you ask and earn your trust again.Daniel won’t be a problem,” she pauses for a moment then continues.“We separated a while back and…” I hold my hand up, not wanting to hear about their marital problems.She obviously must understand and stops talking.For the last two years, I’ve stayed drama-free and the peace I’ve felt is something to cherish and cling to.
It’s hard to be like this to Alice because she’d been nothing but kind to me since I was first introduced to them, but things are different now and the well-being of my daughter comes first and foremost.It seems as though everyone has an agenda these days, and I want to make certain that Halo isn’t a target or used to manipulate me.
The drive over to the Arvon Hotel is longer than expected.My mind is all over the place and I’m ready to jump out of my skin at the thought of being in the same room as Levi.Alone.Last night, I was in a room full of people and he still made me feel as though it was just him and I.There was still that spark from when we first met, and when he reached out to hand me the piece of paper, the jolt shot to the deepest part of my soul.How can he still hold that kind of effect over me after all these years?
Dig deep, Saylor.You hate him.He left you and instead of letting you leave the marriage with dignity, he publicly humiliated you for the world to see.
Parking the truck in the front, I check the mirror one last time before exiting the vehicle.Why do I care what I look like?He can just shove it where the sun don’t shine!Walking in, there are a few people ahead of me at the front desk.It gives me a minute or two to calm my nerves and get my thoughts under control.I should make sure Mitch, or one of the security guys, is in the room so that things don’t get out of hand.Lord knows I hope the hotel bolted down most of the furniture so that I can’t use them as weapons when Levi tries to use some lame excuse for his absence all these years.
I’m brought out of my inner thoughts, when I hear Levi’s name being used.Turning my focus on the person at the counter, I’m struck in the chest.
“Yes, Mr.Thorne is expecting me.He called ahead to make sure I had access to his room,” the lady in a flowing dress tells the receptionist.Her brunette hair is up in a French twist as she taps her heels against the tiled floor.Stepping to the side slightly, I take in her profile and all the breath leaves my lungs.It’s her.The woman who’s been photographed with Levi at several functions.“The name is Sarah.”
I take a step back forcefully, trying to put some distance between us.He’s moved on and the last shred of hope I’ve been holding onto in my pathetic being makes me want to curl up and die all over again.
She’s given a key card and told that Levi’s suite is 209, up the stairs and to the right at the end of the hall.She grabs her rolling suitcase and makes her way towards the stairs.
I take the empty seat next to the entrance door, and try to wrap my head around the last twenty-four hours.This is it.I can walk right out the door, go pick up my daughter and try to co-parent the best I can, with a man who I’ll never have again.Or, I can pull my bootstraps up and confront the man who’s been tormenting me the last few years.Get everything off my chest, then head home to Halo and Brody and go back to my quiet, safe life here.I’ll be accommodating when it comes to Halo, as long as he abides by my rules and only my rules.
Releasing a sharp breath, I stand with a new-found determination and march my resolved ass up those stairs to confront my ex-husband and his new woman.Hope she knows what she signed up for because momma’s not holding back, just like the restaurant all those years ago.
Saylor
With each step on the stairs, my anger fuels my body to climb higher and higher.How dare he say he’s here to bring me and Halo home when clearly, he’s got someone else.Why can’t he just leave me alone like he has for the past two years?
Marching down the hall, I see someone sitting down in a chair at the end of the hallway, checking his phone.They must hear my footsteps and rise the closer I get.Guess it must be break time for security.Good thing I didn’t have a gun, I’d already taken this slacker out before he saw me.
“Can I help you, miss?”Levi’s security asks.
