Page 59 of Grumpy Ex's Secret Baby

His hands weaved through my hair, gently gripping the back of my head as he pulled my face to his. Tyson’s mouth was soft against mine, and for the few moments he was kissing me on my front porch, everything felt normal.

At least, it did until I heard the click of a camera.

Tyson pulled away, his expression murderous as he turned and marched down the steps. He was already pulling his wallet out when he reached the man with the camera. I watched, tears blurring my vision slightly, as Tyson pulled out a wad of money and handed it to the man. The man took the camera from around his neck and handed it to Tyson before walking to a black car parked down the road.

“Let’s go get those bags pack and then wake up Trinity,” I said, glancing at the camera in Tyson’s hand as he walked back.

“I’m sorry, Hales.”

“Why do they care about what you’re doing so much?”

He sighed and sat on the rocking chair I put on my porch a few days ago. He pulled me down into his lap and kissed my cheek.

“I’ve been popular in the media for years. You know that. On top of that there was the embezzlement case Crestwood Capital went through and then me handing over my section of the company to Drew and choosing to work on other things. There’s a lot of drama the media is feeding off of.”

“You’re a venture capitalist. Not a celebrity,” I said, nestling into his chest.

“Tell that to the media. Anything that they can turn and make into a story, they will. I thought that you would be left out of it. If we’re being honest, I didn’t think they would find either of you here.”

“I don’t know,” I said, running my fingers along his lapel. “We’re living in our hometown. If you want dirt on someone drawing in the drama, then you go to their hometown.”

“Name anywhere else in the world you want to live in, and I’ll make it happen.”

I twisted slightly to look at him and saw the firm set of his jaw. He was entirely serious about moving if that was what I wanted.

“I like living here,” I said. “I just wish that I didn’t have cameras and a stalker following me around.”

“I know.” His fingers combed through the ends of my hair. “What do you say we go inside and get a couple of bags packed before we go to my house for the night.”

I looked at the camera he still held. “Can we destroy that first?”

Tyson grinned as we got up from the chair. He handed me the camera, and I shifted its weight around before throwing it at the sidewalk. The camera broke into a few pieces. I breathed a sigh of relief and picked up the pieces of the camera.

“Feel better now?” Tyson asked as we walked inside.

“Much. I just wish I could have done that to all of the cameras that have been pointed my way the last few days.”

Tyson’s arm wrapped around my waist. “I know. I’ll handle this. I don’t want you to worry about it any more than you have to.”

I looked up at him and nodded. I didn’t know how he was going to handle it, but I trusted him. Tyson wasn’t the kind of man who would let his family be plastered all over the internet.

I saw that now.

“You should be the one to wake her up,” I said as we paused outside Trinity’s room. “She’s been asking where you’ve been.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, a thin line appearing between his brows.

A grin spread across my face as I nodded. “I’m sure. Go ahead.”

Tyson took a deep breath before pushing open the door slightly. He stepped inside with a small smile as he looked at Trinity.

She was curled up on her woodland animal blanket with her curls fanned out on her pillow. Soft snores were coming from her as she clutched a stuffed raccoon close.

My heart melted as he kneeled beside her bed, his hand running along her back. Trinity groaned and shifted in her sleep before her eyelids started fluttering. I couldn’t hear what Tyson was whispering to her, but within a few seconds, her eyes flew open, and she launched herself at him.

Tyson caught Trinity and hugged her tight, even as the tears started to roll down her cheeks.

“Dad,” Trinity said, tearing my heart in two.

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