Page 52 of Where You Belong

“You’re asking her to trust you, and I think you owe her the same in return. If she did know and she chose not to tell you, you have to wonder if there’s a reason. Maybe she wasn’t trying to maliciously hurt you. Or maybe she didn’t even know.”

“I don’t think she was trying to hurt me either.”

“Give her time, then. You can’t pick who your parents are. Knowing Cindy, I think she was doing what she thought was best to shield her from her father and his past. The Krates had an enemy list a mile long.”

“She has a son. He’s five. You’d love him. He’s an awesome kid.”

“Really?” He grins. “How do you feel about that? Do you think you’re ready to step into that sort of role?”

Every chance I had to spend time with Haelynn and Huxton felt right, like I was right where I was supposed to be.

“You may not be his dad, but your role in his life would be important. It could also factor in to why she has her walls up. You don’t want to bring people in and out of your child’s life if that person’s stay may be temporary.”

“You know, if you would’ve asked me a few months before I met Haelynn if I was ready for a family, I would’ve laughed in your face. I’d smile and tell you I wasn’t ready for kids. Which was true, but I also hadn’t met the person I wanted to share my life or start a family with.”

His eyes widen, and his brows shot up.

“I don’t know what the future has in store, and with how things are right now, I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but I see a future with Haelynn. I can picture a life with her and Huxton, maybe even a few kids of our own one day. I want that, and more importantly, I want it with her.”

He nods, and a smile stretches across his face, his leg bouncing with excitement.

“I’m happy to hear that, son. It makes me proud to see you stepping up for them like you are.”

I press my lips together, trying to contain the grin threatening to break across my face. “You and Mom, you’ll love him. He’s so smart and funny.”

“I don’t doubt she will. She’s been waiting for you and Liam to have kids since, like, yesterday.”

My only hope now is the future I can see of us all together will be a reality.

Chapter Twenty-One

Haelynn

It’s been two weeks now since the incident with Atlas. I’ve been sitting on pins and needles since. My lawyer filed the paperwork petitioning for full custody of Huxton. He didn’t handle it well when I left and took Huxton with me, so I can only imagine how he’ll react to this news.

I settle in with a much-needed glass of wine, flipping through episodes of The Vampire Diaries on Netflix when my phone vibrates on the couch next to me with a text message.

Madelyn: You up for a girls’ night?

Haelynn: Always!

Madelyn: Good, I’m standing at your door. Let me in. LOL!

She’s standing on the front step, her hair up in a top knot and a comfy pair of pajamas with her wine bottle clutched under her arm. She has the same thought as I do, and she returns my grin when she sees the glass in my hand.

“Oh, hell yes!” she mutters when she spots Damon and Klaus paused on my TV screen.

“You came over at the right time.” I giggle.

“It looks like it,” she says, toeing off her shoes and following me into the living room.

I quickly run into the kitchen to grab her a glass before settling back in on the couch, pulling my blanket back over my lap. We’ve continued to stay busy at the studio. While Gage’s words have weighed on me, I haven’t let it affect me when it comes to my job.

At the end of the day, I need this job to put food on the table and a roof over our head. I can’t just up and walk away from it, even if he wants me to stay away from him and his friends.

I never mentioned the conversation to Madelyn, though, not wanting to put her or Alex in the middle. Lines got blurred when I started seeing Corbin after my first day, but I was trying to remind myself to keep my work and personal life separate.

“I can’t tell you how much I need this right now.” She sighs, relaxing into her spot.

---