Page 41 of Cruel Love

“He threatened to fire or frame my father, which means I won’t have health insurance through him for the baby. And even worse for my dad. He said that if I tell anyone, the option is off the table and he’ll bankrupt my family.”

Goddammit. I inhaled slowly, working to control my blood pressure. I was furious that he’d gotten to her and could only imagine the fucked-up things he’d said. “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

“I’m not taking the money. And there is no way he can make me get rid of our baby. I think it’s too late to do that even if I hadn’t already made up my mind.” Tears misted her eyes, and she shrugged. “I wouldn’t do it. I love her.”

I was done. This shit would end here and now. I pressed the call button. One of the nurses walked in. “Can you please check to see if my grandfather is in the waiting room?”

“Did you want him to come in if he is?”

“Yes.”

Aspen tensed beside me.

I squeezed her hand. “I need to get this handled now.”

A few minutes later, the very person I wanted to go head-to-head with stood at the end of my bed, a stern expression on his face. He didn’t look in Aspen’s direction—of course he didn’t. She didn’t matter to him. She was a pawn to manipulate and crush.

Cold determination filled me. We were done, but not before I said what I needed to. “I know what you did with Dad and Mom’s relationship. The threats and the lies. Mom will find out about it. How do you think she’ll react when she does?”

Grandad shook his head, making a tsk sound. “There’s nothing for her to find out. I saved her from a bad situation, from a criminal.”

“Their fight isn’t mine. Not yet. But Aspen? She’s mine, and you tried to fuck with that. And our child.” I made sure he saw the truth of what I was about to say reflected on my face. “You will not interfere ever again. Any decisions regarding my future, hers, or the baby’s are for us to manage. You even think of fucking with our lives, and I promise you that will never see any of us again. You’ll be dead to us. Mom, Shane, and I will have nothing to do with you. You'll be a stranger if we pass you on the street.”

“Are you finished?” He looked unmoved.

“Hardly.” He wasn’t getting it. I needed to make things crystal clear and in front of Aspen. “You will stop threatening and plotting against Aspen’s father.” I turned to her, even though my words were for my grandad. They concerned her, and I wanted her to know I meant every word. “As for Aspen and me, I don’t know everything that will happen in the future, but I want her in mine, and I want my kid. It may be difficult, and I have some things to work on, but I am determined and not afraid to work hard. I will not let her, our kid, or anyone else down.”

My head was killing me, and the monitor was beeping from the rise in my blood pressure. The nurse hurried inside and told my grandad to leave. I would have done that, but I couldn’t look away from Aspen. I’d just begun to figure things out, but one thing, I knew with absolute certainty: she and the baby were my future. I just had to convince her that I was hers too.

CHAPTER TWENTY

ASPEN

“I’m sorry I’m not at your art show. I wanted to be there.” As I walked into the library with Sky and Riley, Phoenix’s deep voice vibrated through my phone’s speaker.

“Yeah, no.” I swatted Sky’s hand away as she tried to open the door for me. “I can manage a door.”

“Pfft.” Riley hiked the strap of my portfolio higher on her shoulder. “Says the girl who tripped through the cafeteria door earlier today.

“What happened?” Alarm coated Phoenix’s voice, and I glared at Riley, who smirked in response. “Cole, go back to school and check on Aspen.”

“What? No, don’t send Cole here. I tripped. I didn’t fall, and Riley and Sky aren’t letting me carry anything. Cole being here won’t help me.”

“Where’s Max?”

Phoenix’s micromanaging, while sweet, was driving me crazy. “He’s already inside with Jaxon. I told him I had help bringing my portfolio and would meet him here.” He was getting worked up over nothing. But I got it. He felt out of control, unable to be there with me or return to practice. He still had physio, PT, and acupuncture going on so he could return to practice and games. It wouldn’t be long—he was an elite athlete, and recovery was faster due to his physical condition and the sheer force of his will.

“I’ve gotta go. We’re inside now, and I need to set up.”

“Send me pictures. And, Aspen…”

“Yeah?” I pointed Riley and Sky upstairs and to the left.

“I’m proud of you.”

My heart warmed. It meant so much to me because I knew he meant it. He’d gone into detail about my work with his mom the other night, showing her some pictures he’d taken on his phone of the pieces I’d worked on while we hung out by the pool at her house.

“Thanks.” My face flushed, and I quickly said goodbye when I saw Professor Potts threading through the downstairs exhibit, iPad in hand. She tapped in notes and took pictures.

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