Chapter 36
FREYA
“Your Mom and 1 are going to talk.”
“Carlos” He nodded at once, leading Gia and the dogs to her room. We stood in complete silence till their footsteps died down the hall.
-Why would you do that?”
The note of incredulousness in Freya’s tone grated at my nerves. She looked genuinely at a loss as if the chances of what I said being a reality didn’t
You know she’s going to hang onto each of your words. Why would you tell her all that when it’s not true?”
My jaws clenched as I tried not to let my control slip. Just the thought of Freya walking out on me violently twisted my insides. It wouldn’t happen. Iwouldn’t allow it
“What’s not true,
Freya
It was a miracle that my voice came out as calm. But the hint of underlying danger was probably notable if Freya’s facial expression was any indication. She audibly swallowed.
We are not
are not staying here permanently. As soon as I find a place, we’re moving out.”
Even though her words lacked the conviction that was there seconds ago, it still burned the same. I had the urge to bend her over and fuck the thought night out of her. She was not fucking leaving.
“The fuck you are!” 1 hissed.
Her eyes went wide. “Excuse me?”
“Excused. Gia is staying with me.” And so are you. But I couldn’t say that. I didn’t yet have the fucking place to demand that!
“Oh God! I’m not trying to take her away from you. I’m not doing that. In fact I was the one who wanted to tell her everything, wasn’t I?”
She thought this was what it’s about. I wasn’t sure if I should laugh at my situation. This woman had no idea, no bloody hint about why I didn’t wanna let go. She probably saw me as nothing more than her daughter’s father while † on the other hand saw her as so much more. I had been reduced to a possessive and obsessive bulldog. So fucking pathetic!
ook, we have to come to an arrangement if we are to co–parent Gia
My molars grinded against each other as 1 glared at her.
“And what arrangement will that be, huh! I’m not dividing days of the week to spend time with her. Gia stays with both her parents. Every damn day of every damn week”
“You can’t decide that!” She threw her hands up in the air with an expression I was way too familiar with. Frustration. I felt it too fucking much. 1 was having to hide what I really felt for her, at having to pretend like I didn’t need Freya more than my morning coffee. Frustration was my fucking middle name
“I can’t, huh?” I tilted my head slightly to the left and watched her swallow. Her eyes flicked sideways like she was making sure there was some sort of escape if the situation worseni
FUCK!
I was suddenly reminded of what Freya had faced not long ago and that had me feeling like a complete asshole. She had been here, in front of a man much bigger thun her in size, one who couldn’t keep his anger in check. I wouldn’t hurt her. I would much rather shoot myself before I laid a hand on her. But her trauana response didn’t know that.
“Fuck! I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry!” I dragged a hand down my face and exhaled. When I finally look up at her, she’s already staring at Ing. slicitly confused. I kept looking at her face while I spoke again. “I will never hurt you, okay? You never have to be afraid of that.”
She blinked, before her eyes softened
These two words were close to a soft whisper but certain Relief washed over me along with something which felt a lot like a sense of achievement. I
uld be gutted if the woman I loved slidn’t feel safe in my presence.
Chapter 36
A sharp–ringing sound cut through the prevailing silence. I pulled my phone out of my pocket. The name on the screen set my lips in a hard line.
An exhule reached my ear before a familiar voice did. “Could you be any colder towards your mother!”
phone call with my mother.
“I’m listening.” I would rather not. The maller with Freya wasn’t resolved. That concerned me much more than this phone c
“Aiden, how many times have I asked you to come home for a family dinner?”
Why didn’t I see this coming? Because my mind was preoccupied with a lot of far more important things. That brings me to the question why the fuck did I even pick up the call! Again, I wasn’t clearly thinking!
It was my turn to sigh. “More times than I can remember. And every single time I’ve let you know that I don’t give niso flying fucks about your family dinner.”“”
There was a dramatic gasp, like she had just realized that her son cursed. “Aiden, language!”
I rolled my eyes before muttering “Goodnight, Mother,” into the phone. Hanging up, I slipped the phone back into my pocket
“That was incredibly rude” Freya’s voice, coated with disapproval made my jaws tighten with annoyance. I stared
up at her.
“Don’t judge when you don’t know shit.” I clipped but judging by how Freya winced, it might have been a little more harsh than I had intended.
“I’m not judging you” She mumbled. “It’s just that.. at least your mother calls you over for dinner. She wants you in her life.”
Her words, she spoke with such deep–rooted sadness. It made me want to forget iny issues.
y issues and find out what happened in her past. What did her family do? Why is she not in contact with them‘
“You know some people don’t even get that. Mine don’t want anything to do with me.” She sucked in a deep breath that sounded shaky and I was tempted to let go of my remaining morals and dig into her past. I wanted to know what caused her so much sadness but I couldn’t.
Freya was unaware of the debate going on in my head regarding whether or not to forsake a moral boundary which in the first place existed because she was concerned. Otherwise it had always been a gray area.
“Look. I’m sorry if you think I’m interfering in something that 1 shouldn’t. It’s just — you see, even though I would never go back to my parents….” She chuckled awkwardly. “Not like they want me back, but still I wonder how it would feel to have a family, parents that want me. Despite the differences you and your mother have, she wants to spend time with her she’s asking for small, normal things like family dinner”
I didn’t speak, only considered her. She would be willing to accept crumbs however small they would be. She thought it was fine to overlook all other mistreatments in the name of family. Growing up in a toxic houschakd dors that to you. Your self–worth takes a backseat till it becomes unbearable and you finally snap. I wonder what could be the final straw that made Freya snap.
My curiosity and I would’ve to wait till she felt comfortable enough with me to share.
I exhaled. Freya thought it was a case of some disagreement, a petty grudge I held against my family, nothing some good talk over some steak and wine wouldn’t solve. I mentally scoffed at the thought. What a joke!
I wasn’t yet ready to open up. I wasn’t ready to tell her how she was trying to repair bands that were really truly severed. I didn’t tell that to Freya Instead I walked past her to my room and called it a night.
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