Monday, June 26, 2016
T
rey's House
20 weeks...
"Touch her and I'll kill you myself—jail be damned."
Melissa pulled Alexandra away to Trey's side, so grateful he'd come when he had. Trey's anger filled eyes softened a little when he looked down at them.
His eyes raked them for bruises. Satisfied there were none, he addressed Melissa. "Take her upstairs." When Lexi opened her mouth, he silenced her with a glare. "And stay there till I say otherwise," he added, leaning down so he was looking in her eyes, "I mean it."
She hesitated for a moment, looking from Valerie to her husband, then nodded. "Be careful," she whispered in a shaky voice. Trey nodded once, turning away as she and Melissa went upstairs.
"You have lost your manners," Valerie said, looking down her nose at him. "That wench is ruining you in every manner possible. You deserve better than her. Why can't you see that? You choose this... filth over the perfect woman for you. —"
"She is not filthy, and she has a name—Alexandra," Trey spat; he was fuming. The nerve of this woman to think she had the right to choose a wife for him.
"Are you going to defend her over me?" she asked, disgust filling her voice. Then she turned on Andrew. "Andy, talk to your son. He's being utterly disrespectful."
Andrew didn't move his gaze off his phone - not even for a split second. "Son, listen to your mother."
"Two things," Trey snarled, his anger bursting at the seams. "Don't ever call me son. You lost the right to do that when you left me to care for myself and my stepsister."
"You both were old enough," Andrew cut in dismissively, no sign of remorse etched on his granite face.
"Old enough?" he echoed, looking at the man who'd fathered him. "Does leaving a 10-year-old girl to your 20-year-old son to fend for sound okay to you? Especially when you were off parading the only parent she had left around?"
Andrew's gaze moved from the phone to Trey, and he could've sworn he'd seen a flash of remorse in the man's eyes before it hardened. But he refused to be swayed.
"Secondly," he pressed on, too filled with rage to be polite, "she is not my mother and will never be. She can't even be a mother to her own daughter."
Valerie's usual cold demeanor broke, shock splashed across her face. But he wasn't done. "All she wants is your money," he growled, looking straight at Andrew, "and you're either too blind to see it or you just don't care.
"She married her ex-husband for money, and when things went south, she abandoned him. She doesn't care about you, her daughter, or anyone! Why, she held her own daughter over my head to make me do whatever she wanted!"
He was so mad his veins popped. "Don't ever make the mistake of calling her my mother again. I have one mother and I'm not trading her for anything or anyone, much less her," he spat seething.
Andrew gave him a look of disappointment. "I knew you had changed. I just didn't know you had gotten this bad."
Trey's brows merged into his hair. He said what? His father just went on, fixing the cuffs of his sleeves. "I did not raise you to let your emotions cloud your judgment, nor for you to grow up into a disrespectful boy."
"You hardly raised me at all," Trey growled, his fists clenching harder than he thought possible. "My mother, Ashley," Andrew jerked at the mention of the name as if he'd been slapped, "was the one who raised me, and she taught me to stand for what I want.
"You," he spat with contempt, "did nothing. And I'm sorry if I'm not the perfect son you want, but I would never bend to please you. I owe you nothing."
Andrew stared back at him blankly, and Trey found himself wishing their parents had never met. He hated the idea of his wonderful mother being married and subjected to this stone-cold wall of a man.
Andrew exhaled, stepping forward and away from Valerie who had regained her composure. "I did not come here to squabble with you. I came for business purposes."
Trey gave a harsh laugh. It was always money and work for his dad. He and his mom—and later Melissa—had always been neglected in favor of money. Not that he hadn't been rich already; he just wanted more.
It was never enough.
But he was different; he wasn't his father. He would not let that man's opinions mold him. "I don't know why how I run my business is any of your concern," he said evenly, unclenching his fists. "May I remind you that the company is mine, and I will do what I please with it," he snarled.
Andrew shook his head in disappointment, and it chafed at him more than he would've liked. "If you have nothing else to say, please take your wife and get out of my house."
"Very well," he muttered, casting a look in Valerie's direction. She nodded, grabbing her purse. He walked out of the living room and towards Trey. "I hope you realize that you've made your decision. Don't grumble about me not being in your life."
Trey smiled. "I stopped asking you a long time ago. In fact, I love it when you stay out of my way. If Valerie pulls another stunt like this, I'll cut you both out of my life. Understood?"
Andrew frowned like it had made an unpleasant taste in his mouth. Without awaiting an answer, Trey continued, saying, "Good. Now, be on your way before I have security show you out."
They stood, face to face, staring the other down. Andrew gave up, a twitch in the corner of his lip that Trey thought he'd imagined. Then without a word, he walked out. "I'm sorry," Valerie muttered, not looking sorry at all.
He wondered if she even knew what the word meant. "I'm hosting a family and friends' dinner on Saturday, and as a way of apologizing, I'd like it if you and your wife, as well as Melissa, attended."
"Follow your husband," was his reply. "I've had enough of you for one day." Valerie nodded and went in the direction of the front door. As soon as he heard it close, he allowed his shoulders to sag.
"You did good," Mitch praised. "Go calm yourself a bit. Speak to your wife and sister if necessary. I'll also check on Samantha and we'll meet up to discuss the next step. Good?" he whispered. He'd been deliberately vague, but Trey understood.
He nodded once, giving Mitchell a fierce hug. He needed it.
*
Nicolysse Park sat staring out of her window, her lips curling snidely as she thought of Trey and his little wife he couldn't seem to let go of. Throughout college, she'd done her best to get his attention.
None had worked out.
The only time he'd briefly considered her was when his stepmother pushed her onto him with the threat of sending his sister off to live with her dad at the shelter, amidst drug abusers and drunkards if he didn't marry her.
Then Alexandra came along and ruined everything.
They had been so close to being married; Trey had proposed! But then the girl had caught Trey's interest in a way Nicolysse had never been able to, and she'd seen it.
She tried asking Trey to stop Alexandra from coming over. But Trey didn't listen. He favored his stepsister over her, and gave his sister whatever she needed, saying she'd been through enough.
Then she'd been angry and surprised when Trey admitted to sleeping with the girl, but he'd claimed it was a mistake and that he was sorry. She'd been desperate and had worked too hard to get him to let him go, so she'd forgiven it.
Then it happened. The catalyst.
She had fallen pregnant by that mistake, and his bratty stepsister kept giving him hell for it till he moved her in. He hadn't even allowed Nicolysse to move in after their engagement!
And slowly, she'd seen the way Alexandra captivated his interest more and more, and she'd wondered why. The girl was plain, with nothing but debts to her name. What did Trey see in her?
She'd tried hanging on to her fiancé, but he was no longer hers. He broke things off, and no matter how many times Valerie gave him hell for it, he stood by his decision. He'd made Valerie a deal: If he and Alexandra didn't work out, he would give it a shot. He was too honorable to dump the mother of his baby.
When the baby had been lost thanks to her, and she'd thought that was her chance, they'd stuck together. It made her bitter to find out Alexandra had gotten pregnant again, while she'd struggled to get pregnant to trap Trey into a marriage with her.
It hadn't mattered that he didn't love her back; her love was enough, and they could make it work.
Now, Ethan Donovan had made it relatively easy for her, but she still couldn't get him to look at her the way he did her, and it burned her chest. Every time she saw how he looked at her, like she was the air he needed, a certain green-eyed beast came loose.
She jumped in surprise when her phone buzzed continually, indicating an incoming call. It was Valerie. She chased all dark thoughts out of her head and plastered a smile on her face before answering. "Valerie! How nice—"
"I'm not calling with good news so let me cut to the chase," she cut off. Nicolysse blinked in surprise. She'd heard and seen the woman being rude to others, but never to her. "He knows."
She shook herself out of her stupor. "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Who knows what?"
"Trey knows of her pregnancy and he's moved her back into the house." Nicolysse's eyes narrowed. Did this girl ever learn? "Once those babies are born to him, there would not be a single chance for you to get back to him. If you want to do something, do it now."
"That little minx," she gritted through clenched teeth, then composed herself. "Don't worry. I'll think of something. Leave it to me."
"I hope you know what you're doing," Valerie muttered warily. "I must go. My husband is coming back to the car. Take care of yourself."
"You too," she mumbled absently, unaware the call had been cut. She dropped it from her ear and leaned back, thinking. Soon, she thought, they were going to hit back so hard that Alexandra wouldn't know what hit her.
*
He'd checked Alexandra's room first, but upon finding it empty, he'd gone in the opposite direction to Melissa's room. He opened the door slowly and looked inside to find Melissa awake and staring back at him while Alexandra slept next to her.
He went all the way in, closing the door behind him. Melissa stood and he assessed her to find she'd been crying. "Are you okay?" he queried, looking her over.
Melissa shrugged to look like she didn't care but Trey could tell she was hurting. "I bumped my hip against the couch when she shoved me out of the way." So, emotional and physical pain.
When he saw tears welling in her eyes, it broke his heart. "Why does she not like me? And going to the extent of using me as leverage over you? Why can't I have a loving mother?"
"Come here," he murmured, spreading his arms. She didn't need telling twice. She stepped into his embrace and the only indication that she was crying was the wetness he felt in his shirt.
He held her close to him, burying his nose in her hair. "Valerie isn't and will never be a mom. But no need to be sad. I'm sharing mine with you. Shouldn't that be enough?"
She chuckled quietly at his droll humor. He went on, "We have the most wonderful mom in the world—Ashley. Forget about Valerie and stop expecting them to show you any sort of love. They didn't when you were just ten, and I doubt they would start now that you're all grown up."
He pulled away to look at her. Reaching down, he wiped her tears. "Don't give her the satisfaction of knowing you need her. Just do something that makes you happy and spend time with someone who does that."
He paused, then tilted her head up to look her in the eyes. "I can arrange to have you see Devante if that will make you happy," he suggested, making her roll her eyes but smile anyway.
Melissa stepped back from him, blushing lightly. And when Trey opened his mouth, she blocked her ears. "Please don't continue. Take your wife and get out."
Trey's chuckle drifted over to her as he walked towards her bed. He winked at her and sat down, giving his attention to Lexi. He brushed the hair off her face and found her cheeks stained with tears too. She'd cried herself to sleep. He sighed, contemplating how to lift her without waking her.
He took off his crocs and got on the bed completely and lifted her into his arms. She'd stirred a little but gone back to sleep with a contented sigh. Then he slid down the bed and shoved his feet into his crocs, adjusting her in his arms. "Sorry I messed up your bed," he told Melissa.
She waved it off with a sniffle. "It's okay," she murmured. "I'll fix it when I'm going to bed."
He nodded and walked to the entrance of her bedroom where Melissa stood, holding the door open. He paused to look at her. "Will you be okay?"
"I will be," she affirmed with a small smile.
"Are you sure? Because I can put her to bed, cancel my plans and spend the rest of my day cheering you up," he told her and a look in his eyes told her he was serious. "Just say the words."
"I appreciate it, but no. You have a lot of work piled up, and I have a deadline to meet," she answered. She rose on tippy toes and kissed his cheek. "I'll be okay."
Hesitantly, he let it go and nodded. "Let me know if you need anything."
"Okay." He went out of the door with Lexi, turning left. "Trey?" He paused to look at her. "Thank you... for everything."
He smiled. "You're welcome. Get some rest before you get back to work. I'll handle dinner today."
She smiled with a nod and closed the door. He was the best brother she could ask for, and it made her feel bad for giving him a hard time growing up.
Only a little though.
She felt just a little bad.