The car ride back to Carter's house was extremely uncomfortable.
It was just the twins, Dylan, and I.
Carter decided to ride in the other car because he had to talk to Libby about something "important".
The silence was slowly killing me, but if he wanted silence then he was going to get exactly that.
"What was that back there?"
Well there goes the silence.
"What are you talking about?" His knuckles suddenly turned white as he gripped onto the steering wheel.
"Kota, I'm being serious." He said through gritted teeth.
"So am I. I don't know what you saw back there, but I assure you it's nothing. Plus, if there was something it shouldn't concern you."
I really need to know when to shut up.
"What do you mean it shouldn't concern me?"
"Well, I don't know how I can break it down more than that. You're a pretty smart man, you are the CEO of---"
"Dakota, it concerns me because I can't stand another man looking, hugging, and especially kissing you. You're the woman I love, and the mother of my children. So, everything about you, especially your love life concerns me."
"Alec is just a friend." I sighed.
"Well clarify that with him because the way he looks at you doesn't scream friendship."
"He knows that already."
"No he doesn't. You need to stop seeing him."
"Excuse me?" I asked in disbelief.
"You need to stop seeing him." He said.
"You will not order me around and especially tell me who I can see and who I can't. Alec has been by side since the beginning. Thanks to him I was able to safely make it Switzerland, and have a roof over my head for the first day and food in my stomach. So, no Dylan I will not stop seeing him because you said so. He's a huge part of my life."
"Do you love him?" Dylan whispered. I suddenly felt the car come to a stop.
"Of course I do, he's been a true friend. He's been loyal, supportive, and caring. Things I wouldn't necessarily use to describe you."
He looked hurt right after I said that, and I immediately regretted it.
"I know I've made mistakes, you have already punished me enough. Because of your selfishness I missed your pregnancy. I missed seeing your stomach grow every month, I missed every ultrasound, I missed hearing their heartbeat for the first time in those ultrasounds. So yeah I may not be loyal, supportive, or caring, but at least I'm not as selfish as you." He sneered.
"Don't you dare put everything on me. I left because I didn't want Brandon growing up without a father."
"But you wanted that for our children?"
"Brandon needed you more than the twins. The twins would have had me and Carter. I was selfish for you. I wanted you to be happy. So don't you dare pin this on me."
"Oh so the twins were meant to be happy with you and Carter? Were you going to tell them that Carter was their father or that their father was dead?"
Don't cry.
"I would have told the twins about you. I would have been honest. I would have allowed them to make the decision themselves of whether they wanted to meet you or not."
"Who do you think you were to keep my children away from me? God?"
Don't cry.
"I am their mother and as their mother it was in my best interest to protect and love my children."
"Protect them from what? Me? Because I'm such a monster."
"The woman you impregnated who was living with you is a monster, I didn't want my twins anywhere near her."
"I would have gotten rid of her in a snap of fingers if you told me you were pregnant."
"You know what I find so ironic about this? You claim I'm the woman you love, yet you talk to me like this? With so much resentment? Is this your way of telling me you love me? Because if it is I don't want it. We took one step forward and three steps back. I thought you had changed, seeing you with the twins and how much you love them I thought you actually changed. I thought you were the man I left behind, the man who gave me Hope, the man who continuously told me he loved me, the man who I made love to, but god was I wrong. You're still that asshole who walked into the diner and shoved that contract in my face. You're still that selfish bastard who only thinks about himself. Let me burst your bubble, Dylan. You're a father now. You're not the priority now, those kids are, you put them first. They come first regardless of your own well-being. Yes, I was selfish and yes I took things away from you but at the end of the day I did it for their well being even if you don't see and for yours as well. So hate me all you want, call me anything you want because I am at peace with myself and I can assure you that my kids are loved and cared about."
I had not noticed that I had tears running down my cheeks.
"Dakota." He whispered.
I didn't answer I simply turned my head away and faced the window.
I heard Dylan take off his seatbelt and suddenly my head was being turned to face him.
He gently wiped my tears away and I could see regret written all over his face.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I am not going to lie and say that I'm not hurt that you hid your pregnancy, but I didn't mean to call you selfish you're anything, but that. It's just that this stupid jealousy washed over me. I can't stand another man coming near you, desiring you, especially kissing you. I'm just some stupid love sick guy who wants nothing, but your love. I want your love and affection. I ask for no more. I know that I'm stupid, arrogant, and an asshole and you may think that I haven't changed, but I have. I'm not that ass who walked into your life forcing you into marriage. I'm the man who you changed with your love and affection. Dakota, I'm so sorry. I just said all those disgusting things because I am jealous. I don't necessarily know what we are or where we stand at this moment. For that reason I'm questioning everything and here comes this man with his blue eyes, and who my daughter seems fond of, walk into your life again ready to take you away from me." He sighed.
"You can't keep doing this." I whispered.
"I promise you I will never do this again."
"Dylan, I've been through enough god knows that. You giving me crap is not making my life easier."
"Everything is just so confusing like where do we stand? What are we? Aside from a married couple in paper what are we really? In a month and a few days we won't be wife and husband anymore. So where is that going to leave us?"
"Dylan, I'm mentally, emotionally, and physically tired. I am a mother now, my love life is not my number one priority my babies are."
"Do you love me?" He asked.
"Yes." I immediately said.
"Then what's stopping you from wanting to be with me? I love you as well. Nothing has changed one bit. When I wake up you're the first person I want to see. I want to be able to come home and see you there cooking for me and the kids. I want to argue with you, and have hot make-up sex. I want to walk Elizabeth down the altar and when I look to the side I want you there saving me a seat right next to you. I want to tell our grandkids our love story. I want to grow old with you. There's no doubt in my mind that's what I want."
My heart skipped a beat.
"What do you want?"
"I want peace and happiness." I said.
He grabbed my hand and placed a kissed in my knuckles.
"Then allow me to give you that."
"No more stupid tantrums?"
"No."
"No more stupid uncalled jealousy?"
"No."
"No more telling me who I can see and who I can't?"
"No."
"Alec is going to be a part of my life you do understand that?"
"Yes."
"And you will be okay with that?"
"I will try my very best."
"And you will take me on a proper date?"
"I have been dying to take you on a proper date." He said.
"And Ed Sheeran will make it to our wedding?"
"I will pull all the strings I have. I will even kidnap the guy if I have to." He chuckled.
"Then okay, I accept your love. I accept you with all your flaws. I accept your offer of happiness and peace. I want you all of you. I want this to work because I am head over heels in love with you. I want everything you just said. I want to grow old with you. I love you so damn much Dylan Maxwell even after nine months of not seeing you I still feel these stupid butterflies every time you look at me. I wouldn't want to be with anyone else."
Before I knew it his lips were on mine and for once in nine months I felt loved, again.