“No, you’re not.” He’s already walking toward my suitcase. “You can follow me out.”
He’s already at the suitcase, pushing the clothes in and zipping it closed before I can say a word. “Anything else in the house?”
I glance around the room. “Just the pack-and-play and Leo’s toys.”
He picks up the suitcase and jerks his head toward the door. “Then let’s go. Grab Leo’s toys. I’ll take the suitcase and come back in for the pack-and-play.”
Leo is at his feet in a second, arms up. “Carry me.”
Duke looks at me. I don’t say anything. He shifts the suitcase to one hand and scoops Leo onto his hip with the other, and my son puts both hands on Duke’s face and grins at him from inches away.
Duke smiles back.
My heart does something I’m not ready for. Duke has missed out on two years and five months of Leo’s life. I’m such an asshole, even though I know it was the right thing to do.
Duke carries them both out the front door. The screen slaps shut behind him.
Camilla grabs my arm. “Vi, are you sure about this?”
I close my eyes for a few seconds. “No.”
She gives me a comforting squeeze. “You don’t have to go with him. We’ll figure it out. I don’t care what Tom says.”
“Your husband is right. You have a newborn, Camilla. You don’t need us here.”
She pulls me in with her free arm, the baby warm between us. “You call me if you need anything. I mean it.”
“I know.”
“And if he tries anything?—”
“He won’t.” I say it fast. Too fast. She catches it, and I see the question forming, but I’m already grabbing Leo’s toys. “He’s not like that. He never was.”
She follows me to the door. “You still love him.”
I don’t answer. I pull on my shoes and walk out into the sun.
Duke is by my car, Leo still on his hip, the suitcase already in the trunk. Leo is laughing, pulling on Duke’s cut, and Duke is letting him.
I tell myself this is practical.
This is survival. A roof. A room for my son.
Nothing else.
CHAPTER 3
DUKE
I carryeverything she owns into my house.
It’s not much. I would have given her fucking everything if she had let me.
Violet follows me down the hallway with Leo on her hip. He’s got his face buried in her neck, half-asleep, making soft noises.
“The guest room is on the left.” I set her suitcase inside the door. “Leo’s room is at the end. I put the pack-and-play in there.”
“Thank you.” She says it to the floor.