After the Ex Games (The Ex Games #4)(23)
Author: J.S. Cooper

“Oh, Nancy.” Katie’s eyes filled with tears, and I knew she couldn’t defend him anymore. She knew what I was saying was true. He loved her with all his heart. I was nothing to him.

“You’re wrong, Nancy.” Brandon’s voice surprised us all as he walked back into the room. “You’re very, very wrong.” He had some files in his hand, and I looked at him in confusion. “I did tell Katie because I love her. I love her with all my heart and I knew that I couldn’t lie anymore. I was never ashamed of you. I was ashamed of who I was as a human being. I was ashamed of all the horrible things I’ve done. I didn’t think I was worthy of her love.” He stopped in front of me. “And I didn’t think I was worthy of your love, but never for a second think I haven’t loved you. Never for a second think that I’ve not thought of you. You have been in my heart from the moment you were born.”

“Then why didn’t you come for me?”

“I didn’t want to upset your life. You were with your parents. They loved you. They took care of you. I made sure to send money every month. I made sure you were okay. I had someone make sure you were okay. I’m sorry. If I were to do it again, I’d make another choice,”

I looked down at the floor then, not knowing what to say or how to feel.

“See this?” He took something out of the file. “This is a picture you drew for me that weekend.” He handed me a drawing that I vaguely remembered. “You drew it and you gave it to me with the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen. I gave you a hug and I never wanted to let go.” His voice caught. “I’ve had this picture with me since that day. I look at it and I think of you. I think of my daughter. I think of how much I love you. I think about how proud I am of you.”

“Proud?” I frowned.

“I’m proud because you’re a straight A student. I’m proud because you volunteer at an animal shelter. I’m proud because last year you went to prom with a guy who has Down’s syndrome. I’m proud because you think with your heart and you do what you think is right.”

“How did you know all that?” I looked up at him with a beating heart.

“I may not have been in your life, but I’ve made sure to keep track of your life.” His eyes were bright with unshed tears. “You’ve always been in my heart. I’m not proud of the man that I was. I’m not proud of the secrets I’ve kept, the lies I’ve told, the jealousy in my heart. But I want things to change. I want things to be different. I want you in my life. I want us to have a relationship. I want the chance to be the father I should have been from the beginning.”

“I don’t know.” I bit my lip and looked at Katie to see how she was reacting.

“I want that as well, Nancy.” She looked into my eyes. “Brandon and I have our own tumultuous history, and there have been times that I have hated him, but he’s a good man. He’s the man I love. He’s the man I want to spend my life with. I know this is hard for you and this is your decision, but know that you are welcome into our family with open arms.”

“I don’t know what to say.” I stood up and looked at Brandon. “I didn’t know you cared at all.”

“You can see in these files.” He handed them to me. “I’ve been keeping up with everything in your life.”

“Why didn’t you come to the club when I was there?”

“He didn’t know.” Greyson spoke up then. “He didn’t know you were there. I didn’t know who you were at first. Patsy didn’t tell me. I thought you were just another girl. When I found out you were Maria’s sister, I didn’t know what to do. I knew, of course, that you were the baby we’d covered up, but I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t tell Brandon right away. I was so caught up in Meg. I wanted to pretend that my past didn’t exist. I felt like the devil and I just didn’t know what to do. And then I saw you and Meg getting close and I was scared. I didn’t know what you knew. I didn’t know what you would say. I asked Patsy what was going on. She said she didn’t know.” He sighed. “I trusted her. I should have known she was the weak link. She knew everything, of course. She was the only one who knew everything, aside from Brandon and me.”

“He told me that you were there the day you went missing.” Brandon spoke up then. “We thought David or Patsy had you. We were going to talk to her, but then the notes started arriving and we didn’t know what to think. The only thing we knew was that you knew the truth. We just wanted to meet you and talk to you, but then you never showed up to the lunch.” His eyes looked at me with a question and I shrugged.

“Patsy told me to leave.”

“We waited for hours. I just wanted to see you, to explain, to hug you.”

“I wish I’d stayed.”

“Why did you leave?”

“I felt like I owed her.” I sighed. “I don’t know anymore.”

“Will you give me another chance?” He reached his hand out to me.

“Yes.” I smiled, and he pulled me into his arms and hugged me tight.

“I love you, Nancy. Please always remember that I love you.”

“There’s something you should know.” I looked up at him. “Patsy’s pissed.”

He made a face. “She’s always pissed.”

“No.” I shook my head. “She’s really pissed. When she found out that Katie was pregnant, she got really mad.”

“What?” He froze and looked down at me.

“She said—” I started, and then we heard a loud noise.

We all froze and looked towards the door. Patsy walked in with a gun in her hands. She looked at me with a sneer and then started laughing.

“Well, what do we have here?”

“What are you doing here, Patsy?” Greyson stepped towards her, and she pointed the gun towards him.

“Stop!” she screamed. “Stop or I’ll shoot!”

“Patsy, you don’t want to do this.” His voice was soft. “Please just give me the gun.”

“So you can shoot me? I don’t think so.”

“Patsy,” he said again, and she made to pull the trigger.

“Shut up!” Her eyes turned cold. “Just shut the f**k up or I’ll shoot.”

“Patsy.” Brandon spoke up now and took a step towards her.