The Journey Home(30)
Author: Kelly Elliott

She turned and made her way out the door. “Wait! Jackie, it’s not what you think!”

The door slammed and I just stood there, staring. I was too afraid to turn and face the wrath of Maddie. But I could feel her— I was pretty sure her eyes were shooting daggers.

“I’m going to go put Lily down in her crib once I get her back to sleep. Then you and I are going to talk.”

She spun around and walked up the stairs. I let out a breath and stumbled into the kitchen. I somehow managed to get coffee going and had almost drank a whole cup when Maddie came in.

“So, is that something Lily should expect often from her father? Bringing home a stray whore every now and then to fuck?”

I closed my eyes. “Go to hell, Maddie.”

“I’m already there, Cale.”

I turned and looked at her. “If you hate it here so much—hate me so much—there’s the door, sweetheart. Don’t let it hit your ass on the way out.”

She laughed as she came closer and poked me in the chest. “There is no way in hell you could do this without my help.”

I knocked her hand away. “I could, and I will…until I have to go back to work.”

“What? What do you mean?”

I turned and poured another cup of coffee. “I have to go back to work, Maddie. How the hell do you think I pay for all of this?”

I heard her sit down. “But…what about Lily? Who’s going to take care of her when you’re gone for weeks at a time?”

I shrugged. “I’ll hire a nanny I guess.”

“No,” she whispered. “Cale, why are you doing this?”

I slammed my mug down so hard that it broke into pieces. I turned and looked at the only girl I’d ever loved. The one I’d never be able to have.

“Because, Maddie,” I said. “I have a fucking job that takes me out of town for weeks at a time. I didn’t sign up for this shit. I didn’t ask for her! I didn’t ask for my life to be turned upside down.”

She jumped up. “You have a child now. You’re going to have to make changes. You’re all she has, Cale. You’re going to have to take another job. Work for your father or something.”

I took a step close to her. “I’m not working for my father. I have a fucking job! I want my old life back!” I yelled.

Maddie was startled, but she held firm. “Oh, boohoo for you. Your old life is gone. The only thing that matters is Lily. She’s all you have.”

I took a step back. Tears filled my eyes. “I know, Maddie. You don’t have to remind me. I know.”

I was walking away when she grabbed my arm. “What do you want from me?” she asked “I can’t say anything without you turning it against me. So I walked away from you. It was the biggest mistake of my life, but I can’t change the past. What do you want me to do?”

I grabbed her arms and shook her. “I want you to fucking admit you love me. I want you to admit that you want me as much as I want you.”

She stared at me. Her eyes said that she loved me, but her body stiffened as she looked away from me. “I can’t tell you that. I…I have a boyfriend and—”

I pulled her to me and slammed my lips against hers. I moved my tongue along her bottom lip, praying she’d open her mouth to me. She moaned and pushed her hands through my hair as her lips parted. Our tongues began to dance, gently at first, but soon becoming more heated. I pulled her body to mine and pushed my hard dick against her.

“Cale,” she whispered as she pulled her lips from mine.

I picked her up as she wrapped her legs around my body. I pushed her against the wall. I slipped my hand under her shirt and I moaned when I realized she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her hard nipples begged to be sucked.

“Jesus, Maddie. I want you.”

I pushed up her shirt and moved my lips down to her nipple and began sucking on it as she called out my name. I slipped my hand into her pants and then into her panties where my fingers teased her. She began pushing against my hand and I couldn’t wait another second. I pushed two fingers inside of her and was met with nothing but pure heat and wetness. She clamped down on my fingers and pulled them further in.

“You’re so fucking wet, Maddie.”

“Wait, Cale…we can’t…oh, God.”

The doorbell rang. It seemed to pull Maddie to her senses. I set her down as she pushed me away, pulling her shirt down. Her chest was heaving as she attempted to slow her breathing. The doorbell rang again. I turned away and headed to the door as I adjusted my rock-hard dick.

The second I opened the door, I recognized him. I stood there staring at the bastard.

I heard Maddie behind me. “Andre? What are you…? How did you know I was here?”

Andre gazed between me and Maddie. “I have my ways.” He said, giving me a wink.

Fucker.

Maddie pushed past me, walked into his arms.

“I’ve missed you, Bella,” he said.

I rolled my eyes, turned and walked away as she told him how much she’d missed him, too. She wasn’t missing him two minutes ago when I had her against the wall.

“Actually, you told me you were staying here with Monica. I looked up Cale’s name, and when I stopped by your house and found it empty, I figured you were here.”

Maddie let out a nervous giggle. “Wow, you could be a detective.”

Andre laughed. “Well, now that I’m here, gather your things, Bella. Let’s go home.”

I sat down on the sofa and turned on the TV, waiting to hear her response.

“Um, Andre? We talked about this. I need another week to help get things settled.”

I glanced over at them. Andre was glaring. “Well, from the smell of alcohol on his breath, I’d say some things haven’t changed.”

I stood and began to approach him. “Listen here, you prick. You can’t just show up on my doorstep and—”

Maddie stepped in front of me. “Cale, please go sit down.”

I smiled at her. Her cheeks were still flushed. I lifted my fingers to my mouth and her eyes grew wide. I dropped my hand and walked back to the sofa.

“Andre, you can’t just show up and expect me to leave. I can’t to do that to Lily.”

He leaned in close and whispered to Maddie. “Is this for Lily, or for him?”

“I’m not even going to answer that. I’ve never pegged you as the jealous type, Andre. I asked you for one more week. After Saturday, you’ll have me all to yourself.”