Daddy's Boy (13 page)

“Shark!” Olivia Screamed running down the stairs, followed close by a barking Miss Daisy and a growling Rocco.

Flinging the door open Olivia’s screaming stopped short. “Oh it’s just you.”

“Yes it’s just me and me is going to take his ice cream and go have ice cream Wednesday with someone else.”

“Ice cream Wednesday?” I asked raising my eyebrows at Mason.

“Ty and Olivia have different days for everything.” He explained. “Tequila Sunday is so far the best.”

“I’ll take tequila Sunday over facial Friday any day.” Jonah said completely horrified.

“Is there a reason you called me twenty three times yesterday?” The skinny guy asked Olivia as they walked into the kitchen.

“Gossip of course.” Olivia said in a high-pitched slightly evil sounding voice.

What gossip was Olivia thinking about? On no, not that gossip.

“Denny and Rachel almost had sex yesterday morning.”

Oh God, kill me now.

“Jesus Olivia.” Denny hissed.

“Almost huh? Did his thing finally fall off?” Ty asked looking straight at Denny’s crotch.

I just couldn’t seem to find the brain function to shut my mouth and I’m sure my face was as red as it could get. Mason and Jonah were laughing so hard tears were streaming down their faces, Denny looked like he was about to kill someone and Olivia and Ty were carrying on their conversation like it was completely normally to talk about mine and Denny’s sex life.

“If the girls aren’t doing it for you anymore Denny I’ll let you try me on for size.” Ty said wiggling his eyebrows at Denny and giving him a wink.

“Jesus.” Denny said sighing heavily. “Fucking comedy show.”

A loud knock at the front door had Miss Daisy braking and Rocco growling again and Olivia running for the door like a five year old.

“Rachel right?” Ty asked walking across the kitchen.

“Yes.” I said taking the empty apple sauce carton from Denny’s hand without making eye contact with him.

“Don’t feel too bad for the unfinished sex. I wouldn’t go near his penis if someone paid me. Revolving door if you know what I mean.” Ty whispered, smirking at Denny.

It was obvious that Ty was just joking and I would have bought it too if it wasn’t for Denny’s eyes going as wide as can be. I knew Denny had been around the block a couple of times before we got together and it’s not like I thought he wouldn’t sleep with anyone after me, it’s just something I’d rather not think about. And I hated to say it but I was jealous of every girl that got to touch him, and from the look on his face it had been a lot more than a few.

  “I liked it better when he was scared of us.” Jonah snickered as he walked out the door.

“Shark!” Olivia screamed throwing herself at the blonde man standing in the doorway.

The blonde man caught Olivia like she weighed nothing, his hand going to her head to hold it against his neck. “It’s good see you too China Doll.” The blonde whispered against Olivia’s head.

“Old friends?” I asked Ty, watching Sharks face break into a smile as Olivia said something only he could hear.

“No, they’ve only known each other for like a month.” Ty said in a strained voice also watching them.

That hug was not a hug of two people that had only known each other for a month nor was it just a friend hug. Shark was looking at Olivia like she was the sun in his sky. Like an old lover that hasn’t seen his love for far too long.

Letting go of Shark’s neck Olivia stepped back her hand blindly searching for Jonah.

Taking Olivia in one hand Jonah held out the other for Shark to shake. Odd how Jonah was the most jealous person I’d ever met but he was blind to the way Shark felt about Olivia.

“How’s everyone doing?” Shark whispered to Jonah but looked at Olivia.

“She’s doing fine Shark.”

“Good now would someone like to fill me in on what’s going on? I have a job I need to be back to by this weekend. And let’s face it, half of the Denver underground is looking to kill me.”

“Umm hey Ty come up stairs with me and help me clean up Lucca.” Olivia said walking in to the kitchen.

“Can I bring the ice cream?” Ty asked his brown eyes lighting up.

“Heck yeah.” Olivia cooed to Lucca.

“Big kids is an understatement when it comes to those too.” Shark whispered under his breath watching the three of them go up the stairs.

Denny, Jonah and Mason filled Shark in while I cleaned the floor. They told him about my dad missing, how Denny found his place trashed, I knew he lied to me about that. They also explained about Darcy looking for him and Ryan the supposed DEA agent working as a cop. When they got to the Ryan bits the guys got kind of funny talking about him. Was it odd that I wasn’t really bothered by seeing Ryan with another girl? Yeah it was odd most women would have marched themselves over there and kicked both their asses. But the honest truth was Ryan was nothing more than a friend, someone to keep the loneliness away. How could I feel for someone when my heart was stuck on Denny?

“I don’t recognize the name. Rachel did he give you a last name?” Shark asked turning his sea eyes on me.

Oh shit, it was one thing to admit to myself that Ryan was just a space filler it was a whole different thing to admit that to others.

“Umm…he never told me his last name.”

Denny’s mouth clamped shut so hard I was sure he broke some teeth.

“You let him hold my son and you didn’t even know his last name?”

Whoa, hold the phone. Where the hell did that come from?

“When have you seen Ryan holding Lucca?”

“Not the point Rachel.” Denny yelled.

“I’ll second that.” Shark said stepping into the middle of the kitchen between Denny and I glaring at each other. “You wouldn’t happen to have a picture of him would you?”

That I had.

“Yeah there’s a picture of him…” Holding Lucca shit. Taking my cell out of my back pocket I found the picture and handed the phone over to Shark.”

“He’s an agent, but Ryan is not his name.” Shark said looking at the picture. “Excuse me.” He said dialing a number on his cell as he left the room.

No one talked but Denny and Jonah stared at me like I’d done something wrong.

Leaning back into the counter I couldn’t take it anymore. “What is your problem?”

“This guy didn’t just play you he played my son.”

“He didn’t play anyone−”

“I’m sorry would you prefer used?”

“Should we go back upstairs?” Olivia whispered from the kitchen door.

Ignoring Olivia I stepped away from the counter. “Ryan did not play or use Lucca. It was never like that. He was really sweet to Lucca. Also it’s real nice to know that you think so highly of me as the mother of your child.”

“I never said anything about your mothering skills. I said you pick shit men and shouldn’t let those shit men around my son.”

“Yeah I do and you were the worst one.” I shouted, turning so I could leave the room. No not just the room I was going home. Fuck this. “Oh and by the way Denny,” I snapped turning back to him, “you do not get to tell me who I date or who I allow to be near my son.” With that said I walked out not looking back as I heard Denny stomping after me.

“Rachel.” Olivia whispered standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Shaking my head I went to go by her when Jonah’s words stopped me.

“Denny has a right to say who is around his son too Rachel. It took both of you to make him.”

“Yes thank you Jonah, I was there.”

“Jonah don’t.” Olivia whispered shaking her head.

“No how about she doesn’t. I’ve watched Denny go through hell since the day Lucca was born.” Gasping I turned back to look at him. “Yeah Rachel, Denny was there but your father, the person Denny is now busting his ass to find, told him to leave the hospital and not to come back. Do you have any idea what it must feel like to not be able to hold your newborn son? Or maybe how it feels to watch another man hold your son?”

What the hell was going on? Denny didn’t even come to the hospital.

“You’re forgetting something Jonah, he left me!”

“Yeah Rachel I left you over a year ago move on.”

“Move on are you fucking kidding me?”

“Yeah Lucca and I are going to go back upstairs.” Ty said over my yelling as he retreated up the stairs.

“I’m trying to make up for that Rachel. Were you not there when we were in bed together yesterday morning?”

“Your apology is sex?” Oh my god I was not hearing this. “Would you like to know why we didn’t have sex yesterday Denny? We didn’t have sex because I refuse to be one of your office girls. Yeah baby I know all about you having sex with anything that moves. The first night we met was I just an office girl too? Only I was different right because I unfortunately got pregnant.”

“Fuck this I’m out of here.” Denny hissed walking to the front door. “But just so you know you weren’t an office girl Rachel. The office girls only started because you ruined me.”

“You ruined me!” I screamed back as the front door slammed shut.

“Are you ok?” Olivia asked quietly.

I couldn’t answer my heart was in my throat. This scene was almost as bad as the break up.

“Why the hell are you asking her if she is ok? Do you not see what she is doing to Denny?” Jonah yelled. “He had a fucking break down yesterday.”

Grabbing Jonah’s arm Mason pulled him towards the front door. “We’ll go to Risk, everyone could use some space. Call my cell if you need me.”

Giving me a look of disgust Jonah walked out not even saying goodbye to Olivia. Guess I really pissed him off.

“Thank God Ty brought ice cream.” Olivia said turning and walking up the stairs.

When she was at the top she looked down the steps at me, “you coming?”

“You still want me around after what just happened?” I said feeling numb.

“Of course. Unless you’re mad at me and don’t want to come?”

“I’m not mad at you Olivia but what about the guys?”

“They won’t be back for a while, trust me.”

It took me ten minutes to pull myself together enough to walk to Jonah and Olivia’s room. I found Ty and Olivia lying on the bed eating ice cream and laughing at Lucca who was trying to feed Miss Daisy’s her own tail.

I was hurt and pissed off but I still couldn’t find it in myself not to care about what Jonah had said about Denny having a break down. So call it self-torture or simply reopening closed wounds but I had to know. “What did Jonah mean by Denny having a break down?”

Olivia bit her lip and dropped her eyes to the ground. “It’s not my place and Jonah would hate me for telling you but well I honestly think you’re the only one that can fix him so I’m going to tell you. Denny thinks he is turning into Vinnie, he also told Mason and Jonah that he is hearing Vinnie’s voice and seeing his dying eyes.” Jesus. “He’s been drinking a lot, Jonah said it’s the only way he can sleep.”

“I don’t know how you want me to fix any of that. Denny hates me.”

“Denny loves you.” Olivia snapped. “Jonah is the yeller, if something makes him mad he yells and fights. Denny’s the calm one, yeah he yells and fights sometimes but only when it’s something that really matters to him. I’ve never seen Denny lose his cool before Rachel.  If he didn’t care he wouldn’t be fighting with you, he just simply wouldn’t care.”

Did Denny really care?  Did I even care anymore after the hurtful things he’d said tonight?

“What just happened?” Shark asked coming into the room his eyes locked on Olivia.

“Denny and Rachel had a fight. The guys are at the bar if you want to join them.” Olivia said.

“You might want to.” Ty said, “We’re about to break out the nail polish to make Rachel feel better. So unless you want pretty pink toes.”

“I think I’ll go.” Shark said with a smile.

Before he could leave Olivia jumped up and grabbed his arm stopping him from going. “Have you seen Nicky lately?”

Cupping Olivia’s face Shark shook his head. “Not my case anymore darlin’ I haven’t seen him since you last saw him.”

For a DEA agent he sucked balls at lying or maybe he just couldn’t lie very good to the girl he was in love with

Chapter 12

Opening my tired eyes to bright pink nail polish had me flinging my head back wondering where the hell I was. Then it all came back, the fight with Denny, ice cream with Olivia and Ty, and Lucca crying almost all night.

What was I thinking fighting with Denny like that? All the fight had done was make my already complicated and confused relationship with Denny much more strained. Something I did not need right now on top of everything else.

“How are you feeling?” Olivia asked chewing violently on her pink nail.

“Horrible.” I said simply.

Nodding her head Olivia rolled onto her back, her eyes focusing on a rather beautiful drawing of herself. “Can I ask you something?” She whispered with a hint of nervousness in her voice.

Sitting up I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. “Sure.”

“Last night Jonah made it sound like you kept Denny away from Lucca. Is this true? Did you keep Denny away from Lucca?”

“God no,” I screeched, “I didn’t keep him away. He never came to see Lucca.” Did I call him no, but that wasn’t the point. If he wanted to see his son he should have called or came over. But he did come to see us, in the hospital if what Jonah said last night was true. Why would he have come to the hospital? Sighing I shook my head, just like the money I gave back to him in the yellow envelope, I couldn’t answer why because I still didn’t know why he left me. Yes he gave me a reason, but the reason was bullshit. I knew it and so did he.

“Ok.” Olivia said jumping off the bed.

“Ok?”

“Yeah ok as in that answer is good enough for me. Now get your ass up and dressed, Shark’s onto something.”

Scrambling out of bed I started to dress. “Where’s Lucca?”

“He’s with Denny and Jonah down at the tattoo shop.”

Nodding I pulled a thin sweater over my head. “I need to call work before we go. Wait where are we going?”

Walking to the door Olivia looked over her shoulder giving me a devilish smile. “Somewhere we shouldn’t be.” Winking she left the room.