She looked up at me, and I knew my question had hurt her. “Nothing! There is nothing else, I promise. But what are you keeping from me? I understand that you didn’t know about your son. But I just found out that your mom has been doing this for years, why didn’t you tell me that? What else do I not know?”
“Nothing. I don’t have a relationship with my mom for a reason—or with her boyfriends or husbands. I didn’t tell you about her because I wanted to protect you from her.”
“And what do you think I was doing!” she yelled back, her voice breaking at the end. “I was trying to protect you.”
“By paying off my mom, and keeping the truth about Keith from me.” I nodded a few times and bit the inside of my cheek before turning and walking toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
Just before I hit the door, I turned to look at her, still sitting on the floor. “Whether or not you thought you were protecting me, you have no right to keep something like the fact that I have a child from me.”
“Jagger!” she cried out when I opened the door and stepped outside, her voice still calling after me as I got into my car.
I took my phone out of my pocket, shut it off, and tossed it onto the passenger seat as I pulled onto the street and headed toward my mom’s house. The more I drove, the more confused I became over the whole thing and realized nothing about LeAnn having a son—my son—made sense. LeAnn would’ve said something when she tried to get me back before Grey and I had gotten together. Shit, she would’ve said something when she tried to break us up those countless times. With all her games and lies, I knew without a doubt that having my child was something she would’ve used against me.
Pulling up in front of Mom’s, I glared at the Escalade parked behind Charlie’s car as I stepped out of the car and walked up to the house. A car pulled up to the house, stopping quickly, and I knew without turning around that Grey had followed me here. But I didn’t care to acknowledge or wait for her. My mom, sister, and fiancée had all kept something from me—and I would’ve never imagined that their betrayal would hurt so bad. Not bothering to knock, I opened the door and let myself in, my eyes immediately hitting Charlie as she stepped out of the kitchen. She turned around when she heard me, and a smile broke across her face.
“Hey!”
“Where’s Mom?”
Charlie’s eyes widened when she heard my rough tone, and she pointed toward the kitchen. “Are you—”
“Where’s Keith?”
“Sleeping, what’s—”
“Mom!” I snapped. I couldn’t let myself move from the front door. I knew if I got too pissed off, I would need to make myself leave. Just before I heard my mom’s voice, Grey came running up behind me, and I jerked away when she touched my shoulder.
“Yes, honey?” she called from the kitchen, her tone making it seem like my coming to her house was the most innocent action in the world.
“Jagger, what’s wrong?” Charlie asked before her eyes drifted to my side. “Grey?”
“Oh, Jagger, my sweet boy. Why didn’t you tell me you were planning to stop by?” My mom walked into the living room, a gentle smile on her face, like every time she was around anyone other than me.
“How could you?” I growled. “How could you all keep this shit from me! Why did you go after Grey like that when I told you to stay away?”
Mom’s smile faltered, but her voice was still deceivingly calm. “I don’t know what you could possibly be talking about.”
“Don’t try to act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. I saw her checkbook; I saw the goddamn duplicates of the checks she made out to you!”
“Jagger, you couldn’t possibly think I would take money from her.” Turning around, she glanced at Charlie. “Go to your room, sweetheart.”
Charlie didn’t move, and I was past caring. It was time she knew too. “Don’t bullshit me just because Charlie is here!” I looked at Charlie as I pointed toward Mom. “She’s been trying to force me into giving her money for years. That’s why I buy everything for Keith—because what I did give to her went to her, and her alone. This whole I-love-everything-and-am-always-carefree-and-happy attitude is just an act. She’s made Grey give her five grand!”
“Don’t be ridi—”
“I told you I saw the damn duplicates!” I yelled at my mom, and Grey placed a hand on my back and gripped the hand closest to her with the other. Instead of flinching away again, I squeezed her hand and tried to remind myself that even though I was hurt that Grey had kept this secret from me, in Grey’s own mind, Mom really had given her no choice. “Grey told me everything. How at first you told her you’d been laid off and Mike took everything. Whether or not some douche named Mike took all your money, I know you sure as shit didn’t get laid off because you don’t work, and your SUV is still in the f**king driveway.”
“Jag—”
“There was never a Mike,” Charlie said softly, her eyes touching on Mom before looking at me. “Mom got married again three months ago to Robby, you met him here when you came to talk to me this summer.”
“What a surprise,” I growled, my gaze going back to my mom. “But that’s not it, is it, Mom? That’s not the worst part. You tried to use Keith as a way of getting money, didn’t you? You tried to say he was LeAnn’s and my son? I don’t even need to talk to LeAnn to know that is the biggest bullshit I’ve ever heard! If it was true, you can be sure she would have been the first person to use it against me.”