My Wicked Heart (Wicked Poison 2)

“He’s her father. No matter what happened between us, it will only hurt Winter in the long run,” I tell Beckham.

He nods and flicks the television on.

Both girls are asleep in Winter’s room, and I leave Beckham to his own devices as I head for my bedroom. My phone lights up with an unknown number as I sit on the edge of my bed.

Can we meet tomorrow, just you and me?

I know who it’s from without even having to check.

On my lunch break. Meet me at the café across the street at 12.

He replies with a thumbs up as I lie down on my bed.

August Trouble is back in town, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.

This could go either incredibly bad or worse.

Chapter 15

Rylee

I’m tired, have been most of the day, and Shandy keeps pointing it out as well.

“You know you look like shit.”

I roll my eyes at her. She’s become one of my closest friends over the years, and I’m tremendously thankful for her. Not sure what I would do without her.

“Thanks,” I reply sarcastically, then apply some lip gloss.

“Do you really need that?” she asks, walking over and touching my hips, pulling my dress down, and smoothing it out with her hands.

“Yes, I do. He has to know what a dick he is. And while I tell him, I want to look my absolute best.”

“You want to look better than his wife,” she states with a grin, but I know she’s right. “Should I go and tell Beckham?” She wiggles her eyebrows, knowing full well if he knew where I was going for lunch he would follow. Beckham and Shandy are also great friends, which is rare for Beckham, considering most women he knows, he fucks and leaves. But Beckham has the wrong body parts for Shandy, and I don’t think Shandy’s girlfriend would like it. At all.

“Don’t you dare. If he needs me, tell him I’m out for lunch.” She rolls her eyes and hands me my purse.

“I would say good luck, but I’m not sure you need it. Maybe he does from you, though.” Her eyes roam me as she assesses my outfit.

“Do I look okay?” I ask while walking toward the door.

“You look great. Just remember, you raised that child. He ran away, and you did everything to find him.”

I nod. I know I did. I even hired a private investigator who came up with nothing. Sully knew I was looking for him, but I didn’t want to tell him why. I thought that should be something I needed to tell August in person, but I never got the chance to. I always thought I would find August, but my extensive search never turned up any results. Not even a solitary lead as to where he was located.

“Okay, I got this.”

“You do,” she says with an encouraging smile.

I don’t, but fuck me, I have to.

Leaving the building and walking across to the café, I see him before he sees me. His head is down, his foot is hooked up on the wall, and he’s staring at his phone as his fingers move fast over the screen—such a difference to the man who hardly ever used his phone when I knew him. I step over to August without him noticing and finally stand in front of him. When he realizes I’m there, his eyes roam me from bottom to top before they stop on my eyes.

“Thank you,” he says.

I nod, and he steps away, holding the door open for me to head inside first. I do so, knowing full well he is directly behind me every step of the way. My hands sweat as I pull out a seat and he sits directly opposite me.

“I honestly didn’t think I would see you again.” August leans back in his chair. He has light stubble on his face, and I wonder what it feels like.

“I assumed the same thing,” I reply.

“She’s mine, right?” he asks, getting straight to the point.

“She is,” I tell him honestly.

“Wow! Umm, okay … that answer has taken me a little by surprise, but also not if you know what I mean.” I’m surprised by how he’s talking to me. He’s changed—a lot. “Does she know about me?”

I nod in response.

“Would she like to meet me?” he asks.

Again, I just nod.

“Fuck, rich girl, we had a kid.”

Again, another nod. It’s all I can give him right now. My mind is working overtime because my eyes keep falling to the ring on his hand.

My phone starts ringing on the table and I look to see Holden’s name flash across it. Silencing it, I glance back up at him to see him watching me.

“You’ve hardly changed. You still look—”

“You’ve changed. Are you married?” I ask, nodding to his hand. “You have to tell me, August. I can’t have strangers in my daughter’s life.”