Hard Hit (IceCats 3)

She’s petite, looking more like a teenager than a woman our age. Her blond hair is bone straight along her shoulders, almost touching her stomach. Her blue eyes are blazing, her bright-red lips pressed together, and displeasure is ringing clear on her features. Her shoulders are back in a defensive position. I don’t know why she looks ready to fight, but she better not lay a hand on Kirby. I almost go to him, stand beside him to present a united front, but before I can or even urge myself to move, he strikes his hands to his hips.

“Lilly? What are you doing here?”

She glares up at him. “I’m here for court.”

I can tell by the set of his shoulders and the way his back flexes that he is pissed. “Court isn’t until next week. And why are you here? It’s late.”

“I know, but my plane just got in. I didn’t know where else to go, so I came here.”

“Why? This isn’t your home, never has been your home.”

“No. But my daughter is here,” she snaps, and I swear, the way his shoulders recoil, it’s as if she hit him.

“Your daughter? Please don’t make me laugh. You gave up that right when you left her here and then refused to come back for court for months.”

“That’s the past, Kirby. Move forward.”

“Oh, I have. Without you, and my daughter has done the same.”

“Whatever. I want to see her.”

She tries to step forward, but he moves so she can’t get in. “No. She’s sleeping. You need to leave.”

“Are you being serious right now?” she asks, with the audacity of someone completely entitled.

“Yes. I don’t know who you think you are, coming to my home and acting as if you’re going to waltz right on in and see my child. Guess again. I’ll see you in court.”

“I want to see my daughter,” she demands, and I don’t know why or even if it’s the heavens, but Celeste wails from her room. “See? She hears me,” she says smugly.

“Or her stuffed animal fell out of her hand,” I correct as I head for Celeste’s room.

“Who the fuck is that?”

I have to take in a deep breath to keep from screaming, “I’m the woman who has been there for your child when you haven’t.” Instead, I know it’s true when Celeste sees me. She’s crying, holding to the rail as she jumps up and down, and right away, I see that her plush IceCats cougar fell out of the crib. She has a habit that right when she falls asleep, the toy slides down her arm and between the slats. I pick it up and reach for her, and she comes eagerly into my arms. She nuzzles her nose in my chest as I carry her to the rocking chair, kissing her forehead.

“Doesn’t matter who that is,” I hear Kirby say as I rock Celeste, giving her the rest of the bottle Kirby left on the dresser so she’ll calm down. I want to advise Kirby that it isn’t good to get into it with Lilly. That he needs to ignore her. But I need to be with Celeste.

Because I don’t think I can ignore Lilly if I go back out there.

I don’t even know her, and I despise her. How could anyone not want to be a mother to this beautiful angel? She isn’t even my blood, and I want her. I run my knuckles along her sweet cheek, admiring her, and I find myself wanting to be there for every major life accomplishment. First steps, first birthday, and all the rest. I want to be in her life, and I want to give her a strong female presence.

I want to be her mom.

“It does matter if she’s around my child,” Lilly throws back, and Kirby laughs.

“I don’t have to give you the same courtesy when you didn’t give it to me. When you got that new boyfriend and I asked to meet him before you brought him around Celeste, you ignored me. Shit, you had sex with him, with my daughter lying in the bed with you two.”

“Oh Jesus, Kirby. I knew you were going to bring it up. Let it go. Celeste was sleeping.”

What. A. Fucking. Cunt.

“Doesn’t matter. I don’t appreciate it. I didn’t know who he was, and he’s fucking you with my baby beside him. That’s disgusting.”

“You’re just jealous!”

He laughs. “For me to be jealous, I would have to want you. That hasn’t been the case in a very long time.”

“Which is why I had to go elsewhere to get attention.”

“No, you went elsewhere because you like to sleep around.”

“Oh, you were too. Don’t deny it.”

“Never. I tried to make what we had work for Celeste’s sake. You did not.”

“Whatever. We both know she came between us. You were so hung up on her, you didn’t want me. I wasn’t good enough. No one ruined this but you!” I know that’s going to fuck with Kirby’s head. He doesn’t like to fail. I don’t think what she said is true, though. From what Kirby told me, Lilly was always cheating on him. I know I’m hard to forget, but he wouldn’t have given up on them. Because of Celeste. He wants his daughter to have a family.