Forever the One (Always and Forever 3)

“What did I miss?” Jeff enters the room, finally dressed in a more casual look, cargo shorts and black v-neck.

“Nothing, just catching up on old times. Do you want chicken or steak?” Becky asks, ignoring his question.

“Steak.” Looking down at me he tilts his chin. “Can I talk to you in the backyard?”

“Sure.” Lana and her mom both look between Jeff and me and I see the worry present on Lana’s face.

“Lead the way.” Topping off the rest of my beer, I place it back on the table and follow him out, giving her a quick nod.

Behave Kingston.

Stepping out onto their deck where the fire pit and patio furniture sit next to the grill, I take my stance crossing my arms over my chest, while he leans against the railing facing me.

“I wanted to talk to you about earlier and the way I reacted,” he starts.

“Okay.”

“Lana is my only child, my little girl and the last thing I need is another man coming into her life and destroying her.” I shake my head, I thought this was gonna be an apology of some sort or a moment where we shake hands and he gives me a blessing to have his daughter as mine. Nope, this is another way for him to get under my skin and compare me to Joel.

“I’m not him.” Just as I finish telling him this, the sliding patio doors open, Lana and her mom stepping out with the tray of food for the grill. Lana changed into shorts and a tank top when we got home to be more comfy, but it’s almost sundown and it’s chilly outside. I don’t want her to get cold.

Slightly turning I say over my shoulder, “Lana, put on a jacket or something.” She just nods and goes to walk back in

the house, knowing exactly what I mean.

“No, Lana, stop right there,” Jeff warns. “That shit there, that controlling tone of his, that’s what I mean. Lana can wear whatever the hell she wants!” he yells at me pushing away from the railing and getting within inches from my face.

“Daddy,” Lana attempts to stop him before he starts, coming to stand beside me.

“No, stay out of this Lana,” he says putting his hand up in her face.

“Don’t fucking silence her. If she has something to say, let her fucking say it.” I get right back in his face, so close I know he can feel the heat from my breath with each of my words.

“Kingston, stop.” Lana puts her hand on my chest and tries to push me back, but my body is too heavy for her to even nudge me a little.

“No, she isn’t going to make excuses for you. You’re no better than that controlling punk before you.” He shoves me hard and by natural reaction, I snap. I dive in, tackling him to the ground.

“Kington!” Lana screams stepping back.

“Jeffery!” Becky yells, rushing to Lana’s side. I see her move to stand in front of Lana, guarding her. In the split second that I check on L, Jeff clocks me in the face, getting the upper hand. He is a fucking marine for God’s sake.

“Daddy!” she screams as he rolls us over, him on top of me, giving me a couple good punches to the face. I reach up and uppercut his jaw, causing a wailing noise to leave his mouth and his body to loosen enough for me to push him off.

I stand and lift my foot back to kick him in the ribs when her voice halts all movement form me, “Baby stop, don’t do this to me.” The deafening sound of her begging me to stop snaps me back into momentary sanity.

I stop and go to rush for her but she holds her hand up stopping me from coming closer. The motion causes a sudden rush of regret to run through me. Did I seriously just fucking hit her dad?

Dragging himself up off the ground, he dusts off his shirt. “Look at this guy, Lana! This is the man that you let get you pregnant! This piece of shit is the one who will be the father to your child!” Her dad points in my direction and I don’t even look at him. I can’t take my swollen eye off of Lana’s pained face. She’s covering herself in defense, her arms banded tight around her. She’s scared of me. I scared her. I lost my fucking cool and let rage slither in.

This whole time I thought Jeff would scare her away from me, but I did that shit all on my own. Fuck, I’m an asshole!

I feel blood coming from my lip and I know I have at least one black eye. I wipe the blood from my lip and step closer to Lana, my hand reaching to touch her, but she scorns it away. “Don’t fucking touch me. I can’t believe you just had a fistfight with my father!”

“Yeah!” her dad butts in from behind Becky. Both women are standing between us, guarding us, even though they want to strangle us.

“He hit me first! He fucking compared me to your ex!”

“You’re just like him and my daughter deserves better and you know it!”