I listen with my ear against the door and hear snores and I finally let the tears fall now, all of them, until I’m a panting mess on the floor, allowing myself this breakdown, just for a little while.
Chapter 21
Alessandra
I let the tears flow for a few minutes, allowing myself the pity and then I wipe my cheeks and stand, reaching for my phone.
I rummage around in my contacts deciding on who to call and finally land on a name. The phone rings for a few minutes and then her soft, soothing voice comes on the line.
“Alessandra, hi. You okay?” Charlotte asks.
“I… is it okay if I come stay the night with you guys with Peter?”
“Of course it is. Are you okay? Should I come get you or Gabe?”
I giggle at her protectiveness and sniffle.
“No, no it's okay. Everything is okay, I just… need a little break. I can take an Uber over, no need to come out.”
“Oh, don't be silly. I'll be there in ten. Want me to come up?”
“I'll meet you outside the studio.”
“See you soon.”
She hangs up and I get dressed quickly, throwing things into a backpack without really knowing what they are. I open my bedroom door and see Miguel on the floor, face down, snoring. I leave him as I walk quietly into Peter's room throwing clothes for him in a bag and a few bathroom essentials before I throw one bag over one shoulder and the other over the right.
I lift Peter from bed and carry him quietly down the outside entrance to the apartment, locking the door on my way down.
Charlotte is already waiting out front, leaning against the door with Gabe’s arm wrapped around her shoulder.
“I brought back up in case you change your mind. I told him what he did to Xavier, but he claims he's got it,” she says smirking, reaching for the backpacks on my shoulder.
I give them both a smile and shake my head.
“It's okay, I think even Peter can take him out right now. He's passed out drunk on the floor outside my bedroom.”
Charlotte and Gabe both exchange a look and then Gabe opens the back door, helping me get into the backseat and buckle a sleeping Peter into Avery's car seat.
“Where's Avery?”
“Sleepover at Normani and Devin’s,” Charlotte answers as Gabe starts the truck.
“Oh my God,” I whine smacking my forehead. “I totally crashed date night. I'm so sorry. You can drop me at Normani and Devin's, I feel terrible.”
“You did not! We finished date night right before you called, don't worry,” Charlotte says winking.
I laugh and Charlotte turns back around towards the front as Gabe drives us back to their house.
When we pull into the driveway, Gabe grabs the backpacks and I take Peter up into the guest bedroom. Charlotte motions for me to come back out in the hall and we go downstairs to the kitchen. She pours two glasses of wine and Gabe kisses her goodnight and gives me a hug.
“I'll be upstairs watchin’ the game if y’all need me.”
“Your job is done, baby. Thanks, and love ya.”
He laughs as Charlotte winks and takes a sip from her wine glass as I fiddle with mine.
“You wanna talk about it?”
I remain silent, staring at my glass before I nod and look up at her.
I start spilling everything, from the first day I caught my mother high on our couch to right before I came to Louisiana. She sits there, her expression soft, void of judgement.
"I'm sorry, Alessandra, I had no idea," she says shaking her head.
I push the wine glass back towards Charlotte and she nods, walking to the sink and emptying both glasses.
“So they want custody of Peter and Marco must have come to see Miguel because then he confronted me, he was so angry and…”
“Did he hurt you, Alessandra?” Charlotte asks putting a hand on my shoulder.
“Yes, but not physically. The distrust in his eyes was ten times worse. He wouldn't even listen to me. I know how it looks, what Marco must have said, what he must have shown him. He knew Marco came to pick me up, knew about Frankie coming to the office, my lunch with Hector, all of it. Marco’s trying to flush me out, push everyone here away so I have no choice but to go back to Miami, be his little puppet.”
“Well that ain't happenin'. We all stick together. I can tell you that. Was custody all they wanted when they came to see you?”
I remember back to the other day when I was at the Double Play offices, expecting Marco, but got Frankie instead. Seeing him again after the night at the club was a shock, my body had no idea how to react to him.
“Sweetie,” says a raspy voice from behind me.
I turn and come face to face with Frankie and my jaw drops.
“Frank?”
“It's me,” he says smiling.
“What… what are you doing here? You.. .you look different,” I say my eyes widening.
That wasn't him at the club, my mind was messing with me. This Frankie was different. He got bigger, filled out and no longer resembles the scrawny kid I fell in love with. He has scruff on his face, his hair cut short.
“I've been getting myself clean. My father… he's told me about you and what happened and I… God Alessandra, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry he put you through that. It was all my fault.”
I see the regret in his eyes as he talks to me, the blue orbs glistening with tears.
“It's in the past, Frank. I'm glad you got yourself cleaned up,” I say my tone dismissive. “What are you doing here?”
He walks closer to me, caging me against the brick of the building, his hand dropping to the wall above my shoulder. I put my hand on his chest to stop his descent and he smiles.
“How are you? You look magnificent, so happy, sweetie.”
“I am, Frankie. I really am,” I say with a small smile I can't help.
Anytime I think of Miguel I smile, my stomach drops and my heart beats faster in my chest.
“Good. You know how good it makes me feel to see you happy?”
I furrow my brows and use the hand on his chest to push him away.
“What do you want, Frankie? Your father said you want to go to court to share custody of Peter.”
How could he have me out here for five minutes and not even ask about him once?
“Right, how is he?” he finally asks backing away from me, his smile dropping.
“He's great and he loves it here. He has friends and a great life. Why after all these years are you doing this?”
“Because I've realized my mistakes and I want to make them right. Leaving you to raise our son on your own was a mistake. I want to do right by the both of you.”
His words sound so fake and practiced I try and hold in a laugh.
“Daddy write this speech for you? Or was it ‘buy one get one’ from the guy that writes his speeches?” I ask crossing my arms over my chest.
“Alessandra, this isn't what-”
“Save it. We’re done here. Tell your father I have some work to do, he can come back later and wait until I finish.”
Frankie grits his teeth and I see his jaw tick just the slightest.
“I'm sure you'd love that. How could you have fucked him, Alessandra? After everything we've been through. Half of Miami, fine, but my fucking father? God, you slut!”
I slap Frankie across the face and point my finger at him.
“Fuck off, Frankie. You're both pieces of shit and I'll be damned if my son is ever even in the same room as the two of you. I didn't have a choice and after what he did to you, to me, you still believe his lies? Think before you open your mouth next time.”
He grits his teeth rubbing his cheek and shakes his head.
“I thought what we had was special, Alessandra. I loved you.”
“I thought I loved you, Frankie. I didn’t know what love was. I clung onto any shred of attention I could get. That’s not love, that’s desperation.”
“You think you’re so
much better than me now? You have a fancy job, a hot shot boyfriend? You’re still that white trash hoe that dropped to her knees for me for one hit.”
I grit my teeth and my fists ball at my sides. Before I know what I’m doing, my fist connects with Frankie’s nose and he stumbles back, his hand wiping away blood.
“Fuck. You.”
“You already did, half of Miami and apparently my father. Let’s see how far you get down here.”
He turns and walks down the street and my hands are shaking, my breathing ragged as I try to calm myself down. What an asshole. What the hell did I ever see in him? How I wish I could take back so many things in my life. My mind shifts to Peter and I exhale. I wouldn't change a thing even if I could. My life wouldn’t be the same without him in it.
“You okay?” Charlotte asks breaking me out of my thoughts.
“Fine. I don’t know what he wanted truthfully. To rile me up? Marco came back later and said he would press charges because he thinks I broke Frankie’s nose. It was petty, I went for a drive with him to try and figure it all out. He wants me back in Miami, I don't know why though. This will never end. He won't stop until he gets what he wants.”
“Savannah has an amazing lawyer she used in her divorce. I'll call her in the morning, and we’ll prepare ourselves for the craziness, okay? Peter isn’t goin’ anywhere. He belongs here and with a great lawyer and so many witness testimonies there’s no way a judge would grant them custody.”
I nod and a tear drips down my cheek as Charlotte pushes my face up and wipes the tear off.
“Ali, what else is goin’ on?”
“I… nothing will ever be the same. Miguel is disgusted with me, the look on his face… I can’t get that image out of my head. His words, he was drunk but God he was such an asshole.”
The tears flow now, down my cheeks and into my lap as Charlotte wraps me in a tight hug, rubbing my back.
“Shhh, It’s okay, Ali. It’ll be okay.”
I nod against her chest and stay like that, wrapped in her arms until the crying subsides and I finally can catch my breath. I sit up and Charlotte hands me a tissue and I blow my nose, and wipe at my eyes.
“Miguel is a great man, Ali. He’ll realize what a jackass he’s been and then it’ll be up to you if you forgive him or not. Gabe and I had plenty of these moments, drunk on my porch and everything,” she says smiling. “You did nothin’ wrong, Ali. Nothin’. We can’t regret all our mistakes. Mistakes launch us into miracles, and you have proof right upstairs.”
I smile and nod squeezing her hand.
“Thank you, Charlotte. I really appreciate you being there for me since I got here. You don’t know how much it truly means to me.”
“Whatever you need, Ali. Know I am always here for you, no matter what, okay?”
I nod again and we stand, hugging one more time before I go upstairs and cuddle in bed next to Peter. I rub his blonde hair off his forehead, smiling at his sleeping face. I kiss his forehead and feel the tears forming. He loves Miguel so much it’s going to break my heart if he doesn’t get to see him again. We took things too fast, we shouldn’t have done this.
I exhale and lean my head back against the headboard and my phone buzzes on the nightstand.
Lacey.
“Hello?”
“What the hell is goin’ on? Miguel shows up here drunk tellin’ Nico to punch him in the face. Where are you?”
I let out a breath and wipe the rest of my tears off my cheeks and sniffle.
“At Charlotte and Gabe’s with Peter. It’s… Marco came to see him. Told him a bunch of lies and some truths that Miguel couldn’t handle. He believed all the lies, anger fucked me, then left, came back drunk and said some pretty shitty things, didn't let me explain and I left. I hope he didn't drive to you.”
“He anger fucked you! Oh hell no. I’m stopping over for breakfast tomorrow, if I don’t show up, come bail me out of jail because I'll be down in our basement murdering him. And no, a car dropped him off. That piece of shit.”
She hangs up on me and I glance at the phone shaking my head. I put it on silent and lay back down, wrapping Peter in my arms. Exhaustion takes over and sleep comes easy because I know tomorrow the weight of heartbreak is going to come crashing down.
-----
I feel something wet on my cheek and turn in bed to Peter and a big smile on his face.
“Kiss mama,” he says kissing my cheek.
I smile and bring his head to me, kissing his forehead.
“Morning buddy, thank you for my kisses.”
He cuddles up into my chest and I sigh, knowing that whatever shitstorm is brewing outside, this little boy will always make me feel better. I relax, the stress slipping away as I put on my mom hat and sit up in bed.
“Eat?” I ask as I lift him in my arms.
He nods and we walk out of the bedroom and downstairs to the kitchen.
Avery is sitting at the table as Gabriel plates pancakes for her.
“Mornin’,” he says smiling.
“Good morning,” I say putting Peter down next to Avery at the table.
“Mornin’ Ali. I didn't know y’all were havin’ a sleepover with us. We could have played Barbies together,” Avery says.
“It was a surprise sleepover. We can play Barbies after breakfast, okay?”
She nods and continues to eat as I walk over to the stove next to Gabriel.
“I can make breakfast for us.”
“Nonsense, you're our guest. Sit and relax. You want coffee?” Gabriel asks.
“Sure, thank you.”
I sit and watch Avery and Peter laugh and talk as they eat their breakfast.
“You holdin’ up okay?” Gabriel asks eyeing me as I lean against the counter with my arms folded.
“I'm… okay. Trying to forget everything, trying to remember he's a good guy, he probably didn't mean what he said, he was drunk, but none of that is an excuse and it doesn't make me feel a whole lot better,” I respond with a small smile.
“Comin’ from someone who's been in his spot, he definitely probably feels like an ass. Guys are prideful people, Ali. Don't make it right when they act like a jackass, but we act before we think. You make him work for it though, he will if he's worth it,” he says squeezing my shoulder.
“Thank you, Gabe. I appreciate it.”
“And if you need someone to hurt him as much as he hurt you, don't hesitate to ask.”
I laugh and shake my head.
“Thank you, but I think I'll probably pass on that one. I'll definitely keep the offer in mind.”
“Gotta get my practice in for that one in a few more years,” he says nodding towards the table where Avery and Peter are sitting.
I Iaugh again and look at him as he smiles and winks. He turns to finish the pancakes and sets them on the table.
You're not alone.
Chapter 22
Miguel
I walk over to the bar, ordering a whiskey and downing it in one shot with a wince. I order another and that one goes down smoother, but it still hurts. Everything hurts. I closed the gym down the past two days and worked myself to death. I broke through one heavy bag, sand saturating the floor and I left it. I couldn’t even sweep it up. My arms have never been sorer in my life, my legs are barely holding up my body and my knuckles are raw. It’s not enough, I don’t deserve to feel any relief.
I feel a hard blow to the back of my head and curse, rubbing the spot.
“What the fuck?”
Devin shakes his head and then I feel another blow to my arm, turning around and coming face to face with Nico.
“What is this? I’m beatin’ myself enough for the both of you, tell Damon to fuck off,” I say glancing around the bar.
“He's got a game in Chicago, you’re lucky,” Devin snaps, moving my empty glass away from my hands.
“What the fuck is wrong with you man? Lacey went over to Charlotte and Gabe’s the other day and Alessandra was a mess. You anger fucked
her? Do you want a broken arm? You didn't tell me any of that shit!” Nico says punching my shoulder.
“Come on!” I groan.
Last Round (Double Play Series Book 6) Page 20
