Page 71 of A Little Crush (The Little Things #6)

JAXON

A s soon as Rory leaves, Iris collapses against me, wrapping her arms around my neck and sobbing like the world’s been ripped from her.

In a way, I guess it has. She has every right to be frustrated.

I should’ve called when I left the arena, but the only thing I could think about was getting to Poppy.

I guess I assumed Iris would be here when I arrived.

“Sh, sh, sh,” I murmur. “She’s okay, Iris. She’s okay.”

With a soft sniffle, Iris lifts her head and peeks at my mom, still holding a resting Poppy.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call when I found out,” I tell her. “I should’ve, and that’s on me.”

“You’re right,” she says. “You should’ve.” Her expression hardens and she shoots her gaze toward the hallway. “And your nanny should’ve, too.”

My nanny.

Of course, she’d call her that instead of using her name.

Hell, even the term girlfriend is better than painting her as a nameless, faceless nanny I have no connection with.

The urge to correct Iris sits like a shot of whiskey on my tongue, burning the shit out of me, but I swallow it back, picking my battles.

“Rory did call you,” I tell her.

Her attention cuts to me. “You really believe that bitch?”

My nostrils flare, but I don’t take the bait. Because I know her. And I know she’s deflecting, trying to shine a light on everyone but herself. Instead, I call out her bullshit. “You blocked her, am I right?”

“I didn’t?—”

“Then show me your phone and prove it.”

Determined, my ex starts to pull her phone from her purse before the blood drains from her face.

Yeah…I called it. She blocked Rory. I’m not surprised.

It was her go-to when we were together. She gets pissed and blocks someone under the guise of protecting her inner peace, then leaves herself to fume alone at the fact that the person never reaches out to apologize for upsetting her in the first place.

Round and round she goes, fucking up her own life then blaming it on anyone and everyone else.

The reminder drains me more than she understands.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, unsure where to go from here.

Because this is what I was afraid of. Rory being caught in the crosshairs.

Iris taking the target off my back and placing it on Rory’s instead.

Why wouldn’t she? There’s a new player. A new person to blame.

To hate. Even when Rory’s the last person to deserve it.

Glancing at my mom in the corner of the room, I ask, “Hey, can you give us a minute?”

“Yeah, of course.” She carefully sets Poppy down on the hospital bed in the center of the room, then tiptoes into the hall, giving me and Iris some privacy.

Looks like it’s time to lay some ground rules. And this time, I’ll make sure she understands the severity of what will happen if she breaks them .

“Listen,” I start, “I know you’re frustrated, and I know you probably forgot you blocked Rory and that she had no way to get ahold of you, but coming in here and putting your hands on someone I love is not okay. Do you understand me?”

She doesn’t answer, choosing to stare at my forehead instead.

My upper lip curls. “Do. You. Understand?”

“Fine.”

The clipped syllable gets on my nerves, but I force myself to let it go.

“Good. You’re also going to apologize because not only did you grab her, you also painted her to be someone she isn’t.

Someone who’s dishonest and spiteful when she’s the furthest thing from it.

” Iris scoffs, and my short fingernails dig into my palms. “You don’t have to like her, Iris.

But you will respect her. Do you want to know why? ”

Her glare cuts to me.

“Because if you don’t, I’m gonna take a paternity test, and you’re going to risk all those payments you receive every month for child support, despite us splitting custody fifty-fifty. Do you understand?”

It’s the last thing I’d ever want to threaten.

The last thing I’d ever want to admit out loud.

That my baby girl might only be mine by proxy and not by blood.

The possibility is enough to make bile coat my mouth, but I keep my expression locked down, refusing to show my hand or how few cards I actually hold because if Iris knew me at all, she’d know I’d never abandon my daughter like this.

Not for anything. But if a precarious bluff will make Rory’s life a little easier, then it’s worth saying. Isn’t it?

“Are you threatening me?” Iris demands.

“I’m calling you out on your infidelity, and what it means if you don’t stay in your lane.”

“Stay in my lane?” She scoffs. “Says the man who fell for his nanny ? Couldn’t even be creative and hit on a player’s girlfriend or something?”

“Not all of us are into cheating, Iris.”

She shakes her head. “You were the one ignoring me?—”

“Our marriage is over,” I interrupt, refusing to let her point fingers and refute any blame for our failed relationship, let alone change the subject after what just happened in this very room.

“Now, I’m only going to say this one more time.

” I move forward. “You do not have to like Rory, but you will respect her. Do you understand?”

“And if I don’t, you’ll lose your daughter?” She laughs. “You really want to play that game?”

Praying she doesn’t call my bluff, I answer, “I think you’re focusing on the wrong things, Iris.

Sure, I’ll lose a narcissistic ex who lied during mediation.

But what about you? What will you lose?” I scratch my temple.

“Fifty-percent of your free time. That’s gone for sure.

” I snap my fingers. “Actually, a hundred percent. Because you’ll have to get a job since those alimony checks won’t include child support anymore. ”

“You’re forgetting something,” she sneers. “Whoever Poppy’s father is will still have to pay?—”

“Child support is based on the father’s income. It’s not a flat fee. You know that, right?”

“So?” She stands even taller, too stubborn to connect the dots or be logical for once in her life.

I tap my finger against my chin. “No offense, but I think you forget that I know Chris’s family.

If he had any money, there’s no way in hell you would’ve kept the house.

You would’ve sold it and moved in with him.

” I tsk. “But that didn’t happen, did it?

That’s right. Because he doesn’t have any money.

And he sure as shit doesn’t have enough to support your lifestyle while also taking care of Poppy fifty-percent of the time. That’s not how it works.”

“That’s how it works with us,” she argues, raising her chin another inch as if she has any ground to stand on. “You forget I won in the divorce, Jaxon. Me. ”

“You think you won in the divorce, Iris?” A low, laugh rumbles through me.

“I gave you everything you wanted. You didn’t earn any of it.

” I shake my head, replaying the late night phone calls with my mom, Eleanor, who was also my lawyer during the divorce.

“Did you know my mom was screaming at me to give her free reign during mediation because she knew she could take everything from you? But I couldn’t do it. Do you wanna know why, Iris?”

She gulps but stays quiet.

Good.

“Because I felt sorry for you. I felt sorry for being the husband I was.” I hesitate, losing a bit of my bravado.

“And that’s the truth, Iris. You deserved better, but so did I, and I think I forgot that part during our divorce.

I was so busy taking responsibility for my actions, I forgot to give you the chance to do the same.

” Bending closer, I warn, “But if you keep fucking with Rory, that guilt will disappear real fast, and I have no problem taking this back to court and showing everyone who you really are.” I pull away.

“Or don’t. You know? It’s like you said, I have so much to lose. ”

Iris’s throat constricts on a swallow, and I know she’s searching for an out. For a way to fuck me over. For a way to regain the upper hand. Problem is, there isn’t one. Not without her risking financial ruin. I know it, and now, she does, too.

Finally, she nods, giving in. “Fine.”

“Fine, what?”

“Fine, I’ll give your little girlfriend the respect she deserves.”

“Good.” I move away another step, giving her more space. “Keep an eye on our daughter. I’ll be back in a minute.”

The hospital is quiet as I stride into the main area, finding Rory in the waiting room. Her fingers tap against her outer thigh, her feet taking her from one end of the space to the other when she catches my approach.

With tears streaming down her cheeks, she blurts out, “Jaxon, I swear?—”

I pull her into my arms, squeezing her against me. “I know, Beautiful. I know.”

“You don’t understand?—”

“I do.” My lips brush against her forehead. “Trust me. I know how Iris operates. You did nothing wrong.”

“Yeah, but I…” Tears cling to her lashes as she peeks up at me. “I thought you were mad at me or that you thought I was trying to manipulate you into believing me or…”

“That I thought you were like her?” I question.

Another tear rolls down her cheek as her head bobs up and down.

“Fuck, Rore. You have no idea how little you’re like her, and I think I always knew it,” I rasp, scrubbing my hand over my face.

“Maybe that was the point back then. The reason why I dated her. Why I proposed. Because I knew I could never have you.” I cup her cheeks with my hands, making sure I have her full attention.

“Even then, I couldn’t help myself. The way I always compared her to you even when we were married.

I didn’t see it then. How I couldn’t open up to her.

How I couldn’t talk to her. How I couldn’t let my guard down, not without risking her throwing it back in my face a day, or a week, or a year later.

You’re nothing like her, do you understand? ”

She squeezes her eyes shut, unable to look up at me. “Are you sure?”

“Never been more sure of anything in my life.” I lean in and kiss her damp cheeks. “I love you, Beautiful.”

“I love you, too,” she whispers. “So much.”