Page 14 of Hold ‘Em Tight (Solidarity Academy #4)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

I hate my life. Every day seems to drag on, with no end in sight. Missi is loosening the reins a little, meaning I can now shower alone, and even walk around the house occasionally without her shadow.

Though that's not going to last long. She's decided, since we have such a big, empty place, to invite her friends to move in.

She's even been talking about my dad coming to stay while we plan for the engagement party.

An engagement I've been forced into. But even though I'm miserable, there is one tiny thing that keeps me going.

My baby.

I never thought I would love a child incubated by the devil, but every time I hear its heartbeat on the doppler, I fall a little more.

Missi tricked me into this, but it’s not my baby's fault.

They are innocent in all this, and though it kills me to be stuck here in this hell, I will give that kid the best life possible.

“There you are,” Missi says as she enters the kitchen. My eyes widen and my stomach churns.

“What the fuck are you wearing?” I growl.

She sashays over to me with a wide grin on her lips.

“Do you like? I found it in your closet.”

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes for a second. “Take it off, Missi.”

The green satin dress I'd bought for Rylee, to surprise her with a dinner date, is now on the woman I despise.

“No. Actually, I think I will wear this to the premiere tomorrow. Needs a little adjusting, but it's perfect. Won't be able to wear panties though.” She winks and bile rises in my throat. I’ve been successful in pushing off her advances in the bedroom. Thank fuck. I still don’t even know how I could have slept with her at all.

Missi pulls out her phone and takes a few pictures before texting someone. Her phone chimes a few seconds later and she laughs.

“Daddy agrees. Thank you, Lenny!” she squeals, and wraps her arms around my neck in a chokehold.

I know she knows that I didn’t buy this for her, but if she wants to play dumb then so be it. It's better than fighting. I’m so sick of the screaming and abuse.

Releasing me, she presses a kiss to my cheek and I hold still. The last time I reacted to her touch, she tried to take it further, and when I turned her down, I ended up with a black eye.

Her mood swings have gotten increasingly worse, and her doctor mentioned her blood pressure at the last checkup.

I don't care about her. If I could, I would set her fake ass on fire, but I love my child.

She leaves the room and I sigh, pulling out my phone. She answers on the first ring, and I'm grateful.

“Hi, baby.”

“Hi, Mom. How's the beach?”

“It's nice. You should join me. Get away from that wench.”

“Yeah, maybe in a few weeks. Classes start back up soon, and Missi won't be able to watch me as much.”

“Watch you?!” She huffs. “You are a grown man, Lennox. You're going to be a father. You don't need a babysitter.”

This isn't the first time we have had this talk, so I just hem and haw at the appropriate times as she continues her rant.

“I just want you to be happy, Lennox. I want you to have a good life. That’s all a mother wishes for her son.”

Sighing, I stand and walk over to the fridge, grabbing a drink. “I know, Mom. I know, but it doesn’t look like that’s happening any time soon, so we just need to deal with it. I miss you.”

Opening the cap, I take a sip, waiting for her to say something else.

“Maybe I should come home. If I’m there, it might distract Missi and give you some more space.”

I’m immediately shaking my head, even though she can’t see me. “No. Stay where you are. Dad is supposedly coming back. I don’t need anything happening to you. You’re free, Mom.”

I listen to her growl before she rants about how my father is a worthless asshole. The doorbell rings, so I end the call after saying, “Mom, listen, I have to go, but I love you.”

I walk toward the front door, but Missi is already there, flirting with the young delivery driver. He has a pallet of packages and a tablet for her to sign.

“What’s all this?”

Missi turns and gives me a grin. “I just bought a few essentials for the baby.”

I grunt, fighting not to roll my eyes. Our child already has a stacked nursery, a play room, and a spot in my bedroom for the first few months.

I look at the labels on the packages and scoff.

“Yeah, looks like it. I wonder what Sephora, Chanel, Gucci, and Prada would have for a fetus.”

Missi fake giggles, putting on a show for the delivery man, while glaring at me.

“Happy momma, happy baby,” she simps, then yawns and stretches. “Lenny can show you where to put those. Thank you so much, cutie.”

She leaves us and I watch as she walks up the stairs.

I grab some of the bags and head to the living room. “You can just dump her shit there,” I tell the guy, and his eyes widen.

He's probably confused at the way I'm dismissing the mother of my child, but I don't care. I'm too tired to keep playing this charade.

The fake bump photos on social media, all of her stupid TikToks, the interviews with the press about this sham of a wedding.

It never ends. Missi has always been a menace, clinging to me for my father’s status, but now that she has her press-ons firmly implanted in my life, she is eating up all of the attention.

It’s all lies, but who would believe me? And better yet, I can never tell anyone. That video could ruin us all.

He brings in the last package and I hand him some cash as a tip. “Thanks, man. Imm, good luck.”

He exits the house and I watch as he runs to his van and drives away. I wish I could do that.

Missi has hidden all the car keys and changed the gate code on me. I'm trapped here, unless she needs me to take her somewhere.

I slam the door and try not to wince as it automatically locks. Missi is standing at the top of the stairs with her phone in her hand, setting the alarm.

“I'm disappointed in you, Lenny,” she says, walking down the steps, shaking her head.

She's changed into one of my Dad's old football jerseys and fluffy socks.

She looks almost angelic with the setting sun shining through the windows, but I know the truth.

She's the devil, and the only way to escape her hell is to stop breathing.

“I can't believe we are going to another one of these premieres,” I grumble at Missi, who's currently taking a selfie.

“Lenny, shush, you know Daddy said we had to make an appearance. The star in this film is the daughter of the brother of one of his best clients.”

She pouts and takes another photo. I can't help but think about Rylee and how she would never be this vain.

The limo stops and I wait for the driver to open my door, then paste a fake smile on my face as I step out.

Paps all around us snap photos as I help Missi from the car, and she digs her nails into the crook of my elbow.

“Lennox. Lennox, over here,” one of the paps screams, but I’m not in the mood. I give her a wave, then point at the door with a frown, as if I'm sorry we can't chat right now.

Missi huffs beside me, and I know she's going to be mad that I didn't parade her and let her spread more lies to the tabloids.

It's bad enough that she has everyone believing we are a happy family. The comments under her latest posts made me sick.

I just hope Teo and Rylee don't see them. The only one who was ever really into social media was Donny, and his page has been silent.

“Remember, Lenny, I can end you, and your little friends too, with just the press of a button. Behave tonight, and for fuck’s sake, can't you smile.”

I hiss through my teeth, and fix my scowl into the fakest fucking smile I can manage.

Missi shakes her head, but she must spot someone behind me, because she squeals and rushes off to greet them.

I take the moment of solitude for granted. Tonight is going to fucking suck, and I wish so badly right now that I could walk over to the complimentary bar along the far wall and get a drink.

But I won't. My child deserves a sober father. Though it’s been a challenge all on its own.

I smell her strong floral perfume before she joins me. I swear she bathes in that shit. It makes me nauseous.

I miss Rylee, and how she always smelt like cherries. And Teo… fuck, the way he could work out for hours and make me want to drop to my knees for him.

“Attention, please. The movie will begin in ten minutes. Help yourself to the complimentary drinks and make your way inside to your seats,” a man wearing a red suit announces.

The crowd slowly moves away and I try to follow, but Missi tugs me back.

“Oh, Lenny, Krista was just telling me about the brunch she's having next month, and I think it would be a perfect time to announce our engagement. The press will be there and everything,” she says, and I turn to look at her.

If you didn't look into her eyes, you would never see her true colors. Wearing the tight green dress, with her hair curled and piled onto the top of her head, she looks almost sweet, but her eyes are cold, dead.

Taking a deep breath, I nod, grateful my hands are in my pockets so she can't see how they shake.

This is all for them… for your child.

“Yes, dear.”

“Oh, Lenny, don’t look so miserable. You will see I was always meant to be your wife.”

A shiver runs down my spine as she drags me into the theater. A sense of foreboding for the future if you will. All of the premiers and celebrity events I will be dragged to. I wish I could go back to before, but it doesn’t matter anymore. This is my life now.

Rylee, Mateo, and the guys will always have a piece of my heart, but all they can ever be now is a ghost of my past. It’s better this way—safer.