Page 56 of Quiet as Kept

“Why’d you marry her? Why’d you get her pregnant with Trinity?”

“I married Priscilla because Vivienne was through with me. Priscilla wanted to be married, and I didn’t give a shit because I couldn’t have who I wanted. So, I took her to the courthouse and did it. She lied about being on birth control, and Trinity was conceived. As much as I love my youngest baby, I never meant for her to be here.

“I knew Priscilla wanted to have a son to compete with Vivi. I never told anybody this, but I was happy as hell that Trinity was a girl. I felt like the least I could do was let Vivienne have my only son since she wasn’t the mother of all of my children. Once I found out that Priscilla lied about the birth control, I couldn’t stomach her anymore. I thought I would wait until Trinity went to college, but I couldn’t. I divorced her while Trinity was still in middle school.”

My entire understanding of the circumstances regarding my upbringing was a lie. Not much was what I thought it was. I stood from the chair.

“I’m gonna go.”

“June—”

“Nah, it’s cool, Dad. I’m not mad or pissed or anything like that. I’m . . .” I tried to think of the right word to describe my feelings. “Blown. I need time to process everything you just told me. Everything I thought I knew was wrong. Everything I believed was wrong.”

“Son, just stay for lunch. Vivi’s been cooking all day. She wants to talk?—”

“Nah.” I shook my head. “I’m not ready for that. I can’t handle that. I need a minute. We’ll talk.” I gave him a half-hearted nod of my head and bounded down the stairs.

I wasn’t even sure how I made it to the rental house or why I didn’t go by Aunt Reese’s and pick up my girls. My head was fucked up.

Sixteen

Xarielle

Being back on Jackson Island was a blessing. After telling me about the conversation he had with his father, I knew Kept needed time to process. There was no better place for him to do that than in the comfort of his own home.

We brought the luggage into the house, ate the gluten-free pizza we picked up on the way home, and got the girls ready for their baths. Once they were down, Kept read them a story while I showered, then we switched duties. He was still in the shower when they dozed off to the book I was reading.

“They’re asleep,” he commented softly from the doorway of their bedroom.

I nodded. “Finally. Their sleep schedule is all messed up. They were kicking it until the midnight hour with Auntie Trinity and Mama Reese.”

“They were.” He agreed with a chuckle. “I’m glad that Reese’s surgery was a success, and I’m glad as hell to be home.”

“Same. I never noticed how depressing and stifling Londynville is until I left it.” I took a beat before speaking again. “You wanna hang out on the deck for a little while?”

“Nah. I wanna lay it down for the night.”

I nodded my understanding. “Cool. Good night.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him.

“Xari.”

“Yeah?” I glanced up at him.

“I want you in my bed tonight.”

I wasn’t expecting him to say that, so I gasped.

“Every night,” he continued. “You can still keep the room downstairs as your personal space if you need to escape. But I really want your body and your everyday belongings in my bedroom.”

His expression was serious, and so was his tone. We shared the primary bedroom and the king-sized bed at the rented house in Londynville, but that was out of necessity. There were only two bedrooms in that house and only two beds. But here . . .

“Are you serious?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? I’ve been sleeping with your soft body pressed up against mine for the last six nights.”

His hands moved to my ass, and he cupped it. He lowered his head and placed an open-mouthed kiss on my neck. My body melted for him. He was right. We’d spent almost a week sleeping next to each other and making love to one another whenever the mood struck, which was often. Of course he wouldn’t want to sleep alone. I didn’t want to sleep alone.