Page 63 of Single Mom's Undoing

“Yes.”

“And now he wants to meet Matty?” Jodie asks.

I nod. “He is his grandfather, but I don’t want that.”

“Then you don’t let it happen,” she replies, giving me a gentle shoulder squeeze. “You’re Matty’s mother, Clara. You know and you decide what’s safe and good for him. Though,personally, I wouldn’t let Bill Lockwood anywhere near my family.”

“Neither would I.”

18

CLARA

It’s a particularly quiet Saturday.

I’m half asleep in Jace’s arms, nestled in his bed. The Vanguard Mansion keeps us safe and comfortable, with security staff members pacing the hallways, doing their usual rounds.

“It’s a good thing you guys keep the daycare open over the weekend, as well,” I say, stretching like a cat against his hard, naked body. “Matty gets to have fun with Shiloh while we have fun with each other,” I add with a giggle.

Jace chuckles softly. “We’ll take the kids out for ice cream when Damon and Carter get back from their field meeting. I figured we might as well make good use of the time we have here.”

“You figured right.” I turn my head to kiss him.

I find sweetness in his kiss. Comfort in his eyes. Running my fingers along his jaw, I smile as his stubble tickles. I wouldstay like this forever if I could. But too many thoughts haunt me with a decision that must be made. And he knows it.

“Clara, the longer you hold off on telling Carter the truth, the harder it becomes for everyone, especially you,” Jace says. “Bill Lockwood didn’t come to you with a peace offering. He wants you to disappear.”

“I said no.”

“Don’t think for a second he won’t pursue this further,” he replies. “And even if you were to take his money—which, by the way, given the circumstances, wouldn’t be unreasonable—Bill wouldn’t let you live for much longer. He’d let you get comfortable before he’d make you disappear permanently and take Matty.”

I give him a startled look. “Jace.”

“You know I’m right. The thought must’ve crossed your mind. He’d have no trouble getting you out of the picture and bringing Matty into the Lockwood dynasty. The boy belongs there. You don’t. That’s how Bill sees it, anyway.”

“Carter would go scorched earth on his own father, if he did that.”

“It wouldn’t matter anymore because you’d be gone. Carter wouldn’t be able to go on without you. Neither would Damon or me. Don’t you see, Clara? You’re everything to us. We can protect you. We can keep you and Matty safe and away from Bill. We can build something together.”

“Carter will never forgive me,” I manage, bursting into tears. “About what happened that night with Stephan. Why I left. He’ll be so hurt and angry.”

“Well, I was hurt and angry, too. But I got over it,” Jace replies. “Honesty, Clara. That’s what is going to save us. Honesty, and nothing else. Hiding things from one another only makes us weak. Bill Lockwood will keep coming. He won’t stop. We need to present a united front on this.”

Jace does have a point. I need to gather the courage to tell Carter about what happened. I’m putting Jace in a difficult position—his loyalty to me forces him to keep my secret from Carter, thus being dishonest with him.

It will cause a terrible fracture in their friendship, unless I come out with the truth.

“I’ve made a mess of things, haven’t I?”

He wipes my tears and gently kisses my cheek. “You’re human, Clara. We’re all human. We all make a mess of things now and then. What matters is how we deal with it. How we fix it. And Carter deserves to know the truth.”

“I know.”

“Whenever you’re ready, all you have to do is tell me, baby. I’ll be right there with you, by your side. It will be okay.”

“Okay.”

I don’t want Bill’s money.