Page 25 of Single Mom’s Undoing (Lucky Lady Reverse Harems #1)

CLARA

I t’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 would stay 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.

I don’t want Carter to be hurt when I tell him the truth.

But I don’t want to keep running either.

Once I get Stephan’s money into my account, I’ll have a bit more clarity. A safety net to help guide me forward. Until then, I make the most of every day and every moment that I get to spend with my men, with Jodie, with Matty and Shiloh.

One afternoon, after I’m done submitting a proposal for Vanguard’s second Oregon location, I make my way downstairs to the daycare, eager to get Matty and Shiloh so Damon can take us to Mondy’s diner for some cheesy fries and cherry pie.

I’ve been craving so many different things lately.

“How are my munchkins?” I greet the kids as soon as they come out of the indoor playground.

They’re red-faced and giggly, clearly tired from their daytime activities. Matty hugs my right leg and Shiloh takes the left.

“We had so much fun, Momma!” Matty declares.

“Excellent!” I laugh and kneel so I can be at their level.

Behind them, a few other kids chase each other while the daycare staff carefully and lovingly watch over them. Matty needs a moment to catch his breath, though. He knows not to exert himself too much, but once the kiddie zoomies kick in, he’s hard to stop.

“I’ve got your inhaler, if you need it,” I tell him.

He cups my cheek with his warm little hand. “I’m okay, Momma.”

“Shy-Shy, your daddy’s going to be here soon, and we’re going to get fries and pie at Mondy’s,” I tell her.

Shiloh’s eyes burst wide with excitement. “With cheese?”

“Lots of cheese, I promise.”

“Daddy doesn’t let me have lots of cheese,” she pouts .

“I’ll put in a good word,” I say with a wink. I laugh as she throws her arms around my neck, promptly followed by Matty.

I revel in their embrace, their energy. I need every ounce of it. I’ve been carrying too many secrets lately, and the pregnancy feels like the straw that’s going to break the camel’s back.

The sound of heels clicking loudly across the marble floor makes me turn my head just in time to see Elizabeth heading toward us. Instantly, I stand up to face her.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” I say.

“Just because you’re porking my ex-husband doesn’t give you the right to tell me when I can or can’t see my daughter, Miss Piggy,” Elizabeth cruelly retorts, then plasters on a fake smile for Shiloh. “Hi, honey, how are you?”

Shiloh doesn’t know who she is, so she hides shyly behind my leg, holding on for dear life, while Matty gets protective, his instincts as sharp as mine.

“She doesn’t recognize you,” I say.

Elizabeth gives me a cold glare.

“You need to stay out of this, Clara. You’ve done enough harm as it is,” Elizabeth replies, crossing her arms.

“I’m afraid I can’t stay out of this since the law isn’t on your side.”

“Oh, it will be soon enough.”

“What were you hoping to accomplish besides giving Damon more ammunition for family court and traumatizing this poor child? ”

Elizabeth smirks and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, a diamond earring glistening from the lobe.

“It’s none of your goddamn business, Clara.

And frankly, I’m done explaining myself to you.

I’m here to see my daughter, so do me a favor and get your fat ass out of my way. I have no patience left to be civil.”

“When were you ever civil?”

“Momma, she’s being mean,” Matty says, giving her a sour look.

Damon appears at the end of the hall. As soon as he spots Elizabeth, his stride quickens and his glare darkens, but she’s too busy spewing her venom at my expense to notice him.

“You’re not even worth my time, Clara. You never were. The whole town knows what a floozy you were and always have been. It didn’t surprise anyone that you had yourself a Lockwood bastard on your way out. What was surprising was that you had the audacity to bring him back and?—”

“Elizabeth.”

Damon’s low voice is angry enough to make her go immediately silent.

“Damon,” Elizabeth replies, taking a step to the side and turning to face us both. “I was just popping by to see Shiloh.”

“Consider this your last warning,” he says and hands her an envelope.

She stills and stares at it for a long second. “What is this?”

“Read it.”

I gather Shiloh and Matty close and take a few steps back, eager to get the kids out of earshot. In a moment of clarity, I take out my phone and put on one of their favorite Peppa Pig videos, giving it to Matty to hold. “Here, honey, show this to Shy-Shy. You love this episode,” I gently tell him.

“Okay, Momma,” he says and does as he’s told. “Shy-Shy, look at this.”

“Oh, Peppa!” the little girl exclaims.

And just like that, the kids are no longer paying attention. With a little bit of luck and a cheesy bribe later at Mondy’s, I’m hopeful they will both have completely forgotten about Elizabeth’s intrusion by the time we put them to bed.

In the meantime, Elizabeth opens the envelope, a look of horror imprinting across her face as she reads the document. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she gasps.

“Surely, you or Bill’s lawyers saw this coming,” Damon replies. Beneath his calm demeanor, a sea of pure anger unfolds. “What did you expect would happen, Elizabeth, that I would be all bark and no bite?”

“I can’t believe it. A restraining order?”

“I told you repeatedly to stay away from us while we deal with family court. And yet repeatedly, you have tried to accost my daughter?—”

“ Our daughter.”

“No, my daughter. You walked out of her life, Elizabeth. There’s no denying that. No changing that part of history. It’s inscribed in legal documents. Just because you gave birth to her does not make you her mother. You abandoned her and gave up your parental rights.

“I’ll say it again, you have repeatedly tried to accost my daughter despite my requests to leave her alone, to not disturb or confuse her,” Damon continues.

“This is the consequence, Elizabeth. Do not even think about making another attempt to see her again,” he nearly growls, lowering his voice to make sure the kids don’t hear him. “I’ll see you in court.”

“Damon, you can’t do this?—”

“I just did. The next time I catch you anywhere near my daughter, I’ll drag your ass to the police station myself. I’ll enjoy making a citizen’s arrest, I promise.”

She’s tearing up, and if I didn’t know better, I might actually be touched, tempted to believe that she is in genuine pain.

But that’s not pain. That’s just Elizabeth’s ego getting crushed, and she simply can’t cope.

She’s gotten by without facing the consequences of her actions for her entire life.

It’s time she got what was coming to her.