Page 24 of Steel

“Kerrion—”

“Take him home, Jaeda,” I said firmly.

I kissed her forehead before grabbing my keys and leaving the office. Neha couldn’t run from me anymore. Nah. Fuck that. Today was the day she was going to answer for this shit.

I pulledup in front of the address listed in the information Jaeda sent to my email.

It was a nice neighborhood. Every lawn was well kept. Expensive cars sat in the driveways. People were out running and walking with their dogs. I could see she was doing well for herself. At least my kid was living good. Shutting off the truck, I sat there for a moment. Two cars sat in the driveway, so I knew both of them were home.

That made my blood boil.

How fucking dare they sit in this house, keeping me from knowing my child. How dare they have her around me and not tell me who she was. I needed answers. Fuck that, Ideservedanswers. Shoving my door open, I stepped out of the truck and pushed it closed behind me. I took slow strides up to the front steps and knocked on the door. I could hear footsteps approaching.

“Who is it?” came the all too familiar voice.

“Open this fucking door, Neha.”

There was silence.

“I swear on my son, if you don’t open this door, I’m kicking this shit in.”

“Open the door, Neha,” who I now knew was Dinah said.

A few seconds later, I could hear the locks disengaging. The knob twisted, and the door opened as far as the chain would allow it. Neha looked between the small opening, eyes wide with fear.

“What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

“I’m not talking to you through a crack in the damn door. Let me in.”

“Neha, just let him in,” Dinah said.

When Neha didn’t move, she reached around her and took the chain off. The door opened wider, and she waved me in. I looked around the space, finding it as clean and immaculate as her dorm room used to be.

“How did you find me?” Neha asked again.

I turned to face her and found her clinging to her sister.

“I could have found you when you left me.Youtaught me not to chase you.”

She kept looking around me. “Wh-what do you want?”

I chuckled. “What do I want? Oh, baby, I think you know.”

She shook her head.

“No?” I asked, stepping toward her. “So you don’t wanna tell me you had my fucking kid? You don’t wanna explain why you kept her from me for ten muthafucking years, Neha!”

She stifled a scream. “I’m sorry?—”

“You’re sorry? That’s all you have to say? You’re sorry? You knew I wanted kids . . . a family. You stole that from me. You stole vital years of her life that I can’t get back! I missed everything! She has a whole fucking family that would have loved and protected her, Neha. My daughter is being bullied. I could have put a stop to that shit a long time ago!”

“I’m sorry!” she yelled. “What else do you want me to say!”

“Why!”

I was in her face in a split second. She cowered in fear, causing Dinah to get in between us.

“Hold up now,” she said, shoving me away. “She was dead ass wrong, but don’t roll up on my sister like that.”