Page 100 of The Bluffing Game

“I lied when I said I never loved him. The very first time I saw his face, my heart, it expanded. It grew, and I felt true love for the fourth time in my life. The first three times belong to my three older kids, and I thought if I could just be a good mother, but then the next day, I just couldn’t seem to get my act together. You’re a good dad. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t, and I want you to know that. I want you to know I’m thankful to you, no matter what happens. And Toby, well, he’s lucky to have you.”

“Thank you,” I tell her.

“I don’t want to go. Let me out,” She’s screaming and banging on the windows. “You’re kidnapping me. Let me out.”

I look into the rearview, and I see Brett grabbing her hand and stroking it as she screams. He nods at me, and I keep driving.

“We’re going to get you help, Louisa. I promise.” I speak into the darkness as Brett murmurs something in her ear, reassuring her that she’ll be okay.

I’ve never seen this part of him before. It makes me wonder what he’s seen in his life. More darkness than me, I’m sure, and yet he doesn’t show it.

Louisa eventually falls asleep, and I turn on the radio. Brett sits there, saying nothing, and all I can think is that maybe she was right. Maybe in this twisted game of life, I did something that was honorable that didn’t benefit me. Even though it didn’t feel that way. I still felt like I was paying for my sins.

My mind starts thinking about Sage, and I know I have to tell her. I want to tell her everything, the truth. I don’t know how she’ll react or feel, but I need her to know I’m not just this grumpy, charming saboteur who’s ruined her dating life and loves to make love to her. I’m a man with a past—a dark past that I’m trying to get over—but I want to give her the chance to decide whether or not she can be with someone like me, whether or not she can kiss someone like me, whether or not she can look beyond the man that I once was.

Chapter 27

SAGE

I lie in bed, and I can’t stop thinking about Dalton—where he is, what he’s doing. If he and Toby’s mom have decided to get back together, if they want to create a real family for Toby, which I would understand. I truly would. Family is the most important thing in the world, and a kid deserves to have a mom and a dad, especially one as cute as Toby.

I roll over in the bed and close my eyes. I need to think about something else, anything else. I decide to grab my phone and start scrolling. I see that I’ve got a text message from an unknown number, and I frown.

You can’t get rid of me that easily, the text reads, and my heart thuds.

I have a feeling it’s Parker. I hate that he keeps texting me from all these new numbers, and even though I keep blocking him, he keeps finding new ways to contact me. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to tell Dalton. I don’t want him to think he has to be my protector, but I don’t want him to think I can’t take care of myself—because I really can.

You need to leave me alone, I text back.

My phone starts ringing, and I startle as I think it’s Parker, but I smile when I see it’s Dalton.

“Hi. You’re up late,” I say as my eyes clock that it’s one a.m.

“Hey. I hope I didn’t wake you up,” he says. “I just got home.”

“Everything okay?” I don’t really know what to say. I don’t want to pry, and I’m not going to ask him again. I’m not going to ask him or beg him to tell me what’s going on with Toby’s mom.

“What are you doing right now?”

“You’re not trying to have phone sex with me, are you?”

“No. Really, Sage?”

“I’m just saying, you asked me what I’m doing, and when someone calls you at this time in the morning, it usually means …”

“No. I was wondering if I could see you.”

“Now? You mean, like FaceTime?”

“I was wondering if I could come over.”

“Oh.” I look at the time, and then I think about the fact that Izzy and Rosie are in bed. “I don’t know. Izzy and Rosie are here, and I don’t really want to disturb them.”

“You can come over here,” he says.

“But aren’t Toby and Lucia there?”

“They’re sleeping.”