The Bad Boy is Mine

Chapter 8

The moving truck is full.

I'm just doing last minute things.

I didn't tell anyone I'm moving except for Adam, who will join Charlotte and I when he gets out of rehab.

Someone knocks on my door, and then just walks in.

I look up from the box I'm putting cleaning supplies in to meet Jace's eyes.

Fuck.

"Uh...are you redorating?" he asks.

"I'm moving." I say.

"Across town?" he asks slowly.

"Across America."

"But..." he trails off. "Why?"

"Because I've been nothing but miserable. I'm not going to raise my child with a miserable mother. That makes for a miserable life."

"So you were just going to up and leave without telling me?"

I at least finished Andrew and Emily's house first.

It's been three weeks since the hearing.

"Rylee, you haven't spoken to me once since the hearing. I was coming over to make sure you were okay."

"Well I'm fine. You don't need to check up on me."

"So that's it then? You're just leaving?"

"I'm doing this for me and my daughter."

"But what about us?" he asks.

"What are you talking about?"

"We...didn't we have something?"

I tape the box shut and label it cleaning.

"No." I say. Charlotte follows me downstairs to the truck. I put in the box. A red-haired couple is watching us.

"Yes we did. You know I like you. I saved your brother."

"No you didn't, you just lectured him a bit." I shrug, shutting the truck.

"So you got what you wanted from me, then, is that it?"

"Jace, what are you talking about?" I sigh.

"You got fired and got a better job because of me, you got your car fixed, you got a ride to New York, you used my best friend for the case against your step Mom. So that's it? I'm useless to you?"

"Jace." I pinch the bridge of my nose. "First of you, you got me fired. That's not a good thing. Second, you kidnapped me. You wouldn't leave me alone after my brother hit rock bottom. You took weeks to fix my car, so I'm not putting you on a pedestal for that, and as for Andrew, I met him without your help. I'm not even looking for a relationship."

"Neither am I, but I fucking found one." Jace says. "Whatever Rylee." He pauses. "You had a good life. Just so you know, I'm actually in love with you. if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me. Until then, leave me alone. I don't want to be friends with you. I want to be your boyfriend. I want to be the father of your children. Without you, I'm going to die alone, and I'm okay with that."

He turns around and walks away.

I shake my head.

This is best for Charlotte and I.

I'm giving my daughter my best chance. She's my priority. I'm not my own priority.

I get in the moving truck. They got a weird thing that attaches my car to the truck.

It takes all my willpower to drive away, Charlotte singing in the passenger seat.