Twisted Games

nineteen - taylor

Even though Travis said that wasn't what this was, it really did look like he was about to confess to murder or something. I stared at him, my mind searching through conclusions I drew myself, wondering what on earth he was so nervous to tell me.

But then words were spilling from him, and my eyes widened as I listened.

"I got so drunk I ended up sleeping with a woman I met at a bar, even though I'm not really one for one night stands." Travis said. "Her name was Darcy, and she got pregnant, but I didn't find out about the baby until I got a call from the hospital. Darcy was an alcoholic and she did drugs, but she stopped while she was pregnant long enough to have the baby. When the baby was born, she decided that she didn't want to be a mother and she abandoned her at the hospital after putting my name on the birth certificate, so they called me." Travis swallowed, not meeting my gaze. "I turned up there...and suddenly I had a daughter. I was all she had, but I didn't have the money to raise her, so Jason and Kylie have been looking after her the last eight months while I try to make enough money. That's why I go back to Philly as often as I can, to see her."

He stopped there, and the room descended into silence as I processed that information. Travis had a daughter. A baby daughter. No more than nine months old according to his timeline. He'd had a daughter this whole time.

"And I understand if you don't want to be with me, because if I don't have this job anymore I need to go back to Philly and you might not..."

I reached up, placing a finger over Travis' lips. He fell quiet, just letting me think. My mind was going a mile a minute as I sat there, just letting the information settle for a moment before I dropped my hand and looked up at Travis.

"Okay." I said quietly. "I think you're really strong to be able to leave her for weeks at a time to try to make enough money to support her." Travis blinked like he didn't think I'd say something like that, and I offered him a smile. "Travis that's not going to make me not want to be with you. I think you're really strong and you're trying to be a good father." I squeezed his hand. "So what's her name?"

"Isabella." Travis said, and I smiled. "Isabella Kelce. I call her Izzy."

"That's beautiful." I whispered.

"Tay I..." He swallowed. "I want you to meet her at some point soon. I know this is insane, but the way I feel about you...it's far too strong to be normal. I don't mean to scare you, but I don't get involved with someone anymore unless I'm really sure, and I am really sure about you."

He was really sure. I knew what that meant. And maybe I was out of my mind, but I'd given my heart away to too many men and gotten it shattered. I felt safe giving it to Travis, and this was it for me. Travis had been there for me through thick and thin, at my worst and my best, and it just felt right with him.

Shifting forwards, I rolled forwards on my knees and took Travis' face in my hands, pulling him close. He smiled as I kissed him, pulling me close so that I straddled his lap with his arms around my waist. Our warm bodies pressed close together as I stroked his beard, holding his lips against mine. I felt so loved in his embrace, so safe, like nothing I had ever felt with anyone else.

"Baby girl I'm going to miss you so much when I go back to Philly." Travis whispered against my lips. "God you have no idea."

"I'll miss you too." I sighed. "But I'll come and visit you, if that's okay."

"I can come and visit you too."

"No." I shook my head, pulling back to look at him. "No you need to spend as much time with your daughter as you can. I've kept you from her, and she needs you. I'll come to Philly all the time, whenever you want."