Second Chance.

Chapter Nine.

(((Kellan Moon in the picture)))

Kellan stands there flexing his fist and clenching his jaw while staring back and forth between me and Avery. Jacks can sense the tension as he looks at the scene unfolding in front of him with confusion. Zarielle completely knows and is looking at me with concern. I can't tell whether he knows that she's his or if he thinks I had a kid with another guy after I left. Avery continues to jump and stand on the seat beside me, at this point I am a little irritated.

"Lily please sit down and stop standing in the booth that's the last time I'm going to tell you," I say to her. Her mood starts to dampen but she still listens and sits down.

"How old is she?," Kellan speaks up from beside the table.

"I'm four!," she tells him with so much excitement, her mood no longer sad, whereas I can't look him in the eye. After she says that I can practically feel the body heat and anger radiating from his body. I don't want him to potentially cause a scene. "Maybe we should talk outside?," I suggest to him.

"With pleasure," he says through clenched teeth.

"Keep an eye on Avery for me?," I ask them and they nod to let me know they will. I give Zari a look as if to say 'fill Jacks in while I'm gone.' I know she understands cause she gives me a reassuring smile. I don't feel like retelling the story although I'm probably going to have to with my family. I am following behind him before I stop and turn back around. "Don't even think about standing and jumping in that seat again while I'm gone either," I sternly say to Avery.

When I make it outside Kellan is by his car pacing back and forth. He went ahead when I stopped to make sure Avery would behave. I am about to speak when he feels my presence through the mate bond and suddenly stops pacing. The look on his face keeps me from saying anything. I am completely and utterly nervous.

"How could you do that?! How could you not tell me I was having a daughter and then keep her from me for four years?!," he growls out at me.

"First, I will appreciate if you stop yelling at me and second you have no right to treat me as if I just kicked your puppy. Do I need to remind you that you was the one who rejected me the morning after you took my virginity?," I snap at him.

How dare he act like he did nothing wrong. At this point I am furious. I was under the impression we were going to talk like two adults but if he plans on yelling at me the whole time I am not going to stand here and listen. Yeah, I realize not telling him about her was wrong but I did what I felt was right to protect my daughter.

He runs his hand down his face in exasperation and continues to pace back and forth again.

"Look I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her but look at it from my point of view. You had rejected me and I felt like why would you want her if you couldn't even find it in your heart to want me," I quietly tell him.

He stops pacing and looks in my eyes.

"Don't be stupid!," he snaps. "I would never have done that to her! She's my daughter, my flesh and blood! I deserved to know about her!"

I can't believe he just said that to me. I'm not good enough for him to love but he can show he cares to everyone else on the face of the planet. This moment in time I decide no matter what he says or does he will always be nothing to me and he will never get a chance to know Avery.

"We're not staying anyway eventually we are going back home so maybe things should just stay how they are," I tell him with as much venom in my voice as I can muster.

He looks like I just punched him really hard in the gut, he looks so hurt and defeated. I don't want to look at his hurtful expression anymore so I turn and head back into the restaurant but before I walk back through the door I turn back to him.

"You did this to yourself you know? Whether you want to see it or not I am protecting her. I won't let you break her heart like you did and keep doing to mine," with that I step inside and let the door close behind me. I don't dare look back I know the look on his face is still there. Instead I sit back down with them to see that our food had arrived while I was outside.

"You okay?," Zarielle asks me.

I just nod my head at her afraid that if I speak I will break down in tears as his words keep repeating in my mind.

"I'm gonna head out so I can catch him before he leaves and keep an eye on him," Jacks says to Zari without even so much as looking my way. He gives her a kiss goodbye and says a quick 'bye' to Avery but says nothing to me.

"Great now he's mad at me too," I sigh.

"He'll get over it don't worry it might take some time but he'll come around. Kellen is his best friend they're like brothers he's just trying to have his back. Like you would have mine or I would have yours," she reassures me.

"No he doesn't get to have time! Why can't anyone understand what I went through? I'm not the bad guy he is!," I say to her.

Avery stands up and gives me a hug out of nowhere.

"What was that for?," I ask her.

"You look sad and you always give me hugs when I'm sad, you needed it," she smiles at me. I immediately smile back and feel much better. What would I do without her?

"Since you made mommy feel a hundred times better I'll let the fact that you stood up in the booth again slide," I say to her and give her a kiss on the cheek after she sits back down.

We eat our food and continue to talk. When we finish I take Zari home and tell her I'll call her tomorrow. Avery fell asleep in the car and I have to carry her inside. Once in the house I go straight to my room and put her pajamas on her while she manages to stay asleep, it's a gift of hers she can sleep through just about anything. Then I get ready for bed myself and lay down next to the #1 constant in my life besides my parents and my brother.

My daughter.