Baby, baby.

T H I R T Y S E V E N

"Have you talked to Riley?" David questions and continues hanging tinsel around the fireplace that sits in front of the couch. Maria bounces on my lap with her usual bright smile.

"No." I lift an eyebrow and tilt my head slowly. "Why would I do that? He said he's going to try and take my child from me. It's better the baby grows up and doesn't even know that you're not the father." I shrug it off.

The whole situation makes me uncomfortable, and it's been bothering me since the day I met with Riley. But I have enough on my plate. I still haven't been able to wrap my mind around anything.

On top of everything going on, my father is getting weaker and I've hardly been able to make time for him. Christmas is in two weeks and me and David haven't even started our shopping yet, and planning David's annual Christmas party is exhausting. Everything these days exhausts me.

"Layla," David takes the seat beside me and places a firm hand on my knee. "Baby, you need to talk to him. I'm more than willing to raise this baby with you and claim it as my own, but take it from a father who loves his child more than anything in the world, the pain of being away from your child is worse than any other. And him having to watch us raise the baby in the public eye- that'll make it even worse. You need to talk it out. Joint custody is the best and only option I see here."

I sigh deeply and set Maria on the floor next to a pile of toys and lay back, sprawling my arms out around me. "I don't trust him. He's going to do something he shouldn't. You weren't there!" I argue back. I feel myself getting upset quickly and I pull my knees to my chest. The thought of him being mad enough at me to hurt me anyway he can makes me extremely nervous.

"Pain makes people say crazy things baby." David scoots a little closer to me and places a kiss on my cheek. Invite him over for dinner, we're adults now."

-

"Please, come in." I motion into the house and hold the door open for Riley to enter. His eyes hungrily rake my body as he enters the room. "Please, don't do that." I cross my arms over my chest. His eyes continue to look me over and he ignores everything I said.

"Have a little respect, that's disgusting." David appears at the top of the straircase with a disgusted look on his face and Maria in his arms.

"What do you two want? To flash all your money and your massive house at me?" I tap my foot anxiously and make my way into the dining room, taking my place at the end of the table. "I'm not here to eat." He leans against the frame of the door.

"Then why did you even come?" I throw my hands in the air. "I worked hard cooking this for us." My finger automatically go to pinch the bridge of my nose.

"I came to tell you guys that I'm going to ruin your life. I'm going to end you, David. You both think you're so great telling everyone you're expecting and posting pregnancy announcements and blah, blah, blah." He rolls his eyes. "That is my child, Layla!" His voice raises quickly and I jump slightly in my place. "I want my child."

"Riley, calm down. We're willing to work with you for joint custody after the three month mark." He shakes his head and takes a few steps into the room.

"I want full custody." He shrugs.

"Riley, thats not a possibility. If we take it to court who do you think they'll think is the better option?" David crosses his arms tightly over his chest.

"Then I'll make you give her to me. One way or another, I'm not playing anymore games with you two. If you wanted a baby, you should have put one in her." I furrow my eyebrows together tightly and shake my head quickly.

"You-you planned this?" I say quietly.

"You were piss drunk, protection was the last thing on your mind when you basically tore the clothes off of my body." He shrugs.

"You did this to me on purpose?" Our eyes meet for the first time all night and he lift an eyebrow, nodding slowly.

"I didn't do all of that so that he could act like my child is his." With a deep sigh he begins exiting the room. "Have a nice night guys,"

"How could I let something like that happen?" I question and slowly lift my head to meet David's. He stands with a sad look in his eyes. "I'm so sorry. Who knows what he'll try to do. At this point, I'm convinced that hell do anything. I'm so sorry." I shake my head. 

"Layla, it's okay." He assures me and takes the seat beside me.

"I don't deserve you two. I-I mean- what did I do? I came into your life and I made a big mess out of everything. I got overly attached to the both of you too soon and now I have this-this condition. And a psychotic baby dad. Everyone acts like it's so normal that I was meant to be your nanny but somehow we turned into this." I motion between us and slouch my back.

If you think about it, really think about it, this is insane. I'm supposed to be taking care of Maria and accepting pay checks. How did I let it get so far and let myself fall in love with the two of them.

"You're overthinking it. I promise you, everything will be okay. No matter what I'm going to keep you guys safe."

-

I want to finish this book within the next month. So I thinking like an update almost everyday. I might get side tracked and what not but from now on Expect updates sooner. It's sort of nearing the end, I can only imagine like 8-10 maybe like 15 more chapters.