Malice

-25

-Reagan-

A grudge was not the last thing I expected from Nathan Monroe. The next week was lonely but I had the most important thing in life to keep me company. My daughter. Kennedi made all of this so much more bearable.

I was making her a plate of eggs, while she waited in her high chair with a toy when Nathan came in. I hadn't seen him all day yesterday, and I supposed it was from him being in pain. Some days were still worse than most. "Dada!" Ken squealed in excitement as he took a chair beside her. She hadn't seen him yesterday either.

"Princess..." He greeted the dark haired child. I didn't expect one. Only a handful of one word responses had been exchanged between me and the man in the past week. I expected nothing less.

I took the eggs to Ken and met his hazel gaze...one I still very much loved-forget my transgressions with anyone. Especially John. "Are you hungry?" I asked and I was sure I imagined his eyes sizing me up once in my short robe before he looked away.

"Sure." And just like that, Kennedi had all of his attention again. I listened to their playful banter as I piled eggs, toast, and sausage onto his plate. Her laughter brought nothing but joy to my ears. I filled a glass with orange juice before I took it back to the table. "Thanks," The word came out in a grumble and I sighed softly. It was more than I had gotten out of him in days. Not since our argument. I tried not to think about it too much. 

I was in the middle of making my plate, when my cellphone rang on the counter. It was John's home phone and I knew that Matthew used it to call me. I answered and put it on speaker. "Hey sweetie." 

"Reagan! We're going to the beach today. Do you want to come with us?" Matthew asked me in excitement on the other end. I frowned at the question and completely ignored the way my stomach flopped. Us. 

"The beach? It's too chilly for the beach, Matthew." 

"Pleeease." 

I could imagine his adorable face, with his identical eyes to John, puppy-dogging it right now.  "I cant, buddy. I have to work today. I'm sorry." I filled my own glass with juice as I lied to the kid. I didn't need anymore shit with Nathan. John and Matthew were their own family. Mine was here. 

"Come on. Kennedi can come too. Dad won't mind." Followed by another one of those 'pleases'. Yea...taking Ken would be a death wish. 

"I can't Matthew. Tell me all about it when you come next weekend, alright?" The call ended with a lot of attitude coming from the child and then he hung up. I took my plate to the table and sat across from Nathan and Ken. I didn't realize he was staring at me until after I got comfortable and looked up. "What is it?" I asked, taking a drink to help my dry throat. 

"You've taken my daughter around that guy?" The way his eyebrows dipped said this was going to be another one of those arguments. God. This was the last place I wanted to go. 

"No." It was goddamn lie if I ever told one. I'd been juggling Ken, Matthew and a job...alone. Sure there were a few times when I'd had to take Kennedi with me to drop Matthew off. Never mind the night I had slept with John for the first time in ages. Nathan didn't need to know that though. It'd been disgusting behavior and I already felt like shit about it. 

"Don't fucking lie to me, Reagan. You're a shitty liar." 

It shocked me...he never talked like that in front of her. We'd agreed on that long ago, especially since she was starting to talk. "I'm not going to argue with you on front of her, Nathan." Ken seemed oblivious to our conversation-moving the eggs around on her plate and taking bites.