As they approached his car, the mothers eyes widened even further and she could almost see the money signs cha ching in their heads. Vultures, she thought, really irritated. Chuck spotted the car and hung his head a little, thinking he was way out of his league and he took off more quickly than normal.

“I’ll see you all later,” Jasmine said, as she climbed in the vehicle. She just wanted to get away from the women, she’d once thought were her friends. She guessed friendship had a limit and that limit was the impressive Derek Titan.

“Thanks for all the help ladies. I guess I need to study up on wrestling so I know better what my son is doing,” Derek said with a wink. Jasmine looked over at him with a shocked expression crossing her features. He was encouraging the money hungry women. She couldn’t even figure out who he was. He winked at her and then ripped out of the parking lot to the sound of the ladies giggling and yelling their goodbyes. Good riddance! She thought.

Jasmine was still incredibly irritated with Derek several hours later as they made their way back to her house and he parked in her driveway. The Porsche looked way out of place next to her used mini-van. It was just another example to show how very different their lives had become.

She was the one who’d grown up the richest kid in town, while he’d been poor and worked for every dollar he made. Now the tables were turned and not only was he a billionaire but she was the one barely getting by. She didn’t mind that so much but with his new status, also came that arrogance and distance she didn’t like.

They slowly climbed from his car and walked into the house. Jacob could barely keep his eyes open but he was fighting his exhaustion. She knew her son was afraid to go to sleep and then wake up to find his father gone.

To take the man away from her son now would be cruel, since he had a taste of being with his father. She wished she could go back to the morning and have been able to resist his charms long enough to get him out of the house so she could think. She didn’t want her son to be hurt.

“It’s time for bed baby, you can take your shower in the morning,” she said to her son, as she led him towards his room.

“But I’m not tired, Mom,” he said, before a huge yawn overtook his features.

“I would say that yawn says you’re pretty tired,” she gently told him, still leading him towards his bedroom.

“Will you still be here tomorrow?” Jacob asked Derek, with big sad eyes.

“I promise you when you wake up in the morning I’ll be right here,” Derek said, as he bent down and lifted Jacob up into his arms like he weighed nothing. Jasmine had a hard time carrying him around now. He’d just gotten so big. He’d outgrow her in a few more years. She didn’t know where the time went.

“Will you read me my story tonight?” Jacob asked him and Jasmine was a bit jealous. Story time had always been theirs alone and she didn’t want to share it.

“I would love to,” Derek replied.

“You come too, Mom,” Jacob said, with another sleepy yawn.

“Of course, Honey,” she replied fondly.

The three of them went to Jacob’s room. It was filled with his favorite toys and posters of Spiderman all over the walls. He’d been infatuated with Spiderman for about a year and had every poster and action figure she’d been able to find.

“I really like your room,” Derek told him.

“Thanks Dad. Mom and me look for new stuff all the time,” he said proudly.

“That sounds like fun,” Derek said. “What story do you want to hear?” he asked, as he looked over at the bookcase, which was overflowing with every book imaginable.

“You can pick, I like them all,” he said, as Jasmine helped him find his pajamas. He quickly changed and crawled into bed, sitting against the headboard. Jasmine leaned next to him while Derek chose a book.

He found a superhero book and read the story, inserting villain’s voices. When he tried to imitate a damsel in distress, both Jacob and Jasmine burst out laughing at his very poor portrayal of a woman. “Hey, I thought that was pretty good,” he said, with a smile. He finished the story and Jasmine tucked the covers up under Jacob’s chin.

“Good night love, I’ll see you in the morning,” she said and turned to leave father and son alone for a moment.

“That’s not what you say, Mom,” he told her and waited expectantly. She glanced at Derek self-consciously and then to her son, who was waiting.

“Good night my young prince, may the dawning day bring you adventures, treasures and so much more,” she whispered to him and then quickly left the room. She’d spoken the same words to him from the time he was a baby. It was one of her ways of giving him a piece of the romantic side of his father. She was very close to tears, since Derek was there but no longer her prince charming.

He followed her into the living room a few minutes later and they stood there staring at each other. She knew it was time for the confrontation. She was just not ready for it.

Chapter Nine

“Why would you keep him from me?” Derek demanded of her, his eyes filled with fury. What was worse than that though is the pain she saw under that anger. She’d hurt him without meaning to. What did he expect of her though? He had walked out on her, when she was ready to give him her whole life.

“I didn’t keep him from you on purpose, at first. I had no idea where you were and then by the time I knew how to find you, it was simply too late. He was already walking and talking and we were fine. The years just kept falling away,” she said, in a voice barely above a whisper.

“He’s my son Jasmine,” he was almost shouting. “Were you going to tell me once we started working together?” he asked. She said nothing but the look she gave him was all the answer he needed. “I see,” he growled.

He began pacing the small room and she felt like a mouse in the path of a viper. She knew he was going to strike but she didn’t know when, where, or how. She was terrified and didn’t want to make the situation any worse than it was, so she waited him out.

“I’m so angry with you, I can’t even think. I can’t believe you could sit there with me each day, knowing it was one more day I didn’t get with my son. I can’t believe you would have sex with me and still feel no desire to tell me about him. How can you be this cold?” he spat at her.

“I…you…I don’t know,” she said, as she threw her hands in the air. He was turning everything on her. He wasn’t taking any accountability for his own actions. She knew he was angry and frustrated but he had to admit he was the one who had walked away.

“Did you know you were pregnant that last night, when we made all the plans?” he asked her.

“No, I didn’t know until at least a month later,” she answered. She really didn’t see it would’ve made any difference anyway. Why would he have stuck around for a baby, when he wouldn’t stick around for her?

“I won’t spend another day without him,” he told her with menace. She knew that it was coming down to that.

“Are you seriously going to fight me for him?” she asked, barely able to hold the sobs in. She was so close to breaking down and crying all over his feet. Her knees would no longer support her so she plopped down on the couch. She couldn’t even look at him anymore, she was hurting so badly.

He silently stood there in the room. She couldn’t look up at him, as she was fearful of the look in his eyes. His silence seemed to be the answer to her question. She knew he was going to fight her for Jacob. She had nine years of being his mother and had done the best possible job she could but he had the money for the best attorneys and if he took her to court he’d probably win.

It didn’t help her case that Jacob was so needy of a father, he’d bonded with him instantly. The courts always interviewed the kids. They’d ask him if he wanted to be with his father or his mother and in her child’s innocence, he’d tell them he wanted to be with both his parents.

They’d look at what each parent could provide and he’d win hands down. She’d fight him the entire way but she’d just be fighting the inevitable. She felt defeated and devastated.

“I won’t take you to court Jasmine but not because I give a damn what it would do to you. You don’t deserve my consideration. I won’t do it, because I won’t hurt my son by pulling him away from his mother, who he obviously loves,” he finally said. Jasmine felt a ray of hope. She could share her son. He may not like only being with his father on weekends but they could work it out.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully.

“I wasn’t finished speaking,” he said in a tone that had her snapping her head up to look at him. “I said I won’t take Jacob from you but I also told you I won’t spend another day without him,” he said and waited for his words to sink in.

Jasmine’s eyes widened, as she realized what he was saying. “You want us to live together?” she said in shock.

“I won’t dishonor my son by just living with his mother. I will not allow the other kids to pick on him because his mother is a mistress,” he said with venom.

“I don’t understand,” she began.

“Come on Jasmine, you’re smarter than this,” he sneered at her. She continued to look up at him blankly.

“We’re getting married,” he said. Jasmine gasped, as she stared open-mouthed at him. He had just asked her to marry him, no scratch that he’d just told her she was going to marry him. She didn’t even know how to respond.

“I…I don’t want to get married,” she finally managed to stutter.

“That’s very obvious from your actions ten years ago but this isn’t about you, or even about me, this is about Jacob and what is best for him, so you’ll marry me because it’s what’s best for our son,” he said. He wasn’t shouting or sneering anymore, he was deadly calm and seemed almost defeated, which was worse for her, because it made it all seem so much more real. She also didn’t understand his little comment about ten years ago, considering he was the one who left her but she was so tired of arguing.

“There should be another more reasonable solution other than marriage. We can work out a visitation schedule,” she tried one last chance to fix the situation that was quickly spiraling out of control.

“There’s no other solution, I told you I want to be with my son every single day. I don’t want to just visit him every other weekend and on alternative holidays. I’ve already lost half of his childhood, I won’t lose anymore,” he said.

“Can we at least take a few days to think about things and talk some more, this is all so new and we are both emotional?” she asked him.

“Jasmine it’s either this or else,” he said, leaving the veiled threat unsaid.

“I guess it makes sense,” she conceded.

“Good, I’m glad you feel that way but don’t think that there won’t be an iron clad prenuptial agreement. When our son turns eighteen and goes off to college, our sham of a marriage will end and then we can be free of each other. Don’t worry though, I’ll leave you with something and just think, while we’re married you get to live in the way you’re so accustomed to. I may not have been good enough for you ten years ago but I’m worth far more than your father ever was now,” he snarled.