Landon's Obsession: An Endless Series: Book 3 (Series 3) (40 page)

     With a heavy heart I nodded in understanding. “I can
see why you would. I just found out from Maya that my mother had fired you when
all this time I’d been told you quit. That must have added even more flame to
the fire.”

     I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t confronted my
mother about that little tidbit of information. Hell, it was what I’d called
her to find out in the first place, but something more important had been
revealed that had totally wiped that from my thoughts.

     ReKesha scowled. “Your mother…” She shook head and
appeared to want to say more but held her tongue. “Anyway…I had to watch Maya’s
downward spiral. I didn’t notice right away because I had to find a new job,
which wasn’t easy. I had savings thankfully, but we ended up having to move
here to Charlottesville where I bought out a cleaning service that was up for
sale. Once we were settled I could see that Maya was barely talking or eating,
she didn’t hang out with friends any more, her grades plummeted. I had no idea
what to do. Nothing I said seemed to reach her.” She gave a shuddery breath and
reached for a Kleenex on the table next to her.

     I had a feeling I was going to get more truth than I could
handle. Knowing I deserved it I braced myself.

     “As a parent, watching your child become a ghost of
themselves, it’s one of the most difficult things to watch when you can’t do
anything to change it. She fainted one day at school, and I took her to the
doctor expecting them to tell me that it was because she wasn’t eating enough.
But I found it was more than that, and Maya was even more shocked. She had no
idea she was pregnant, and hearing that she was hit her hard. She became
hysterical, and could no longer hold back what had happened. It all spilled
out…Kris…you…it had been slowly eating away at her all that time. She hadn’t
wanted to burden me with it because she saw that I already blamed myself.” ReKesha
gave a soft sob and we both checked Nola to see that she was still engrossed
with the movie.

     I tried swallowing past the ball in my throat. It hurt
to do it.

     ReKesha continued once she was calm. “It kind of
surprised me that she included you during her painful tirade. I would have
thought that what Kris did to her would have been foremost in her mind, but she
was equally, if not possibly more, hurt by you breaking up with her.”

     Fuck, just shoot me, it couldn’t feel as bad as this.

     “It revealed that her feelings for you had been deeper
than I thought.” She frowned and stared at me thoughtfully. “Because of her
health I had to pull Maya from school. She needed bed rest and to start eating
more. She’d lost weight instead of gaining it. With time, and at finally unloading
the secret she’d been carrying, Maya improved. She was unsure on whether she
wanted to keep Nola, but once she held her baby in her arms…she fell in love
with Nola right away.”

     Her eyes were glassy, but she appeared calm as she
related Maya’s story.

     “It’s good that I can recount what Maya went through.
It’s something I’ve wanted to hit over your head, or any of your families head,
for a long time. I’m sorry to say that I don’t feel bad if I’m making you feel bad.
I’ve never thought of myself as a vengeful person, but watching your child
suffer leaves a mark that never really goes away.”

     Feeling bad about what Maya had gone through felt like
an old friend at this point. “I can relate and comprehend the need for
vengeance.” I stated darkly. Kris was still going to get his due.

     “You know I went through my own teenage pregnancy.
Maya’s father wanted nothing to do with either of us.” ReKesha announced.

     I nodded. “Maya told me.”

     Her mouth twisted. “Because of my past I have even
stronger feelings about men abandoning their children.”

     I would take a lot from her but not this. “If I had
known that Maya was pregnant I would never have abandoned her or my child. I’m
sad and pissed that I missed out on three and a half years of Nola’s life. I
don’t blame Maya; I blame my brother and myself. What happened in our past is
screwed up, but I…my feelings for Maya were real. They were more real than
anything I’d ever felt before.” I confessed.

     Her gaze searched mine. “I never saw the two of you
together. Maybe if I had I would have seen it…this…” She pointed to me and I
wondered what she saw. “And then maybe I would have reached a different
conclusion about your actions. But I didn’t have a positive view of spoiled
rich boys back then. And Landon, I’d seen how you were with the girls that came
over to the house. You were not nice to them, and you went threw them like
Kleenex.”

     I butted in. “Maya was different. I never treated her
like that…” I grimaced. “Until I thought she cheated on me. But before that she
was…she was everything.” It was less difficult disclosing that than I thought.
At the time it had been hard to even reveal it to myself.

     RaKesha’s eyes widened and she didn’t say anything for
a minute. “None of us confronted head-on what happened. We all buried it. If
only one person would have said something maybe this could have all been
different?” She murmured regretfully.

     “Maybe’s and ‘what ifs’ have become my mantra
recently.” I mumbled.

     She smiled and it was warmer. “Yes. But I’m sure Maya
has told you that she doesn’t regret Nola. She’s the silver lining from this
entire mess.”

     I looked at Nola. The girl was in her own world, sucked
into the movies story line. “I just hope…” I left it at that.

     There was a small pause. “What if that hopes not
answered?” RaKesha’s tone was tight again.

     I looked back at her, my gaze obdurate. “She’s mine,
but that doesn’t mean I can’t hope.”

     She inhaled deeply, softening. “It’s a hope we all
share.”

     I raised a brow. “I asked Maya this, but am I the better
of two evils?”

     Her lips twisted. “You’re not so bad.”

     It wasn’t much, but I’d take it. “Thanks ReKesha.”

     “Is it difficult for you to call me that and not Rita?”
She smirked.

     I shook my head with a grin. “I’ve thought of you as
ReKesha for years. Maya confronted me about that before we even started going
out. I’d wanted to tackle my mother about it but Maya asked me not to.”

     “You’re mother…” She exclaimed again with a shake of
her head.

     “Yeah.” I loved my mother but she was like brussel
sprouts…an acquired taste.  

     “Maya said that you’ve been tracking Kris…that he’s out
of the country…that you will keep him away from both Nola and Maya? Is that all
true?” RaKesha asked, concern heavy in her tone.

     Anger surged again. “Kris isn’t getting near either one
of them.” I growled.

     She sighed like that was a weight off. I was glad I
could give her that at least.

     We sat there silently for a couple more minutes and I
ended up lying down next to Nola to watch the movie with her. She took
immediate advantage and curled up next to me, laying her head on my bicep.
Unable to resist I dug into my pocket and took a few selfies of us. Nola
demanded to see each one I took. I was going to make sure I printed a few so I
could give her some. I wanted her to have some pictures of her daddy, of us
together.

     “I want some of those.” ReKesha declared.

     “Me too.”

    I tilted my head back to see Maya standing at the edge
of the couch watching us with a soft smile.

     “I’ve got your number so I can send them to you.
ReKesha, you give me yours and I can do the same.” I put forward.

     ReKesha offered hers directly and I entered it as Brian
moved around Maya and sat down next to his wife. She smiled at him and leaned
into his side with a kiss.

     Maya moved over to sit in the chair that was two feet
from my head. She curled her feet up under her and we all finished out the
movie silently. I had a hard time keeping my eyes on the screen and away from Maya’s
bare legs and eyes…every time I glanced up at her she was gazing down at Nola
and me with a look in her eyes I couldn’t fathom. It seemed like something
between sadness and longing.  

     It was tremendously inopportune, but I found myself
having to breathe through the erection that wanted to tent my pants. Four years
ago my reaction to her had stunned me, and it was the same now. How was it that
she was the only female that caused this concentrated reaction in me? She was
like redneck moonshine.

     As the credits starting rolling ReKesha and Brian stood
up, and Maya uncurled herself. “Nola, Nana and Papa have to leave. Give them
some goodbye kisses.”

     Nola jumped up giving each of her grandparents a kiss
and hug. I could see that even though Nola wasn’t his blood that Brian had deep
affections for Nola. Maya gave them each a hug and a kiss as well, but I just exchanged
amicable nods and smile with them; it was more than what I’d received when I
arrived.

     Five seconds later they were out the door and it was
just the three of us, and Maya and I were left staring at each other, something
in the air.  

     “Mommy, do I have to take a baf tonight?” Nola asked.

     Inhaling, Maya turned to Nola. “No, baby girl, it’s too
late to take a
bath
.” She answered, putting emphasis on the word ‘bath’.
“But it is time for bed so how about you say goodnight to daddy…”

     “Maya…” I interrupted. “Can I go up with her…help put
her to bed?” I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to put my little girl to bed.

     “Uhm…”

     I wasn’t sure what she was going to say because Nola
broke in. “Yes, I want daddy to take me to bed.” She ran over and raised her
arms for me to pick her up. It was the first time I’d picked her up and I
couldn’t believe how light she was. “Daddy, will you read me a story?”

     My throat tightened. “I was just waiting for you to
ask.”

     She bounced in my arms. “Yay, I want the ducky book.”

     I didn’t know what book that was but I was sure she’d
show me. I looked at Maya for approval and she smiled and nodded like she’d
planned to say yes from the start. Maya led the way upstairs and I followed
with Nola, and my eyes became glued to the sway of her ass in front of me. I was
powerless to stop the reaction of my dick this time; it swelled and jerked to
each rock of her hips.

    
Fuck
! I groaned inwardly as memories slammed
into me of what she had looked like naked, how tight and perfect her ass had
been, how tight she had been. I never reminisced about any of the other women I
fucked when I ran into them, but Maya had always been different.

     When we reached Nola’s bedroom Maya turned and held her
arms out. “Let me get her in her pj’s.”

     I handed her over and turned away, because even though
she was my daughter it felt weird having her undress in front of me, especially
when I had a woody tenting my pants…aaand that thought deflated it.

     After Nola was changed Maya took her to brush her teeth
and then two minutes later Nola was tucked in and I was lying next to her on
the bed reading a book about farm animals. The book had buttons for the sound
each animal made and Nola was very keen on pushing the buttons so she could
hear the sounds they made. I didn’t even know they had books like this.

     Maya had situated herself on the other side of Nola and
the moment was kind of surreal, in a nice way.

     When I was done Nola asked to have another read to her
and of course I couldn’t refuse. After that one Maya insisted that Nola go to
sleep.

     “Okay, mommy. I love you.” She yawned and then turned
those hazel eyes to me. “Night daddy. I love you too.”

     I inhaled sharply at her declaration. “I love you too,
Nola.” Leaning down I kissed her forehead. “Sweet dreams.”

     She yawned again and closed her eyes. Looking up I saw
Maya watching me with glassy eyes. We moved out of the room together and Maya
switched the light off. A nightlight glowed on the far wall giving the room a
soft glow. I followed Maya down the stairs this time and at the bottom we stood
in contemplative silence for a moment.

     “My heart nearly burst from my chest when she said
that.” I stated gruffly.

     “Mine wasn’t left untouched.” She confessed.

    Unable to hold back I stepped close to her and wrapped
her in my arms. She inhaled and tensed, setting her hands on my shoulders. She
didn’t embrace me back, but she didn’t push me away either.

     My heart beating wildly at both Maya’s nearness and
what Nola had just revealed, I muttered. “Thank you, Maya, for letting me be a
part of Nola’s life, and thank god that you had the strength and love to have
her and keep her. I wouldn’t have known what I was missing, but I know it would
have left a hole in my heart.”

Chapter Six

MAYA

     Landon’s words nearly had me in tears. He sounded so
overwhelmed that I couldn’t stop my arms from enfolding him closer, giving him
my comfort, and there was no denying―
no matter how much I wanted to
―that
being held by him, holding him, felt incredibly good.

     “You don’t have to thank me, Landon. Thanking God,
that’s up to you, but you don’t have to thank me.” My face was pressed into his
hard chest and his scent was assaulting my senses. He smelled so good.

     They said smells were linked to memories and that was
absolutely true, because Landon’s scent brought a deluge of them…and they made
my heart beat wildly and my body blaze with heat.