Chapter Fifty-Six

Finley

I didn’t dare call Archer again, knowing that Damon was there at the clowder house. My days spent with Griffin were absolute bliss. Every morning we went for a stroll in the park as I pushed him in his stroller and got to know the area better.

Our house looked more lived in now and my house had been sold after being on the market for one day, above asking price. I didn’t care who bought it, I was just glad that Griffin and I had settled down now. I had phoned my friends and told them where I had settled down and they promised to come and visit soon.

“Hi there,” a man said and I turned around as I looked at him.

He was supernatural and I got the idea that he was feline but I couldn’t be sure. He obviously greeted me since he sensed that Griffin was feline too and that I was a familial.

“Hi,” I said and looked around.

“I’m sorry, it was just so odd finding a familial with a feline baby,” he said with a smile. “I’m Arthur.”

“Finley,” I said as I shook his hand warily.

“I won’t bite, I promise,” he said as he peered into the stroller looking at Griffin.

“I’ve heard that before,” I said and then looked at him as he laughed.

“I’m sure you have and I apologize on behalf of all our kind if your experience wasn’t a good one,” he said.

“You’re the first supernatural I’ve come across here,” I said to him.

“Same here, I thought I was the only one in town,” he said and I felt slightly better.

“How long have you lived here?” I asked him.

“About twelve years now,” he said.

“I just moved here,” I said to him.

“How old is he?” he asked me.

“Almost four weeks,” I said and smiled again.

“Well, I won’t take up any more of your time. It’s a great town to live in and raise children,” he said with a nod of his head and walked away.

I didn’t get any bad vibes from him and I watched him until he left the park before walking the other way towards our house. Griffin was in good health and I had already found a great pediatrician for him. He didn’t cry unless he was wet or hungry and he had almost doubled his weight already.

We went to baby classes and I took Griffin with me everywhere but I refrained from making friends with the other mothers because they all looked so preppy to me with their blonde hair in high ponytails and their gold jewelry glittering everywhere.

Their kids wore little Nike trainers and I laughed the first time I saw it. Griffin wore booties or socks and I refused to spend that amount of money on something he’d only wear for a few weeks, it was insane.

I was also teaching myself how to cook and followed a cooking podcast on YouTube and I made dinner every night. I even made Griffin’s baby food for him and in the spring I wanted to start a vegetable garden in the back.

I had just gotten out of the shower when I stopped and looked around. Something felt different like the air had shifted and I wrapped the towel around me tighter as I walked to Griffin’s room and almost screamed as I saw Damon sitting on the rocking chair holding him.

“He’s beautiful,” Damon said as he looked at me.

“How did you get in here?” I asked him.

“It wasn’t hard,” he said as he stood up and put Griffin down in his crib.

“It’s called breaking and entering,” I said to him.

“Still as feisty. Why did you run, Finley?” he asked me.

“Why are you here?” I asked him.

“Because you took my son,” he said.

“So now he’s your son?” I asked him as his eyes started to change color.

“I remember everything,” he said as he took a step towards me.

“How?” I asked him.

“I don’t know how, but I remember your face as you stood in that elevator before I got taken away,” he said as he reached me and his thumb swept across my cheek and I closed my eyes.

“And then you yelled at me for claiming you as the father of my bastard child,” I said to him.

“I’m sorry, what else did you expect me to say? You knew I didn’t remember anything,” he said gently.

“Connor should have just kept his mouth shut,” I said as I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Would you have told me otherwise?” he asked.

“If you didn’t remember anything what would’ve been the point?” I asked him.

“So that’s why you didn’t even tell Archer?” he asked me.

“Yes, I didn’t want anyone from the clowder knowing,” I said to him.

“Why?” he asked me.

“I was afraid they’d take him, because he’s half supernatural,” I said.

“What are your plans, Finley?” he asked me.

“Why?”

“Because he’s my son and I have a right to be in his life,” he said.

“Do you want to be in his life?” I asked him.

“Why else would I be here?” he asked me and I could hear the edge of anger there.

“I already sold my house and I’m renting for the time being,” I said to him.

“I know. I bought it,” he said.

“You bought my house?” I asked him.

“Come home with me, Finley,” he said.

“And then what?” I asked him.

“We raise our son,” he said to me, frowning.

“And what if I say no?” I asked him.

“Then I’ll do what I have to,” he said.

“Meaning what?”

“Lawyers, Finley, I don’t want to fight, but you’re not going to keep him from me,” he said.

“You didn’t even know he existed,” I said to him.

“But I know now! Stop being such a bitch about this,” he almost yelled as he lowered his voice when Griffin stirred.

I turned around and walked out of Griffin’s room back to mine and pushed the door closed. I had just pulled my underwear on when the door opened and Damon stood in the doorway.

“Do you mind?” I asked as I turned my back towards him and pulled my pajamas on.

“Can we just go downstairs and talk please?” he asked me.

“Fine,” I said as he left and I followed him downstairs.

I sat down at the kitchen counter as Damon walked straight to the kettle and put it on. He took two cups from the cupboard and made coffee for himself and tea for me. We sat there for a while as Damon looked at me and sighed.

“I don’t want to fight about this, if this place is so important to you then I’ll move here,” he said.

“You’d move to East Whiteland?” I asked him.

“Yes, into the spare room,” he said and I looked at him.

“I’m sure you can afford your own house,” I said to him.

“I already missed more than three weeks of his life, I’m not missing any more time,” he said.

“So St Albans City meant we all live together,” I said as I finally caught on.

“Why not? We’re adults and we loved each other not so long ago. Why can’t we raise our son together?” he asked.

“I’m not going to live in a house with you where you bring your one night stands and parade them in front of Griffin,” I said and he looked at me as he smirked.

“Semantics, Finley, don’t deny me this because it’ll turn ugly and I don’t want to do that to you but I will if I have to,” I said to him.

“Meaning what exactly?” I asked him.

“Meaning not so long ago you cut yourself, you drank like a fish. Do you really think I won’t get full custody of him if I fight you?” he asked me.

I couldn’t look at him anymore and I turned my back as tears threatened to spill across my cheeks. That one really stabbed me down to my core and I couldn’t believe that he had just said that, that he’d use that against me if I didn’t comply.

“You’re a bastard, Damon,” I said after a while. “But you win, we’ll go back to St Albans.”

“Trust me, Finley, things will work out. You’ll be happy at home with me,” he said as he stood up and walked towards me.

“Don’t touch me, you can sleep in the guest room,” I said as I backed away from him and ran up the stairs.

I locked my bedroom door behind me and I sank down to the floor as the tears finally spilled over and I cried as I held my hands in front of my face. A while later I heard Damon on the stairs and he stopped in front of my door.

“I’m sorry, Finley,” he said and walked away.

There were so many things that I wanted to tell him but in an instant the love I had lingering for him had turned to anger and dislike, maybe even hate. I did hate what he just did to me and I hated how he just made me feel worthless, like I wasn’t good enough to be Griffin’s mother.

I didn’t really sleep and when I went to check on Griffin I found Damon asleep in the rocking chair next to his crib, his arms folded across his chest. He looked different then, bigger, meaner and my heart broke just a little more because of what an asshole he really was. Now that the bond wasn’t there anymore I saw him for who he truly was.

I fell asleep eventually and woke up the next morning smelling tea and hearing Griffin’s gurgling noises as he drank a bottle. I opened my eyes to find Damon sitting next to me on the bed holding him and flicking through the channels on the television in my room.

“When did he wake up?” I asked.

“A little while ago, he didn’t cry, don’t stress, Finley,” he said as I sat upright and looked at him.

“When do you want to leave?” I asked my new boss.