16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Cassie

" P eter, what the hell are you doing here?" I was furious. He yelled at me for being a bad parent, then said he would be here tonight and never showed up. Seeing the hurt on Tony's face crushed me, but I told him that Dominic might be by later and stay with him so that they could hang out. And now, the asshole was here.

"I know I missed the program. But something came up at work. I thought I could pick Tony up and we could do something."

"No," I told him, shaking my head. Peter couldn't just show up and demand something. He had to talk with me first .

"Don't tell me what to do with my own damn son, Cassie." I watched as Peter's eyes bounced back and forth between me and Dominic. "This is between us, Cassie. Dominic doesn't need to be here. It's bad enough you're fucking him in the open where anyone can see what a whore you've become and therefore destroying Tony's life."

I clenched my teeth, praying I didn't strike the man before me, nor break a damn tooth. However, Peter was right. Though I loved the extra strength Dominic gave me, he didn't need to be around for this. I glanced back at him, giving him a smile.

"I think I better talk to Peter alone." Dominic eyed the man before kissing my cheek.

"I'll be in the locker room if you need me," he told me, giving my hip a squeeze as he walked away.

"Happy?" I asked Peter, glaring at him. "What the fuck is going on? You didn't fucking care what I was doing when we were married, why the hell do you give two shits now?"

"What do you know about that man, anyway?" I couldn't help the eye roll even if I wanted to. Peter had checked out of the marriage far before the divorce. His love for his job, for learning more, and wanting to excel left him out of the house for fourteen to sixteen hours a day. Most of the time, he slept in our guest room, so he didn't wake us.

What one studied when being a college announcer was beyond me. However, I stood firm then, and I will now, that there were no women in the picture. Peter was far too narrow-minded. He wanted the job, nothing more.

"It's none of your business."

"That's where you're wrong. It's very much my business because Tony is very much my business."

"Since when? Peter, our marriage consisted of you giving him a hug goodbye since he was two! Tony doesn't even remember growing up with you, do you know that? So why don't you tell me what you're hoping to accomplish by trying to get dad of the year now?"

"Do you think I can't go to court to change the custody order?" I swallowed hard at that. What was his end goal?

"Why? You didn't want him then, why want him now?"

"Because now I have my job, and I want my son."

"But my son, Peter, wants nothing to do with you."

"He will, when that man is out of the picture." I bristled at the tune that changed in his voice. Something wasn't sitting right with me about him. I couldn't fathom why he was fighting now for anything to do with Tony when he hadn't before. Hadn't even blinked in court when the judge said Tony was staying with me .

"What man?"

"Dominic. I don't want him hanging around my kid anymore."

"You can't do that. Dominic loves hanging out with Tony, and Tony adores him. I'm not going to separate them or see Dominic on the si-" I shut up when I realized what this man was getting at.

"Wouldn't the world like to know how Dominic is a homewrecker? And wouldn't the foundation love to know how he uses the equipment here after hours to fuck some bitch of a slut? Or did it slip your mind who was my uncle? I can make sure that Dominic is ruined, and you by default, if you don't stop seeing him. Wouldn't the courts, and the judge, my cousin, love to know how you fucked him in a public place where Tony could walk in any moment? Where you could be selling yourself for any number of reasons?"

"That's uncalled for," I spit out, but Peter just shrugged.

"Don't think I won't do this, Cassie. Tony deserves a better parent than what you're giving him. Now end this shit and we won't have a problem."

"You're the biggest fucking asshole I have ever seen. You're not even man enough to just be jealous." With that, I turned on my heel, ignoring his calls .

I didn't want to do it, didn't want to give in, but Peter had connections that I didn't. I didn't believe that he had the power to take Tony away from me. But, with what just happened in the heat of the moment, I did believe he could ruin Dominic and I cared far too much to let that happen. So, as I sat in my driver's seat, I grabbed my phone, letting Dominic know he couldn't come over tonight, and that not seeing each other for a while was a good thing. Then, I blocked his number, wiping the fast-falling tears.

"Mom, I'm home. Uncle Raul was great. He got us pizza, then took us for ice cream," Tony announced as he bounced in the house, throwing his bag by the door. "When's Dominic coming over?

"He's not, baby." I tried to give him a smile, but Tony frowned.

"Why not?" There were so many things I wanted to say, but nothing was coming out. Because this was on me.

"I can't see him anymore, Tony. He can still see you for the program, but we can't be together. "

"You always mess everything up, Mom! Dad left because of you! Now you're pushing Dominic away, too! Why don't you just go away, that would solve everyone's problem!" I jumped off the couch, knowing that it would hurt him, but I never thought he would lash out like that. I tried to follow him, but he slammed his door. I wiped the tears away, walking slowly back to the living room. None of this had gone as planned.

I wish I had the strength to go in and talk to Tony, but right now, he wouldn't have it. I knew that. I grabbed my phone, looking at the screen, letting out a breath as I had another wish to be curled up to the man that I was falling so hard for.

Mom told me she ended it with u. First dad left, now u left. I knw its her fault. Im sorry if mom hurt u, D. I wish I knew wht happened, why u couldnt love me enough to stay.