CHAPTER FORTY ONE

LIAM POV

The little kid in front of me reminded me of Kacey. She brought back memories that I had buried inside me. Watching her cry made me feel sorry for her.

I swallowed hard trying to calm myself.

"What's your name, little girl?" I asked curiously.

She wiped her tears away and looked at me.

"Tatia."

I smiled at her.

"That's a pretty name."

"Where is your father?"

"I don't know I thought that he would be here but I was wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"I've never seen his face before because my mother refused to tell me about him."

"Give me your address and I'll take you home. I'm sure that your mother must be very worried about you."

"Well I have nowhere to go because I ran away from home."

She looked a little guilty.

"Ran away?"

She nodded quietly.

"Where's your home?"

"Australia."

"Weren't even scared?"

She shook her head negatively.

"Actually, no , I was very excited."

"How old are you?"

She cocked a brow at me.

"What?"

"I hope that you're not interested in me because this was just a disguise so that I could sneak into this club."

A chuckle escaped my lips.

"For the record I don't date little girls."

"Come with me, you'll stay at my house."

"How do I know that you're not a kidnapper?" She asked curiously.

"I thought you would trust me by now because I just saved your life."

"Okay you make a good point I'll come with you but only because I used up most of the money I stole."

"Stole?"

She closed her mouth.

"You stole money?"

She slowly released her hand.

"Well I stole it from my mother but I'll pay her back once I'm older."

She grasped my hand.

"By the way I'm twelve years old."

We exited the club together when the bouncer approached me Tatia hid behind me.

"Sir, that little girl is nothing but trouble."

"No I'm not," Tatia muttered behind me.

"She's with me, Greg. Just leave her alone."

Once we were in my car Tatia looked outside the window.

"Is this your first time being in New York?"

She nodded quietly.

"Yeah my mother is pretty strict when it comes to vacation destinations."

"Can you tell me more about your mother? She sounds like a lovely woman."

"No, that's too personal."

"Can I ask you something Tatia?"

"Yeah sure."

"The security is based on the club's software. How did you sneak inside if your name isn't even entered in the database?"

She had a mischievous smile plastered on her face.

"Well I might have hacked into the club's software."

This kid was something else.

"Where did you learn to hack?"

"Online well I watched a few tutorials and became A pro."

"I learned how to hack into computers because I wanted to protect myself from my mother in case I got bad results on a test."

I used to do the same thing when I was her age but in the end I got caught and got a beating from my parents.

"You shouldn't tamper with your results Tatia. I'm sure that you're a very intelligent girl, you just need to study hard."

"Yeah you're probably right I'm a genius."

A few minutes later the car came to a stop and I showed Tatia to her new room. Well I had prepared it for my kid in case I got a chance to find her.

"Is this my room?"

I never knew the sex of my kid so the room was divided it had pink and blue walls.

"Yes."

She looked around the room surprised.

"Are you sure that you're not a kidnapper? This bedroom looks well prepared like you knew that I would show up."

"It's just a coincidence Tatia this was supposed to be my kid's room but I never knew the baby's gender."

"What happened to your kid?"

"I never got the chance to meet her."

"Her? Was it a girl?"

"I'm not sure but I hope it's a girl."

I shoved my hands in my pockets.

"Make yourself at home. I'll make you something to eat. I'm sure that you must be starving."

"Yep I'm hungry."

I left the room and went back to the kitchen in deep thought.

It seems kind of funny how fate can play such a cruel joke on me. I never got the chance to meet my child and all of a sudden Tatia shows up and she's everything I'd want my kid to be.

It was strange that she reminded me of Kacey yet she looked nothing like her.

"What are you cooking exactly? Because I'm a very picky eater."

"Noodles?"

She frowned at me.

"I don't like noodles."

I sighed softly.

"Pizza?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Okay I'll order us a pizza you can choose the toppings."

I gave her the phone.

It wasn't long before the delivery guy showed up at my doorstep with the piazza.

"Why is everyone scared of you?" Tatia asked curiously with her mouth full of pizza.

"That's because I'm an important person."

"Do you live alone here?"

"Yes."

"Then what's this?" Tatia asked curiously while lifting up a red bra.

I grabbed it from her.

It belonged to one of the women I brought home while I was drunk.

"It belongs to a friend."

She scoffed in annoyance.

"I'm not stupid so don't treat me like I am.'

"If you live alone but yet women's undergarments are found in your house it means you're a playboy."

"Tatia…" I warned in a low tone.

"I'm sleepy goodnight."

She got up and left the living room.

Kids shouldn't be this smart and nosey at the same time because it was a dangerous combination.

I threw the bra in the trashcan and went to check on Tatia. I noticed that she had forgotten her backpack so I took it with me.
Once I reached her room the lights were already off.

She was a good kid.

KACEY POV

Being in New York brought back memories that I had buried away deep inside me. Those memories were both good and bad.
The first thing I did was to visit my mother. I haven't seen her since I found out that she was having an affair with my best friend.

"Are you going to be okay on your own?" Anthony asked curiously.

"Yeah I'm sure that I'll be fine Anthony, she's my mother . I'm sure that she can't hurt me."

He nodded quietly.

"If you need me don't hesitate to call me because I'll always be here for you."

I stood at the doorstep of my old home. It suddenly felt strange to me. Maybe I made a mistake by coming here in the first place. Pushed the negative thoughts away and knocked on the door before I could stop myself.

I could hear footsteps from the inside. She still lived here after all of these years.

The door opened and she let out a gasp when she saw me.

"Kacey?"

"Hello mother."

She embraced me but I didn't hug her back. I was still carrying the anger I felt. Just because I was here it didn't mean that I forgave her for betraying me.

"I thought you would never come back here my dear and I've been blaming myself for all these years."

I pulled away.

"Is it okay if I come in?"

She stepped out of the way.

"Of course you can come in, this is still your house."

I went to the living room and sat down.

"Where's Elijah?"

My mother looked guilty.

"He left a year ago."

"We aren't together anymore."

"Why?"

A part of me wanted to hit her where it hurts the most.

She smiled weakly at me.

"He was a child, maybe he got tired of dating an old lady like me."

I nodded quietly.

"His parents found out the news about us and they didn't take the news very well and ever since that day half of the town has cut ties with me."

"They all hate me and I don't blame them. Kacey I was blinded by the love I had for that boy."

"I know that you also hate me so why are you here?"

"I came here to look for my daughter. She ran away from home because she wanted to meet Liam."

"My granddaughter."

"Don't call her that when you wanted me to get an abortion."

"You don't deserve to be her grandmother since you wanted her dead."

"A made a mistake Kacey, I'm your mother the least you can do is to forgive me."

I sighed deeply.

"I didn't come here to argue with you, I just wanted to see how you were and it's clear that you're doing well."

"Kacey."

"I love you very much."

"I know that some mistakes are unforgivable but I hope you can find a place in your heart to forgive me."

I got up.

"You're my mother and there's nothing much I can do."

"I can forgive you but I don't want any more secrets between us."

She hesitated for a moment.

"I'll tell you the truth even if you don't like it."

"Okay go ahead."

"I'm not your birth mother."