Chapter 99

"What are you doing here, Scarlett?" Taren took in the blonde woman standing before him and hardly recognized her. With her fake hair extensions and over-the-top makeup, he wondered what he had ever seen in her. "I haven't seen you in years and now you just come here out of the blue? What do you want?"
She pushed out her lower lip in a not-so-attractive pout that used to work on him years ago, but not anymore. "Is that any way to greet your ex-wife?"
"Ex is the key here, Scarlett. Take the hint." He looked over and Erica was standing off to the side, watching. Then her attention went to something outside, but Taren was too preoccupied to find out what it was.
Taren turned to leave, but Scarlett grabbed his arm. "Okay, then. Is that any way to greet an old friend?"
Taren yanked his arm away and sighed. "We haven't been friends for a very long time, Scarlett."
She pooched out her lower lip again. "You used to call me Scar-."
"And I never will again." But one thing was right. She was a scar for him, but that's all she ever would be, besides Abby's mother. Taking her in, Taren found it hard to imagine that he had ever really had a thing for her. Since he started seeing her, Kiki seemed to invade his mind all the time- even when he didn't want her to. He folded his arms across his chest. "What do you want, Scarlett?"
She raised an eyebrow, smirking. "So, how's my daughter?"
Taren's heart sank. If she ever tried to take Abby, he'd tear her apart with his bare hands. "What do you care? You haven't seen her since she was born."
Her mouth opened as she scoffed. "I care!"
"Since when?" Taren realized his voice was a bit too loud and that they would soon attract more than just Erica's attention if he didn't lower his voice. "You lost the right to care when you walked out on her." He didn't remind her that she had also walked out on him. Seeing her again, he realized he was long past her. She could do what she wanted, take a flying leap off a bridge, for all he cared, and it wouldn't phase him a bit. Not anymore. Not after what he she did to Abby.
She placed her hands on her hips, her eyes boring into his. "Just because I gave up my parental rights doesn't mean that I'm not her mother."
"Mother?" He scoffed. "That's a laugh! My own mother is more of a parent to her now than you ever were. A mother is there when you need her, to dry your tears when you're hurting, to comfort you when you're sick. Just about anyone could give birth, but not everyone can be a mother."
Her eyes flared. "Well, who's to say that I don't want to be her mother now?" She paused, gauging his expression. She raised an eyebrow and smirked, obviously liking something she saw in his eyes, despite him donning his best scowl.
His heart sank. "What are you saying, Scarlett?"
She gave a nonchalant shrug. "I'm saying that maybe I'll go back to court to get full, or at least partial, custody--"
"Over my dead body!" Taren clenched his fists at his sides. He had never hit a woman before in his life, but right now, he was reconsidering.
She smiled, enjoying his discomfort. "That could be arranged."
"How could you be so cruel?" Taren tried to stop himself, but his mouth seemed to have a mind of its own. "You walked out on us- on Abby, your own flesh and blood- and now you come back out of the blue threatening to fight for custody?" He felt Erica's hand on his arm, but he shrugged it off. "Well, let me tell you something. I'll meet you in court anytime, anywhere. Just let me know. But if you have nothing further to say--"
"There's a way you can make it up to me," Scarlett cut him off.
"Me? Make it up to you?" his voice rose several octaves as she took a step closer to him.
Scarlett's eyes widened, taking a step back.
"Taren, you're losing it, man," Erica warned, her voice low. He looked over and Dylan and Patrick were standing in the doorway, watching.
Scarlett took a step toward him, but Erica stood between them, blocking her way. Taren pulled her aside, not wanting her to get hurt.
"How?" Taren knew she was blackmailing him into something, although he had no idea what it could be. Money, maybe? Knowing Scarlett, it could be anything. "If you want money to stay away, I have some saved and you can have it all. Just leave us alone."
A self-satisfied smirk spread across her face as she folded her arms across her chest. "Oh, I don't want your money."
"What do you want, then?" Taren was afraid of the answer, but he had to know.
Scarlett looked around the station bay at the attention they had attracted. "Can we talk privately?"
He sighed. "Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it in front of everyone here."
Everyone in the room looked at her expectantly. Patrick folded his arms over his chest, causing his broad muscles to bulge.
"Take me to the Fireman's Ball."
Taren's eyes bulged and then he burst out laughing. In fact, he laughed so hard that tears came to his eyes. "You threatened all this was so I would take you to a stupid ball?"
Scarlett's eyes flared. "Okay, be that way! I'll see you in court!"
"You'd sell out your daughter for a date?" If it hadn't been so sad, it would have been funny.
Scarlett clenched her hands at her sides. "Who says I'm selling her out? She's my daughter and I want her!"
Taren's smile quickly faded as he took a step toward her, glaring down at her. "I'd like to see you try. And when you do, I'll be sure to tell them all about this little incident." Then he smirked. "Besides, I already have a date." He didn't tell her with whom, and that he had bought her a diamond necklace and earrings to match. Scarlett would have been so jealous she would have taken him to court for all the money he had and possibly his daughter, too.
But in reality, Abby wasn't really what she was after- he hoped.