Chapter 14
"God I hated bein' blonde."
Andalyn watched him take his shirt off and lounged back against the chair with those long legs encased in tight black jeans. Even after all this time, with everything he'd done and put her through, Andalyn still found the dick attractive. She downed half of her wine glass, hoping the alcohol intake would take some of the edge off her currently burning body.
"Mark, this has to stop. This anger and hatred has to stop." Andalyn remained facing him, her eyes and voice beseeching. "I'm sorry I hurt ya, I really am. Ya don't know how sorry I am, but think of it this way: Rebel isn't yer responsibility and ya have no obligation to him. It's one less weight off yer shoulders. We have to make amends somehow before we end up destroyin' each other. I don't want that. Please, I'm askin' ya not only for my sake, but for my son's. Please just let the past go, let's move on and make this work professionally."
He surveyed her thoughtfully, sipping his drink even though, if he'd shot it, it wouldn't have done anything. It took a lot to get a big man like him even buzzed let alone plastered. Finally, Mark set the glass down on the stand beside him, folding his arms behind his head, muscles rippling with every movement.
"Maybe I didn't mind him bein' around, Andalyn." He admitted, keeping his voice down in case Rebel was still up. "He's not a burden or a weight. But then again, it ain't my business. Ya want to keep' em attached to yer apron string, that's fine."
Mark stood up, draining the glass and walked over to the bar, pouring another. Andalyn didn't know what else to say to him at the moment and simply turned to stare out the window, trying to not let his words bother her. God she wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him so badly, her heart ached. Andalyn was scared though, afraid he would take Rebel away from her. Tears filled her eyes as she pressed her forehead against the glass window, not able to take that risk. Mark would have every right to take her to court if she came clean and who's to say he would even believe her? She'd been so convincing telling him he wasn't the only one she had sex with in college. What if Mark didn't even believe her? Andalyn couldn't do it. She couldn't tell him. Maybe someday, but not now, she thought, downing the rest of her wine and didn't realize a few tears had escaped her eyes.
Andalyn was so lost in whatever thoughts occupied her mind, she didn't even notice Mark had moved around to stand at her side. The side of his head leaned against the window, staring down at her. Her tears were always a weakness of his and Mark could feel his heart constricting painfully, fighting back the overwhelming urge to take her pain away.
"Why're ya cryin'?" He asked, trying to keep his tone blank, just mildly curious instead of concerned. "Look, I'm sorry Andalyn, but yer overprotective. Either let the kid have a bit of freedom or ya turn him into a sissy, that's all I'm sayin'." Mark shrugged, figuring her damage was him commenting on Rebel.
Andalyn touched her face and felt the tears, quickly wiping them away and looked into his emerald green eyes. "I don't want that, to be overprotective. I'm tryin' to be his mother and his father..." She had to look away before she spilled her secret, dropping her head. "It's so hard tryin' to be both at the same time. I don't know what to do anymore." She rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on.
Whatever pushed him to say what he did, Mark would never know. "Let him have some space, Andy. He's growin' up and it's only normal for him to want a male role model in his life. Even if ya don't want it bein' me, at least let him around Austin."
After Steve had recovered from his concussion of course. Mark awkwardly patted her back, feeling her soft skin through the silky material of her nightgown and had to step away to refill his glass. Needing to get away from the woman who recently ripped out his heart and spoon-fed it to him, Mark refused to go down any road involving intimacy when it came to Andalyn Kervin.
"He doesn't wanna hang out with Steve, he wants to hang out with ya." Andalyn frowned, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "What if he was yers, Mark?" She suddenly asked, causing him to slowly turn his head, emerald green eyes peering at her curiously. "He's not, but I wanna know what would ya do if he was yers, if ya were his father?"
Andalyn took a few steps toward him, not able to stop the questions from pouring out of her mouth, even if she tried. Mark had to slam his drink, considering that. Was she purposely screwing with him? If so, she'd better watch it before he decided to return the favor and screw with her.
"Same thing I've been doin'." He answered gruffly. "Or ain't ya noticed? That boy is happy when he's with me, but ya already knew that, didn't ya?" He shook his head, walking toward his bedroom door. "I get it Andalyn, he's not mine. Don't need to fuckin' throw it in my face." Mark disappeared into his room, slamming the door shut behind him.
"Damn it..."
Her eyes tightly shut, not meaning for it to come out that way. What was she thinking? Did she want Mark to find out about Rebel? Did she want him knowing the truth? Sighing, Andalyn walked over and laid on the couch, deciding to give her son what he wanted…space. She pulled the cover up over her that she'd gotten from the hotel receptionist downstairs and curled up, falling fast asleep.
Rebel didn't greet Mark the next morning, eyes puffy and swollen from crying himself to sleep. He just watched morning cartoons, eating his second bowl of cereal, remembering the blowup he'd had with his Mom the night before. She didn't want him around Mark; fine, he would give her what she wanted. Mark grunted, glancing down at the sleeping Andalyn and shook his head. Damn if she didn't look beautiful when she slept. He could almost forget she was a lying vindictive bitch like this. Mark idly wondered if she'd stay that way so he could like her again and walked away, leaving Rebel alone.
Andalyn slowly opened her eyes, hearing the cartoons and rubbed the sleep out of them as she slowly sat up, cracking her neck and knuckles. Sleeping on the couch wasn't that comfortable, but she dealt with it. Standing, Andalyn cracked her back before going to the kitchen to get some coffee. She noticed Rebel was already up, not surprised. He was always an early riser. She could see how miserable he was and sighed, walking over to shut the television off.
"I'm givin' ya free reign." When his eyebrow raised, she simply stood there with an even expression on her face. "Ya can choose who ya wanna hang out with and what ya wanna do…within reason. Now go on, I know ya wanna go say hi to Mark."
Andalyn then walked back into the kitchen, knowing Mark was right. She had to give her son space and it hurt to know he wanted to be around Mark more than her, but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing either. Mark blinked in surprise when he heard Rebel behind him, halting rifling for breakfast to see the kid squeezing past his Mom. Surprised, he dropped down to catch the boy when he hugged him, staring at Andalyn wondering what the hell was going on.
"Okay, tiger, calm down." He said gently, peeling Rebel off of him.
"Mom said I could hang out with ya again."
Mark stared up at her curiously.
Smiling serenely, Andalyn nodded silently letting him know she took his advice to heart. "He likes ya. Not my fault yer likeable."
She shrugged, pouring herself a cup of coffee and fixed it to her liking, heading into the living room to sit down. As much as she hated getting up this early, it was also part of the job. Mark wasn't sure if he even wanted to know what caused Andalyn's apparent change of heart. He wouldn't say anything about it just in case she changed her mind again. It would only screw Rebel up more if his mother started acting like she had a split personality. The nice one and the bitch. Mark almost smirked.
"What's on the agenda today?" He asked, lifting Rebel up to sit on his shoulders, both of them wearing identical grins.
"I do believe ya have the day off. Lemme check." Andalyn walked over and opened her notebook to double-check what she already knew, nodding to confirm what she'd said. "Yeah, the day off." She noticed their identical grins and it both lifted and broke her heart at the same time, the torment obvious in her eyes. "Hold still." She ordered, pulling her camera out and snapped a picture, putting it away.
Leaving the boys alone for a few minutes, Andalyn headed into the bedroom to get dressed and pulled out some clothes, not comfortable lounging around in her nightgown in front of Mark. Not realizing how good that nightgown looked until she stood up, his eyes watched the fabric stretch over her chest when she'd gotten to her feet. He licked his lips and shook his head, setting Rebel down so he didn't drop him.
"What'd ya wanna do today, tiger?"
"I don't know, lemme go see if Mom wants to do somethin'." Rebel took off after his Mom, knocking on the door. "Decent?"
Andalyn chuckled and opened the door, staring down at him, wearing a velvet looking pale green jogging suit, jacket and pants with a white tank top beneath, hair brushed and pulled back in a slick ponytail. "What's up, honey?" She saw the happiness in her son's emerald eyes and it honestly did her heart good.
"Mark wants to know what we're doin' today!" Rebel said eagerly, garbling his words a bit in his excitement.
Mark shook his head, it wasn't exactly what he had said, but close enough. He left them to sort it out, going back into his room to dress. Tossing a pair of blue jeans onto the bed, Mark hunted for a shirt and decided on a beater since it was hot outside. Spending quality time with Andalyn and her kid was the last thing Mark thought he'd be doing on his day off, but also found himself getting excited like the boy.
"Can we do somethin', Mom? Can we? Please?" Rebel begged, jumping up and down.
"You want me to come with?" Andalyn knew that wasn't Mark talking, it was Rebel and smiled wider at his eager nod. "Lemme go talk to Mark, hold on." She left him standing there and walked over to his room, knocking. Hearing him call out to come in, Andalyn entered closing it behind her. "Rebel wants to do somethin' with both of us today. I'm just gonna tell him that I gotta catch up with my work, okay?"
She didn't want him to feel uncomfortable and knew her presence alone did, so spending the day would be pure hell for her ex. Mark nodded, in the process of getting dressed with his back to her. He pulled the jeans up over his hips, affording her a quick glimpse of his backside, nothing under those jeans except bare skin. He turned to face her, the zipper and button not done yet, a light sprinkling of dark red hair going from his naval to under the jeans. Mark pulled a white beater over his head, tucking it in his pants.
"Why aren't ya goin'?" He asked casually.
"Because I know ya don't want me to and I'm fine with it. I just don't want my son knowin' how much ya despise his mother."
She kept her eyes glued to the floor while he dressed, crossing her arms in front of her chest and knew she was right. All of her points were valid and, even though it bothered her, she would sacrifice her own happiness for Rebel's. Mark snorted, beginning to brush out his hair before he put it in the customary braid.
"If he wants ya there, ya should be. I can act like I like you." He looked at her pointedly, blatantly telling her she wasn't the only one who could pretend to care. "Sorry." He grunted, tossing the brush aside.
Andalyn looked up, seeing he was having trouble braiding his hair and walked over. "Sit." She crawled on the bed and sat on her knees behind him, taking the braid out and smoothed his hair back, beginning to do it the right way. "I do care about ya, whether ya believe it or not. I'm tryin' like hell not to make this as awkward as possible."
Finishing, Andalyn tied it and watched him turn around, hands resting gently on his shoulders. Staring deep into his emerald green eyes, Andalyn began to get lost in them. He stared back at her, his gaze gradually moving from her eyes to her lips. Mark was a goner when he seen her pink tongue flick out to lick them and leaned forward, capturing her lips with his. Wrapping his arms around Andalyn, Mark pulled her against him and completely contradicted his earlier statement about pretending to like her.
"Hey, we goin' or not?" Rebel called from outside the door.
He pulled away, standing and smirked slightly. "Now that's awkward, Andalyn. Come on in, boy."
Andalyn blinked, trembling as she touched her lips with her fingertips, sitting back on his bed. She quickly shook herself mentally and stood, walking out the door past Rebel so Mark could finish getting ready. What the hell was that about? He claimed he didn't like her yet gave her a heart stopping toe-curling melting kiss.
"Honey, I'm not gonna-" She sighed at the plea in her son's eyes and raised an eyebrow when he grabbed her hand.
"I miss ya and want ya to come with, Mom. Please?"
"Lemme get my shoes on." She said resignedly and walked away from him inside her own room, her lips still burning from that kiss.
Mark was in an abnormally good mood, looking over the local events of the newspaper, frowning and set it aside. "There's an amusement park not too far from here. You like rollercoasters?"
"Can you even FIT on one?"
"I'm tall, not fat, son."
"Hey Mom, how 'bout an amusement park?"
Andalyn had changed into a pair of blue jean shorts because of the heat outside in California with a light blue tank top, leaving her hair clipped up. "Yeah that's fine!" She called through the door, slipping her white tennis shoes on and took a few minutes to calm her suddenly racing heart.
That kiss would not leave her mind.