“He’s been here a whole five minutes,” she hisses, breathing in deeply through her nose. She looks directly at Ben. Her hand moves to her hip. “I’d like more time.”

“Did you not hear what my wife just said?” he snaps, his voice vibrating with anger. He takes a step forward, putting himself between us and Angie. “And what did I tell you on the phone? This is Nolan’s choice. If he wants to leave, we’re leaving. I’m not forcing him to do anything.”

“Maybe if you’d let me talk to him about it, he’d change his mind and want to stay.”

“You’re done talking. He’s ready to go.” Ben looks behind him. “Nolan, tell Angie good-bye.”

“Bye!” Nolan moves over a little so Angie can see him and waves with his free hand, clutching the dragon with the other.

I watch Angie’s expression soften as she looks down. She smiles dimly at Nolan, barely concealing her hurt. That’s all she gives him. She doesn’t say anything. Maybe she can’t without sounding too upset.

Oh fucking well.

Lifting her head, her chin quivers as she glares at Ben. “I’d like to speak with you.” Her eyes bore into mine. “In private.”

Gladly. I am so done with this bullshit little visit.

Ben turns his head, telling me with his eyes that I don’t need to go anywhere. That I belong beside him. Always, wherever he is.

I’d stick around for that look alone if I thought the conversation they’re about to have was suited for little ears.

I don’t.

“Come on, baby. Let’s go.” I grab Nolan’s hand, leading him away before the sharp edge of Ben’s voice slices through the air.

I know he’s holding himself back on account of his kids bearing witness, but even a restrained Ben is scary as hell when he’s pissed, which he is and rightly so. Angie knew what to expect. She shouldn’t be trying to assert any authority in this situation or making any demands.

This is about Nolan. What he wants. If she cared about him at all she would understand that.

I get the boys into the back seat of the truck and buckle them in. Chase is still sound asleep. He’s snoring now.

My funny boy. All that commotion probably put him under even more.

I shut the door, spinning around and leaning against it, watching as Ben gestures in my direction, looks at me, then turns back and continues laying into a distraught looking Angie, her hands covering her face and her head lowered.

Do not feel sorry for her, Mia. Think about Nolan.

I continue observing their exchange. I can’t make out what they’re saying, but their voices are softer now. Ben no longer looks irate. At least, not from this distance. I watch Angie nod her head, say a few more words, then hurry up the stairs and dart inside the house.

Turning, Ben stalks down the driveway, his long, muscular legs closing the gap between us in half the time it took me to reach the truck. His expression is indecipherable, all though I’m certain he’s still annoyed.

Why wouldn’t he be?

I straighten off the door, ready to ask him what she had to say when he moves into me and presses me against it again.

“Ben,” I gasp.

His hands cup my face and slide into my hair. He bends, claiming my mouth with his, swallowing the soft, breathless plea before it dies on my lips.

“You,” he murmurs, kissing me roughly. “What did I do, Mia? What the fuck did I ever do to deserve you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“She’s backing off.”

“What?” I push against Ben’s chest, just enough to peel his face off of mine. I look up into his bright eyes, staying connected to him, his hard body forming to my soft curves. “What do you mean she’s backing off? She was pissed, Ben.”

“I know. But it was you, Angel. Angie doesn’t want to compete with you. Hell, she knows she can’t. She had all this fire one minute, trying to argue with me and telling me she deserved more time with Nolan, but then I mentioned something about you being there for him and always seeing him as your own. That shut her up real fast, baby. It was like it triggered something. She started crying. She even admitted how seeing you with Nolan tripped her up.”

Ben grabs my face, dropping his forehead against mine. His warm breath tickles my mouth.

“You’re fucking perfect. Perfect for me. Perfect for Nolan. She saw that. She’s done. Unless he wants to see her, she’s not going to push anything with our son.”

I blink rapidly, trying to absorb this new information. Trying to understand it.

She’s giving up all rights to him, just like that? The only child she’s ever had, this little piece of her, the best thing she’s ever done and will ever do, she’s just going to walk away from him like he never meant anything?

“Are you serious? What the hell is wrong with her?” I yell, my own voice sounding shaky now.

I wiggle free of Ben’s hold and begin pacing in front of the truck in the grass, keeping myself locked into a pattern of mindless stepping to prevent a sudden charge up the driveway.

“Baby.”

I ignore Ben’s voice, my head down, my hands drawn into fists at my sides.

“She’s missed out on so much of his life, and she’s not going to fight for him? She’s not going to at least try and make this work? Why not? How can someone be done with Nolan? I don’t understand that.”

She’s sick. Disturbed. She has to be.