Heir (Book 2)

Chapter 19

Jerome Carter's POV.

I take a deep breath and knock three times on the front door of Matéo and Adeline's house.

A few minutes later, the door is opened and a shirtless Matéo stands there.

As soon as he sees me he scowls.

"The fuck do you want?" He growls.

I roll my eyes.

"I want to talk to Ade" I say simply. He steps forward, blocking my way, as if I won't fight him to get past this door.

I mean, he has grown a lot more muscle, since he and Ade first married.

But that won't stop me for a second.

"She's gone out with Belle, James and my sisters for the day" I tell him.

"I'll speak to you then" I counter, with a shrug.

"We have a lot to discuss" I say and he nods.

He starts walking and opens the door wider for me to enter, so I do.

I step inside and close the door after me, before I walk behind him and I almost, growl in shock.

His back is covered in fairly fresh scratch marks, undoubtedly made by my daughter...

My daughter...

The thought still feels strange.

I know that it shouldn't bother me.

After all, they are married and have been for a good 17 years.

But that's still my little girl.

"What makes you think that I would let you talk to my wife anyway?" He asks and I scowl at him.

"I'm still her father, Matéo" I say and he scoffs.

"What kind of father are you?" He asks, going into his fridge and handing me a beer, cracking it over the counter, not bothering to use an opener.

And they call us ghetto...

"I made a mistake" I tell him, nursing the beer in my left hand, trying not to squeeze too hard and smash it.

"A mistake..." he repeats, taking a gulp of his drink.

"A mistake...." he repeats again.

"Tell me how the fuck, knocking someone up at the age of 16 and then brushing it under the rug for 34 years is a fucking mistake?!" He asks me.

His face has reddened considerably and he stares me directly in the face.

"Tell me how letting your daughter believe that you were dead for 15 of those years is a fucking mistake?!" He asks, his voice rising.

"Matéo, calm down, you'll cause commotion" I say cautiously, raising my hands in a placating manner.

"No, Jerome I won't calm down!" He yells.

"You're stupidity nearly killed her!" He continues.
My heart stops.

"Yes, Jerome! You caused that! The day you decided to drop that bombshell on her, she had a panic attack and collapsed! Right here in this kitchen!" He rages.

"I..." I start, but her cuts me off sharply.

"You put her and our baby at risk because of your selfishness!" He spits.

I start to get angry.

How the fuck do you tell a 3, approaching 4 year old that you are having another kid with someone who isn't her mother?!

That's she's been living a lie in the first instance.

I think the fuck not!

"Matéo, watch your mouth! That's my fucking kid, no matter what I've done, I'm her dad" I warn him.

He is silent for a second, before his face splits into a crazy smirk.

He turns his back to me and reaches his hand over, lightly tracing some of red hickeys and scratches.

"See these scratches and love bites, on my neck and my back?" He asks me, quietly. Dangerously.

"What about them?" I ask through gritted teeth.

I can half see where this is going.

He turns back to me to face me again.

"Proof, that you and Amos, collectively we're not enough..." he says.

"Stop!" I order.

"Proof, that she doesn't need any of you anymore" He continues.

"Matéo!" I warn.

"In fact..." he says, lingering for a second.

His eyes meet mine, a darkened shade of green, a small smirk getting wider.

"Your 'little girl' is calling me daddy now and has been, for the past 17 years!" He triumphs.

Something in me snaps.

I lunge for him and punch him square in the face.

His neck snaps to the side, but he whips his face back round to meet me.

"Aw, old man throwing punches?" He asks, rubbing his jaw.

I stare at him amazed.

A few years ago, a punch like that would have knocked him out cold.

"Put some ice on that. It looks like it hurt." He says, nodding at my split knuckles, leaving the kitchen.

"And you have a key, lock the door on your way out" he says, disappearing up the stairs.

I stare after him for a moment and then sigh.

My whole world is crumbling in front of my face.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg...

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Hey guys!

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