Pursing his lips, he toed out of his shoes and climbed over her, taking her in his arms and cuddling her close. She wrapped her arms around his torso, nuzzling her nose into his chest, clinging to him. “What happened?”
Shaking her head, she sucked in a deep breath, filling her lungs before letting it out slowly. Closing his eyes, he listened as she told him what happened at the rink, what Rick had said, and how Angie had looked at her. He listened, he did, but it was hard when her voice broke and her tears soaked his tee. All he saw was red. All he wanted to do was rip Rick limb from limb. How dare he? How could he be so heartless to Angie? Hockey was important to her, and he didn’t care? What kind of man doesn’t care what makes his daughter happy? Benji would kill for the chance to make Leary happy again. And this man—no, this scum—was wasting this precious chance of loving a piece of himself?
It was sickening.
But what was more stomach-turning was listening to Lucy cry for her daughter.
“I didn’t want to let her go, Benji. I didn’t, but it’s legal, you know? I can’t say she can’t go. No matter if I think she doesn’t want to go. I’m not even sure if she has to go. I just don’t know,” she cried, clinging to him, and he held her close, dusting kisses along her temple. “I don’t know what to do, and I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t understand why he is being like this. Is it you? Is it because I’m finally moving on? Or is it because he’s just a jackass and he doesn’t like that Angie is more vocal now? Telling me when she is not happy with him. I just don’t know. He wants her to know to respect him.”
“What a douche.” It could be any of those reasons, and that was just sad. Angie was a great kid. Very respectful. Honest. Sweet. Wacky. The dude was worthless, and Benji hated that for both of them. “Lucy, I’m sorry. I’m completely speechless. He’s such a dick.”
“He is,” she agreed, nuzzling her nose to his. When she opened her eyes, they were full of pain, watery, and just so damn sad it hit him straight in the gut. “What do I do?”
He could only shake his head. He had no clue. “Have you called your dad? Isn’t he your lawyer?”
She looked away, her shoulders falling. “Not yet. I will tomorrow. I was too upset to speak to him tonight, and I just hate talking to him. I don’t want to need him. Maybe I should find another lawyer?”
“Yeah, and I understand, but your dad knows the case. He’s been there since the beginning, right?” She nodded, her eyes welling up with tears. “Then maybe you should stick with him. He’ll fight for Angie because, surely, he loves her.”
She leaned her head to his chin, and he just wanted to make her feel better. His heart was jackhammering in his chest, and he was unsure of what to do. He wanted to make the pain go away. He wanted her to smile. But how? What could he do?
“You’re right, but it’s just… I don’t want to put Angie through all this. I don’t think it’s fair to her. She’s at the age now where she knows what’s going on. She knows when I’m sad, when I fight with him. And dragging him into court is going to put the spotlight on her. I just don’t want to hurt her, but I also can’t fail her.”
He nodded as she sat up, crossing her legs and running her hand down her face. Moving his hand into hers, he laced their fingers. “But what is best for Angie?”
Her lip trembled as she shook her head. “I don’t know. I want it to be easy. I want him to be a good man and love his daughter. I pray all the time that he’ll change, but he won’t. And I don’t know if I’m hurting her more by leaving her there with him or taking her away. But the look in her eyes, Benji, it was like having the air knocked out of me.”
“Does she want to go there?”
“I don’t know. Some days I think so, but then some, I don’t. Tonight, she most definitely did not want to go, but that’s ’cause he was so iffy about hockey tomorrow, I’m sure.” Running his hands through his hair, he met her worried gaze. “Am I jumping the gun? Am I freaking out for nothing? Maybe he was just being a dick, but tomorrow will be fine?” She was hopeful, but he was pretty sure the dude was a dick twenty-four seven.
“I don’t know, babe.”
She made a sound of frustration as she covered her face with her hands. “I just wish I’d never met him. No, I don’t regret Angie, but damn him, I regret him. More than anything.”
Now is not the time to ask. It isn’t. Don’t ask. Do not ask.
“Can you tell me what happened between you two, baby?” he asked and he cringed. Apparently, he didn’t know how to talk himself out of stuff. She looked up and his eyes held hers. “’Cause I really don’t understand how someone can treat their child and their child’s mother like this. I cannot imagine.”
“Because you’re a decent guy, Benji. Not everyone is cut from the same cloth as you.”
“I understand that, but if Ava and Leary were alive, and our situation was like yours, I would do right by them. I would be a man about it.”