Keeping Him (Learning To Love Him book 2) (Boyxboy)

Chapter 18.

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*Jayden*

I sat on the couch; it had been two hours since Corey left. He had left begging me to believe that he had not had an affair with Carrie. I believed him. He was obviously terrified that I would not and I knew when he was lying so of course I believed him... But he had kept everything and why he felt so uncomfortable with Carrie from me... All this time... He let me let her live in our house knowing that he'd kissed her.

Carrie was at Sean's house. I didn't want her in mine, obviously... Though, I felt bad for kicking her out. I just couldn't feel good about something like that, especially because she had nowhere else to go. Why would she purposely try to make me think Corey had had an affair with her? She moved in to try to break us up, she was in love with him, or at least had an unhealthy obsession with him. If he'd just told me what happened earlier, he wouldn't have had to spend so much time with her nearby. It would not have gotten to her lying about what they did.

He kissed her though... willingly... so maybe part of him wanted her around...

"Daddy." I snapped out of my thoughts and looked up as Tamia walked into the living room, "I can't sleep." She whispered. Eli was seated on the couch next to mine, asleep. He had refused to move if I didn't go to bed and eventually just fell asleep. They didn't know what happened, but they didn't need to to know that something was wrong.

"Want me to read you something?" I asked her.

"No, I want Carrie to." I felt my heart sink at her answer.

"Um, Carrie's not coming back, Princess..."

"But I want Carrie." She said, her voice quivering slightly like she was about to cry at not having that woman there. I didn't know how to respond and felt my heart pound painfully as I stared at her. There had to be a reason Corey had kissed her... What if he loved her too? What if Tamia wanted her more than she did me?

"Carrie's stupid." I heard Eli mutter earning a glare from his sister.

"You're stupid." Eli looked up, his eyes tired and hurt. He looked at me guiltily before laying down and pulling his knees to his chest as his back faced us. Tamia never spoke to her brother that way, even when they fought. It was weird... something was going on between them.

"Eli, what's wrong?" I asked moving over to his couch and kneeling down beside it as I put my hand on his head gently.

"Nothing." He lied not turning to face me.

"Eli –" I began.

"I said nothing, Dad. Let me sleep." He cut me off with a snap that made my brows lower but he quickly looked up to apologise before turning back to the position he had been in, the back of his head facing me. I began to try to ask what was bothering him again but Tamia spoke.

"I-I need Carrie, Daddy." She said beginning to sniffle slightly. I looked at her. Need? I didn't want to say no to her but definitely did not want to see Carrie or have her in our house. Though, the reason had nothing to do with how she treated the kids. She seemed to get along well with Tamia, my daughter seemed to have gotten close to her. It felt like a punch to my gut but I considered it, I didn't want to upset my kids more than they already were by the fact that Corey was gone again. Maybe I could call her just so that she could say goodbye to Tamia.

"Alright..." I mumbled grabbing my phone. I dialled Carrie's number before bringing the phone to my ear as Tamia climbed onto the couch. The call was answered after a few seconds of ringing.

"Jayden... Uhm... This is... a surprise." She did not sound very surprised or much affected by anything that had happened earlier. I clenched my jaw swallowing.