VOLUME TWO: SHANE

Lyla

What a long day.

Being a nurse in the ER department has its moments of amazing days. You're able to watch lives be saved and are able to witness as people come in a zero and walk out a ten. But nights like tonight? Nights where not only did I have to take the blood of a man so drunk even the officer that brought him in looked tipsy, but it turns out the asshole nearly beat someone to death at a bar because he almost tripped over him. Those are the nights that make coming home more exhausting.

I park my car in the driveway and do what I do every single night since I moved out here from Texas. I take a few deep breaths and count my blessings. That's all a person can do when they are trapped between a rock and a hard place like I was.

Hopping out of my car, I nearly trip over my three-year old's tricycle in the driveway and shake my head at the fact that once again, Lisa did not clean up after her when she played in the front yard. My sister Lisa isn't one to be responsible but when I needed her the most, she stepped up. She loves Adrianna and enjoys watching her for me when I have to work. She's able to mostly work from home so our compromise works well.

I head to the few steps that make up the front of my three bedroom, two bathroom ranch style home that Lisa and I pay next to pennies for. The front yard is exceptionally large since it's in the center of the cul-de-sac and the backyard has a small pond in the back that Adrianna loves to sit and watch the ducks play in. Everything is perfect in my world. Well, besides the fact that the man I am in love with, the man that gets the fire roaring in my belly, can't stand the sight of me.

I jiggle my keys out of my bag but stop mid-step when I sense the same feeling I've been having for the last three months course through me. I turn to see the same fancy sports car that I have loathed seeing and put my keys back in my bag.

Marching over to the Lamborghini, I narrow my eyes and cross my arms as I watch Rory get out of the car and smirk at me.

Smug son of a bitch.

"What the hell do you think you're doin' here?" I can hear my southern drawl come out and it makes me want to throat punch him. I've worked hard erasing everything from my past, even my accent.

"Just came to let you know that it's official. I'm now a native of New York and will be only six miles away from being able visit my daughter as often as I want."

"I don't think so asshole. You can't just come into her life. She ain't your kid."

"That's because you made it so. If I would have known you were fuckin' pregnant, I would have been there. You took that from me, and for that, I plan on making your life a living fucking hell." Rory gets right in my face and I push him back making him slam into his expensive car.

"You don't have custody of her. So technically you come within a hundred feet of her or me, I will have you arrested. After I kick your sorry ass."

Rory smirks once more then throws his keys in the air and catches them a few times while leaning back against his penis compensating car.

"Same old Lyla, thinking you can take on a man. News for you sweetheart, I know she's my daughter, and I've gotten to know the judge that will personally handle our case on child custody, so get ready honey. I'm taking you down."

With those last words, Rory grabs the knife out of my heart, hops back into his car and drives off. I spend the next few minutes blinking away my tears and putting on my happy face to be able to fake it enough in front of my daughter and sister. I hate where my life has taken me, but Adrianna is my life, I won't let that monster near her.

I won't let him hurt her like he hurt me.