Crazy for Me (Under Heavy Editing!), V.A. Monaghan [reading in the dark .txt] 📗

even prospect since I left Tate. Colton was the only male I needed in my life. Now here Tate shows up out of nowhere and is on the verge of ruining it.
I Slid to the ground with my face in between my legs. I could her the voices of the little cartoon explorer that was entertaining my son. Then I heard another voice. Aw shit. How the fuck did he know where I lived? I jumped up and ran into the living room where Tate was sprawled on the couch while Colton was laying on his belly on the floor, looking up at the screen, completely under its spell.
"What are you doing here?" I hissed at him, trying not to tip Colton off.
"What does it look like?" He taunted with a humorless smirk, "I'm spending quality time with my son.
I swear I felt a vain pop in my forehead. I waved him into my bedroom down the hall. He walked in, his swagger completely gone. When I had closed and locked the door, he turned around to face me, fire burning in his eyes.
"What. The. Fuck. Natalie." He said tensely
"Don't talk to me like that," I snapped, "I had to do what was right. There was no way in hell I's ever let my son be raised around all of that bullshit you got yourself into."
"You didn't give me a chance!" He said, his voice rising.
"Shhh! I didn't have to. I already know what would have happened. You would have talked me into staying there with the baby. Then you'd stay in with your gang. There was no way that I was gonna let my son be a fucking recruit for some heathen bullshit before he could choose for himself!"
"Why didn't you say anything in the letter huh? You were long gone by then!" He said accusingly.
"What was the point? I couldn't stay is all I knew. I would have given you an ultimatum. Either the gang or us. You would have picked the gang and you know it. I decided to live in blissful innocence totally unaware of what you would have chosen rather than be abandoned and KNOW that you loved them more than me or at least your own child. It's really not that hard of a concept Tate."
He quieted at this. He knew I was right. He would never have given up his boys for a kid.
"By the way...why are you even around here?" I asked
"I...I was up in San Antonio and some friends wanted to vacation here for a bit."
"Why were you in San Antonio?" I pushed.
He sighed deeply, "I was in lock down. The night you left, I went back to Jonjons for some business supposed to go down. Turned out it was a set up. This guy Nico had ratted us out. I only got 10 years. I'm on parole right now actually. Jonjon got the chair last week after they moved him down to Florida."
So...he just proved me right. He hadn't been fit to be a father back then. I'm not even sure about now, but I thought hard. Maybe he had grown up some. Maybe I could give him a chance to prove himself. Chapter 11

Tate's POV
The kid sat on the bed opposite of mine staring at me. I stared right back. It felt like we were sizing each up. The little bastard was exactly like me no doubt. Not only in his looks (minus the scar and that I was white and he was tanish) but how he acted too. He was a little mamma's boy just like me. He was a little hard ass just like me. He was a little smart ass.......just like me. I didn't know how I was supposed to tell my mom. She had kicked Tracy out when she was a senior in high school for getting pregnant. That was about 10 years ago but it feels like yesterday. Mom forbid me to ever see her when she still actually lived in town. After she moved, she hadn't left any information as to how I could get a hold of her when I wanted. Now I have a 9 1/2 year old niece that doesn't even know me.
I looked away first. The kid was good, but i was getting hungry and I was sure he was too. The only way Natalie let me take him for the night was if I followed all of her rules. He ate dinner between 5 and 7. He had to be asked if he had to use the bathroom every hour. He got a snack between 8 and 8:30. He had to go to the bathroom at 8:45. He was laid down for bed at 9.
Looking at the clock, I saw that it was 6:13. Perfect time for dinner.
"What do you want to eat son?" I asked him gruffly.
"I want chicken nuggets fwum McDonald's and fwench fwies and a ice cweam sundae." He said sternly. Jesus this kid was strict as a mo' fo'. I nodded and pulled on my shoes.
When I looked up, he was still sitting on his bed.
"Well? You gonna get ready or not? We got places to be kid."
If his face wasn't so tanned, his face woulda turned bright red, "I-I can't tie my shoes." He said looking at the ground.
"Can't never did a damn thing boy." I huffed at him. I saw his eyes get hard. Colton got to his feet and stomped over to his shoes, slamming them onto his feet. He tried over and over again, but couldn't get it.
I sighed and knelt down beside him.
"Son...you can't do it."
He looked up at me with his big blue eyes and said, "Can't never did a damn thing boy." and went back to trying to tie his shoes.
Like I said. He's a little smart ass. I couldn't help feel proud. Finally, I talked him into letting me tie his shoes. We drove to a McDonald's down the street from our hotel. There was a play land and when he saw it, I swear to god that kid just about peed himself.
I let him play while I bought our food and brought it into the play room. I couldn't but smile to myself as he screamed and laughed with the other kids. As I was sitting there watching him run around, a girl sat at our table.
"Hi..." She said all shy and stuff.
"Hey." I said, only glancing at her for a second before looking back at Colton.
"Which ones yours?"
"The little boy with the Nike's on." I said, pointing at him as he bolted through a see through tunnel.
"He's definitely a cutie," she laughed, "Mine's the one running behind him. He just turned 6 last week. His names Justin."
"Colton will be 5 in November." I looked at her again, "Where's his dad? Working?"
She shrugged and looked away, "Justin was kind of a surprise. I went to a party. Got drunk. I remember who his dad is. He just doesn't believe me."
I nodded in understanding.
"What about Colton? Where's his mom?" she asked.
"I donno. Doing her own thing. Taking a break from Colton. Tonight's my night to have him."
She nodded again and looked towards our boys. I took the chance to check her out. She had pretty blond hair that went to her mid back. It was pulled into a side pony. Her eyes were an electric blue and her skin was porcelain white. She was probably the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Actually second best, but I wasn't gonna think about her right now. I already knew I lost my chance with Natalie.
Her son, Justin, had light brown hair but the same eye color. He was kind of short, but then again I was comparing him to Colton who was like a giant. He was all skin and bones though. Colton was a meaty boy but not fat and I was glad.
As I sat there and watched Colton play with his new friends, I couldn't help but be thankful to Natalie. Not only had she given me a great son, but she had also made the decision to keep me away when I could have done harm to him. Looking at it now, I think I would have been more mad at her if she would have stayed.

Chapter 12

Okay everyone!! This will be the 2nd to last chapter! After that there's going to be an epilogue. This chapter will be short..so sorry! lol I'll be starting a new book soon! There is going to be a "blurb" about it after the epilogue!

Natalie's POV
Tate brought Colton back the next day around 4. I grabbed Colton and squeezed him. It was the first time in his whole life that he had spent a whole night away from me. Meaning it was the hardest night of my life. I looked him up and down, checking for bruises or scratches but coming up clean (thank goodness). I finally turned and looked at Tate. Jesus he was so good looking. And the way he looked at Colton...I saw in his eyes exactly what I knew was in mine. That love that you can ever only have for one person. Tate, like everyone else, was under Colton's spell.
"Did you have fun?" I asked Tate.
"Well he didn't do anything too illegal so naw...not really." He chuckled
"Daddy bwrought me to McDonalds and I made a new fwriend. His name's Justin!" Colton raved.
I was kinda surprised he was so open to calling Tate "daddy" but I guess I better get used to it. Tate said his goodbye's and I couldn't help feel pain. My first love was not in love with me anymore. There was nothing I could do. I needed to move on. I thought the reason I never got another boyfriend was because I wanted all my time for Colton, but actually it was also that every time a guy would ask my name or number, I'd remember Tate. I just couldn't believe that he had a life without me. Now there's no chance because I kept his son from him.

Tate's POV
When I walked back to Francisco's truck I borrowed, it felt like I was walking away