"thanks, dad."

"you know i got your back, and i'm glad you finally got your girl, son. i know what you had to deal with, and it was wrong of me to add lilly into the same category as jules without giving her a chance."

"it's fine. can you tell ma that i'll come get the kids later, after i get her settled?"

"no problem," he says, patting my shoulder. "take care of your girl."

"call me if you need anything," trevor says as i walk around the front of my truck.

"thanks, t." i pull open the door to the cab of the truck and climb inside.

once we pull up to the apartment, i look around realizing lilly's car isn't in its usual spot. "where's your car, baby?"

"it wouldn't start, so i had to get a ride with david from the school," she says, unbuckling her seatbelt.

"why didn't you call me?" i feel my pulse start to speed up. i hate that something happened to her and she didn't call me. and it pisses me off that i'm pissed she was in a car with another man. i shut off the truck and turn my body towards her, resting my arm on the steering wheel, trying to look casual, even with the blood pumping more rapidly through my veins.

"you were working, and i didn't want you to worry or hear you say that you were right about my car being a piece-of-crap." she shrugs, opening the door and hopping out.

"i wouldn't say that."

"really?" she turns towards me, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"okay, i may have said that your car was a piece of shit." i shrug and smile. throwing my arm around her shoulders, i whisper into her ear, "looks like you're getting a new car, baby."

"um, no, i'm getting a lawyer. i am not going to have enough money for a new car."

"okay, first of all, you are going to be using my family's lawyer, and second, i am paying for the car."

"i don't have the brain power to argue with you right now, but when i do, i will let you know that you're not buying me a new car. and as for the lawyer thing, if i can afford him, that's fine. if not, i will have to look somewhere else."

"what part of that didn't you understand?" i ask, pulling her to a stop and turning her towards me. i place my hands under her jaw, tilting her head back slightly. "i'm paying for the car." i cover her mouth with mine before she has a chance to say anything. when i pull my mouth away, her lips are still close enough that they brush mine with each word i say. "you, our daughter, and occasionally jax ride in that car. you three are the most important people in my life, and i will not have you riding around in a piece-of-shit car when i can easily get you something that is safe. and when the kids go to bed tonight, you're going to explain to me why the f**k you didn't call me when your car broke down. and you better come up with something better than you didn't want to bother me at work, 'cause as of right now, my palm is itching, and i plan on spanking you for that shit."

"cash," she says, her eyes heating as she licks her bottom lip.

"jesus, you want that, baby?" i ask, pulling her closer to me.

"we haven't-" she looks away without finishing, and i can't help but groan when her cheeks turn pink.

"i've been trying to be good. do you know how many times i've had to jerk off because of the state you've left me in?" i shake my head. "it's too many to count." i lean forward, running my nose up the length of her neck to her ear, where i bite down gently on her earlobe. "i can't wait to be inside you. i can't wait to hear the sounds you make when you come. i can't wait to feel you squeezing my cock. i remember how wet you were when my mouth was on you and my fingers were deep inside you. i can't wait to feel that wet heat wrapped tight around me."

"lilly," i hear a man call and my head comes up. lilly's hands hold my t-shirt tightly in her fists. i look towards lilly's apartment, seeing the guy from the police station coming down the stairs.

"who the f**k is this guy, lil?" i ask. her eyes come to mine, and she blinks a few times like she's trying to clear her head before she looks over her shoulder.

"that's david; we work together."

"he's a teacher?"

"yeah, he teaches second grade." she turns in his direction. "hey, david."

"i was so worried, lil. i didn't know what to do," he says, stepping closer and grabbing her hand. the fact that he used 'lil' instead of lilly and now has his hands on her is making me bite down on the inside of my cheek hard. this is what trevor was saying. fuck me.

"it's fine, just a misunderstanding. thank you for stopping by, but i will see you after the weekend," she says, pulling her hand back to her side.

"are you sure you're going to be okay?"

"yeah, cash is here, and we're going to go get our kids." my heart jumps at her words, and i want to pound my chest.

"kids?" i see a slight flash of annoyance and anger cross his face before he hides it, and then his eyebrows draw together in confusion.

"well, you've met ashlyn," she says and he nods, "and cash has a son named jax."

"i see." he looks at me, then back at lilly. "if you need anything, give me a call. have a good weekend, and i will see you at school on monday." he steps forward, pulling lilly in for a hug. her body goes ridged and she pulls away quickly, putting a small fake smile on her face.

i watch as david gets into a newer nissan, and after he's in the car, he sits and watches us for a second before starting it up and backing out of the parking lot.

"he only works with you?" i ask her, because the look on the guy's face when she told him that we were together was one of jealousy.

"yes." she pulls away and starts up the stairs to her apartment.

"has he ever asked you out?"

"once," she mumbles before shoving the key in the lock and opening the door.

"just once?" i ask, because when she's lying her words are always drawn out to sound more like a question than an answer.

"okay, fine, a couple of times." we make our way back to her bedroom. she goes to the closet, pulling out a bag, and starts shoving clothes into it. i stand next to the bed, trying to think of something to say. my mind is turning over; i used to get jealous before when we first started dating, but it was nothing like the feeling i have right now.