Alright, so I seem to be getting a pretty positive reaction about Pierce. :) I'm glad you guys are liking this story! Please support it in the Watty Awards, too. :] That would mean a lot!

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"Tessa?"

I looked up from the book I was reading to see Cash standing in front of me, his hands shoved into his pockets, looking a little uncomfortable.

"Yeah, babe?" I set my book aside and sat up more on the bed, patting the spot next to me. "Something wrong?"

"No," he denied, shaking his head, though there was something in his light blue eyes. "I was just wondering something."

Tilting my head, I let my eyes roam over his beautiful features, from the dimple on his right cheek to the strong square jaw and pointed nose. "What is it?"

Cash ran his fingers through his honey brown hair. "I was just wondering...You know all my ex girlfriends, right?" I nodded, finally understanding where he was going with this. "I was just wondering about yours...I mean, I don't even know if you have an ex - well, obviously you do, but how many and...yeah." He stopped and just looked at me, reaching out to touch my cheek. "I sound like a jealous boyfriend, don't I?"

I smiled because this uncomfortable, jealous side of Cash was extremely cute to me. But I decided to save him the embarrassment and shook my head. "No, you don't. You just want to know and that's fine."

"So," he drawled. "Any exes that might still be in love with you? Or someone you might still be attached to?" he asked, not meeting my eyes as he asked, pretending to be nonchalant.

A face flashed through my mind, the same face for both of his questions. I shook the image out of my mind. He had probably moved on from me by now. "No, I don't think so."

Cash nodded, looking a little relieved. He glanced at me from the corner of his eyes. "How many guys have you been in love with?" he asked.

"For real?" I asked. When he nodded, I thought back on all my relationships. There had been a lot because I always picked the wrong guys. "Three," I finally replied. "I fell in love with a senior when I was a freshman in high school who ended up just wanting me for sex, then this guy when I was a senior who I had been friends with for my whole life and now...you."

A slow, hesitant smile graced his lips. "Where do you think they are now?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Probably womanizing," I said truthfully before getting up on my knees and wrapping my arms around Cash's neck. "You know, you don't ever have to worry about my exes. They were my past. You are my future."

Cash grinned, his hands grabbing my hips. "You don't know how happy you saying that makes me.

-

I let out the breath I was holding and stared into Pierce's angry eyes.

I doubted angry was even the right word. He looked like he could kill someone, preferably me. And even though I knew Pierce would never hurt me, I still got a little scared, not for my safety, but for Tanner's.

Pierce was a violent guy. Half of the rumors about him in high school were true. He was notorius for getting into fights in and out of school. He used to get detentions at least once every week and suspended at least every month and it had taken hours of pleading from me to actually get him to do his homework and study. But even with that aggressive streak, did he have it in him to hurt Tanner or me?

But then I kicked myself for even thinking that. This was Pierce I was talking about. The same boy who shared his lunch with me in first grade when my school account ran out of money. This was the boy who held my hand for my first rollercoaster, made me chicken noodle soup when I was sick and made slow, sweet love to me under the stars. He wasn't capable of hurting me. And as soon as those words imprinted themselves in my head, I straightened and faced him with a determined look on my face.

"Pierce... This is my son," I finally said. His eyes darted to the baby, but the fire there didn't leave. I took in a deep breath and stepped closer to him. "His name is Tanner," I continued on. "He's three months old," I added.

Suddenly, his angry face replaced with one of indescribable hurt. He took one step, shook his head, turned and walked away. Shocked and confused by what just happened, I stood there, staring after him, wondering why he had been so hurt by the fact I had had a child.

Tanner suckling my shirt reminded me of why he had woken up from his nap and I pulled up my shirt, as well as tugging down my bra. He latched on quickly and I sat down on the rocking chair situated in the corner of the room, leaning back. Tanner looked up at me with complete innocence in his green eyes, his small hand reaching out towards my face. I gently took it and he clasped my pinky finger.

"I don't know what I'm going to do now, darling," I murmured as I walked back and forth. "I think I really upset Pierce, even though I don't know why." I sighed and looked down at Tanner's pretty irises set in his huge, eyes and gave a little smile. "You don't have a clue what I'm saying, do you?" I asked softly, tracing my finger down his cheek. He smiled beautifully and yawned, his little hands curling into fists. "Sleep, darling," I whispered, burping him and then rocking him in my arms, eager to get him back in the crib, so I could talk it out with Pierce.

When that was done, I made sure Tanner's baby monitor was turned on and walked a little hesitantly to the kitchen, almost expecting him to be gone. I couldn't see him anywhere and my face fell - he couldn't have left, could he? I quickly went to the living room, then checked the surrounding areas, but he was nowhere to be found. Tears welled up in my eyes.

Hastily wiping the moisture away, I took the plate that was still sitting there on the kitchen island and began to wash it. Pierce had left without letting me explain anything and that hurt. But as I was drying the plate, I suddenly realized that I hadn't exactly heard Pierce leave. Furrowing my brows, I escaped the living room and peeked through the drapes and saw an unfamiliar car in the driveway. So he was still here, but where?

I checked the nursery just in case, but Tanner was asleep on his back peacefully, so I went to investigate the backyard that I still hadn't gotten the time to start working on. It was bare of anything really and the grass was a little overgrown, but there was already a little, miniature park for Tanner to play with for when he got older. But I was most relieved when I saw Pierce standing on the patio, a frown marring his face. I quietly walked up beside him and put my hand on his arm, but as I got closer, I finally noticed the shine in his eyes. Was he crying?

"Whose kid is that, Tessa?" he asked after a couple minutes of tense silence.

I looked down at my bare feet, wringing my hands uncomfortably. "Calvin Gallagher."

"And who the fuck is he?" His head swiveled around to meet mine and he glared at me, the anger back and all traces of hurt gone.

Swallowing, I twisted the bottom of my shirt around my finger. "My ex-husband."

Pierce inhaled sharply. "You were married?" he asked, his hands tightening into fists. I nodded. "Why did you get a divorce? Tell me everything," he demanded heatedly, grabbing my hand and dragging me back inside. I did nothing, but follow him because I don't think I could've gotten out of his gentle, but tight grip.

 We took a seat in the dining table. He had finally released my arm and I was slumped over, feeling like the world was on my shoulder. I took in a deep breath and then began to speak:

"I met Cash right out of college. I was young, 22 and looking for love." Pierce cringed at that. "I became a waitress for extra money and met him then. He literally swept me off my feet and we were really, really happy. A year later, he proposed and a month after that, we married in a small ceremony."

"That's why we never found out," Pierce cut in. "That you were married. Why didn't your parents tell us?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, Pierce," I sighed. "Anyway, I got pregnant a month later. He seemed happy about it, you know?"

"But he actually wasn't?" Pierce guessed.

I nodded even though I was irritated he kept interrupting. "Two months after he was born, Cash told me that our marriage was just a sham," I told him bitterly. "He didn't love me. The only way he'd get his inheritance from his grandmother was if he got married."

Pierce gripped the table so hard, his knuckles turned white. "So he tricked you into marrying him?"

"No," I denied. "I wanted to marry him. I thought what we had was love. I was head over heels, Pierce. But he was using me." My lower lip wobbled.

A sarcastic smile crossed his face, but I saw no humor in it. "So he basically tricked you."

I swiped at my tearful eyes. "Ha ha. Okay, he tricked me."

"What about your son?" Pierce asked, but he wasn't looking at me. He was looking at the dark wood of the table with an unreadable expression on his face.

"He signed over parental rights." I sighed softly, tracing lines on the table absentmindedly. "I thought he'd at least want to be a dad to Tanner. But he didn't care about either of us."

Pierce stood up. "At least you never have to see him again." He began to pace. "Shit, Tessa," he breathed, slamming his fist down onto the table. "Shit, shit, shit!"

"What?" I asked, standing up. I was unsure of what I should do. Should I go up to him to comfort him or just temporarily stay away?

"Why did you have to leave for college, Tessa?" he demanded, turning to glare at me.

"What?" I repeated, startled.

"Why did you leave for college? Why couldn't you have stayed here? With me?" Pierce asked, his voice softening. I looked away. I had left because I didn't want to stay in a small town forever. I had wanted to go out and explore the world. Travel beyong the boundaries.

When I didn't reply, he stalked closer to me and cupped my chin, bringing my face closer to his. His hardness of his icy eyes melted and there was an almost vulnerable look in them. "Why couldn't you have stayed, Tessa?" he whispered. "Then you wouldn't have met that...that prick," he spat.

"What difference does it make, Pierce?" I asked eventually.

Pierce gripped my waist and brought me even closer, his eyes glaring into mine. If I shifted just a bit, my lips would press against his. I almost did it, but I stopped myself in the nick of time. "The difference is, Tessa," he spoke, voice low, his sweet breath washing over my skin, "if you had never left, then we would've still been together."

My eyes widened when his lips came nearer. "And if you had never left, Tanner would've been mine."