This chapter is dedicated to beautifulautumn for taking some time and making a cover for me :)

Also, please, please, please check out WarriorWriter's stories! Some of you might know her as MatureContent. Something happened with her account so she had to make a new one so go fan her!Her writing is amazing!

Anyway, here's the chapter!

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Cash's hand tightly gripped into mine, I reached out to slowly open the door to my apartment. Only to freak out a second later and move away. "This isn't a good idea."

My boyfriend raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so scared of me meeting your parents? It's not like we're at their house and you have no shotgun here, either, right?" he asked.

I bit my lip and looked back towards my apartment door. My roommates had gone to visit their family and my parents had come here instead of me going to Springfield. They hadn't met Cash, yet. Actually, they hadn't even heard about him and I was scared of their reaction, even though I was a twenty-two year old woman, capable of making my own choices. But I still wanted their approval and I didn't know what they would think of Calvin Gallagher, big time CEO of his father's company.

Cash turned me towards him and kissed me hard. "Don't back out now, baby. You've met my parents and it's only fair that I get to meet yous," he murmured against my mouth.

I was breathing heavily when he pulled back and my cheeks were flushed. He traced my swollen lips with his thumb, grinning with his eyes sparkling mischievously. Then he swiftly reached out to open the door.

My parents, Mackenzie and Matt, were sitting on the couch, looking through the albums I had of my college years, pointing out pictures and making little comments. I bit my lip and my face darkened when they looked up at me only for their eyes to immediately be drawn to Cash.

Without pausing a beat, he dragged me forward, each step oozing confidence. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Ryan," he greeted, holding out a hand. "I'm Calvin Gallagher."

My dad looked at me and I could read it in his eyes that we were going to have a serious talk. I bit my lip and gave him a sheepish smile. Then he glanced back over at Cash again. "Tessa didn't tell me she had a boyfriend," he stated.

Cash blanched for a moment. But a easy smile lifted his lips. "Well, let's rectify that, shall we?"

My mother cooed and I could tell she was charmed by Cash's confidence and charisma, but my dad still had on that stony expression on his face. I hesitated, but then as they got into easygoing conversation, I felt myself relax into Cash's side. My parents liked him and that's all that mattered.

-

Paige barged into my house three days later, face a little red in anger and betrayal. I was speechless as she pinned me with a harsh glare and was fleetingly relieved that Pierce had taken Tanner out to the park.

"How could you?" she demanded.

"How could I what?" I asked, shocked and a little unsure. I didn't know what had set Paige off like that. I knew she had always had a really short temper, but she looked spitting mad. Mad enough to kill. I could almost see the steam coming out of her ear.

"You and Pierce!" she spat. "Tessa, I told you to stay away from him! You promised me!" she yelled.

Oh gosh. I had almost forgotten about Paige's newfound hatred for my boyfriend. My face fell and an apologetic expression took over. "I'm sorry..."

"You have to break-up with him!" she cried. "Call him and break-up with him, Tessa!"

She was breathing heavily and I put my hand on her shoulders. "Paige, calm down. You're pregnant," I said gently. "Stress is bad for the babies."

Paige paused and inhaled in and out a few times. Then she pushed away from me, getting it from her bag and holding it out to me. I stared at it confused and she looked at me like I had just viciously murdered her puppy.

"Call Pierce and break up with him."

I lost my breath. "Are you serious?" I asked after a tense silence.

"Of course I am," she snapped. "You can't keep dating him."

"I'm not going to break-up with Pierce!" I exclaimed. I love him! He loves me. He loves my son." I was panting by the time I finished, I hadn''t even taken a breath as I gave my short speech. "Why are you so admant that I break-up with Pierce? Why do you hate him so much?" I asked.

"He's bad news, Tessa," she said impatiently, a frown crossing her pretty face. "He's going to hurt you. A lot. I don't want to see you go through that, Tessa."

I rubbed my eyes tiredly. This was the last thing I needed after a rough day at the diner. Lucy had been right - some of those people barely worked. "I know he was a player, but he would never do that to me. He loves me, Paige." I pleaded with my eyes for her to understand.

Paige rolled her eyes and snorted. "Tessa, it's been six years. Pierce isn't the same anymore."

"Yes, because he's mature and older!" I said exasperated. "What is your problem with Pierce?" I demanded.

And it was like the dam in Paige burst. "He's abusive, okay!"

I recoiled as if she had struck me. Pierce? Abusive? That was impossible. He would never hurt someone, well not a woman at least. He told me he never wanted to be like his father. "That's not true," I whispered, stunned.

"It is. He's a bastard! He's a woman-beater," Paige said relentlessly.

"No," I mumbled.

"I had a friend in college. Her name is Alyssa. Beautiful, brown hair, brown eyes, every man's dream." There were a lot of girls that could fit that description, but I was instantly reminded of the girl from the grocery store. The one who had warned me against Pierce. "She dated Pierce. Used to be in love with him. But he hit her, Tessa. She lost her baby and he blamed her. He beat her up until she was in a hospital. A month passed until she decided to leave him. By then, the bruises were gone and he was careful enough not to leave scars, so the police couldn't do anything."

I felt faint and a little sick. Pierce, my Pierce, was abusive? It couldn't be true. He had a violent edge, I knew that, but he was incapable of laying a hand on a woman. He wouldn't hurt this girl, this Alyssa, and especially not if she was pregnant with his child. Stars danced in my vision, but I blinked it away. "Get out."

"Excuse me?" she sputtered.

"Get out," I repeated, enunciating each word carefully.

"You can't be serious!" she gasped, disbelieving.

"You're my best friend, Paige. And I love you. But I can't let you accuse Pierce of something like that. I've known him as long as I've known you and I know he'd do anything like that. Until you learn to accept that Pierce and I are together, I can't...just leave, please." Tears blurred my vision.

A sad, defeated look came over her face. "I'll be here when you need me, Tessa," she whispered and left with one glance back. I breathed out softly and collapsed on the couch. Now I'd just have to wait for Pierce.

-

I heard Pierce's laughing and Tanner's gurgling when the door opened and wiped my hands on the dish towel. There were flutters in my stomach as the gentle voice of Pierce spoke to my baby, but I was still feeling anxious. I knew Pierce wasn't abusive, but my best friend saying that had still made me feel uneasy.

"Tessa? Baby, are you home?" he called out and I hesitantly walked out of the kitchen, wringing my hands. He smiled when he saw me and hitched Tanner up on his hip as he walked towards me, bestowing a sweet kiss on my forehead. "Hey. How was work?"

I bit my lip and glanced down. "Um, it was good." I fidgeted nervously.

"You okay?" he asked, sounding worried.

"Paige came by today," I started slowly and looked up to see him stiffen as his face became an impassive mask.

He lay Tanner down on the plush carpet and gave him a rattle to entertain himself with. "What did she say?" he asked tensely.

"You're going to get angry," I whispered, stepping closer to Tanner instinctively. What if Paige was right?

But then I slapped myself internally. No. It just wasn't possible.

"Of course I am. She hates me and has obviously said something to you that is going to make you turn against me," he said dryly.

"She said you were abusive," I blurted out.

"She said what?" he demanded, gaping at me.

"That...you had a girlfriend named Alyssa," I whispered, still trying to recover from the shock. Plus, Pierce had lied to me. Even though he was probably not abusive, he lied. He said he didn't have a girlfriend after me, but he did. I wouldn't have minded if he'd told me the truth. "And you used to beat her."

An angry look crossed his face. "Paige told you that?" he asked harshly.

I nodded mutely.

Pierce collapsed on the couch, resting his head in his hands. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Alyssa," he murmured.

I instantly moved back at his words. "So it's true?" I asked fearfully.

He looked up quickly, startled. "No! No, I never touched her, Tessa. At least, not like that." He looked sheepish and I flinched a little.

"Tell me what happened," I said softly, cautiously.

Sighing, he nodded and raked his hand through his hair. "We were all twenty. I was working at the garage and she came in to get her car fixed," he started. "I was attracted to her. We went out a couple times and she was the first girl I was actually interested in after you left. So I get it a shot - we started dating. And then three months later, she ends up pregnant. I didn't even know what to say, we were using protection, but I guess it failed. She was four months pregnant and that's when I found out that the baby wasn't actually mine. She was cheating on me.

"I broke up with her and she lost the baby. She came at me, blaming me for putting her in so much stress, that it was my fault she lost her child and she was punching me and hitting me. The only thing I did was push her back so she'd stop and she fell into the table." Pierce paused and sighed deeply. "I took her to the hospital and then she called Paige. I didn't know until then that they were good friends. Then Alyssa began spreading lies about how I used to hit her and I was the reason she lost her baby and Paige went along with it." His lips twisted in anger.

I felt so hurt he'd lied to me, but I felt pain for him, too. I'd been cheated on and it hurt like hell. The shame, the feeling you weren't good enough to keep interest, it was horrible. I wiped the tears away and hugged him tightly.

"I believe you," I whispered. He stroked my blonde hair and buried his face in my neck.

"I love you so much," he breathed. "You're my world."

"I love you, too," I laughed shakily. Then we both broke apart because Tanner began to whine for attention. Pierce chuckled and scooped him up.

"I love this little guy, too." Pierce held Tanner in between us. "I don't care that he's not mine."

I smiled through my tears. "I'm so happy you're back in my life."