I woke to my pillow moving from the vibrations of my phone. Frowning, I reached for my cell and brought it close to my face.

Dad's calling me...

For a brief moment, I panicked until I remembered that it was my day off from work, and that I had taken care of responding to the emails for my Dad's carpentry website the night before so I could sleep in.

What does he want?

It was only seven thirty in the morning. Mom had asked for permission to look after Oliver until one in the afternoon, so unless there was an emergency, there wasn't a rush to go pick up my son.

I looked at the bed and realized I was alone. Amber had already gotten up and left for work, while Salvador went to sleep on the couch so he could rest without being disturbed.

My face glowed when I remembered what we had done the night before. Amber had ridden Salvador's cock while I had sat on his face. He had licked and fingered my second pair of lips while my girlfriend and I kissed and played with each other's breasts...

I glanced at my ringing phone once more and sighed before swiping the answer button aside and bringing it to my ear.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked while suppressing a yawn.

"Shy, your sister quit the band."

"I know."

There was a brief pause.

I knew what was coming next. It wouldn't be my father if he didn't try to have a say in what I had decided to do.

"Shy, you can't travel with a married man, you know that's sinful."

This is just an extension of Clare and I's conversation...

"I'm staying in the band," I said, my voice firm. "It's fun to play the violin and make songs with my friends."

"Shy," he began, his voice that stern pastoral one he pulled out whenever he wanted to dissuade me from something. "I've been on many business trips. I know the temptations of sleeping with someone else's spouse. Make sure you're not alone with someone you're attracted to. Don't cave to your feelings."

I almost broke out into laughter, but thought better of it.

You have no idea that I'm dating two people at the same time. You probably couldn't even comprehend that as an option.

I stayed silent and rolled my eyes towards the ceiling.

It's a good thing you can't see the faces I'm making.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes, Dad."

Another silence ensued.

"Are you going to stop playing music?"

Anger welled up within my chest. Once again, my family thought they could just bulldoze over my decisions and force me to submit to them. I was tired of playing that game. I was tired of letting them rule over me.

"No, I'm staying in the band whether Clare is there or not."

I hung up the phone before he could say anything else. My Father wouldn't take no for an answer. He would keep throwing different scenarios at me to try and convince me to change my mind until I finally caved and quit the band.

I wasn't going to let that happen.

I've broken away from Steven. It's time to break away from my family.

My phone rang again. I assumed it was my Dad calling me back and almost ignored it, but I looked down I saw my attorney's name flashing back at me on the screen.

"Hey Wade, what's up?" I said after answering.

"Hey Shy, I have some interesting news for you."

I inhaled sharply through my teeth. I could already tell whatever he wanted to share with me wasn't going to be pleasant.

"You'll be going to court next month. Steven is set on contesting the divorce and becoming primary parent over your son."

"Going to court?" I repeated. "He literally signed the divorce papers and left the state. He hasn't been here in over a month. He hasn't even paid child support or the mortgage for his house that's in his name only. Why is he the one taking me to court?"

I was livid. If my blood boiled any hotter the plastic on the phone would've started melting in my clenched fists.

"This is his way of stalling the divorce process," Wade replied, his voice calm. "He's already shot himself in the foot with his actions. The judge will not be amused by the abandonment of his son. I can assure you that if you stay the course of not engaging with him as much as possible unless he calls to speak with your son, you're going to be just fine."

"Alright, thank you."

"No problem. Take care."

"You too."

I hung up and sank even further into the bed.

I haven't even gotten ready for the morning, and I already want today to be over.

After coaxing myself to face the day head on, I hopped out of bed and ran my fingers through my short, dirty blond hair. Having a pixie cut was way easier to take care of than the long locks that used to get tangled easily.

"Hey Shy, what's up?"

I turned and faced the doorway. Salvador was standing in front of me with nothing but his boxer shorts on. My face grew hot as I looked him up and down, but my infatuation with him wasn't enough to keep me distracted from the phone conversations I had a few minutes prior.

"Oh, my Dad just tried to have me quit the band, and now my ex husband is dragging me to court to contest the divorce and take primary custody of our son... Other than that, everything else is fine."

My boyfriend's emerald gems darkened a shade. "Your parents just can't accept you taking charge of your own life, can they?"

"Pretty much."

He closed the gap between us and wrapped his arms around me. I melted at his touch.

"And Steven is just as bad," Salvador added, then gave me a gentle squeeze. "He doesn't have a case. He abandoned his own child and left the state. There's no way he's going to win full custody of Oliver in court."

"I know, but that also means more attorney fees I have to pay off, and more debt I'll be in because of that..."

Anger rose within my chest. I was already struggling to stay afloat financially. My parents and grandparents were willing to loan me money, but it also meant being in debt to them, which I hated. It was one more string that could be used against me, one more thing they would have to hold over my head to keep me in line.

"Amber and I are here for you," my boyfriend reminded me. "We have your back."

"You're both the only people keeping me from drowning in my own sorrows," I whispered, then hugged him. "Thank you for everything."

* * *

I picked up Oliver from my parents and took him straight home. He had already eaten lunch, so all I had to do was prepare my own while he was playing with his toys.

Just as I took out eggs to cook on the stovetop, my phone rang.

It was Steven.

My skin paled.

I didn't answer the phone, but I did text him.

"What do you want?"

Steven: I want to talk to Ollie.

Within our stipulation, there was a guideline he had signed stating he would only call to speak with Oliver between six and eight in the evening. I decided to reiterate that window of time to him.

Steven: That doesn't work for me today. Just let me speak with him.

God, he's so irritating even though he isn't even here!

I blew out steam through my nose and handed the phone to my son. "Just say hi to Dad, when he calls, okay?" I told Oliver before leaving his room.

I walked over to the kitchen and continued preparing my lunch by adding kimchi, green onions and cilantro to my sunny side up eggs. As I turned around to grab myself a plate from the cupboards on the opposite side of the kitchen, I froze when I saw Oliver walking towards me from down the hallway.

"Ollie! Show me where Mom is! Go find Mom!" Steven's voice cried from the phone's speakers. "I want to see where she is."

To say I was livid was an understatement.

That creep! Using our own child as a means of spying on me!

Oliver stopped at the archway leading into our kitchen and looked up at me with his innocent blue eyes. I gave him a small smile before stepping around the corner to hide myself from the phone's camera.

"Bye Dad!" my son yelled before hanging up on him and handing me the phone back.

"Thanks love," I managed to say in a calm tone before furiously texting Steven.

"Why the Hell were you telling Oliver to find me? When you call to speak with him, it's to talk to him only, not use him as a spy!"

I watched the three dots bounce in a speech bubble as I awaited his most likely stupid response. After a few seconds, his message pinged on my phone.

"I never did, don't accuse me of things like that. And don't listen in on our conversation, these calls are supposed to be unmonitored."

My fingers flew of their own accord to type a reply. In a flash, I tapped the send button.

"I wouldn't have heard the conversation if you hadn't sent Oliver to go find me so you could see where I was in the house. Don't make him wander through our home while speaking with you, it's unsafe, especially with all the stairs here."

I glowered down at my screen, waiting for another idiotic message from Steven to appear, but it never came.

My temper was flared up. I was practically smoking flames from my nose and ears, but I forced myself to calm down for Oliver's sake.

The sizzling aroma of eggs and vegetables wafted into the kitchen. Remembering my lunch, I hastily grabbed a plate and slid the skillet contents onto it. Thankfully, nothing was burnt. I doused it all in hot sauce and downed my meal.

I hate how much Steven lies.

I hate how he always turns everything around on me!

I hate him so damn much!

Once I was calm enough to think straight, I took screen shots of our conversation so I could email it to my attorney.

I know it's not much, but Steven twists the truth and tries to stalk me even from several states away. I can't lose to him in court no matter what!