A Place of Hope and No Pain

Chloe's POV

Matt took Lucy and I to his place first before he picked up the kids and as he opened the door and let us in I understood why he wanted to stay here and not at my place.

"Look around." He told me. "Make yourself at home. I won't be long." And he dropped a kiss on my lips, turning and leaving again.

I stood there, looking around in awe of the place.

"Holy shit." I whispered to Lucy who was currently running around sniffing everywhere.

His house was magnificent and I was ashamed to say, my whole house fit into his living area.

"Don't you pee." I hissed to Lucy as I walked around, peering in rooms.

There were just so many room's. There was a living room, an entertainment room, several bedrooms of varying sizes and the kitchen, god it was fabulous.

"The backyard I guess." I mumbled opening a blind to huge glass doors.

Lucy ran over, standing next me, wagging her ass, looking out. I had no doubt it looked like doggy heaven out there and when I opened the doors she took off, sniffing everything.

"God." I whispered to myself, even the pool was bigger and better.

I looked around quickly, heading back inside, leaving Lucy to explore her new surroundings.

I wondered how long Matt would be? I had no idea where Lucy and they boy's lived so I wasn't really sure. I knew he'd dropped me off here first so Lucy didn't see me with him. I was a little insulted, but I understood, he didn't want the drama that she would surely cause.

I wandered up the hall, peering into the rooms. It was easy to tell the boy's room, they had every toy imaginable in there and I opened the door next to theirs and stopped, looking.

Was this Matt's room? It was certainly the biggest room, with an ensuite. The bed looked divine, huge and I was considering laying on it when I had a thought and stopped.

Was this the bed he had shared with Lucy? And was I expected to sleep in here tonight with him? God, that thought was weird and I wasn't sure if I could do it, sleep in the bed he slept with her in.

"We're here." I heard Matt suddenly call out and I shut the door quickly.

I walked back down the hall smiling as Lucy ran inside to greet the boys.

"Lucyyyyyy." Jaxson screamed, hugging her while she licked him enthusiastically.

Lucy loved it of course and she ran to greet Ryder.

"Hi Chloe." Jaxson said smiling widely and holding out his arms.

I picked him up, smiling. "Hi there." And he wrapped his arm's around my neck, hugging me tightly.

I looked over at Ryder who was currently talking to Lucy. "Hi Ryder." I added softly, smiling.

He just glanced at me, not replying and going back to Lucy, ignoring me completely.

"So." Matt said to all of us. "Who want's pizza for dinner?"

Both the boy's started screaming 'me' loudly and I looked at Matt smiling and nodded, pizza it was.

"Can Lucy sleep on my bed?" Jaxson asked, looking between Matt and I.

"No." Ryder snapped. "She's sleeping on my bed."

Matt looked at me, raising his eyebrow's. "Well maybe she's sleeping on my bed."

The boy's started laughing and I smiled at Lucy. She was adoring all of the attention and honestly, I could see her wandering through the house, changing beds all night, sharing with everyone.

Matt ordered pizza and we all got comfortable in the entertainment room, watching a movie and when the pizza came we all stayed in there, eating ,watching.

"Right." Matt said once we'd finished and I started cleaning up. "Time for a shower boy's."

They started groaning, but they got up anyway, heading off to their room's.

"Leave it Chloe." Matt told me. "I'll do it."

"It's fine." I told him, gathering the plates and cups.

He smiled at me, leaning over and kissing me softly. "I won't be long."

I went into the kitchen and cleaned up, I mean I couldn't leave a mess, not in this beautiful house, it just wouldn't look right. God, this house really was magnificent, no wonder Lucy was pissed at having to give it all up.

I went back into the empty entertainment and got comfortable on the couch. Lucy the dog was off helping Matt with the boy's and it wasn't long before Jaxson reappeared, pyjama clad, climbing onto my lap.

"What are you watching Chloe?" He asked, getting comfortable.

I shrugged. "Nothing really."

"Good." He said smiling at me. "Maybe we can watch Transformers?"

I smiled at him. "Maybe we can."

"Okay." Matt said walking back out and looking a little flustered. "One movie before bed." And he sat down on the couch, Ryder sitting next to him.

"Chloe." Jaxson asked, taking my face in his hands. "Where are you sleeping tonight?"

"What a dumb question." Ryder snapped. "On the couch dummy, she's not going to sleep in Mommy and Daddy's bed."

"She might." Jaxson yelled back and he looked at me again. "I don't care what my Mommy say's, I like you Chloe."

I frowned. What his Mommy say's? What did he mean by that?

"What?" Matt asked, looking at Jaxson.

"Shut up stupid." Ryder snapped at him, glaring at me. At least now I think I knew why Ryder disliked me.

"No I will not." Jaxson said, looking at Matt. "Mommy told us we couldn't like Chloe, she said Chloe was dumb."

"Jaxson." Ryder screamed, his face going red.

Well wasn't that great, she was telling the kid's to hate me.

"She what?" Matt snapped, looking at Ryder.

Ryder shrugged. "She's right."

"Don't be rude." Matt snapped at Ryder, standing up. "This is unbelievable, she actually said that?" And he looked at Jaxson.

Jaxson nodded, looking back at Matt. "Yes, Mommy said we can't like Chloe, but I do."

"Oh man." Matt muttered, turning and walking out of the room.

"Great." Ryder snapped at Jaxson and I. "Now you made Daddy mad."

"Nope." Jaxson said softly. "You made Daddy mad."

"Enough." I said quickly, placing Jaxson on the couch. "No one made Daddy mad."

Jaxson looked at me and Ryder glared at me, oh yeah, Ryder was definitely under Lucy's influence.

I walked out quickly, avoiding the glare of a six year old boy. I wanted to find Matt and I followed the sound of his voice, into an office.

"No." He snapped down the phone, looking incredibly pissed.

He looked at me, raising his eyebrow's and holding out an arm.

I stepped closer and he pulled me to his chest, kissing my forehead and I closed my eye's. I could hear Lucy yelling back down the phone at him.

"No, now you look here." Matt growled, pulling me closer. "You had no right, no right to say that. I'm seeing my Lawyer in the morning and you just gave me the perfect excuse to go for equal custody. I won't stand for it Lucy, I won't."

He hung up the phone, throwing it on his desk and I noticed his hands shaking.

"God Chloe." He murmured, wrapping both arm's around me. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." I whispered only it wasn't, it wasn't okay to be hated by a child just because his mother told him to hate you.

"I'll have a good talk with Ryder." He told me, kissing me softly. "A good talk."

I let him kiss me and I closed my eye's, enjoying it while it lasted.

He could have a talk with Ryder if he wanted, but there was no way, no absolute way I was coming between Matt and his children. I just wouldn't let that happen.