Strange that I had been so determined not to be privy to the conversation between Gibson and Kiran yet I along with everyone else in the kitchen had heard almost every word they had said. If Melody had understood what was said she didn’t appear to be interested in the raised voices of Gibson and her mother.

Piper shot me a look when Gibson went into the bathroom followed by Melody and asked in a low voice, “Are you okay?” I nodded and went back to what I was doing, placing the food on the ovenproof mats on the table.

The screen door creaked and Kiran came inside. She stood in on the other side of the door and looked much less sure of herself than she had when I took her to the pool house. Glancing over at her I knew instantly by the way she hugged her upper arms her cocky confident attitude from earlier had been dented by her intimate chat with Gibson. Her eyes scanned the room no doubt looking for Melody so I helped her out.

“Melody has gone to wash her hands for lunch. There’s a bathroom down the hall if you want to freshen up.”

“No thanks, I just did that before I came back up here,” she said like she wanted nothing to do with me.

“You can take a seat, we’re about finished here,” Piper told her gesturing with her head to the dining table chairs.

“Anywhere in particular?”

“No we’re not anal here, we don’t have set chairs.” I smiled because I knew she’d made that up on the spot, she’d only had a few meals with us and each time we’d all sat in the same seats. I knew Piper was walking a line. We weren’t friends— I was supposed to be her guardian, but she was proving her loyalty toward us so I saw no harm in what she said so long as she wasn’t outright rude.

Gibson came back down the hall with Melody hanging upside down from his shoulder, “I’m not sure if we should let this one eat, she has a mouth full of sass already,” he informed us then swung her upright and set her down on the floor.

“Where are you sitting?” she asked Gibson with her hands on her hips but a look of adoration in her eyes.

“Depends. Where are you sitting?”

“On a chair?”

“See what I mean?” he asked all of us and grabbed her by her waist then began tickling her.

“I’m s … sorry,” she blurted through her sweet- sounding giggles as Gibson made her breathless with his hands.

“Alright that’s enough,” Kiran said breaking into their moment of joy together. After six and a half years I felt Gibson was entitled to play with his little girl. I shot her a look and I’m sure it conveyed my sentiments of wanting to throat punch her for breaking the moment, but she didn’t bat an eyelid. Instead she picked up her napkin, shook it out and laid it across her lap.

“Sit, Melody. Remember your manners at the table and that we are guests in someone’s home.”

“It’s her home too now,” Gibson almost spat.

I hated Kiran for becoming authoritarian but I felt a little empathy for her plight. Since Melody had been born she’d had her all herself. From my observations I could see she already regretted her decision to share her with Gibson and his extended family.

* * *

Somehow, we all made it through lunch without throwing a punch or killing each other before Gibson addressed Melody’s mom and asked if he could show Melody around his soundproof music room. He loved his mini recording suite. It was his sanctuary and he’d spend hours in there making rough drafts of his music scores and new songs before sharing them with the world. Melody jumped down from the table and tugged at her mom’s dress begging for permission.

Before Kiran could answer Melody turned with her hands clasped tight with excitement and asked Gibson if he had a microphone. When Gibson nodded with a grin on his face she asked if she could sing for him. Piper stood and shoved the sleeves of her cardigan up her arms in an awkward gesture.

Can I come too?” she asked. For the first time that day she showed her uncertainty as to what she was to us.

“Sure, sweetheart. Wait until you hear Piper sing,” he told Melody. Piper couldn’t contain how good he’d made her feel and looked like she was melting when she looked back at him.

Melody looked excitedly at Piper and grinned again. “Gosh you really are like Annie from the movie you’re an Ostrich and you can sing.” Once again no one corrected her on the choice of word and Gibson smiled widely at Piper.

“Guess as you’re an Ostrich and I’m your dad as well as Melody’s you’d better head back there with us,” he told her nodding in the direction of the music suite and chuckled.

Dropping her napkin onto the table Piper turned to face me. “Please may I leave the table, Chloe?” A small smile played on her lips.

“Sure. Have fun,” I offered, then stood and began to gather the pasta bowls together. Kiran placed her fork in her bowl and sat back wiping her mouth. I could see her mind ticking over and for the first time I almost understood the term Gibson used with me when he told me he could hear what I was thinking. I could imagine the conversation going on in her head about me and none of it was particularly flattering.

Out of the side of my eye I saw Emma sitting on the sofa in the spot in the great room nearest to the kitchen and knew immediately Jonny had brought her up to speed. I wasn’t afraid to be alone with Kiran but I was glad someone was there to bear witness should she start dishing out shit that I had to defend.

When Kiran thought it was safe to speak she stood and began to help clear the dishes. “It’s really weird seeing Gibson with Melody.” I thought it was a genuine comment and nodded because it felt strange for me, and figured it must have been totally weird to have your daughter meet her dad when it had only been two of them for so long.

“I bet,” was all I offered and continued to clear up.

“Odd and embarrassing for you too, I imagine.”

“I’m not embarrassed my husband has a daughter. In the past I had figured it strange there weren’t more Melody-like spawn running around.”

“I didn’t mean that I meant coming face-to-face with someone he had sex with. I mean I’ve been where you are now.” Fury rushed through every fiber of my body.

“No. Kiran you’re mistaken. You were a quick fuck for Gibson. He used women for sport. Gibson loves me. He never loved any of the others. I’m sorry but I am not allowing you to compare what you were to him to what he has with me.”

“Well he never got time to love me, but I can tell you now he loved what he did to me. And he’s been the best partner I’ve ever had. He ruined me. Doesn’t it scare you even just a little bit that he may want another taste of me?”

My eyes darted to Emma who had rounded the sofa and was stood resting her ass against the back of it just out of sight. I could see her but Kiran had no idea she was there.

“Don’t think I didn’t hear the conversation you just had out there. Gibson was drunk when he screwed you. I heard him say it. You were just another one and done in a nightclub before we met.”

“I wasn’t a fuck against some alleyway outside a nightclub, Chloe. He came to the gentlemen’s club I worked at. I gave him a lap dance and we took it from there. The way he took me was so controlling and demanding you can’t tell me he wouldn’t remember it.”

“Holy shit, that was…you?” I mumbled in disbelief as shock made my eyes practically bug out of my head. Not only was Gibson there when Melody was conceived in a sick way so was I. When I realized who she was my mind flashed back to an incident when I lived in New York.

During that night my cell ringing had woken me up. Gibson and I weren’t together at that point but his cell phone accidently called mine. A little disorientated from being in bed I listened for a few minutes then realized I was listening to two people having sex.

“What was me? Did he tell you about me?” she asked looking for some recognition she had meant something.

“No he never mentioned you. I know all about it though. Let me see what I remember… “Oh, sweet Jesus, YES! Right there … right there, don’t stop … harder,” What else did I hear? “Damn! That feels sooo fucking good, baby. You’re very good at this, honey I love your big dick. Am I ringing any bells?” Inside my heart was breaking in two because I was staring at the face of a woman my husband had fucked. I’d seen him do it to other women before and there were some things I could never unsee, but to hear it in my own bedroom and know he made a child with her was much worse. To know the one incident that haunted me most had resulted in a child was devastating.

My chest felt crushingly tight and I hurt all over but I knew I could never allow her to know how much her revelation had cut me in two.

“You see, Kiran, Gibson and I weren’t together when he ‘did you’. And believe me that’s how Gibson described the many hundreds if not thousands of women he fucked while he was trying to find me.

You weren’t the first I’d heard make those declarations about the effect he had on them either. You see Gibson and I go way back. Off the top of my head I could name at least two dozen girls he fucked back then that I personally saw him do it to. So despite everything you think you are know this… Gibson is mine. He’ll always be mine.”

Emma strolled into the room and leaned against the wall. “Hey, Chloe, everything okay?” she asked innocently.

“Yep we’re fine here, thanks. Give us five please, would you?” Emma glanced at Kiran then back to me like she wasn’t sure she should leave me and I offered a smile of reassurance. I wondered who she thought she needed to protect because my feelings toward Kiran weren’t the most loving. However, it was my opportunity to set things straight with Kiran because she had to learn from the beginning how formidable I could be if she pissed in my yard.

All the while Emma and I were talking I knew Kiran was mulling over her options and unless I’d read her wrongly I knew she’d be mustering ammunition to fire back. Emma moved over to the entrance of the great room again and retook her position from earlier. Once again, Kiran had no idea she was monitoring the situation between us.

“Have you any idea how hard it has been to take care of everyone this past six years?”

“If you’d told Gibson about Melody neither of you would have wanted for anything.”

“How could I tell him when he had you? I thought he’d grow tired—”

“And what? You’d swoop in with his daughter and console him? You have no idea of the kind of man you are dealing with. You underestimated him and you’ve underestimated the love we have for each other. Not that it’s any of your business but the shit we’ve dealt is much bigger than discovering Gibson has a love child.”

“She’s not coming here to live.”

“That’s your choice, however, as someone with Melody’s best interests at heart I’d politely warn you not to take Gibson on by using the child you have together. The person you’ll hurt most is Melody. She’s not going to be a child forever and one day she’ll be able to make her own choice of where she wants to be. Don’t be the bitter parent, you’ll push her away. You know how charismatic Gibson is. How likely is she to choose you when she has someone as beguiling as him? That isn’t a threat, Kiran, you must know how irresistible he is.”

“I wish I’d never taken her to that concert.”

“Well I’m glad that you did. For once I think you did the right thing, even if it was a little late in the day. Again, I’d remind you she won’t be a child forever. I’d hate her to resent you for not giving her the opportunity to see what a fantastic Dad she has.”

Kiran thought in silence and the air between us grew heavy.

“I’m not asking you to like me. To be frank, I don’t know how I’d feel if the situation were reversed and I know how it feels from my side of the fence but I do want to say this. Melody…she’s a real credit to you. You should be proud of all you’ve achieved with her. She’s a beautiful ray of sunshine and I can see Gibson has already fallen hard for her.”

I could see my Kiran’s face she wasn’t expecting my praise.

“Thank you for keeping her and not taking the easy way out. I can’t imagine how difficult life must have been for you at times. You’ve taken the first steps to offering a better life for Melody by allowing Gibson in.”

“It’s up to the three of us how we move forward,” Kiran offered in a firm tone. I stared at her for a moment puzzled then I understood she didn’t see a role for me with Melody, but before I could respond Gibson set her straight on that.

“Four. It’s up to the four of us…five if you count Piper. We’re all family in one way or another, but Chloe’s always level headed when needs to be said.” He walked over toward me and slipped his hand around my waist asserting his possessive and protective side. “I’ve left our girls singing a duet down in the suite. Piper looks a bit miffed that Melody has coaxed her into singing songs from that musical she keeps going on about.” No matter what else was happening both Kiran and I couldn’t help smiling at his comment.

“She’s too damned cute to argue with,” he said on a chuckled and shook his head. “I thought my troubles with women were over when I met you,” Gibson said, cradling my head affectionately and kissed the tip of my nose. Turning to address Kiran he said, “I only heard the tail end of what Chloe was saying, but from what I heard she was talking a lot of sense. She usually does.”

“Then I need to move to Colorado. How does that work?” she asked in a clipped tone.

Gibson grinned and his hand slipped down to my butt. He squeezed it tightly and turned his intense gaze on me, “How do you feel about that, darlin’?” he asked, seeking my approval.

The last thing I wanted was regular contact with Kiran but I figured it was better to manage her than not have any input and complain later if the arrangements didn’t feel right.

“I think it’s the most sensible solution. I’m sure Gibson will do what he can to make the transition as smooth as possible and unless you are both at loggerheads I’m almost convinced you’ll work out a plan for custody that suits everyone. There are times when Gibson’s not here due to work commitments but his load is lighter these days now we’ve learned to balance the band’s commitments and home life.”

Kiran looked a little uncertain, like she hadn’t expected any of what was happening. I figured she was thinking it wasn’t exactly what she wanted at all but knew it was the best deal for Melody. “There’s my mom…”

“No problem. I’ll set up a call with a local realtor through Jonny and we’ll have you meet with them in town. No one comes here to the house apart from the band and no one knows this place is mine. I suggest you continue to respect that, Kiran. There’s a lot of crazies that go with my work. This way ensures our daughter and my family are always safe.”