“If I could yank every hair off her head strand by strand, I would.” Kaija’s eyes spark and I wince.

You couldn’t pay me enough money to cross the Banks sisters.

We’re sitting on the lounge set on the lower terraced deck, around the gas fire pit, watching the flames.

It’s still chilly this early in May and we all have blankets.

“Marissa has been a godsend. I should hear from her in a little bit on if the plan we came up with worked.”

“What was the plan?” Harlan drinks from his mug of hot apple cider.

“I don’t even know what it was.” I look at Keyra and she gives a half-shrug.

“I didn’t want to say anything until I knew if it worked or not, but I guess I’ll share.” She pulls the cover tighter around her and I wish she was in my arms instead.

“In my quick analysis of Natalie, I decided she’s impulsive and emotional. All she’d need is someone to commiserate with to slip up. Once Marissa figured out where she was staying, she placed herself in her path, and pretended like she’s having problems with her child’s father.”

“And Natalie just spilled?” Harlan says.

“She had a drink or three.”

“But how are you and Marissa going to get that to the police? Did she record her?” Kaija leans forward, completely engrossed.

“Marissa recorded her, but she won’t be turning it into the police. Natalie is going to retract her statements of her own volition.”

“And then what? Is there anything Dane can do about her lying about it?” Mickey asks, and it’s a little crazy to me that someone else is thinking about me.

“Well, the good thing is, my contact in the police department got to me so quickly that the list of people who are aware is so small that it can go away. I don’t know if you remember, but it’s the woman who came up to us when we went to brunch a few weeks ago?” Keyra addresses me.

“Red-head? Really pale, short?” I muse.

“Yep. If you hadn’t met her then, she wouldn’t have known we were together.”

“Timing is crazy.” Harlan murmurs.

“So anyway, the damage is minimal. People hesitate to prosecute false rape claims unless there’s a pattern or extenuating circumstances because they don’t want to risk alienating actual victims from feeling comfortable enough to come forward.”

“I can see that.” I sit my hot chocolate down, leaning forward on my knees. “So…Addison? Can Natalie use it against me if I file for custody?”

It goes silent.

“You…you want to file for custody?” Keyra questions, turning in her chair to face me. I can’t read her face in the low light, and her voice isn’t giving me enough to go on either.

“Do you think I shouldn’t?” I’m suddenly nervous. It’s a big step.

Maybe she doesn’t think I’m ready for it. Being a dad for a few weeks isn’t the same as full-time.

Keyra’s opinion matters a lot to me. If I’m going to do it, I want her by my side.

I didn’t really consider if she would even want to be with me if I’m full-time parenting a kid.

“Keyra.” Mickey says quietly, and Keyra looks down, rubbing a hand over her brow.

The air is heavy with unspoken words and there’s a cold ball in the middle of my chest.

“Keyra?” I reach for her hand and at least she lets me take it.

“I guess now is as good a time as ever, in light of these new developments.” She laughs lightly. “I’m pregnant.”

I freeze.

“What?” I pull my hand away, standing, pacing. “I could’ve just sworn you said you’re pregnant.”

“That’s because I did.” She gestures to her stomach. “There’s a kid in this thing.”

I swing my head towards her, then around at everyone, and the rest of them are avoiding my gaze.

“How?”

She sits straight. “What do you mean how?”

“We’ve used protection every time.” I rub a hand over my hair, completely confused.

That quiet silence happens again, and suddenly, I know the chill in the air doesn’t just have to do with the wind.

Keyra’s face smoothes and she relaxes in her seat, surveying me with a quiet intensity. “Are you saying this child isn’t yours?”

At that, Keyra, Harlan, and Mickey make moves like they’re going to leave but Keyra puts a hand up.

“Stay!” She barks.

They drop back into their seats without a word, and I would laugh if I didn’t know I just fucked up.

“Is that what you’re saying, Dane? You’ve used protection every time, so I can’t be pregnant by you?”

“No.” I backpedal. “That’s not what I’m saying, I was just shocked because you know, condoms are supposed to protect.” I wince.

Dammit.

She nods her head like she understands something, and stands with her blanket around her shoulders.

“Where are you going?”

“To bed.”

“Keyra…” I start, at a loss for what to say. It’s a lot to take in! Her phone rings in her hand and she drops the cover, eyes shuttering.

“It’s Marissa. I’ll keep you updated.” She says softly and answers the phone as she walks away.

I drop back down into my seat and look around at everyone else.

“What the hell do I do now?”

“Maybe try being a little less insensitive next time!” Mickey suggests, throwing up her hands. “Luckily for you, she loves you. Just give her a little time, grovel later tonight.”

“For what it’s worth, it’s just an emotional time. She’s been on edge waiting to hear if Marissa was successful because you mean a lot to her. Add that to just taking pregnancy tests - this is as new to her as it is to you.” Kaija explains.

“Is that what took you so long?” Harlan asks. “Shit, is that why you dragged me from a perfectly good nap?”

“You knew before you got here?” Fuck me. I think back on the day, and I realize, she had to say something around the time she…

When she was so emotional over that damned pack of gum.

I’m an idiot.

“She sent us a text and said she suspected she was. She was so casual about it that we knew she was probably freaking out but didn’t want to freak us out. So we came. We saw. We confirmed.”

“How do you feel now?” Mickey questions, rolling her eyes at Kaija’s quip.

“I’m still in shock. Except now it’s just shock and I feel like the biggest cad in the world.”

“That’s good. Use that.” Her phone rings and she looks down at it, her expression darkening.

I wouldn’t want to be whoever is on the other end of that line.

“I have to take this.” Her mouth twists and her voice is hard. Mickey walks away down the stairs and onto the expanse of gravel in front of the water, probably so we can’t hear her.

I wonder what that’s about.

Harlan, Kaija, and I look towards the sliding doors behind us when they open.

“Dane, could you come inside please?” The door closes.

“Godspeed, brother.” Harlan salutes me as I get up and I grimace.

When I get inside, Keyra faces me. “One second, Mar.”

“You’re certain you want custody of Addison?”

I pause only for a second before I make my decision. “Yes. I don’t feel comfortable with her being with Natalie anymore.”

She nods sharply and puts the phone back to her ear. “Marissa, I’d like to speak with her.” Covering the mouthpiece, she asks me one final thing. “Will you feel bad if I threaten her with never seeing Addison again, among other things? Will you feel guilty? I can find a nicer way…but that’s the strongest point.”

I think about the hell Natalie put me through so many years ago, and the way she made me trust her again before pulling the rug out from under me. The fear I felt about never getting to see my daughter again.

She should feel that fear.

I shake my head slowly and sit on the edge of the couch and listen to the woman I love threaten to move heaven and earth for me. For my daughter.

I can’t describe how deeply ashamed I am that I made her feel any type of way other than positively about telling me she’s having my child.

I have to step it up. I have to match her in protectiveness, in love, in everything. I have to be a man worthy of her at all times.

We’ll fight together, or we won’t at all.