Everly was perfect. I knew she would be, but it’s like a weight being lifted from my chest.

She was quiet and reserved. She had perfect manners, which is why I think Muffie ended up buying into her little fake sob story. That whole thing could easily have backfired, but I think it worked because Everly sold it so well.

I’ve never been so attracted to a woman in my entire life. All night after we get home, I keep thinking about her. I have a dream where I fuck her in the nursery. I strip her from her dress and slide my thick cock between her legs, making her moan and beg for more. I wake up with a fucking hard-on unlike anything I’ve ever had before.

I don’t know what I’m going to do about Alexa. I want her badly, but I know I shouldn’t have her. She’s my wife, but it’s just a business arrangement. If I take what I want so badly, it could complicate things.

And then there’s that moment back in Richard’s office. I almost kissed her, right then and there, and I’m positive she would have let me. I know she wouldn’t have stopped it. Just the way she was looking at me. She was practically begging for me to grab her by the hair and to pull her close against my body.

I get up early the next morning. It’s Saturday and I have nothing to do, but I’m going to work anyway. There are a few projects that need to get done.

I dress and head out into the kitchen. Alexa isn’t awake yet, and so I’m going to let Everly sleep as long as she can. I know Alexa woke her up once or twice last night.

I make some coffee and head into my office. I’m deep into my work by six in the morning when Alexa and Everly usually get up. I work straight through it, worried that I might try to do something stupid if I see Everly right now. I keep getting flashes of her in that dress, looking so innocent and fucking sexy as hell.

As I’m finishing up a project around nine in the morning, I remember a comment Everly made about Spencer Winterfield. I didn’t notice anything off, but I have to admit that I wasn’t paying attention to him. I don’t know much about Chester’s son, other than the fact that he works for his father. Spencer is some typical rich boy as far as I know, which is the opposite of how I grew up.

I do a little searching, but there’s not much online about Spencer. There’s a profile about him on Harvard’s alumni web page, which is where he got a graduate degree. That doesn’t mean much, since Chester was a Harvard grad, and donates a big sum every year. As far as I can tell, Spencer is just your average rich asshole.

I close my laptop lid, getting ready to head back into my home apartment, when my cell starts to ring. I don’t recognize the number. Frowning, I decide to answer.

“Hello?”

“Yes, hello, is this Mr. Ray?”

I hesitate. “Yes, this is Logan Ray.”

“Mr. Ray, this is Janine with Biomarker Labs. I have your paternity test results back.”

My heart skips a beat as adrenaline shoots through me. I thought we’d have more time, but I did pay them to call as soon as they knew the results.

“Okay, give them to me,” I say.

“In the case of Alexa, you are the father,” she says.

My heart hammers hard in my chest, but I’m not afraid. It takes me a second to identify the emotion.

It’s pure joy.

“Thank you,” I say, and mean it.

“We’ll send you the complete results in the mail, but Alexa is your daughter, Mr. Ray. Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” I say again, and hang up the phone.

I’m practically reeling. Alexa is truly my daughter, there’s no doubt in my mind now. I knew she was, deep down inside of me, which is why I’m going to such lengths to take care of her. But now I know for sure, and holy fucking shit does it feel good.

I stand up with a huge grin on my face. I want to yell and shout from pure joy, which is surprising, but I can’t help it. I head right back into the main apartment.

“Everly!” I call out.

She’s standing in the kitchen, holding Alexa in her arms. I grin huge once I spot them.

“What are you smiling about?” Everly asks me. Her hair is piled up on top of her head and she’s wearinga tight tank top with tight gray shorts. She looks fucking perfect, even though she just got out of bed.

I walk over to the two of them and pull them both against me. “This is a good day,” I say.

Everly laughs. “What are you doing?”

“I just got a call. About Alexa.”

“Holy crap.” Everly pulls back and looks at me. “Is she your daughter?”

I beam and take Alexa from her. “Yes, she is,” I say, laughing. “My little girl.”

Everly laughs loudly and hugs me. “I’m so happy you’re happy,” she says.

“I don’t know why, but I think this is the happiest I’ve ever been.” I kiss Alexa on the head and hold her tight. “This is my little girl. My little Alexa.”

For a second, I forget about Everly, just enjoying this moment with my daughter. My baby daughter, my real daughter. The girl I’ll protect and raise forever.

After a minute or two, I realize that Everly is just watching us with a big smile on her face. I feel a little silly, and so I put Alexa down into her little swinging rocking chair.

“I’m glad you’re happy, Dad,” she repeats.

I make a face at her. “Don’t call me Dad.” I hesitate before grinning at her. “But you can call me Daddy if you want.”

She rolls her eyes. “I knew you’d say that.”

“And yet you still make the comment.” I grin and step closer to me. “Sounds like you wanted me to say it.”

“Relax there,” she says, smiling at me. She doesn’t deny it.

I want to grab her right here and now and kiss her deeply. Goddamn, do I want her so badly. But before I can do anything, Alexa starts to cry. Everly’s smile doesn’t fade. “I got it,” she says, walking over and taking Alexa.

“No, I’m the dad now, apparently. Let me do it.”

Everly raises an eyebrow while sniffing Alexa’s diaper. “You sure you want to change her, Daddy?”

I grin, a thrill running through me. “I might need a hand, but I want to learn.”

“Okay then. Follow me.” She leads me back through the apartment and into Alexa’s nursery.

Everly lays Alexa down on the changing pad and steps aside. “Okay, this isthe easy part. Get the Onesie mostly off, unfasten the diaper, and lift her partway up by her ankles.”

I frown a little bit but I do as I’m told. Alexa is crying the whole time and not really interested in cooperating, but I manage to get her undressed and the diaper removed.

“Okay, this guy goes in there.” Everly grabs the dirty diaper and tosses it into the little waste remover. “And now we clean her off.”

I help Everly clean Alexa off. When we’re done, Everly grabs a new diaper and shows me how to put it back on Alexa. Then I dress her and we’re finished.

“See?” Everly asks me, grinning. “Easy peasy.”

“Easy and gross,” I say, laughing. I pick up Alexa and she seems like she’s already in a better mood.

“You’ll get used to it. Babies are pretty gross but they can’t help it.”

“They make up for it by being really cute.” I nuzzle against Alexa as a strong paternal feeling overwhelms me.

Everly watches with a smile on her face as I play with Alexa in my arms. I swoop her in the air and she giggles as I carry her back into the living room. Everly follows, but for the moment, I’m totally focused on my daughter.

I’ve never changed a diaper before in my life. Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever touched a diaper before. And Alexa is definitely the youngest baby I’ve ever held, which isn’t saying much, since I don’t think I’ve actually held a baby at all. I don’t know what I’d do without Everly’s help, but I’m beginning to realize that I want to learn.

This is my flesh and blood. I didn’t ask for any of this, but I can’t ever turn my back on my daughter. I don’t know where her mother is or what’s going to happen with that, but for right now, I don’t care. I have a little baby girl, and she’s really mine.

I manage to calm Alexa down until she’s finally content. I put her back in her little swing as Everly stands near the kitchen, a little smile on her face.

“You’re going to get the hang of it pretty fast,” she says.

“I don’t know,” I say. “I’m not sure I’m cut out to be a dad.”

“Nobody is at first. But you’re already learning.”

I shrug a little bit and walk over to her. “What about you?”

She raises an eyebrow. “What about me?”

“You’re going to have to be a mother. At least you’re going to have to pretend for a little while.”

She laughs softly. “I don’t mind taking care of her,” she says. “I mean, I’m not really her mom. I’m more like a babysitter.”

“A very expensive babysitter.” I grin at her.

She shrugs. “What can I say? I’m worth it.”

“You really are. Although maybe a million is slightly overpaying.”

“Don’t forget the promotion,” she adds, smirking at me. “I feel like you’re getting a deal.”

“Maybe I am,” I say softly, eyeing her intently. She smiles back at me but I think she knows what I’m thinking about. There’s a moment of tension between us as I stand close to her, my heart beating fast in my chest, but she turns away.

“Have you heard from Chester yet?” she asks, walking into the kitchen.

I follow and sit on a stool. I can hear the little electric swing slowly rocking Alexa just a few feet away. “Not yet,” I say. “It’s not uncommon, though. I might not hear from him for weeks, and then he’ll message me nonstop for days.”

She sighs a little bit and fills a mug with coffee. “I don’t understand why he doesn’t just sign.”

“Chester is a little… strange,” I say slowly. “He’s notorious about this sort of stuff. And he really doesn’t want to part with that land.”

“Which is what I don’t get. Isn’t it all vacant and rotting anyway?”

I nod. “He has some kind of emotional attachment to it, I think. Used to be a housing complex, back in the day. I think he knew people that lived there.”

“So why sell it at all, then?”

“I think he knows it’s time, and our project is worthy.”

She chews her lower lip a little bit, considering. “I’m just worried he’s jerking us around.”

“Believe me, I’ve had that same thought.”

“But you’re still going for it.”

“It’s perfect,” I say to her, slowly getting up. “You know all the reasons. Are you having second thoughts?”

“No,” she says firmly. “Not at all. I just… I just want this to work.”

“I do too,” I say. “Believe me.”

She looks at me for a second and I wish I could read her mind. “Why is this so important to you?” she asks finally. “I mean, I know it’s a really good project, but still.”

“That’s not easy to explain,” I say, laughing a little bit. “Besides, isn’t charity worthwhile for its own sake?”

“Yes,” she says. “Of course. I just don’t know why you’re killing yourself to make this happen when you could easily donate money to something else.”

I lean against the counter for a second, trying to decide how to answer. Finally, I speak slowly. “I have more money than I know what to do with,” I explain. “I could just give it to some charity and be done with it, but I won’t know how exactly my money is being used. I want something that I can control. I want to make sure everything I spend goes directly to the people that matter. I’m tired of rich people not doing enough to help everyone else around them, so I’m trying to change that.”

She watches and listens intently, and I can’t tell how she’s reacting to what I’m saying. I know it’s a little silly and idealistic, but it’s the truth. I believe in this project, and I’m hoping that other rich billionaires will see what I’m doing and follow suit. It isn’t going to be profitable, but it’s going to be good, and it’s going to help a lot of people.

Maybe I’m just tired of making money, and I want to start making real positive change in the world. This is my chance to do that.

“I get that,” she says finally. “You’re just making it so hard on yourself.”

“Nothing good should be easy,” I say, grinning at her. “I’m going to get back to work.”

“Okay,” she says, walking over to Alexa. “I’ll keep an eye on the baby.”

“Oh, and speaking of work. I’m going to hire a nanny, so you won’t have to stay home all day with Alexa.”

“Are you sure?” she asks me, a little surprised. “I assumed that was part of the deal.”

“I’m sure,” I say. “You’re my wife. If you want to stay here, you can. But if you want to work, the option is there.”

She hesitates before smiling. “Thanks, Logan.”

“Anything for my wife.” I grin before heading out of the room.

As I go back toward my office, I feel like things have changed in a way that I’ll never quite grasp. Before I got the call about Alexa, I was still the man I’d always been, although things were a bit more complicated. But now that I know she’s my daughter… well, I know I’ll always be different.

It’s not just me anymore. And I think I’m happy about that.