Page 62 of Keeper

Twenty-Two

Draven

There seems to be arevolving door in my brain that’s being shoved at from both sides. On one side sits logic, on the other lies emotion, and on days like today I fear emotion may win.

That cannot happen.

As much as I wish I could claim her as mine for all to see, I know that puts her and my child at risk so I have to stay logical. Possession, desire, love — these are emotions neither of us can afford, and yet every day I stay away feels harder than the last.

I really don’t mind being her little secret. I’ll shake my brother’s hand with the same fingers that were just inside of her without blinking, but it bothers me when he then leans in to kiss her cheek for their fake ass cover story. I hate seeing her uncomfortable, and I hate seeing her on his arm almost as much. It’s maddening.

A soft knock on my door has my pacing slowing to a stop, and when Miss Maddy enters, I find myself disappointed it isn’t her.

It’s almost never her.

“How are you feeling today, Draven?”

“Peachy. I swear I just shit rainbows like ten minutes ago. Too bad you didn’t come sooner.”

She’s used to my teasing, so I’m happy when it doesn’t faze her. “Always a charmer. I suggest you stop by Miss Harbough’s room as soon as possible.”

Straightening, I lose my poker face so quickly I know there’s no hiding my true feelings. But she already knew. “What’s wrong? Is she okay?”

“Yes, of course,” she rushes out. “But she just got the test results, and I believe you’d rather hear them from her. Just a hunch.”

She winks at me before taking her leave, and I make my way to the hallway right behind her. I don’t have time to ponder the fact that she just basically admitted to knowing I’m the father, because I know her enough to know she’d never sell us out. That’s not who she is. She loves us more than our own dad, and she’ll always have our backs. She’d always choose our happiness.

As I rush over to Sully’s room as nonchalantly as I can, I swear I feel nausea coil in my gut. I don’t know why, I know exactly what she’s going to say and yet the undeniable proof I’m about to get is making me feel things inside I don’t fully comprehend.

I didn’t realize I was actually nervous to be a father, and yet as I stand outside her door and breathe, I can’t deny it. I am. I’ll always be nervous to let her down, and now we’ll have another human relying on us both not to fuck up.

I don’t know how anyone takes something this big lightly.

I don’t knock. I can’t take it anymore, so I shove my way inside and lock eyes with the only pair I ever want to see. “Shay, will you excuse us?”

It’s as polite as I can be right now, when I feel like my nerves are shot and my brain is on fire. But Shay is like a mini Miss Maddy. She knows, she understands, and she hikes her little ass out of the room with nothing more than a quick curtsy.

Sully has the papers in her hands, and she’s shaking. “Little keeper,” I call, taking slow steps toward her until she gives me all of her attention. “You got something for me there?”

Nerves aside, I manage to give her a reassuring smile, one that she returns as her body relaxes. “I do,” she says quietly. “It worked. The results came back over ninety-nine percent positive that the person they thought was Alexander Creed is the father.”

Person they thought. Because it was my cheek that was swabbed that day and it’s my baby inside of her. Mine.

In seconds I’m on her, my mouth pressed against hers as I taste the truth on her tongue. It’s sweeter than pineapple on a summer day, and I don’t care how cheesy that sounds.

She is my favorite flavor.

“That’s my baby inside there,” I growl, kissing down her jaw, throat and chest until I’m sliding her shirt up to kiss along her stomach. “You’re mine.”

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