Bless his heart. I know he is trying to comfort me but I’m a minute away from telling my sister’s husband to shut the hell up.

“Babe, who is the man in the black jacket and the lady next to him?” Sage asks.

I want to scream it's him and he is a killer.

Zac stands up and walks to the window near his wife.

“That’s Eryx, my buddy. He emailed me, said he was back home, and I told him to come through,” Zac says casually. Then he turns slowly toward me.

“Anise, is Eryx Kai’s father?” Zac’s face pales.

Hearing someone say Eryx’s name makes his presence here more real. All I can do is nod as tears roll down my cheeks.

“Eryx Demopoulos of Oceania corp?” Zac takes two steps back.

“Yes, him.”

“And you haven’t told him he has a child?” Zac peers out of the window again and shakes his head.

“What am I going to do?” I begin to move slowly out of the closet pushing the pink frilly dress out of the way.

“I’m going to meet my friend. You will have to figure it out,” Zac says as he kisses Sage and leaves the room.

Sage pats the bed at the side of her as she sits. “Breathe, Ani.”

“I can’t let him get Kai, Sage,” I mutter.

Sage pets my hair. “As long as we are around, he won’t.”

The thought of Eryx killing my family strikes me. I will have to leave, for their sake.

“I don’t want Rosemary or Cassy to know yet. I have to sort it out in my mind.” I wipe my tears away.

Sage’s hands still in my hair. “Are you telling me another secret before Cassy?”

“Sage, really?”

Sage’s lips crumple as she tries to hold in a smile.

“I mean, I feel like we are onto something special. It’s always team Cassy and Ani. Now, it’s team us.” She throws her arm around my shoulders.

“Don’t tell them yet, okay? Promise, Sage.” I nibble at my bottom lip.

She kisses my head. “I promise, kiddo.”

“Rosemary. Where the hell is Sage and Ani?” Cassia says, I can hear the footsteps of my sisters coming up the stairs.

“Especially Rosie. She already thinks of me as a loser,” I mumble.

“Of course, you’re a loser. What are we talking about?” Rosemary as she folds her arms her gaze is intently fixed on Sage and me.

“Where is Kai?” I ask, feeling like a protective Mama bear.

“Oh, Cassy is resting him on Nick’s bed. Less noise on that side.”

Cassy walks into the bedroom. “Chile, I don’t know how you ladies do it, but motherhood is tough.”

“I did it three times.” Rosemary pulled the dress up and sat on the ground near the door.