Page 45 of Daddy's Accidental Babies

What I really wanted was to sit and talk with Savannah and have a real conversation about what happened, why I never heard from her, or why she never told anyone. I wanted to know from David’s point of view why he never looked at those kids and questioned her—or maybe he had and that was what caused the fallout between father and daughter. And I wanted to know why she kept coming to sleep with me—that booty call, the way she looked at me—if she had this secret and no intention of telling me.

A scream-growl erupted from my chest and I slammed my fists on either side of me. I’d gone home and poured myself a drink, then a second and a third, until half the bottle was gone and I was passed out on my couch in my boxers. I hadn’t processed a thing; I didn’t want to. And even now I had no desireto sit and stew, but it was all I was going to be good for until I had a conversation I knew Savannah might not be ready for.

My phone buzzed and I picked it up, seeing it was Graham checking in. He had more information, which I figured would simply be the match that lit the fuse in my chest—something better left unread for now. But I didn’t want to sit here stuck in my head. So I pulled up my social media, and the third article shared to my timeline had the headline:Power Couple Making Big Moves.

The image there made my breath catch in my throat and set a different kind of fire in my gut. Savannah kept that secret from me, but it was out now, and it was up to me to decide how to handle it. What I didn’t know was how she felt about me now, after everything that happened.

What I did know was what I wanted—to know my boys and to make this world the safest place I could for them. Because that was what a father was supposed to do. Right?

23

SAVANNAH

Ileft the restroom and turned down the hall toward the stairwell, adjusting the sleeve of my blazer and trying to ignore the throb building behind my eyes. A late night and a skipped lunch were catching up to me after two days of no contact with Dominic. I reached for my phone to check the time when I caught sight of Marla rounding the corner ahead of me.

She stopped short at the sight of me, her body going rigid before she pasted on a weak smile. Then, catching herself, she kept moving again quickly, like momentum alone could save face. There was something defensive in her posture, like she was expecting confrontation and wasn’t ready for it. She angled her head down slightly; maybe she hoped I wouldn’t make eye contact.

I didn’t stop walking, but my gaze tracked her closely. She looked tense—more than usual. Her shoulders were set too tightly, and she clutched her phone in one hand like she was afraid someone might rip it away, and it made me wonder what she was doing down the hall alone and who she was speaking with on the phone. She hadn’t been in the bathroom, which wasthe only thing down this far other than the empty stairwell no one used.

We passed each other without a word. I didn’t bother with a fake greeting. Something about the way she carried herself made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. When I reached the stairwell, I stepped through the door and out of view before pulling my phone out. After learning from Graham that my father was communicating with Marla, I had all but decided to cut ties with him, and now I wondered where their little investigation was, so I shot Isla from HR a message.

Savannah: 1:04 PM:Isla, has the internal review on Marla wrapped? Has anyone else been flagged for access violations?

I paused for a second before hitting send. Isla had always been discreet and trustworthy, but I still kept the wording neutral. If there was something going on, I didn’t want to be the one to stir up more accusations without cause. But after the leak, the email, and now Marla skulking through the hall like a cornered animal, I needed to know if there were more threads we hadn’t pulled yet, and exactly how my father was connected to all of this.

After such a long day and knowing it would be a while before I finished my tasks, I made my way down to the parking garage to meet Thea. I hated leaning on her so much, but I was in a tight spot at work after Graham’s revelation to Dominic and the board. No one said as much, but I knew I was walking on a tight rope and I couldn’t be seen slacking off, so she promised to make me dinner since I was working late.

My stomach growled as the smell of sesame oil and spiced noodles hit me before I even reached her car. She leaned against the driver’s side with a paper bag in one hand and a wary look on her face. The low rumble of traffic echoed against the concrete walls, and somewhere nearby a car door slammed.

“I come bearing carbs,” she said, holding the bag up like a peace offering. She offered a faint smile, though her eyes didn’t quite match the lightness in her voice. Her grip on the bag was tight, and the tension in her posture told me this wasn’t just a friendly drop-off.

I smiled in thanks and slid into the passenger seat. The moment I shut the door, I turned around to peek between the seats into the back. Leo had a juice box in one hand; Cal was flipping through a picture book. I reached over the seat to stroke Leo’s curls and whispered a quick hello, my eyes darting across the garage in case Dominic happened to walk past.

Thea joined me and shut the door, cocooning us inside our little bubble where I hoped we’d sit in privacy. The inside of the car was warm, the faint scent of coconut air freshener mixing with the food. I opened the bag and pulled out a container, and the steam fogged up the windshield briefly.

“Thanks, Thea, I’m so sorry I have to stay late again.” The heat from the food curled up around my face. I poked at the noodles without taking a bite, still watching her carefully. The sound of the twins giggling in the back added a layer of pressure I couldn’t ignore. It tamed the loud rumble of hunger from my stomach for a second, but I shoved a bite of food down anyway.

“Mommy, I got a new book…”

“Shut up!” Leo snapped. “Mommy, I have to pee.”

Looking back at them I winced and knew I had to rush this so Thea could get them home. “There’s no potty here, Leo. And that book looks really fun, Cal. Maybe I can read it to you for bedtime.” I unscrewed the cap on a bottle of water Thea handed me and took a sip before setting it down.

She looked like she wanted to say something, but she was reluctant to let it out. I shoved a bite of food into my mouth as she spat it out. “Savannah, your dad called me earlier tonight.”

I froze mid-bite. My fork paused in the carton. The food no longer smelled appetizing. My hunger vanished as my chest pulled tight. “What? Why?”

She glanced at me, gauging my reaction as her fingers tapped against her knee. Her voice was soft, but the tension in her shoulders and the half grimace on her face told me she wasn’t done. I watched her face carefully, waiting for the rest.

“I don’t know. He was calm, weirdly calm. He asked a few things. About your schedule, how you were doing. And then about Dominic.” Her gaze flicked toward the dashboard, avoiding my eyes as she spoke. She shifted uncomfortably, as if replaying the conversation in her head. Something about her tone unsettled me. “He asked me what you told me about him? He asked me if this dating thing was real or fake.”

I set the container on the center console and wiped my palms on my skirt. A chill had crept into my chest, tightening around my ribs. My throat felt dry. “What did you say?” I wouldn’t take my father’s calls so he just decided to call Thea instead? And it wasn’t the first time he had pressed me about Dominic either. There were times over the past five years he asked me who the boys’ father was, but I never told him because I knew what his reaction would be.

I studied her face, heart climbing into my throat as I waited. Her expression was drawn, jaw set tight. My stomach knotted in anticipation of her answer. “Not much. I kept it vague, but the call felt off. I think you should just tell him, Savannah. There are rumors now, pictures being shared out there.” I winced at her statement because it was true. Everyone was starting to talk about the resemblance.

And while Dominic hadn’t come right out and made a statement about it, it was only a matter of time before my father and Dominic went to war over this. It wouldn’t be pretty either. And whatever was bothering Dad so badly to make him anxiousabout me fake dating Dominic would only get worse when he found out his best friend fathered my children.

She looked at me firmly, her lips pressed together, and she finally met my eyes. “Do it soon…”

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