Page 13 of Run the Play
“These guys are my family. Anything we discuss, I’ll just tell them. Save me the time not to have to repeat myself.”
“Whatever.” She turns and heads, I’m guessing, toward the living room.
“What do you need?” Knox asks.
“Don’t leave.” This time, there’s a quiver in his tone. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.” He nods toward the living area and turns to walk away.
“I guess we’re following him,” Foster says. He leads us out of the dining room in a line of four men. Four brothers, not by blood, but by choice, heading to battle for one of our own.
We find Natasha sitting on the love seat. Baker sits in the center of the couch. Knox and I flank him on either side while Reid and Foster take the other chairs.
“You wanted to talk. Start talking.”
Natasha rolls her eyes. “We slept together that night.”
“I’m aware,” Baker tells her.
“We had too much to drink.”
“I’m also aware. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Ouch. I try not to wince, but damn, I’ve never heard Baker Sinclair be so harsh, especially not to a woman.
“I assume I don’t need to explain the birds and the bees to you?” Natasha says in a bitchy tone.
“How do I know that baby is mine?”
Again, she rolls her eyes. “Levi and I had been broken up for a month before that night. The timeline fits.”
“I want a paternity test. I know we slept together, but I need concrete evidence that it’s my baby you’re carrying. I always wear protection. Drunk or not.”
Baker Sinclair is a good guy. We all soaked up the attention in college and our early years, but I can say with one-hundred-percent certainty that the five of us are selective as to who we stick our dicks into. I know that sounds dick-ish, but it’s the truth.
My high school coach and college coach, who Knox and I shared for two years, also preached it.Women see a meal ticket, be selective and make damn sure you wrap it before you tap it.
“I’m also on the pill, but nothing is one-hundred-percent effective.”
“That night,” Baker says, his voice raspy. “You kept ordering drinks, saying that we deserved a night to loosen up. Was this your plan all along? To get pregnant?”
“What?” Natasha gasps. “No. I wanted to let off some steam. Levi and I were broken up.”
“Wait.” Reid holds up his hand. “Didn’t I just see an article that the two of you are back together?”
Natasha sits up straighter. “We are.” She nods. “I don’t need or want your money, Baker Sinclair. But, like it or not, this is your baby. Levi offered to raise this baby as his own, but I knew I had to do the right thing. I had to tell you that you’re going to be a father and let you make the choice on your own.”
The room is eerily silent. I can’t tell you how much time passes, but eventually, Baker finds his voice. “If that baby is mine, I’ll be raising him.”
“Thisisyour baby, Baker Sinclair.”
“You’ll be hearing from my attorney for a paternity test. Once we have the results, we’ll go from there.”
“I’m not leaving Levi. We’re in love. We’re going to stick this time.” She crosses her arms over her chest. It’s defensive, but it’s not needed. Baker would never hurt her, and I’m pretty damn sure he’s not interested in more with her.
“I don’t want you,” Baker says, his voice cold. “But if that’s my baby, we’ll figure it out.”
Natasha stands. “Fine. You’ve got my number.” She turns and walks right out the door.
Baker takes his baseball cap off his head and tosses it across the room. “Fuck!” he roars. His elbows land on his knees, and he buries his face in his hands.
