Page 77 of Cross Check Daddies
“I’m okay,” she says, but it’s not convincing. Her voice is a rasp, barely strung together. She looks up at me like she’s still trying to hold on.
“I’ll make you some tea,” I offer. “Ginger, right?”
She nods.
Cam leads her to the couch while Ace hovers behind them, arms crossed, pacing already. I move into the kitchen and start boiling water, pulling the little glass jar of dried ginger I keep there. My hands work quickly, mechanically. I need to do something with all this quiet anger swimming under my skin. I hate that she’s this scared.
I set the tea on a tray and bring it over. She’s sitting now, Cam on one side, Ace leaning against the coffee table like he doesn’t know what to do with his body. I press a kiss to the side of her head and pass her the cup. She takes it with both hands.
“I’ll give you space,” I say.
But her hand shoots out, fingers locking around mine. “Please stand with me.”
I nod once. Stay rooted to the spot beside her. Her eyes are glassy when she looks at the men across from her.
“I need to tell you something.”
They wait, still. Cam leans forward slightly. Ace doesn’t move.
“I’m pregnant,” she says. Her voice doesn’t waver this time. “And I don’t know who the father is.”
The silence is instant. A held breath.
Cam blinks. “What?”
She takes a breath. “I’m pregnant. I can’t do a paternity test right now because of some complications I had with Jackson. My OB said it’s too risky, too early. So… it could be any of you.”
Cam leans back slowly, dragging a hand over his mouth. His eyes are glassy. A quiet kind of stunned. But then his mouth curves. “You’re having a baby.”
She nods.
He laughs once, sharp and full of disbelief. “That’s… wow. Okay. That’s… actually amazing.” He leans in and hugs her, and I see the way her hand clutches the back of his shirt like she didn’t expect him to react like that.
But Ace doesn’t move. He stares at her, jaw tight, breath shallow. “Wait. No. No, this isn’t—there’s no way this is mine.”
Her face twists.
Ace’s voice rises, rough and clipped. “The condom broke once. And I pulled out.”
Cam shifts, shooting him a look. “Come on, man. Not helpful.”
“I’m not trying to be an asshole.” Ace runs a hand down his face. “I just... I’ve been here before. With someone else. And it ended badly. And I am saying that chances are very low that I am the one who?—”
“You know that’s not how biology works,” I say gently. “And even if it isn’t yours?—”
“I need to leave!” he says, now pacing.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I curse. “You are running? You ARE RUNNING?”
“That’s not it.” His voice drops. “I just…I can’t breathe right now.”
Brooke flinches like she’s just been slapped. Ace sees it. He steps toward her, then away again as if the space between them is burning.
“I’m sorry!” she whispers.
“Don’t!” I hiss and then glare at Ace.
“Why am I the only one freaking out. Do you not understand how complicated this is?” he says, softer this time. “This is complicated. This is not something...”
