Page 139 of Offside Devil

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MIRA

“There aren’t guards at the gates. Why aren’t there guards at the gates? Shouldn’t there be guards at the gates?” I scan the wrought-iron fencing. “Are there even cameras?”

“Oh, did I forget to tell you?” Zane drawls sarcastically. “We’re dropping Aiden off for preschool, not a prison sentence.”

I scowl at him. “That wasn’t funny.”

“It wasn’t a joke.”

“Neither is security!”

Aside from our trail walks the last few days, dropping Aiden off for his first day of preschool is the first time we’ve been out in public in over a week. Since the first of many, many articles started popping up online.

At first, they all focused on Zane and Aiden. But soon enough, the comments on every article were filled with speculation about the dark-haired mystery woman in Zane’s life.

She’s the kid’s nanny. No way she’s hot enough to be with Zane.

His son has her nose. That’s definitely the mom. Does anyone know if they’re still together?

Do you see the shoulders on her? Built like a linebacker. Zane hired a female bodyguard for his son.

Aside from making it clear that every woman on planet Earth wants to get with the man I’m currently fucking and giving me a serious complex about the width of my shoulders, the comments were catnip to the internet sleuths.

At this point, half of the people clicking on those links think I’m a Russian mail-order bride and the other half think Zane and I had a secret elopement and adopted Aiden after we found him on the front porch of our vacation rental.

I can’t stop myself from scrutinizing the face of every person we pass. Teachers line the sidewalk, smiling and waving for the big first day welcome, but my stomach is in knots.

“How are you feeling?” Zane asks.

Nauseous, I think. But he isn’t actually talking to me.

“You said Jalen would be here.” Aiden fists his hands nervously in his shirt. He’s shuffling so much that his light-up shoes aren’t even registering his steps.

That’s enough reason for me to lead him right back to the car and out of these gates. He isn’t ready for this, clearly. Let’s go home and bolt the door.

Zane claps a hand on his shoulder. “He will be. I’m not sure where he is now, but he’s going to be in your class. You’ll see him when you get?—”

“There he is!” Aiden shrieks. He cups his hands around his mouth. “Jalen!”

Jemma and Reeves are standing in the grass, snapping a picture of Jalen in front of the school sign. But as soon as he hears his name, Jalen dodges teachers like traffic cones and sprints for Aiden. They collide and flop onto the grass, giggling.

“Godspeed to their teacher,” Jemma mutters as she follows.

Zane scoops Aiden up and plops him on his feet. “No, Aiden is going to be a very well-behaved boy.” He raises his eyebrows, talking slowly and clearly so Aiden can absorb every word. “Aiden is going to listen to his teacher and be respectful.”

“And Jalen is going to follow the lead of his best bud Aiden,” Reeves adds with wide eyes, trying to hypnotize his own kid.

Jalen copies his expression for a second and then busts up laughing.

Reeves shrugs. “It was worth a shot.”

A bell rings and the teachers start heading towards the doors, collecting children like lost sheep as they go.

“Oh, God, it’s happening.” Jemma drops to her knees in front of Jalen. I realize for the first time that Jemma’s eyes are red and swollen. “My baby is going to his first day of school.”

“Preschool,” Jalen clarifies.

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