Page 58 of Pack Plus Three

“Ahh, the dish that started it all,” I hummed happily, grabbing a bottle of water and taking a seat at the breakfast bar.

Devon pulled me in for a quick hug, kissing the top of my head briefly. “I love having you here. Jeremy never usually cooks for us this much!”

“How mean of him.” I laughed, narrowing my eyes playfully at Jeremy as he cooked.

“I thought it best that I break this out. you've been more nauseated the last few days and this dish is tried-and-true when it comes to that.”

“You’re right about that,” I mumbled, rubbing my stomach. “Baby is feeling a little cranky at the moment.”

“After you eat, maybe go lie down and rest?” Jeremy suggested.

I groaned. “I feel like all I do is rest!”

“I know, but you only have a few weeks left, right?”

Devon lightly rubbed my back as I looked longingly at the beer in his hands. “The moment I’m no longer pregnant, I’m having a large glass of wine,” I grumbled.

“I’ll get you a fancy bottle as soon as you’re able to drink.” Jeremy laughed as he got plates out. “Also, I stopped by the apartments today and picked up your mail.” He nodded toward the small stack of letters on the counter. I leaned forward to grab them, but my stomach stopped me, so I pouted at Devon, who laughed, scooping them up with ease and handing them to me.

I riffled through the envelopes as Jeremy dished up the food. It was a few bills, some junk mail, and then one large envelope made from a very thick paper.

Frowning, I opened the unfamiliar letter. There was no way it was a bill. Bills didn't come on expensive paper like that. Pulling out the stack of papers, I read the first few lines and felt my stomach drop.

Petition for sole child custody.

It was a legal document—from Cole, of all people. I hadn’t had a conversation in months, and now he was filing for sole custody?

He was going to try and take my child away? Staring at the paper in shock, I tried to understand what this meant. Cole had been crystal clear that he had no intention of being a father, that he had no interest in it, and he’d abandoned me. So, why the hell would he have done this?

“Duckie?” Jeremy asked, putting his spatula down.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the paper as my breathing increased, spots appearing in my vision as my heartbeat pounded in my ears.

Hands gently plucked the paperwork from my hands—Devon.

"No fucking way," Devon growled as he looked over the paperwork.

"What the hell is it?" Jeremy asked, abandoning the food to circle the counter to where we were sitting.

My hands started to shake as tears burned my eyes. Surely, he couldn't just take my baby?

Who was I kidding? Cole's family was so rich, they could get away with murder if they so wanted.

"T-they want to take my baby," I stammered as the tears started to fall.

“Surely, they can’t?” Jeremy said as he started frantically reading the papers over Devon’s shoulder.

Devon frowned. “The fucker is certainly trying.”

Warm arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a chest. Woodsy warmth filled my nose. Jeremy. Sinking into his embrace, the floodgates opened and I started to sob.

Heavily.

“We need to talk to Nate about this,” Devon said as Jeremy rubbed my back, holding me tightly in his arms.

Nate wasn’t exactly my biggest fan, so that wasn’t a comfort.

“Text him—say it’s an emergency, and he needs to come home,” Jeremy instructed.

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