Page 65 of Wait For Me

“Son of a bitch.”

“Vina?” I asked.

She turned back to me with tears in her eyes. “It’s Davina. Davina Perrish.”

“Davina, I know that woman probably put shit in your head and made you a bunch of promises, but the likelihood of Jared being the father is slim, you have to know that.”

“It’s still a possibility and I need to know now.”

“Why? Why do you need to know now?”

“She has cancer,” Davina told me before she broke down crying. I pulled her into my arms.

“That’s some more shit that Missy probably fed her!”

“No,” I told him. I’d seen the devastation in her eyes. She was a mom and scared to death for her daughter.

“What can we do to help?”

Davina shrugged her shoulders. Jared paced across the room from us, trying to burn off some of the angry energy. I knew it was more to do with his ex and the perception that Davina was here only at her behest with a bunch of lies. I understood, so I took charge instead.

“Obviously, a DNA test has to happen. Considering you worked for a club, we will go over there and ask the men that you slept with around the last two weeks of October and first two weeks of November to take a test. We can’t force them to, but it’s the best I can offer you.”

Davina cried into my shoulder even harder. “W-w-why would you help me?”

“Vina?” I called to her, she pulled away from me then and her watery blue eyes met my own. “Were you with my dad or brother around that time?” The tears streamed faster down her cheeks as she nodded. “Okay, so that means three of the men in my life could possibly have fathered your child. If it’s Jared, that might be my stepdaughter one day. If it’s Kip or Tripp, it could be my niece or my sister.” My brain hurt just thinking about the possibilities. “If you’re looking for the father, I’m assuming you’re looking for a match for a donation?”

“Bone marrow,” she agreed.

“Okay, well, I will go in and get tested right away. You tell me when and where. If I’m a match, I’ll gladly donate.”

“Why are you being so nice?” She sniffled through the question, and it broke my heart.

“Honey, if I’m a match, she’s most likely my kin.”

If I was a match, someone in my life had some explaining to do. I knew that accidents happened, but still. We all stood there for a few minutes absorbing the truth of my statement.

“Sorry, Vina. Missy’s been causing problems lately. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. We’ll get the tests done. If she’s my daughter, you know I’ll take care of her, and see if I’m a match. I have to ask that you don’t try to bring her around until we know something though.” He was gentle with the last bit, but firm as well.

“I understand. I don’t want her to know until it’s confirmed anyway.”

Jared nodded. “You know that you’re going to have to answer to the club for keeping her a secret, right?”

“I know,” she whispered while staring down at her feet.

“Let’s get you a ride home since the one that brought you here took off.” Jared told her. “Word of advice, stay far the fuck away from Missy. She’s interfered one too many times now, and things aren’t going to go very well for her from here on out.”

“Okay, thanks. I’m sorry about her. I really didn’t know. She made it sound like you were still together and that she was giving me a chance to talk to you alone.” Davina’s attention moved back to mine. “That’s why I had attitude with you when you opened the door. It’s one thing for the guys to be with the club girls, but to openly cheat on their women…” her words trailed off.

“Honey, there is not a difference to me. If this idiot gets caught with a club girl here, on the road, or wherever he won’t be my man anymore.”

Davina grinned at me. “I wish I had been like that,” she told me. “Might have saved me some heartache along the way.” Well, shit. That was just sad.

We got Davina on her way and then sat down on the couch together. “What the fuck am I going to do if that kid is mine? She has cancer. Fuck! She can’t be that big yet. How the fuck am I going to deal with a tiny baby who is sick?”

“She should be about seven months old, and we’ll figure it out. The chances aren’t even in the favor of you being the father. I know it only takes once. But once with you while wearing a condom compared to how many encounters with the other members of the club during the time that she could have gotten pregnant. You know some of those assholes don’t wrap it up either.”

“I know. Fuck, is it bad I almost want the kid to be mine rather than some of my brothers?”

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