Page 77 of Mister Stark

He squeezed my ankle and smiled, but wiped his eyes of the powerful emotions he felt inside. They pushed past his breaking point and he gave into them. But we knew everything was going to be alright.

“You’re going to be an amazing mother to these precious babies, Celeste.” Daxon breathed as he smiled and his words tugged at my heart. “They are lucky to have you.”

“And they are lucky to have you too, Daxon.” I breathed as the words escaped my lips and I couldn’t take them back.

But I didn’t want to.

It was the whole truth. Nothing but the truth. So, help me if I can’t help myself.

Dylan grabbed my hand and his father’s. “They are lucky to have all of us.”

We both looked at Dylan and we all connected as one. The family would grow. These twins would bond us together for the rest of our lives. But we just didn’t know how, and Dylan had no idea the truth was just around the corner.

And I didn’t know if he would ever find out.

***

SEVERAL WEEKS PASSED, and I hit fourteen weeks into my pregnancy. I didn't think my belly could get any bigger, but it did, and I didn't think it could stretch anymore. My clothes didn’t fit the way I hoped, and a shopping trip was in order. My morning sickness had settled, and I was more at ease. I slept better and could eat anything I wanted. I enjoyed my pregnancy, and it was a high note.

But today I was nervous.

We went behind Dylan’s back and had a paternity test done at thirteen weeks pregnant. Daxon ordered it and wanted it done immediately. It was invasive, but would provide us with the truth, and we were ready to take that risk.

The test was called Chorionic Villus Sampling. I had to go to a special lab, and a doctor used a needle to take a small tissue sample from my uterine wall through the cervix. They took that fluid sample and would compare the DNA to Daxon’s.

Dylan didn’t even need to be involved because if Daxon wasn’t the father, then we knew he was. It was simple, but terrifying. These results held my future in its scientific grasp and without it I wouldn’t know the answer. The truth we both sought.

Who was the father?

Daxon told me the results of the paternity test were ready. He held the answer within an envelope and he wanted me to meet him at his office. We’d do this in secret with no one else around. The same way everything else was going so far. Strictly confidential.

My nerves kicked into overdrive when I saw his office door closed and knew he was just on the other side. I knew he waited for me with the same anxiousness I felt pushing at the surface and it needed air. We needed to breathe and let the truth sink in.

Was Daxon the father, or was his son?

“You can do this, Celeste...” I breathed as I held a hand over my belly and tapped on his door.

Immediately, the door opened and Daxon stood on the other side. His hair was a disheveled mess, like he had run his hands through it multiple times and some pieces stood up. I wanted to touch him and fix it, but I knew it wasn’t the time.

So, I let out a nervous laugh instead.

“Seriously?” Daxon asked with an annoyed look. “There’s nothing funny about this situation, princess.”

“You don’t have to remind me, daddy.” I huffed and closed the door behind me. “Did you look inside the envelope yet?”

He shook his head. “I couldn’t bring myself to without you.”

My heart skipped a beat, and I looked at the plain white envelope in his hands. He wanted me to be with him when he found out. And I couldn’t wait another second.

“Well, I’m here now.” I sighed as I plucked it out of his hands and peered down at my fate. “Let’s get this over with.”

I opened the flap of the white paper and pulled out the result inside. They folded it into three and blank on the backside. I turned it over and unfolded it.

“Wait...” Daxon blurted out and his hand touched mine.

His eyes caught mine. The deep hues of brown shone against the light and burned deep into my soul. He stared at me with such intensity it made my heart pound in my ears and my toes curled in my shoes.

“What is it?” I asked with curiosity.

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