Page 68 of Fate

Heat fills every pore, and I have to remind myself my father knows not what he’s done. He has no clue what the situation is between Misty, Kathleen, andme.

Without even looking at Kat, I know she’s pissed. The fire scorching my palm is enough to show she’s seething on the inside, regardless of how she appears on the outside.

“Isn’t this awesome!” Misty says to me, loud enough for most of the table to hear. “Now Cora will feel right at home with her mommy and daddy and the entire family together.” She puts her hand on my shoulder and then caresses it down to my elbow, as if she has the right to such an intimate touch.

“We’re going to have to have a serious discussion about this,” I say in a low growl.

She blinks innocently and places her napkin in her lap. “Are you not happy I’m here?” She speaks so loudly the entire table stops eating and looks atme.

Chase’s jaw locks down and a muscle ticks away in his cheek. Gigi has eyes only for Kathleen, probably doing the secret girl-talk thing where there are no actual words exchanged, just subtle body language only the best of friends would pick up. The kids are eating away and talking nonstop. Cooper is smiling like a loon, happily picking up a forkful of food and shoveling it in his mouth, obviously completely entertained by my horror.

“Honey, would you fill my wine?” Kathleen’s request breaks the tension, allowing me to ignore the question.

“Oh yes, for me too. I’ll have whatever you’re having, Carson. We seem to like all of the same things,” Misty says, embellishing. “Makes living together so easy. Wouldn’t you agree, sweetheart?” she coos, handing me her glass.

Sweetheart. Fuckingfuck.

The muscle in Kathleen’s leg tightens so much it lifts my hand. I squeeze back, letting her know I’m with her, right here, just as horrified as she is, but trying to push through. Honestly though, I’m in hell. Actual. Living. Hell.

Kathleen, the woman I love, the person I want to be with for the rest of my life, is sitting on my left. The woman I will never be able to escape, because we have a daughter together, and she’s pushing her way into my life, is sitting on my right. Sandwiched between heaven and hell. Lord helpme.

Conversation between my family and Misty moves throughout dinner. Kathleen and I stay quiet, both of us feeling the same things for different reasons. I know Kat’s angry. Who wouldn’t be, when faced with your first dinner with a family you’ve missed for years and then being forced to share the moment with the mother of your man’s child? It’s not right. It’s twisted as fuck. I’m going to have to talk to my father about not allowing this to happen in the future. Kathleen’s and Cora’s comfort is my first priority.

Chloe seems to save the day, talking about work and what she and Kathleen have been working on for Paris Fashion Week. Which, I’m reminded, is in another month. My Kathleen will be heading to Paris without me. Then an idea hits. Perhaps I can go visit her after her week is done and spend a few days just with her, motoring around the most romantic city in the world. Right then, I plan on enlisting Chloe and their receptionist to block off the time in Kat’s calendar.

Just the thought of having a few uninterrupted days with my woman is exactly what I need. Hell, what we both need rightnow.

As the night wears on,Kathleen spends time chatting it up with Gillian and the kids, playing on the floor. It’s as if time paused for almost three years until she re-entered my life. I feel as sappy as shit and think all is right with the world again.

Unfortunately, Misty, who I thought would leave immediately after dinner, follows us into the living room for family time and a nightcap like she owns the place. She chats up Cooper, touching him in a way that could only be construed as flirting. I clench my teeth and try to breathe through my anger. Coop is a douche. Has always been one. Especially when he fucked Chase’s fiancée Meghan on their wedding night over a decade ago. To this day, he’s not exactly sorry. Claims he was saving our cousin from a mistake. I could just see him taking Misty to bed to spiteme.

Misty looks my way and smiles shyly, tilting her chin down while running her finger along the edge of her blouse near her almost bursting cleavage.

What the hell is her game? Does she seriously think flirting with Coop is going to make me jealous? I groan and head toward Kat and the kids. Kat pulls herself up and into the chair and slumps back, putting her hand to her forehead.

“My goodness, I’d forgotten what a bundle of energy kids can be when they are all together like this. So much fun though.”

Kathleen’s smile is huge and brightens even more when Cora rushes into her, hugs her around the middle, and then climbs up onto her lap. My heart fills with pride and joy, and I pull out my cell phone and snap a couple pics of the smiling beauties. My girl loves my woman. There is nothing in the world better thanthat.

Out of nowhere, Misty screeches, “Be careful with her!” She scares me, Kathleen, and most of all, Cora, who jolts back with her entire body. Kathleen tries to grab her with her injured arm, a flash of pain crossing her brow when she does, but Cora still slides right through herhold.

I swear the entire thing happens in slow motion but is probably only a secondflat.

Cora’s little body flies backward over the arm of the chair.

Her head hits the carpet before her neck, shoulders, andbody.

Misty rushes over and falls to her knees.

Kat’s eyes are huge and round.

My baby girl screaming.

I pick up my daughter so fast you’d have thought snakes were attacking her. She is crying so hard my shirt is soaked through.

Kat stands up and lifts a hand toward the back of Cora’s head, where I have it clutched to my chest. My heart is pounding a mile a minute. Misty slaps Kat’s hand away before she can even so much as touch a hair on the child’shead.

“Don’t you touch my daughter. You did this! You’re not strong enough to hold a baby! I’ve seen how you can’t even lift a full glass of wine with that mangled thing, and you tried to hold my daughter. My baby! How dare you put Cora in danger. Do you hate me that much you want to hurt my only child?” she screams at the top of her lungs.

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