Page 70 of Fate

“Shut up,” I growl between my teeth. “Just shut up. You’re making it worse. Kathleen already feels bad enough.”

Misty’s head jerks as she strides over to Chase and pats Cora’s back. “You saw what she did.” Her voice lowers into a lethal timbre. “She hurt our daughter. I can’t allow someone so completely clueless of her own disability to be responsible for Cora’s well-being. Absolutely not. Over my dead body,” she warns. “I can’t believe you’d dothis.”

“Me? Misty, you’re acting like I promised you marriage and more children.”

She turns on a spiked heel. “Didn’tyou?”

“No! Not even close! I promised you safety and security. That’s what I’m givingyou.”

“How can we possibly have that when you are all the way across town in your home and Cora and I are in some stuffy apartment? Cora, away from her daddy. The only man who will always protect her!” Her voice shakes and the tears fall. Her shoulders tremble with the effort.

Fuck. Two women cryingnow.

“Misty, I’m going to take care of you and Cora. I said I would and I will. But this thing you think there is between us, you’re mistaken. We had one night over two years ago. I don’t even remember much ofit!”

Her crying turns into a full-blownsob.

I make my way over to her and lay my hand on her shoulder. “Listen, it’s going to be okay. We’re going to work through this for the sake of our daughter. She’s what matters.”

Instead of nodding and accepting her fate, she flings her body into my arms and locks on to me in a vise-like embrace. I have no choice but to pat her back and try to calm her down. It’s not good for Cora to see her mother and father fighting.

Of course, that’s when Kathleen walks back into the room, Gigi holding her at the waist in what I assume is sisterly support. Gillian clocks my position with Misty and glares, her green eyes turning a fiery emerald. Kathleen, on the other hand, is worse. Her entire face goes completely blank, devoid of all emotion.

With self-preservation in mind, I push Misty back and go to Kathleen right as she’s about to leave. I know when my girl looks like she’s about to run, and there was fire licking at her heels a momentago.

“Sweetcheeks.” I open my arms, and she face-plants right into my chest.

“I’m sorry. I tried, Carson. I tried to catch her, but I just…” Her voice catches. “I just couldn’t.”

“I know, honey. I know. Cora’s fine. She’s going to be just fine. We’ll wait and see what the doctor says. Okay? Then we’ll take herhome.”

She nods against my chest before firming her spine, wiping at her tears, and looking up at me as though the entire world has just crumbled at herfeet.

“I know you loveher.”

She nods. Another set of tears falling down her cheeks. “So much. I’d never hurt her on purpose. Never.”

“She’s going to be okay,” I say to her as much as to myself. I put my arm around my woman and bring her into theroom.

The doctor is right behind Kathleen and me, my father quick at his heels.

“Where’s the patient?” he says, all business.

The doctor looks over my daughter, with Misty and me and everyone else in the room watching closely.

“She’s fine. Just a nasty bump on the head. She’ll want to sleep on her belly. Give her some ibuprofen for the pain and keep an eye on her. If she starts to vomit for any reason or cry uncontrollably, or in reverse, act too lethargic or be hard to wake, take her to the emergencyroom.”

Father and I thank the doctor and send him on hisway.

Now I have to get Kathleen, my daughter, and Misty back to my house so the three of us can watch Cora and get through the evening. Yippee. Not.