Page 81 of Peaceful Chaos

"Marrying Raven wasn't a mistake, nor were we forced." Hearing him have to defend our marriage again causes me to clench my teeth. My father's lie continues to haunt us.

She looks at Raven then back at me. "You don't have to lie anymore. I know you love me. We can be a family now."

"Raven is my family." Speaking to her is like trying to explain the meaning of life to a toddler. Her fantasy of the two of us is so deeply entrenched I'm not sure I can convince her to see the truth.

Jenna shakes her head, her limp blonde hair swishing against the top of her shoulders. "No she isn't. We are meant to be together, you and I and—"

A sinking feeling hits my gut. "Spit it out, Jenna."

"Our baby," she whispers. Her eyes fill with tears, and a few spill down her cheeks. "Damien said if I brought him Raven, you and I could have our son back and we could be a family."

Raven gasps, and her hand flies to cover her mouth. I hear what Jenna is saying, but maybe I'm truly a bastard because right now I don't give a shit. All I care about is how Raven is handling this news.

I turn to her and fold her into my arms. Holding her tight to my chest, I let myself breathe in the floral scent of her shampoo. "It's you and me, no matter what," I whisper into her hair.

She nods, but it's not enough. "Promise me," I demand.

"No matter what," she murmurs against my chest.

"No!" Jenna screeches. "Don't touch her. I just told you we have a son. You are supposed to be with me. Raise him with me."

"How do you know it's Sin's," Lucien asks. There's a lethal edge to his words, like he's drawing her into a trap.

Jenna sputters. "Because he is. He has to be."

Lucien cocks an eyebrow. "Is that because you want that to be true, or because there's no other possibility."

Her brow furrows as she tries to work out how to answer him. "I just know it. A mother knows."

"Hmm. See, I have problems with accepting that. I know for a fact that you were fucking at least six different men at the time you became pregnant. So, your ability to just know the paternity isn't enough," Lucien says.

"Never once did I fuck you without protection," I add. Raven flinches at my harsh words, and I wish again that she had gone back with the others.

Jenna lifts her chin, already devising an answer. "Condoms aren't a hundred percent effective."

"So you're saying when I caught you rawdogging my father that couldn't possibly be how you got pregnant?" Lucien asks.

"No, it can't be. Damien Blackthorne is not my son's father," she insists.

"Who has him now?" Raven asks.

Jenna turns her face away and refuses to acknowledge Raven's presence any longer, let alone answer her question.

"Answer the fucking question," Lucien snarls. He's playing the bad guy, and I'm grateful. I just don't seem to have it in me to badger her.

"Damien," she finally answers.

The three of us exchange a look. Lucien sets down his backpack and takes out his laptop. I have a guess at what he's doing, but I'll let him do his cyber sleuthing while we get the rest of the answers we need.

Marks moves to my side and sets his hand on my shoulder and squeezes. It's a sign of support, and a signal to let him take over interrogating her.

He reaches into his suit jacket and pulls out the leather folio holding his badge. Flipping it open he shows her his badge and identification. Her eyes widen when she takes it in.

"I'm Agent Brett Marks with the FBI. I'm going to give you a chance to save yourself here, but only if you answer my questions. If you try and evade a single one, or lie to me I will personally make sure you are charged with every infraction I can pin on you, and your son will be an adult before you are out of prison."

She stares at him without moving or blinking. "Nod if you understand," Marks insists.

When she signals she heard him, he proceeds to read her rights to her. "Will you speak to me without an attorney?"

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