Page 110 of Challenged by the Single Dad

Each one of his brothers yawned like a male lion as they entered the brewery, grabbing a stool and sitting down, sleepy-eyed. Wyatt still had bedhead.

Jagger scratched at his thick beard, cradling a stainless-steel Yeti mug. “This is my one day to sleep in, bro. What the hell can’t wait until noon?”

Clint was already pouring them each a glass of beer and passing them around.

“Chloe’s pregnant.”

Everyone’s jaw dropped.

“Gonna need something stronger,” Wyatt said, standing up and heading through the door that connected the brewery to the kitchen. He returned less than a minute later with a bottle of Pecker Rye and five low ball glasses. He poured everyone a dram. “All right, start over.”

“Chloe’s pregnant,” Dom said again, tossing back the rye.

“And it’s yours?” Clint asked.

Dom shot his oldest brother a glare.

Clint held up his hands in surrender. “I’m just asking. I mean … she’s only been here, what? Eight weeks? Maybe she’s been with other guys? Maybe she was pregnant when she got here and didn’t know? Maybe it’s Hawke’s?”

Dom surged to his feet, anger lancing hot through him.

Jagger was on his feet too, resting a hand against Dom’s chest. “Easy. He’s just asking. Just looking out for you.”

“And your reaction is also very telling about how you feel about her and the baby,” Bennett said gently. “I take it you’re happy?”

Dom sat back down, his nostrils flaring. “It’s mine. I believe her when she says she hasn’t been with anybody else. And it’s not Hawke’s. She has no reason to lie.”

Clint glanced at the others. “One of you say it. I can’t keep being the bad guy. He already wants to put his fist through my face.”

“She has ample reason to lie,” Wyatt said softly. “And while I like Chloe too, I mean, there’s a lot to inherit here. The land, the business. We’re building a dynasty.”

“She’s not like that,” Dom gritted out.

“I don’t think she is either,” Wyatt said. “But we’re also trying to cover our asses here. We co-own a business. She comes after you, she comes after all of us.”

“What’s she coming after me for?” he demanded. “Child support? If things don’t work out between us, then of course I’ll take care of my child. What else can she come after?”

“You were—are—her boss. You slept with her. You got her pregnant. We’re not ignorant to the uneven power dynamic here.” Bennett sipped his rye. “It was the main reason Chloe didn’t want to get involved with you. And now that she has, and she’s pregnant, this is messy.”

The idea of Chloe and his child being considered “messy” burned like dry ice on his tongue.

“So what do I do? I tried to fire her and she wouldn’t let me.”

“You what?” Bennett rolled his eyes. “Fucking hell.”

“She wouldn’t let me. I said if I fired her, she could collect severance, then we could be together.”

“You tried to fire her after she told you she was pregnant and the baby is yours. Do you have any idea the implications this could put our business in?” Bennett appealed to his other brothers for support. “I’m not crazy right? That was insane.”

Everyone but Dom nodded solemnly.

Jagger pulled in a deep breath through his nose and made a sad face, pursing his lips like a duck for a moment. “Sit down, Dom. You’re making me anxious with your pacing.”

Glaring at his younger brother, Dom reluctantly took a seat back on the stool.

Jagger cleared his throat. “Obviously, we have a group chat without you. We all have group chats minus one person. And wediddiscuss what would happen if something like this happened.”

Fresh rage simmered in Dom’s veins. “And?”

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