Page 5 of Fallen Ink

He and Jeaniene had only been together a few times, and just for fun with no real ties, when she found out she was pregnant. Everything had gone to shit after that, but in the end, he’d gotten his baby girl, so he counted it as one hell of a win.

Mace set Daisy down on the couch and kissed the top of her head before handing her his phone. Wasn’t the best parenting, but he needed to talk to Jeaniene in private, and he didn’t want Daisy to overhear. “Be right back, pumpkin.” He quickly opened up the child memory app game that he knew she liked, ran a hand over her hair, then gestured for Jeaniene to follow him into the kitchen.

“What’s going on, Jeaniene?” His coffee sat like lead in his gut, and he knew he’d probably regret that second cup.

She bit her lip, an action very unlike her, and he tilted his head, studying her face. She looked as if she hadn’t slept much the night before, something she couldn’t hide even with all her professional attire and makeup. If something was worrying her that much, he knew he wouldn’t like it.

“I got partner,” she said quickly, and his brows rose.

“Really? Good for you.” And he meant it. She worked her ass off at her job and still made time for Daisy. He could never fault her for how she cared for their daughter, even if he wanted to rail at her for not letting him be in Daisy’s life enough for his liking. “You did that pretty quick, right?” She was far younger than the men at her firm—younger than even Mace—so her making partner was actually a big thing.

She nodded but didn’t look any less stressed. “Actually, that’s not completely accurate. I will make partner this month. If I do something.”

He stiffened. “And what the hell do you need to do?” Hypothetical situations raced through his head that would put her in a compromising position, and he curled his fists. He knew what kind of men she worked with and the power they wielded. He might not like Jeaniene as much as he had when they were together, but if someone hurt her, he’d have to do something about it.

She raised her hands, palms facing him, and shook her head. “Nothing like what you’re thinking. I promise. But it’s still bad.”

“Spit it out, Jeaniene.”

“I’ll make partner if I move to Japan. Tomorrow. No warning, no preparation. But a spot opened up, and the only way I’ll make partner before I’m forty at this firm is if I do this. It’s a great opportunity, and will set up Daisy and me for the rest of our lives if I go along with this new position for six months.”

His mouth went dry as his brain tried to catch up. Japan, for six months? What. The. Fuck.

He hadn’t realized he’d said it aloud until her brows rose pointedly and she glared in his direction. She’d never liked his cursing, but she could fuck right off just then.

“You’re moving to Japan? What about Daisy? There’s no fucking way you’re taking her out of the damn country. She’s my daughter, too, damn it.”

A pained look crossed her face, and she let out a breath. “I can’t bring Daisy with me, Mace.” She whispered it as if she couldn’t quite believe the words coming out of her mouth either.

“What?” he asked, his voice hoarse. He couldn’t have heard her right. There was no way she was just dropping their daughter off at his house with no warning or discussion. He did his best to ignore the suitcase she’d brought with her.

“It will be best if Daisy stays here in the US. I’ll be working long hours in Japan, and frankly, I don’t know how I’ll be able to be a full-time mom over there.”

He just blinked, confused as all hell and ignoring that little kernel of hope in his heart that he might be seeing Daisy more than before. Because this was Jeaniene, after all, and nothing was ever as it seemed.

“My parents offered to take Daisy in, of course.”

“No fucking way. She’s my daughter. Not theirs.” Something Jeaniene’s family tended to forget. “If you’re going to leave Daisy and go gallivanting off across the world, putting work before your child, then you’re damn well going to make sure she’s with her father.”

Anger sparked in her eyes, but she didn’t curse at him. Jeaniene wouldn’t. “I wasn’t going to let them take her. Despite what they say, you are a good father. And it’s going to kill me to leave her here with only Skype and some visits if I can get those planned, but it will be the best for us in the end if I make partner. I’m doing this for her.”

He didn’t believe that for even a hot second, but he wasn’t sure he had words for what he was feeling right then.

Jeaniene looked down at her watch and then pressed her lips together into a tight line. “I don’t know all the details, and this will have to be done legally, of course. The firm will send you papers on what the temporary situation is, and then the two of us can decide what the permanent solution will be. I need to go if I’m going to make my flight.” Tears pooled in her eyes, but he ignored them. “Mace. I need you to watch Daisy until I can figure out what to do. This will be good for our future, I know it, but…but I also know this puts a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. If it’s too much, I can talk to my parents.”

He held up his hand, his chest heaving. He honestly couldn’t fucking believe what was going on. Jeaniene had done a lot of things that not only surprised him but had also pissed him off throughout the years, but this…this topped anything he could have ever even dreamed of.

“Let me get this straight. You’re moving to Japan. Now. No warning. No phone call to tell me what the fuck you’re planning. And you’re leaving Daisy here. Again, no warning. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t want her to live here. Not that I don’t want her with me. Always. It’s the fact that you don’t seem to fucking care that you’re abandoning your kid. But…you do you. Like you always do. But that paperwork you’re sending? You can be damn sure I’ll get a better lawyer than I had last time. And you’d better have something in writing now before you go so your parents don’t try to pull some shit, or I’m going to make your life hell. You get me?”

She raised her chin and met his gaze. “I get you, Mace. I always got you.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a stack of papers. “I got these done already. It will cover you from my family. We’ll deal with the rest soon. And as for Daisy? I’m doing this for her.”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself at night.”

She shot him a look and stalked back into the living room where he guessed she was saying goodbye to their daughter. Mace let out a shuddering breath then gripped the edge of the counter, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened.

From one breath to the next, he’d become a full-time dad.

And he had no idea what the fuck to do about it.

---