Page 53 of The Keeper

“Seeing about upgrading my system and having a brand new one installed while I’m at work are two totally different things!” she hissed. “And then today, you went all alpha male and caused a scene in frontof my coworkers because you didn’t like that my boss called me in on my day off.”

“You’re right,” I admitted softly. “I overstepped, and I’m sorry. I’m still finding my footing here as a dad and with you. This is all new to me. I want to help make things easier for you, but I’m not always going to get it right.”

Piper rolled over to face me, her green eyes rimmed with red. “I’m not a girl who needs her big bad biker boyfriend to fight her battles. Do you know how hard I’ve worked to build a reputation there? To be taken seriously?”

“That asshole doesn’t take you seriously,” I said, brushing a strand of hair from her damp cheek. “He takes advantage of you, and I put a stop to it.”

She shook her head, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. “And what happens when he decides it’s not worth the hassle and fires me? Did you stop to think about that? Because I need this job.”

“Bullshit,” I growled, my chest tightening at the defeat in her voice. “You could open your own place. You were so close. I don’t understand why you haven’t told Derek to go fuck himself and pulled the trigger on your own dreams.”

Piper pulled away from me to sit up. “Why the fuck do you think? All the money I saved went to Avery. Diapers, formula, doctor visits—it all adds up fast. Starting a business takes more than just capital. You’ve got to put in long hours if you want a snowball’s chance in hell at succeeding. Kinda hard to do with a newborn.” Her chest heaved, but she held the sob back, pressing her fist against her mouth.

Me. I was the reason her dream never came true. And had Avery not woken up from her nap when she did a week ago, I would have given in and fucked Piper without protection, never stopping to consider how another baby would impact her life. The only reason we hadn’t tried again since was because she was on the rag and had been dealing with severe cramps.

I sat up, the weight of my failure crushing me. “Jesus, Piper. I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

“We both made choices that night, Dane. Nothing we can do about it now.” Her shoulders sagged, the fight draining out of her body. “I’m going to grab a shower, and then we can figure out dinner.”

“Want some company?” I asked, needing to hold her in my arms and bury my face in her hair while I came up with a solution.

She swiped the tears from her lashes before getting up. “I’m still on my period,” she said. “And I really just need a few minutes to myself right now.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Take your time. I’ll go start dinner.”

The click of the lock echoed in the quiet room, an audible reminder I hadn’t given her many reasons to trust me. Scrubbing a hand over my face, I let out a heavy sigh and headed for the kitchen. There had to be a way to earn her trust and help her achieve her dream without overstepping.

While pulling ingredients from the fridge, I noticed a slip of paper sticking out of the top of Piper’s purse. After listening to ensure the shower was still running, I slid it out of her bag. My eyes scanned the neat, masculine handwriting, a chill creeping down my spine with each word.

Hope these help make your time of the month more bearable. I swung by your favorite French chocolatier—dark chocolate ganache with sea salt, just like you like. I also included some extra-strength ibuprofen because I know how bad your cramps can get. Let me know if you need anything else…even if it’s just a massage to ease the tightness in your muscles. And remember, no matter what happens, I’m always here for you.

I crumpled the note in my fist, my vision going red at the edges. The sound of the shower faded to a dull roar in my ears, drowned out by the pounding of my pulse.

That fucking piece of shit.

I smoothed out the paper, forcing myself to re-read it to ensure I hadn’t misunderstood. But no, the words were crystal clear. The writer knew intimate details about Piper—her favorite chocolates, when she was on her period, and how bad her cramps got. Not the kind of information one would typically share with a boss.

How long had it been going on? What else didn’t I know? Had she and Derek?—

No. She said she hadn’t been with anyone since me, and Piper wasn’t the type to start a sexual relationship with someone she worked with.

But then, why was he leaving her gifts? Offering massages? Acting like he had some claim on her?

The shower shut off, and I carefully refolded the note with shaking hands before slipping it back into her purse exactly as I’d found it. My movements were mechanical as I prepared dinner while trying to come to terms with what I’d read and what it meant for our relationship.

I wanted to confront her, to demand answers. But I knew that would only push her farther away. I’d already overstepped once today, and there wasn’t a chance in hell she’d ever learn to trust me if I admitted to going through her things.

But how the fuck was I supposed to ignore it?

“Something smells good,” Piper said, padding into the kitchen. Her hair was damp, and she’d changed into yoga pants and one of my T-shirts.

I plastered on a smile, hoping she couldn’t see the turmoil churning inside me. “Just throwing together a stir fry. Nothing fancy. How was your shower?”

She shrugged, reaching past me to grab a glass from the cabinet. “Fine. The hot water helped with the cramping some.”

I tensed at the mention of her cramps, the note burning in the back of my mind. “That’s good,” I managed, focusing intently on the vegetables sizzling in the pan. “You need anything for the pain?”

“I’m okay,” she said, filling her glass with water. “I took some ibuprofen earlier.”

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