Page 23 of Shattering

Cadi ignored him. "But first, we have the pesky DNA test."

Gray stiffened.

She finally looked at him, catching the flicker of something in his expression. Shock. She had pre-empted him—she could see it inhis face. He had been planning to demand it, but now she had beaten him to it.

Cadi tilted her head, her voice almost clinical. "In the interest of you not accusing me of tampering with it, we have two options. We can do a home test—you choose the brand, you administer it—or we can go to the courts and have it done officially."

She leaned forward, her icy gaze locking onto his. "Either way, I don't want to have another paternity conversation until it's done."

Gray's hands clenched.

A tendril of doubt slithered into his mind, unwelcome and unnerving.

What if...?

No. No.

He had seen them together. The way she and Callum were—he knew. There was no other explanation. The unspoken chemistry, the way Callum was always there, the way Tomos looked nothing like him. He had proof.

Didn't he?

He started to speak, to push back, to say something that would put the power back in his hands—

"I think I'll be visiting the sexual health clinic," Cadi said coolly, cutting him off again. "You should as well."

Gray's mouth snapped shut.

"Though you don't want to have anything to do with Tomos at the moment, that is going to change." She tilted her head, voice razor-sharp. "We don't want any unknown germs around the house."

Gray's face turned red.

But before he could react, Cadi pressed on, her voice smooth and measured.

"You've had your chance to talk. Now it's my turn."

She leaned back, crossing one leg over the other.

"As for Callum?" Her lips curled into something that might have been a smirk if there had been any humour left in her. "Well, you'll just have to wait and see."

Gray's fingers twitched where they rested on his knees. He had come into this conversation feeling certain, feeling justified, feeling angry—

But now, everything was slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.

"We will have that conversation after the DNA test."

She stood up.

"Now, I'm going to pack my bags and Tomos'. We will be staying at Callum's place until the results come in."

Gray jerked his head up. "Ya can't just—"

"Don't contact me," Cadi interrupted, already walking toward the stairs. "Except to let me know when and where you want to do the test. A message is enough. Don't call."

She reached the first step before pausing. Then she turned back, as if something had just occurred to her.

"Wait five more minutes, then you can go back to your beloved Vanessa."

Gray's fists clenched.

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