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Leonardo turned furious eyes on him as he approached. “Why would you do this to her?”

“I did nothing to her. You. You did this to Jasmine Journee. First, you lied about who you were. At any point, you could have corrected this situation. Instead, you set her up–”

“I know what I fucking did! The pain I caused her. You didn’t have to add to it. She was innocent in all of this.”

He rushed over to the table and slammed his hand down on it. The sound reverberated in the room.

“Don’t turn this on me. You made her collateral damage. Not me. You are the one who gave her my name and then pushed her to have me legally named as the father of her child. What did you think would happen when I figured out what you did? Did you think I would sit idly by and let the people who almost cost me my family go unscathed?”

“This was on me!” He slapped his chest. “My mistake. Leave her out of it. This goes no further.” Leonardo’s voice soared with each word.

“Do you think you are in any position to make demands? I fucking own you. If I were you, I’d watch how you speak to me.”

“I could give a fuck! When you grow up the way I did, you learn things come and go. Leave Jasmine out of whatever vendetta you have up your sleeves.”

“Again, you put her in the line of fire. You are responsible for her pain.”

“If I were you, I would be more concerned about your woman?—”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Emmanuel stood abruptly causing his chair toppled over.

Is this mother fucker crazy?Was he threatening Ivy?He would end him now.

“It means while you planned to hurt me by coming for Jasmine, you caused a disruption in your own home. Where is your wife? Because she didn’t look pleased with you when she left. Just remember that is on you. I’m fucking out of here.” Leonardo stormed out.

Ivy and he were solid. They had been through a lot. The end result was they always stood together. She’d forgive him. What had he really done? Nothing.

Emmanuel justified his actions. He hadn’t told her he’d invited Jasmine Journee. It wasn’t that bad. To be honest, Jasmine Journee was his back-up plan. He didn’t know Leonardo would show up and own his actions the way he did. This wasn’t on him.

Emmanuel sat in the room with his thoughts for a while before Ivy returned alone. She sighed deeply as she took the seat across the table from him.

“Manny, please tell me that you know you could have handled the situation with Jasmine better?”

Instead of answering her question, he addressed what was bothering him. “Doc, you are sitting awfully far away.” He gestured across the table to show the distance.

“I needed to look you in the eye when we had this discussion. I’m trying to figure out why you allowed her to walk into an ambush the way you did. I know this entire ordeal has been difficult for all of us, but you know she is innocent in all of this. Actually, she may be more innocent than everyone else.”

He arched his skeptical eyebrow at his wife.

“In five years, this whole incident will be a blip on the radar for you, for us.”

I doubt that shit very much.He didn’t interrupt; he allowed her to continue.

“But this situation will never fade into the background for her. Not as she continues to raise the child of a man who lied to her about everything.”

“How is that my fault? I didn’t lie to her.”

“No, but you broke a promise to me.”

“I didn’t?—”

“The hell you didn’t. You promised to tell me everything. Why didn’t you tell me about your little surprise?”

Emmanuel felt like a chastised child. Fuck, he was one. He hadn’t told Doc because he knew. He knew she would object.

“There was a better way to handle letting her know. I’m sure you know that because you aren’t a cruel man. I know this situation has fucked you up, but Jasmine isn’t who you are angry at,” Ivy sighed.

He could tell she was waiting for him to say something, but he just stared at her.

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