Page 63 of Risk

“It was when I literally first found out. I panicked and called Lo because…” He’s my twin. But they’re my big brothers. They practically raised me after Mom died. But how do I say that without hurting them more? “I knew Lo wouldn’t be disappointed in me,” I add quietly.

Zeus pinches the bridge of his nose. “Jesus, I’m not disappointed, Miss. I’m…”

“I’m disappointed.” Ares’s words are cutting, and they fucking hurt. He stands, shoving his chair back. “I thought youwere fucking smarter than this, and now, you’re throwing your life away after a one-night stand.”

I stand, too, with indignation. “I’m not throwing my life away.”

“And what are you going to do about school?” Ares folds his arms across his chest.

“I haven’t figured everything out yet, but I’ll continue going to school and get my PhD.”

“How?”

I frown at him. “Well, I usually walk there. But when I get really big later on in my pregnancy, I might take a cab.”

It’s Ares’s turn to frown at me. “Do you realize how fucking hard it’s going to be? Not only the pregnancy itself and the fact that you’re carrying twins, but once the babies are born, continuing on with your studies while caring for two babies?”

“I know you’re worried, and I also know it comes from a place of love.” Which is why I’m letting Ares saying he’s disappointed in me go, even though it really stung. “But I’m not going to be alone in this. Kaden is going to be a hundred percent involved.”

“Damn fucking right he is,” Zeus bites. “So, what’s your plan to handle this?” He gestures between us both.

I glance at Kaden. “Well, we don’t have everything figured out yet—”

Zeus’s laugh is harsh. “I’m assuming you’ll be moving in together. Are you planning on getting married?”

“What?” My eyes widen with shock. “It’s not the fucking 1950s, Zeus! And to answer your question, Kaden and I are not together. We’re not going to be together—”

“And why the fuck not?” That’s Ares.

“Because we don’t want to be.”Well, Kaden doesn’t want to be with me, and I’m not sure I could take the risk, being with him.“We’re friends. We don’t like each other that way.”

“You liked each other enough to get—” Zeus gestures to me with his hand, seemingly having trouble saying the words.

“Pregnant? Knocked up? It was just a onetime thing.”

“Well, you’re having kids together, so you should be making some sort of commitment to each other.”

“Zeus, we had two kids before we got married,” Cam says.

His eyes move to Cam. “Dove, we were committed to each other.”

“And we didn’t have the easiest of starts, and things worked out in the end. You, of all people, know what that’s like, how life throws us curveballs.” She moves in front of him and cups his face with her hands. “What Missy and Kaden both need right now is our support, not lectures.”

I watch as Zeus’s eyes soften on her. He puts his arm around her, pulling her into his side.

“Of course you have my support,” he says, looking at me. “I’m just…this was the last thing I expected you to tell us today. It’s just been a shock, is all.”

“I understand.” I can feel my eyes starting to get damp. Damn stupid hormones, making me weepy. “I didn’t exactly ease you all gently into it.”

“It’s fine,” Ares assures me. “Like Zeus said, it was just a shock, is all. You know I’ve got your back, always. And I’m sorry about saying I was disappointed in you. I would never think that, not truly. I was just…”

“It’s fine,” I whisper. “I get it.” I know my brothers love me, and they would never do anything to hurt me intentionally.

The sound of a chair scraping back gathers all eyes to my dad as he stands from his seat, where he’s stayed quiet this whole time.

He shuffles over to me, standing before me, and reaches out, almost hesitantly, to take my hand, and I let him. The feel of hissoft, leathery palm against mine evokes emotions in me that I’ve locked inside for a long time.

The little girl who just wanted her dad to see her, notice her, love her still.

---