Page 9 of Paradox
“What are you doing out of bed, babe?”
“You were taking so long, I decided to come find you.”
“Go on back, doll. I’ll be right there.” I try to get her out of the bar before Britney comes in. The last time the two of them were in the same room, Raven broke the other woman’s nose. In her condition, I don’t want the two to encounter each other.
“What’sshedoing here?” Raven asks, and I know I’m too late.
“Let me handle it, Raven. I’ll just hear her out, and then I’ll come find you.”
“No. I want to hear why she’s back.”
I motion for the prospect to bring me a chair, and I set her up on it before taking a calming breath and turning in the direction Raven is throwing a hateful stare. Britney makes a beeline for me, causing the room to go silent. Before I met Raven, Britney was one of my favorite Hounds. She was relatively new at the time and I loved her curvy body. One night she decided to mouth off to Raven and almost drove a wedge between us. I wasn’t going to lose my woman over her, so I kicked her ass out. That was about a year ago.
“Hi, Gage.” She smiles, tucking her hair behind an ear.
“What’s going on?” I try to cut out the chitchat.
“Okay, straight to the point.” She takes a deep breath, motioning to someone behind her. That’s when I notice the strange woman lurking in the back. She steps forward, handing a bundle to Britney.
“What the hell is this?”
Einstein moves to my side, crossing his arms over his chest as he watches the events unfold.
“This”—she looks down, and then back at me—“is my son. I figured it was time he met his father.”
CHAPTER 3
RAGE
***Raven***
My son.
His father.
The words echo in my mind as I stare at the person who spoke them—the only other woman in this room I know for a fact my husband has fucked. I would have dismissed her, kicked her ass for coming here if I wasn’t eight months pregnant. However, the adorable blond boy she’s holding seems to be a few months old—the right age considering when his mother left here. Slowly rising from my chair, I approach them. Britney takes a step back, but I keep my eyes on the boy. He lifts his head from his mother’s shoulder and looks right at me.
His eyes.
Bright, intense blue eyes that look so much like Gage’s.
I falter, thankful for the arms that surround me in an instant. “Come on, babe.”
I allow him to lead me back to the chair, listening to the whispers making their way around the room. This can’t be happening.How did this happen? Gage couldn’t have cheated on me. He couldn’t! Did he?I remember Britney’s words from that last night as if it was this morning. “While you were on your little emotional trip, who do you think was taking care of Gage? He was with me every. Single. Night.”
Back then, I knew it couldn’t be true, but I let her get to me. I blew up on Gage and ran out, knowing deep down inside he wouldn’t have done that to me. What should I think now when the possible evidence is literally staring me in the eyes?
“You can’t possibly mean me.” Gage’s tone is threatening.
“All you have to do is look at him, Gage. He’s yours.”
“Get the kids out of here,” Chopper instructs someone.
I don’t know who spirits them away, but I blink and the little boy with the blond hair and blue eyes is gone. There’s a ringing in my ears, the dull ache in my head rising to a pounding. Closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose, I try to drown out the sounds around me.
“I know you’ve never wanted kids, but when I heard that she was pregnant—” There’s a pause before she continues. “—I knew you’d be more open to us.”
“Don’t fucking look at her,” Gage growls. “Don’t address my wife in any way. Whatever you’re trying, forget it. This is all bullshit and you know it.”
