Page 115 of Enticing the Fixer

Stop. Don’t think like a conspiracy theorist.

“I need you to know this before you give me the shares. I don’t want anything kept in the dark between us.” She rubs her hands together. “I’m five months pregnant, and before you ask, I was faithful to your father the entire time we were together, but I’m 100% willing to do a DNA test when the baby is born.” She rests her hand on her belly.

God, I’m an idiot. How did I miss all the signs?I embrace her. Her shoulders shake as she fights back a sob. I can’t imagine going through this pregnancy without Leo or facing a future without him. This is killing me. How could life be so unfair? I shake my head and pull back.

No wonder she started wearing tapered clothing, and her hair was thicker and shined under the lights. I hold her upper arms and frown. “How old are you?”

“I’ll be 37 years old next month.”

“Thank God.” I pull her back into my arms. “I would freak out if you were younger than me.” Yeah, it’s stupid. She’s only 2 years older, but it means something to my fragile ego that my dad wasn’t dating someone younger than me. “Did he know?”

She nods, steps back, and holds out her phone. There’s a photo of my dad holding a pregnancy test to the camera and kissing her. Tears slide down my cheeks as everything my father will miss crashes over me. A new baby. A grandchild.

“Do you have more pictures with him?”

“Yes.” We walk over to the sofa and spent the next hour looking at photos and videos we both have of a man neither of us fully knew, but he was a great man who was taken too soon. And I’ll do anything to secure the legacy he left behind.

Two years. They were together for two years. Hell, that explains all those late nights at the office when I couldn’t reach him at home.

The sonogram image of Valeria’s baby is all the confirmation I need that I’m going to have a brother in four months. Talk about crazy. Not that I won’t have a DNA test completed, my father would expect that from me, but I believe her.

I’m going to have a brother. I shake my head. It kind of makes that puppy I wanted when I was ten when he wouldn’t agree to give me a brother seem like a gotcha moment.

I got the dog, and now, I’m going to have a younger brother…. Who’s only four months older than my baby. I drag in a deep breath. Okay, I’m still thrown for a loop here. Give me a minute to digest this news.

Chapter Sixty-Four

One Week Later

Leo

Truman hands me a beer, and we walk to an empty booth. If you’d told me a month ago that the woman across the bar, I couldn’t keep my eyes off was my soulmate, I would’ve laughed in your face and walked out.

The next Monday, I would have met her anyway. That’s the thing with the person you’re meant to be with. The connection pulls at you until you can’t fight it anymore.

“How’s Kinsley?” Truman tips his drink to his mouth and takes a swig of beer.

“She’s good.” I draw my hand along the edge of the label. “I’m not saying it’s been easy for her to find out her father was murdered and to spend hours answering questions, but she’s handling it.” I wrinkle my nose. “However, discovering she’s having a halfsibling has been a bigger adjustment.”

“Yeah. That would throw anyone off for a bit.” He nods and sets the bottle down with a clink. “Are you up for another case?”

As I take a drink, I ponder his question. I’m not surprised he asked. Few people have the knowledge I do with computers, programming, and navigating the dark web. But I don’t like it. I don’t want the pollution of illegal activities or the risk of putting myself or Kinsley in danger.

After I swallow, I shake my head. “I’m off the market for now. We’re having a baby, and I’m not willing to risk anything bad happening to either of us.”

“Congratulations.” He tips his beer toward me. “That’s fantastic news, and I understand the need to put family first.”

For a second, an emotion I can’t decipher covers his face, but it’s gone as fast as it came. “I appreciate you stepping in and handling this situation for us.” One corner of his mouth rises into a smirk. “But you should be the one thanking me.”

I chuckle and take another drink while scanning the bar. Kinsley should be here any minute, but there’s no sign of her or her cousins.

“I couldn’t thank you enough for putting Kinsley and me in the same place.” I lean forward and set my drink down. “If you need me for something, don’t hesitate to call. I owe you. But only if it’s a life-or-death situation.”

“Understood.” He pats the table and stands.

“It’s good to see you, and I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks.” As he slides to the end of the booth and stands, I say, “Take care of Jagger for me.”

---