Page 28 of Irresistibly Risky

I give her a look. “You mean the one directly across the street from this building?”

She smiles gently. “Yes. That one. I forgot where you lived. You can meet us there. Does one work? That’s usually a good time for him. In between naps and after lunch.”

I laugh. “Any time works for me. I’ll be there.”

“Okay.” She hesitates, unsure how to leave this. “Bye?” Yes, it comes out as a question.

“Good night, Dr. Hathaway. I'll see you tomorrow.” I hug her. It’s strained. I can’t tell if it’s because she doesn’t want to touch me at all or if she wants to touch me so much she’s not allowing herself to. Or if her head is simply too full with finding the father of her child.

“Good night, Asher.”

Asher. Not player. I don’t know if that’s progress or not.

She turns and walks away. Heading toward the stairs, I let her go, thinking and feeling completely lost.

Sliding out my phone from my pocket, I open up the text message thread I have with the guys.

Me: I need you to kick everyone out of my place and then meet me up on the rooftop.

My phone starts buzzing immediately, but I don't bother responding as I set it down. I lie back on the chaise and stare up at the night sky, all the stars above me muted by the street pollution of the city.

I have a son.

With the woman I’ve been low-key obsessed with since the second I met her.

A few minutes later, the door opens and out walks all four of my friends. One by one they file around me and take their seats on the lounges.

I don’t move. Not yet. I continue to stare up at the sky and think about Wynter and Mason.

“Any issues getting everyone out?”

“No. Layla took care of that in a hot minute,” Callan tells me. “She, Fallon, and Aurelia are cleaning up.”

I scowl. “They don’t have to do that. I’ll do that later.”

“They weren’t sure if they should stay or go since we weren’t sure what this was,” Zax supplies.

“I don’t want them going home alone in separate cars. I’ll make this quick.”

“I take it that it did not go well with your ice queen,” Grey states.

A strange sort of smile hits my lips, and I rub it with my fingers. My chest twinges as I say, “It went a little differently than expected.”

“How so?” Lenox asks.

I lift my phone and pull up the text I had sent myself from her phone, and then hand it to him.

“Who is that?”

“That's my son.”

They all fall eerily quiet, and I notice Lenox passing my phone to each of them.

“That’s your son?” Zax presses. “That's all you're gonna say?”

I clear my throat. “I didn’t use a condom that night in the club. I was panicked because I wasn’t hard, and I didn't. She got pregnant. We didn't know who the other was. No names. No identities. She ran out before I could get anything from her.”

“Jesus,” Grey grumbles, handing me back my phone. “Ash. Man. How did this go down? Did she know it was you?”

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