“You know it’s Ace’s?” The color drained from her face, and I knew she was bracing herself for my reply.

“Who else’s could it possibly be?” I smiled gently, trying to not give her “duh” eyes. But that was exactly what I was thinking.Duh, sis.I didn’t want to upset her further. Of course, I was shocked, but Stella and her unborn baby were more important than my thoughts.

“How did you know?”

“I took an educated guess.” Again, I tried my best to not “duh” eye her. I wanted to give her so much shit, but now wasn’t the time.

“Did you know he saved me from a creepy guy who showed up at the firm?” she asked, biting her lower lip.

A creepy guy? My alarm bells went off. “I didn’t, but I’m glad he did, or I would have done it,” I growled. I wasn’tthatsurprised that she was in love with Ace. I knew him, and he was a good guy—aside from the whole Ecclestone shit I still hadn’t figured out. It didn’t shock me to hear he’d done something heroic for her.

“It’s true. A delivery guy who gave me a lift once when I was stuck in traffic came to the office and tried to force himself on me.” She sniffled. “Ace showed him who’s boss and had his whole security team on high alert for weeks afterward in case he—or his friends—showed up. The guy never came back. I wouldn’t have either if I were him. I was almost certain Ace would kill him when he grabbed him. And then he gifted me a car.”

“That sounds like something Ace would do,” I said sympathetically. “Have you told him yet?”

“No,” she replied quietly, her voice still trembling.

“You should, and soon,” I said. I couldn’t possibly imagine how scared she had to be. “He needs to know, and you’ll feel better once he does.”

Tears were still streaming down her face, but at least she was no longer violently sobbing in my arms. I suspected being able to reveal her secret to me was the cathartic release she’d needed.

“H-h-e has a woman. He has a b-b-baby, too.”

“Stella? Stop.”

“No, I’m not…crazy. I called him. This gorgeous woman picked up. Thin. Silky blonde. With soft blue eyes. P-perfection.” She sobbed. “In the background was a baby crying…Teddy.”

“Stella, listen. It’s his sister.”

She blinked once, twice. Her eyes widened. “W-hat?”

“Tilly. Yeah. She just moved in with him recently. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Oh.”

I chuckled a little when she still blinked. I could practically see the gears rolling. Then I saw a rock the size of an elephant lift off her shoulders, and she completely stopped sobbing. Within two seconds flat, she’d gone from doom and gloom to hopeful—it was hilarious.

“I had no idea.” Light entered her eyes. “I mean, I knew he had a sister, but I thought she lived in a different state.”

“Well, she did. Until recently,” I said. “Ace is not exactly a sharer.”

“I know.” She smiled a little—finally.

“But you, you are. You need to inform him that you’re pregnant.”

She stiffened again, panic back in her voice. “What if he isn’t happy about it? You said he didn’t want a relationship. And now this!”

“He will be happy.”

Hope flared up in her. “Are you sure?”

I nodded once. “I’m sure.”

“What if he isn’t?”

“If he isn’t, I’ll be here for you. We’re family.” I didn’t have to say more about it.

“You’re right.” She nodded and wiped at her tear-streaked cheeks with the back of her hand. “Thanks, Damon. That doesn’t make it any easier to tell him. But okay, I will tell him. Tomorrow, I promise. Let me sleep on it. Even though I doubt I will close an eye. It won’t be easy.”