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“Oh, my God. Is he safe? Baxter isn’t the fatherly type, Magnus. You know that.”
Fuck, yes, I do.
“The private investigator tells me he seems healthy and in no clear danger, but I’m working like a dog to get him home. And now that you’re awake, it’ll be easier. The only reason I haven’t already brought him back is because I’m not his guardian.”
“Tell your attorney I have full custody. Baxter has no rights. At all. I don’t care what happened...”
My mouth drops. “My dad wanted custody?”
He never wanted to say two words to me.
She sighs. “He threatened it at first, when he knew I was pregnant. He wasn’t really interested in Jordan. It was just one more tool to bludgeon me.”
That animal. My hand flexes into a fist.
“He’s controlling. Horrible. I was determined that he wouldn’t use Jordan to control me...that he wouldn’t turn my beautiful son into the kind of monster he is. So I went to the police right after Jordan was born, claimed he was abusive, and filed for emergency custody. By the time his lawyer tracked him down to let him know, they’d already missed a court date. I got lucky. The judge was a woman raised by a single mom. She granted me custody and gave him zero visitation rights. He didn’t contest it, because he didn’t want anyone knowing.”
“Marissa, you were twenty-two when Jordan was born.”
“Twenty-one. I graduated early.”
“You’re a smart lady,” I tell her, wishing like hell her brains were around to help this situation.
I wouldn’t have blown several lives to kingdom come.
There’s a long silence.
I’m about to excuse myself so I can go home and call the attorney. Marissa’s custody agreement should help us get Jordan back to Chicago. Then when I get off the phone, I can resume drowning myself in scotch because I’ve lost the best thing in my life.
I stand. “I’m going to call the attorney and—”
“Wait. Don’t go yet.”
“Okay.” I sit again.
“I just wanted to say thank you.”
I’m shocked. This woman has been in a coma for weeks, woke up to find I’ve lost her only son, and she’s thanking me? What the fuck?
“What for?”
She starts laughing and stops a few seconds later.
“Don’t make me laugh again, Magnus. It hurts.”
“Sorry? I don’t understand.”
“Thank you for taking care of Jordan and bringing him to see me. I know you guys were here almost every day. I’ll never forget it.”
I cock my head, unsure what she means.
“Jordan’s my little brother. I was happy to help. I’ve told you that ever since the day I found out he existed, and what my father did to you. It’s rough being an only child. And just between you and me...I always wanted a kid brother.” I smile.
Of course, I never expected said brother to come from my dad’s disgusting affair with his intern, but I’m being honest.
Even if J-man curses me for the rest of his life, I’ll never regret the time we had.
“How did you know we were here every day? The nurses told you?”
“Oh, I could hear you. I thought I was dreaming, at first, but once the staff convinced me I’m in the hospital and this isn’t a dream...I knew it was real. I missed some things, I think. I had a hard time hearing everything and it was hard to follow your voices. But I knew Jordan was here. I heard your voice and a woman’s. She was here a lot too. Did you finally get married?”
God. That’s like a punch to the gut. I wish.
The light in Marissa’s eyes kills me. Just like it leaves no doubt she heard us wishing her well in her coma.
And did I really talk to Brina like she was my wife? I must be even more fucked in the head than I thought.
“No,” I say slowly. “Not quite.”
“So she’s your girlfriend, then?” Marissa looks up with these hopeful eyes.
“She was my assistant,” I whisper, my throat so dry.
“Oh, wow. I was sure you were together. You seemed too perfect. It was almost like you were co-parenting Jordan. He sounded like he liked her too. He liked her a lot. I could tell.”
I laugh because it’s the only thing I can do not to feel shredded. “You got all that from our visits, while you were in a coma? Damn, you’re good.”
“Funny thing about being stuck in bed—you get a lot of time to think, and you guys were my only entertainment except the gossipy nurses...” Her smile is all warmth, and it makes me fucking abhor what my father did to her.
“Brina and I weren’t perfect together. We couldn’t have been.”
Though I’ll admit it made me wonder...what would having a kid of my own be like? What would it be like with her?
“You couldn’t be perfect because she’s your secretary?”
No, because she dumped me.
