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But it doesn’t add up. When did they meet? Obviously, I met Lexi first. Then when did Declan come into the picture? My head throbs and at this rate, it will soon turn into a migraine. I deliberately empty my mind.
I concentrate on the vastness of the ocean. Five minutes later and I’m still in turmoil. I take deep breaths. I try all the tricks of getting my equilibrium back. My mind spirals into thoughts of Lexi and Declan. What really happened? Is my brother evil enough to father a child with a woman and let me believe that she’s mine?
I pride myself on my ability to judge human nature. Lexi came across as a good person. Could I have been so wrong? Is it possible that I tied myself to another cheat? Can a man be so unlucky?
My thoughts torment me. I feel like I am on a pendulum as I swing from one end to another. One minute I believe that Lexi couldn’t possibly be that person and in the next, I realize just how little we really know about other people. My thoughts become unbearable. An overwhelming urge to flee from them comes over me. I navigate the boat toward an island and drop anchor. Then I strip down to my boxers and dive neatly into the ocean. I swim to the island and turn around when my feet touch the ground.
I swim back and forth until exhaustion creeps over me and I lug myself onto the boat. I lie on the main deck facing up and as I lay there, a calm comes over me. My mind clears. I should not have punched Declan, not until I got the truth from him.
I’ve done this the wrong way. I allowed my emotions to guide me. I did everything Lexi and I had agreed not to do. I fled and did not speak to her. But this is different, I argue with myself. I have to go back. It’s too late to speak to Declan or Lexi. But I can anchor the boat in the marina and wait for morning.
It’s midnight when I navigate back to the marina. A man is pacing along the pier and when I get closer, I’m surprised to see Declan. He jumps into the boat as soon as it gets close enough.
“You’re not going to punch me again, are you?” he asks me coming up to the cockpit.
“No,” I tell him, sounding as tired as I feel.
“Lexi’s worried about you,” Declan says.
I ensure the boat is secure and then turn to face Declan. He doesn’t wear the look of a guilty man.
“I should punch you back,” he says. “You think so lowly of me that you think I’d let you believe that I was the father of your child? What happened to us, Ace? No, what happened to you?” His voice is raw with pain. No one can fake that. I was wrong.
I rake my fingers through my hair.
“I trust you, Ace. You’re my brother and I would trust you with my life no matter what. But you don’t trust me.”
I don’t know what to say to that, but I need answers. “I need an explanation.”
“Okay, I’ll give it to you,” Declan says. “I was minding my own business negotiating with the potential buyers of the real estate, then I got a call.”
My mind scrambles to put a timeline to what he’s saying.
“A hysterical woman was on the line. ‘Carter?’ she said.”
“Lexi called you?” I ask.
“The next thing the woman said was, ‘You’re going to be a dad.’ I’m not proud to say that I fainted,” Declan says.
“You fainted?”
“You would too if some woman said you were going to be a dad and you hadn’t had sex in almost a year,” Declan said.
I laugh then, partly from the tale but mostly from the relief that I was wrong. So wrong.
“And no, it was not Lexi, it was her sister, Vanessa,” Declan says. “So, I did what any responsible older brother would do. I met with Lexi and Vanessa and I supported her during the pregnancy on your behalf.”
I was so wrong. Guilt comes at me in spadefuls. Declan will never forgive me for this one. I’ll never forgive myself. I jumped to fucking conclusions regarding the two people I should trust in the whole world.
“I used your funds to set up an automatic payment into her account though the funds came from my account.”
I’m growing more ashamed by the minute. I’m glad to know though that it’s my money that Declan has been using to help Lexi. I feel like a fool. I don’t know what to say.
“The only reason I won’t punch you back is because this next part is going to kill you. I was there when Luna came into the world,” Declan says.
