Page 61 of No Merciful Corruption

Lyss pulls out a stool and sits down. “See, this is what I mean. Nicole Kidman at AMC.”

I walk over to her. “Did you and Brent have a moment?”

“No.” She groans into her hands.

“Karina, we’re past embarrassment. If you had a moment and slipped up⁠—”

“Oh my God!”

“Look, all I’m saying is that clinics exist for a reason.” I say. “Go and get that taken care of.”

“Dahlia.” Alejandro admonishes.

I glare at him in warning. “Last time I checked, you don’t have a uterus and can’t bear children so shut up and mind your business. And while you’re at it,” I point at Diego. “Take your brother and go. This is woman talk.”

“Brent is not the father.” Her voice hardens. “And I am not getting an abortion. I want this baby.”

“Uh, I can’t imagine why.” I gesture wildly around us. “Do you see the situation you’re in right now? Why on God’s green earth would you want to bring a baby into this mess? Not to mention Brent is going to freak when he finds out.”

“I don’t care!” She exclaims.

“Well I do!” I argue back. “Karina, for Christ’s sake I am trying to help you. You haven’t even filed for divorce yet.”

She springs to her feet and stomps past me. “I don’t have to listen to this.”

“Uw!” Lyss hops off the stool. “The show is moving.”

I follow Karina through the kitchen. “Actually, you do. You won’t tell me who the father is but insist it isn’t Brent. You’re far enough along that an at-home pregnancy test came up positive but you’re still too early to show. Were you having an affair? Is there someone else?”

“I wasn’t having an affair. Brent and I are separated.”

“But not divorced. Which means that if your baby is born while you guys are still married, Brent will legally be the child’s father.”

“Wait,” It’s the first time Diego’s spoken. “What do you mean?”

Karina pauses at the threshold and I turn to face him. “Presumptive paternity. By law, a woman’s legal husband becomes her child’s father when the baby is born. Which means if Brent finds out, he’ll flip. He’s capable of dragging her to court, refusing a divorce, and then she’s fucked.”

“That won’t happen,” she says quickly. “I won’t let it happen.”

I want to rip the hair from my scalp. “I have no idea how someone as brilliant and well-educated as you could be so fucking stupid. Brent is never going to let you go especially not now that you’re pregnant. If that baby is born while you’re still legally married to him, he becomes the father until you can prove otherwise in a court of law. Which means he can demand things like visitation and custody. All of which he will be legally entitled to!”

“Dahlia,” her eyes widen dangerously. “Stop. Talking!”

“How long have you known?” I ask. “How long have you suspected?”

“This really isn’t any of your business…”

“Well it is my fucking business!” I explode. “Because you’re in my house and you had to be dragged out of yours after Brent practically busted your front door in. Why won’t you just tell me who the father is?”

“I can’t.” Her voice is strained with desperation and a secret that’s ripping her apart from the inside out. “For fuck’s sake, Dahlia, shut. Up.”

“Kay—”

I’m surprised to hear Diego’s voice but the sound is muffled by a grunt and a clatter. When I turn around Alejandro is dragging his grown adult brother by the nape of his neck out the back door and into the backyard. A gust of cold, late February wind whips through the house and a shiver moves through me.

“Wait, no, Alex,” Karina pleads. “Don’t!”

She runs across the room but he extends a hand, a silent but firm order.