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“Well, yeah. We hadn’t slept together in over a year and a half before this, so fuck knows who else she’s been with.”

The words sound logical, but inside, I’m spiraling. What if it’s not mine? What if it is? I don’t even know which one would be worse. The idea of raising a kid with Val terrifies the hell out of me.

“And if it is yours?” Taylor asks, gazing at me from under his lashes.

Taking a second to let his question sink in, I shove down the visceral shudder that rolls through me at the thought. “Then I’ll figure it out. One way or another, even if I have to…to be a father.”

My throat swells around the word, making me cough.

“You what!?" Xed launches out of his chair, purple mohawk slightly limp as he snarls at me. “You want to have a baby with that piece of trash?!”

“If it’s mine, yes.” I hold my ground, jaw tight, despite the tremble in my hands.

He stares at me like a stranger, his anger burning so hot it nearly burns my skin. “You want to tie yourself to her like that? After everything she’s done? What the fuck is wrong with you, Matty?”

The words cut deep because I’ve been asking myself the same thing since the moment Val tracked me down at football practice and spat the news in my face. What the fuck is wrong with me?

“If it’s mine, then it’s my responsibility,” I say firmly, although my voice cracks. “I’m not going to walk away from my kid just because it’s inconvenient.”

Xed deflates instantly, sinking back into his seat like he doesn’t agree, but what kind of person would that make me if I did nothing? Val’s a mess—she’s always been a mess. But if this kid is mine, then none of that matters. I’ll figure it out. I have to.

Christian opens his mouth to say something, but Xed cuts him off.

“Did you get tested,” he grits out through clenched teeth, a pained expression on his face.

“Of course I did. I’m not an idiot.”

“Not a complete one,” Christian mutters with a sigh. “I told you to stay away from her, Matty. She’s bad news.”

“I know. I know, I was...weak.”

So fucking weak. Xed doesn’t deserve this. He shouldn’t be shackled down to someone who can’t even protect himself against a woman half his size. Xed should…

He should be with someone else.

“Look, we gotta get to work,” Taylor says, pulling Christian to his feet. Always together, these two. Thick as thieves. “Do you want us to stop by after?”

One look at the crumpled way Xed is slumping in his seat has me shaking my head. “No, it’s fine. You’ve got a game to watch later, right?”

Ever since his stepbrother Huckslee nearly died and moved to California for college after high school, Taylor’s been obsessed with watching his football games. Seems a bit unhealthy to me, but what do I know, clearly?

Salem squeezes my shoulder. “Text us if you need us, okay?”

“I will.”

Once the house is empty, I fall back against the cushions, my eyes taking in all of the road signs we hung on the ugly green-papered walls. Ones we’ve dared each other to steal over the years, funny street names that made us laugh, some from birthdays and holidays, special occasions. If the cops ever raided this place, we’d be in so much shit.

Finally, I let my gaze fall on him, and the look of utter betrayal in his eyes has me wanting to puke.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He sounds calm, his voice steady, but I’ve known Xed since we were seven. There’s a storm brewing beneath the surface.

“I was scared.”

That makes his brows slam down. “Scared? Of me?”

Shaking my head, I look away from the hurt flashing across his features. “Not of you. Of what we’ve been doing, Xed. It’s not...”

“Not what?”