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She swallows. “And I will explain it all. But I want you to know that no matter what the results say, I want you. I want this back, and I’m going to fight to make you keep me.”
I want her too…but can I give in so easily after everything?
Ten
The probability of Lennox Monroe being the father of Kiran Davina is greater than 99.999%.
Istare at the words and read them over and over. Even though I knew it in my heart, seeing it written this way, where no one can ever question it again, has pride washing over me.
I’m a father. Emerson and I have a child together. I turn my head from the phone sitting on my countertop to a tearful Emerson. The moment our eyes meet, the tears start pouring down her face, and she stands up abruptly.
“What have I done?” She sounds tortured, and I’m confused as fuck.
Grabbing onto her shoulder, I turn her to face me. “What do you mean?”
“I took”—she sucks in a breath, trying to get her words out through her sobs—“him from you.”
“I didn’t know… I didn’t know,” she says, shaking her head.
Her reaction has my defenses lowering and my concern for her rising. I take her hand in mine and bring her around to sit on the couch.
“It’s okay, Sonny.” I try wiping her tears away, but they just keep coming.
“No, it’s not…” She takes several deep breaths to steady herself before she speaks again.
“Kiran is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I couldn’t be happier with those results. But this situation is so fucked up.” Now she’s biting her nails, anxiety written all over her face.
“Emerson, please tell me what’s going on. Actually, I think it's time you tell me exactly what's been going on for the last two years.”
She buries her face in her hands and starts bawling again. Now my hackles are up, and my mind races with awful possibilities I had never even considered. It’s making me lightheaded.
I pull her into my chest, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, and she melts into me. Praying that my latest thoughts are way off base, I attempt to soothe her. “Em, breathe. What’s going on, baby? Please, talk to me.”
She lifts her watery gaze to mine, crushing me in half with three words.
“I was raped.”
My blood runs cold as agony rips through my chest. Shock and turmoil take over my body at her confession. As the urge to kill splashes the forefront of my mind in red, I will myself to stay calm for her.
“It happened about a month before I left.” And that statement rocks me to my core. How didn’t I know? How did I let that happen?
“Who?” is all I manage to growl out, my fingernails digging crevices into my palms.
Emerson grabs my fists, trying to ease my tension. But I can’t let the grip go. It's the only thing grounding me from a moment of self-destruction that wouldn’t be fair to her.
“Lennox, baby. Look at me.” My eyes meet hers, and it's the first time I feel the wetness on my cheeks as she wipes a stray tear away.
“One thing you have to know is that there is absolutely nothing you could have done to change any of this.” She squeezes my clenched hands.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The guilt I feel is overwhelming. She’s been loving me all along and I’ve been trying to hate her.
“You, Colton, and your mom always gave me an escape and, for that and so much more, I’m forever grateful. From the first day I met you, you were a safe harbor to me, a guiding light in the darkness, until you became my everything.” More tears well in her eyes again as she searches mine.
