by E. L. Todd
“Yeah. I doubt he would try anything when it’s just him and I, but it’s even less likely with you added to the mix.”
Sean nodded then moved to the couch. “Got it.”
I sat behind my desk and waited. Sean had his eyes glued to the door, his fingers resting on his lips.
Bill opened the door and stepped aside.
Zander stepped in then locked his gaze with mine. He glanced at Sean on the couch then turned his look back to me.
“This better be good.”
His arms were by his sides as he approached my desk. He sat down in the chair.
“I never said you could sit.”
He stood up again. There was no fear in his eyes. He didn’t seem frightened of me or my brother. That was a mistake.
“What do you want?” I demanded. “Cassandra isn’t here, if that’s who you’re looking for.”
“I’m not.” His voice was clipped.
“Then out with it.”
He glanced at Sean again.
“He’s staying.”
Zander put his hands in his pockets then shifted his weight to one leg. He was lean and toned, similar to Flynn’s body type. I outweighed him by at least fifty pounds. No wonder why Cassandra was so hot for me all the time. I was a real man compared to this dweeb. “I need to talk to you about something.”
“Obviously,” I spat. “Now be quick about it.”
“I want a paternity test.” His eyes locked to mine, conveying his seriousness.
What the fuck did he just say? “Excuse me?”
“I want to know if the baby is really yours.” His voice contained no emotion. “I’d ask Cassandra myself, but I don’t want you to break any of my other fingers. I thought we’d settle this man to man.”
Sean stared at me, watching my reaction.
“There’s no need for a test. It’s mine.”
“How can you be sure?” Zander challenged.
“Because she hasn’t fucked you in years,” I snapped. “Or did you forget sex education?”
He didn’t flinch. “She and I were together once when you were apart. I’m justified in asking for a test.”
The room started to spin. My heart was so loud in my ears I could hardly think. It thudded in my ear drums, clouding out all other sound. Just the idea of her being with anyone but me had me in a rage, but him being the guy made it a million times worse. “You’re full of it.”
“No, I’m not.”
“She didn’t sleep with you. Drop the charade.”
“It happened one time.”
“When?” I demanded.
He shrugged. “A few months ago, about three. She called me because she was upset and told me to come over. I stayed the night and left the next morning. That’s how I knew where her apartment was. I thought we were getting back together but then she stopped talking to me. After I found out she was pregnant, I tried to confront her about it but you cut me off at every turn. I’m not stalking her because I’m trying to hurt her or get her back. I just want to know if the baby is mine.”
This couldn’t be the truth. There was no way. Cassandra wouldn’t lie to me. I refused to believe that. “You’re full of shit.”
“I’m not,” he said simply.
“Cassandra told me she wasn’t with anyone.”
His eyes brightened slightly. “Probably because she didn’t want you to know. It’s pretty obvious how you feel toward me. And you have more money than I do. Makes more sense to go for you.”
I stood up, feeling the rage course through me. “She. Didn’t. Sleep. With. You.”
He held his ground. “I want a paternity test.”
“No.”
Sean stood up then approached the desk. “Mike, calm down.”
“I should kill you and stuff your body parts into my drawers,” I threatened.
Sean came between us. “You should do the paternity test.”
I turned to him, murder in my eyes. He was supposed to be on my side. “No. I’m not doing it. Cassandra wouldn’t lie to me. He’s just pulling this shit because he knows we’re getting married soon. He’s trying to break us up.”
Sean didn’t look convinced. “You should get a test done anyway, right?”
“No.” I stared him down. “I trust her. I wouldn’t be marrying her if I didn’t.” I turned back to Zander. “Now get the fuck out.”
“Think it over,” Zander said.
“No.” I stepped toward him but Sean held me back.
Zander walked out and shut the door.
I was fuming, anger washing through me at a million miles an hour. I pushed Sean back. “How can you believe that guy?”
He held up his hands. “Look, I’m not accusing Cassandra of anything, but I think it’s pretty odd that Zander came here and asked for a paternity test. Why would he lie about that?”
“To. Piss. Me. Off.”
Sean didn’t seem convinced. “Just do the test. You really want to marry her then find out the kid isn’t even yours?”
“It is mine,” I snapped. “She wouldn’t lie to me. If I ask her to do this, that’s an omission of lack of faith. If I don’t trust her to tell the truth now, when can I? I know he’s just doing this to get between us, and I’m not going to let him.”
Sean sighed. “I think it’s smart to get it done anyway.”
“Then let’s have Scarlet take a test too.”
His face reddened. “Don’t bring my wife into this.” His hands were shaking.
“Then don’t accuse my fiancé of being a liar.”
“I’m not accusing her of anything! Mike, just be logical about this. If she loves you, she’ll understand.”
“No. I’m not changing my mind.” I stood back then sat in my chair, my face in my hands. I closed my eyes and sighed. “I refuse to start our marriage like that. I love Cassandra and trust her more than anyone. I know you’re just looking out for me because you’re my brother, but this is something I’m certain about. This is Zander’s last attempt at breaking us up. If I ask her if she slept with Zander, she’ll be pissed and walk out on me. I’m not going to do it.” I kept my eyes closed and breathed through the anger.
Hairs were suddenly ripped from my scalp.
“What the fuck?” I stood up, ready to punch him in the face.
“Sorry. There was a bug.” He put his hands in his pocket.
“A bug?” I asked incredulously. “Was it living inside my skull?”
“Just think about what I said. You don’t have much time.”
I glared at him. “I don’t need to think about anything. Now get the hell out of my office.”
He backed off and walked out, leaving me alone with my rage.
5
Sean
I told my secretary I was at a meeting just in case Mike wanted to talk. I drove back to Connecticut but didn’t stop at my house. Instead, I went a mile further and pulled into Mike’s driveway.
I made sure I was parked in front of the window so Cassandra would recognize my car. After I knocked, I waited for her to answer the door. I knew Mike would be pissed if he knew what I was doing, but I didn’t care. He was my brother and I had his back until the end of time. He could hate me all he wanted.
She opened the door, surprise on her face. “Is Mike okay?”
“Yes,” I said immediately. “That’s not why I’m here.”
She breathed a sigh of relief and her hand went to her stomach. “Then what’s up?”
“Can I come in?”
“Sure.” She stepped aside. “So what do I owe the pleasure?”
There was no easy way to say this, so I was just going to get it over with. “Zander came to the office and told Mike he slept with you a few months ago.” I know Mike believed her, but I wasn’t as convinced. And I wasn’t going to let her marry my brother if she was lying to him, especially about something as big as this.
Cassandra stared at me blankly until she processed what I said. “He said that?”
&nbs
p; “Yeah.” My hands were in my pockets. “He wants a paternity test because he claims it could be his.”
She gripped her skull and sighed. “That fucker.”
“I’m not here to argue with you or accuse you of anything, but I want you to take a paternity test.”
She fixed her hair then tried to calm down. She was clearly flustered. “No offense, but why am I not having this conversation with the father of my child?”
“Because he thinks Zander is lying.”
“Which he is,” she snapped.
“I can’t take the risk,” I said simply. “I need to know if that baby really belongs to my brother.”
Anger moved into her eyes. “If Mike trusts me, then it’s none of your business.”
“But it is,” I said. “You will do this.” I hated being so cold with her but I had to be.
“No.”
“If you have nothing to hide, then what’s the problem?” I knew that backed her into a corner.
“It would be different if Mike wanted the results, but he doesn’t. That man loves me and trusts me.”
“Well, I don’t.” The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. “You broke his heart, and I know I saw men’s clothing in your apartment. Why would your brother take off his shoes, jacket, and wallet? I’m not buying it, and I’m not letting my brother be played again. You fucked up this relationship once and I’m not letting you ruin his life. Now take the test.”
Her eyes burned in flames. It reminded me of the look Scarlet gave me. “If Mike knew you were talking to me like this, he’d throw your face under water and let you drown.”
“Be that as it may.”
She crossed her arms over chest and shook her head. “We can’t do the test without Mike’s cooperation anyway.”
“I have his DNA.” I took out the bag with his hairs. “We’re good. And I already have an appointment with the lab. Now we need to go.”
She still didn’t budge. “Since you’re Mike’s brother, I’m going to cut you some slack. Leave now and we’ll never speak of this again. I won’t tell Mike any of this. Now go.”
Her resilience made me more suspicious. “Why won’t you just take the test?”
“Because I don’t need to prove anything.”
“I think you’re hiding something.” I was worried that this baby might not be my brother’s, but now I was certain it wasn’t. Her lack of cooperation and her vow of silence if I left made me realize she just wanted to get rid of me. Not gonna happen.
“I’m not hiding anything,” she hissed. “You’re so selfish. I’m marrying your brother in a few days and you’re ruining that by subjecting me to this insult.”
“Let’s go.” I wasn’t going to argue with her anymore.
“No.”
I couldn’t coerce her with force. If Mike touched Scarlet for any reason, I’d kill him. And I wasn’t stupid enough to touch her. “If you don’t do this, I will constantly doubt you every day of your marriage. I will distrust you and resent you. The fact you aren’t willing to do this just makes me distrust you even more. You’re clearly hiding something and you’re determined for me not to find out. And that makes me realize that my brother made a horrible decision proposing to you. We’re a very close family, and you’re risking that by protecting your pride or your lie. Now, what’s it going to be?”
The hatred burned in her eyes. “Fine. I’ll do it.”
Hallelujah.
“But you and I will never be friends. I don’t ever want you to speak to me or look at me. This is none of your business and you have no right sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. When the test proves that Mike is the father, I will tell him what you did, and I can promise you, you will not be his best man on Saturday.”
The threat got under my skin. Mike would be pissed but he would understand. If the baby really was his, I’d be able to accept her hostility knowing my brother wasn’t being used. I’d do anything for him, even if that risked losing him at the same time. “Fine.”
She grabbed her purse then marched out the door.
I followed behind her, dreading this.
When we got into the room, I spoke to the laboratory scientist. “The test takes two days?” That was just enough time. According to my research, it was a quick procedure.
“That’s for mail in deliveries. For coming to the lab, about 24 hours.”
That was good news. “Can you do it quicker?”
“It usually takes a few hours and then we fill out the results the following day.”
“What if I gave you an incentive to speed things along?” I always resulted to bribery.
He smirked. “A few hours.”
I pulled out the cash and discreetly handed it to him. “Call me as soon as you know.”
Cassandra gave me a cold stare. “I want a hard copy of the results for proof.”
“You’d think I lie?”
“I don’t know what to think anymore.” She walked away and headed to the door.
On the drive home, she was silent.
I needed to make sure I got her back to the house and back to work before Mike knew anything. I didn’t want to tell him anything until I had the results. Depending on what the results wew, it could drastically change the conversation.
I pulled into her driveway then got out to open her door.
“I got it.” She stepped out and slammed the door. “Bye.”
I walked her to the door because I was still a gentleman. “Cassandra, it’s nothing personal.”
“Don’t talk to me.”
I sighed and watched her open the door.
“I’m telling him as soon as he gets home. So if you don’t want to be a coward and talk to him yourself, now is your chance.” She slammed the door in my face.
I wasn’t expecting her to react this way. A test was a reasonable request after what Zander just said. This was my brother we were talking about. I had to do the right thing.
When I got back to the building, I walked into my office and stared at my phone, waiting for the results to come in. It was still early in the day, so I should get the results before we clocked out. I sincerely hoped Mike would understand my actions. If not, I might have to bring my wife into this.
I tried to distract myself through the day so I wouldn’t think about it. I caught up on paperwork and checked my emails. I had to sign off on a few contracts and had a short meeting. But it didn’t distract me for long. When my phone rang on the desk, my heart moved into my throat.
I answered it. “Sean Preston.”
“It’s Dr. Thomas,” he said. “I have your results.”
I held my breath.
“The DNA matches.”
Relief washed through me. “You’re sure?”
“No doubt.”
“Thank you. Can you send me a copy?”
“Yep. I already sent one to Ms. Riley.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem.” He hung up.
Thank god. I was so glad the baby was my brother’s. That didn’t necessarily rule out the fact she may have slept with Zander, but that wasn’t for me to decide. I stalled as long as possible, not wanting to face my brother. When I waited as long as I could, I walked into his office.
Mike was still in a sour mood, even at the end of the workday. Zander really got under his skin. “What?” he barked.
If I could postpone this until he was in a better mood, I would. But I knew Cassandra would pounce on him the moment he walked into the door. “I need to talk to you about something.”
“What?” He leaned back in his chair then spun his pen through his fingers.
“You’re going to want to kill me, and I totally understand why. But just hear me out until I’m done.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “I’m not liking this…”
“It doesn’t get better.”
His eyes narrowed.
“I knew you would never ask Cassandra to have a paternity test, so I…asked her
myself.”
“You did what?” He was on his feet quicker than I could react. “How dare you ask my fiancé that!”
“I was just trying to protect you.”
“If I want a test, I’ll ask myself.” His eyes glowed with deadly threat. I knew he wanted to punch me right in the throat.
“I got the results back—”
“What?” His eyes were wider than I’d ever seen him. “You took her to get a test done without even fucking telling me about it? What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I had to know before you married her.”
“Fuck you, asshole.” His shoulders stiffened while he stared me down. “I could kill you right now.”
I knew he meant it. “I know you said you trusted Cassandra, but I had to make sure. After Zander came in and dropped that bomb on us, I had to know.”
Mike came around the desk, his hands clenching. Quick like a cat, he lashed out and grabbed me by the throat, squeezing hard. “You motherfucker. She’s my fiancé. If I wanted a paternity test, I would have asked for it. You had no right to go to her and force her to do that. This has got to be the worst shit you’ve ever pulled.”
I didn’t fight back and let him release his anger.
He shook me hard. “This is my relationship and I make the decisions, not you. Even if she did lie to me and the baby isn’t mine, that’s my mistake to make. I choose to trust Cassandra and give her everything I have. If she burns me, so be it. That’s a risk I’m willing to take.” He released me and pushed me against the wall. “You crossed a line.”
I rubbed my throat and coughed. “You’re my brother. I was protecting you.”
He stared me down, the rage burning. “I can’t believe you would that to my girl.”
“Dad said we should get a paternity test too.”
“I don’t care what dad said! This isn’t about him.”
“You’re telling me that her ex asking for a paternity test didn’t make you blink an eye? He has no reason to lie!”
“All I know is that my fiancé wouldn’t lie to me.” His face contorted in pain. “If I get home and she isn’t there, I’ll never forgive you for this.”
“She knows it was all me,” I said immediately. “I told her you had nothing to do with this.”
