Page 76 of Justice II

I wanted to reach for him, but I wasn't sure he wanted to be touched. He had come looking for me and found out he might lose everything he believed about his family in one afternoon.

“The fuck am I supposed to do? If she's that messed up? I can't kill a little girl, Melody.”

I looked directly at him.

“She is not a little girl. She's the devil in a teenager's body. She will kill again.”

His jaw tightened.

I had seen that same look before he put me out. This time, I stayed where I was.

“I'm afraid for Dream,” I said. “I'm afraid of what happens when Storie decides she's tired of sharing you with her. And I'm carrying another baby who would need your attention. I can't bring a child into that house.”

He looked at my stomach, then back at me.

“You won't.”

I waited for him to explain.

“Before I do anything, I need to know if she's mine. I'm getting a paternity test.”

“Okay.”

“I need that answer.”

I nodded. I could tell he was still going through everything I had said. Every few seconds, his eyes would leave mine, and I knew he was somewhere else with it.

Then he reached for my hand again.

“I'm putting you somewhere nice. You won't have to worry about paying for it.”

“Justice…”

“Let me finish. You're getting the best care for you and this baby. Whatever appointments you need, we'll handle it.”

I swallowed and looked at him. I had been so busy preparing to hear that I was on my own that I didn't know what to do with him offering to take care of me.

“You can't just throw money at this.”

“I can start by making sure you have somewhere to sleep.”

I almost smiled. He was still bossy as hell. Even sitting there with his whole world falling apart, he had decided what he was going to do about me.

This time, I wanted the help.

“What about Keenan?”

“We'll figure out Roman.”

“You're still working with him.”

“His company's already made progress on Freetown. We got money tied up in that build, contracts, people working. It's a situation I have to handle.”

I pulled my hand back a little, but he held it.

“Look at me,” he said. “You and your son matter more than that fucking construction project. You understand?”

I nodded, though I wanted to hear him say it again.