Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Z ion stared at Raven, unable to form words because his mind was blown. There had even been a moment when he thought he would pass out at the implication that the babies were his. This all seemed unreal, like a dream. Not a nightmare because he’d been reunited with the woman he’d long for, but still a dream that he wished he could wake up from.
He had only planned to stop by here and get something to eat, then head home, grab a beer, and wind down with his dog, Onyx. But this? A daddy? Two babies? It was as if he’d stepped into an alternate universe and had gotten swallowed up by it. His world had definitely been flipped onto its axis by this news, and… and…
What the actual hell? No way he could be a father. It was impossible. Well, it wasn’t impossible, but not now. Not when he’d just turned thirty and still had some living to do. Nope, this had to be a mistake or some sick joke because there was no way he had two kids.
Or at least that’s what he was telling himself. This couldn’t be true. He was always careful. Even that night with Raven, he had used protection.
He glanced at Raven, who was looking down at her hands, and shook his head again. The night he’d spent with her had been one of the best nights of his life. They’d hit it off immediately, as if knowing each other forever. One thing led to another, and before he knew it, he’d invited her to his room. They talked, laughed, and had even slow danced before he got her naked and ravished her sexy body.
Just thinking about their pleasure-filled connection had him silently groaning. Zion couldn’t remember the number of rounds they’d gone in those short seven hours of bliss. All he’d known was that he hadn’t been ready to let her go. Yet, while he’d been in the shower, getting ready to attend the third day of his conference, Raven had disappeared. At least she’d left a note. It hadn’t said much, except that she was glad they’d met, and that the night had been amazing. Then she had signed it, Raven.
But this? That amazing night supposedly had created two kids.
“God,” he breathed and leaped from his seat, unable to sit still. Instead, he paced the middle of the floor as if that would organize the fifty-million questions clogging his mind. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t wrap his brain around any of this.
“There’s no way,” he murmured to himself while he stomped back and forth on the carpeted floor. “I used protection.”
“Except for when we didn’t,” Raven said, and his gaze snapped to hers. Just that quickly, he’d momentarily forgotten she was sitting there. Yeah, he was definitely going to need that beer, and maybe something even stronger.
“We used protection every time,” he insisted, shocked he was even having this conversation. He never screwed up when it came to sex, even mind-blowing, out of this world, can’t wait to do it again, kind of sex. Which was what they’d had, over and over again, and each time he had sheathed himself.
“Let me refresh your memory,” Raven’s soft voice crackled through the room and jerked him out of his thoughts. “Remember the time after we’d ordered room service and before it arrived? Things moved quickly, and you backed me to a wall, and—”
“Oh, shit,” he mumbled and slammed his eyes shut as the moment came to him like an EF5 tornado, knocking him on his ass.
He remembered. Oh, how he remembered. Raven had felt so good. Too damn good, and he’d been buried deep inside of her before they realized he hadn’t put on a condom. But still, it had only been a second or maybe ten and he pulled out immediately.
“No way you got pregnant because of that slip up. I pulled out the moment we realized what happened.”
She shot out of her seat and glared at him. “So you think I’m lying? I wasn’t with anyone before you came along, and I haven’t been with anyone since!” Her whisper-shouting might’ve been quiet, but there was so much force behind her words that if they’d been bullets, he’d be dead.
“I don’t know you,” he ground out and got in her face. “For all I know, you can be lying. I haven’t seen you in months. You could’ve been with anyone during that time.” “Listen, jerk-face!”
Jerk-face? Seriously?
She jabbed him in the chest with her pointy finger, hard enough to leave a mark. “I’m telling you the truth! I’m not sure what type of women you’re used to being with, but I don’t lie. I would never lie about something this serious. Those are your kids whether you believe it or not.”
Zion was six-feet tall and two hundred and twenty pounds. Though Raven was tall for a woman, she couldn’t have been more than 5’7”. She came up to his chin and might’ve been a hundred and twenty or thirty pounds. Yet, the anger radiating off her—and the murderous glare she was giving him—had her looking fierce enough to have a man shaking in his boots.
And damn if it wasn’t a turn on. Yeah, he was a jerk-face, considering that’s what he was thinking about during a serious conversation. A conversation that might be changing his whole life.
“Listen, I’m not trying to piss you off, but what were you expecting?” he asked. “That I would just take your word that your kids are mine?”
“God, I had no idea that you were such an unamenable louse! First of all, I wasn’t expecting anything because I never thought I’d see you again. Especially since you insisted we only use first names when we met, and you made it clear that the night was a one and done situation. Which, in your defense, I agreed to like an idiot, but that was a mistake, one of many that night. I blame myself for ever hooking up with your trifling butt in the first place. Then we wouldn’t be having this conversation about our children.
“But now that I’ve run into you, I want you to take a paternity test as soon as possible. Not because I want to squeeze you for child support, because I don’t need anything from you. I just want it on record so our babies will know you’re their father. Even if you are turning out to be a big butthead . Get the test done, get the results, and then if you want, you never have to see me or them again.”
She started to stomp away, but Zion reached out and gently grabbed her arm. She snatched out of his grasp and glared even harder than before, if that were possible.
“Don’t ever put your hands on me again,” she growled, a lethalness in her tone.
He liked this fiery side of her, but he hadn’t meant to upset her. Yeah, he was being a dick, but what man wouldn’t be in this instance?
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I’m sorry for everything. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that, but you have to understand, this is…”
“Crazy? Shocking? Mind-blowing and scary? Yeah, I know. Imagine my surprise when I found out I was pregnant, then imagine what it was like when I learned I was not only carrying one baby, but two . Oh, and if that weren’t enough, imagine going into labor, scared to death because Andrew decided he wanted out immediately. By the time I arrived at the hospital, they barely had me in a bed before he made his appearance. And then imagine how terrifying it was when I brought them home to my little two-bedroom apartment that was barely big enough for me. Oh, and did I mention I had to do most of that alone?
“So yeah, I understand how unbelievable all this is, and I’m sorry you found out like this. But forgive me for not feeling sympathetic at the moment. As soon as you get the paternity test done, you’ll know for certain that you and I have a son and a daughter—Andrew and Zanaya.”
It was still shocking that she named her son, maybe their son, after him.
“Damn,” he whispered and wiped his hand over his mouth. He had no intention of meeting the guys at the bar, but there was no way he wasn’t going home and having a stiff drink, or ten.
“We’ll have the paternity test done tomorrow and get it expedited,” he said. “And I really am sorry about how I responded.”
“Yeah, me too. Andrew… I mean, Zion, I would’ve reached out to you the moment I found out if I’d known how to get in contact with you. Needless to say, it’s been a tough year, but still, I would love for the kids to get to know you.”
He nodded. He wasn’t conceding just yet, but there was no reason to keep going back and forth on this. He’d pull some strings and get the paternity test results back in a few days. Until then, he needed to prepare himself in case he was the father. Meaning, he needed to make things right with Raven because, if those were his kids, he’d be all in. No way would he abandon them or her.
Raven moved away from him and wrapped her arms around herself. He felt like a jerk talking to her like that, especially since she looked as if she was going to crumble at any moment. He didn’t think it was because of him, though, at least not completely. She really did look exhausted, and he was sure it didn’t help that he was questioning her integrity.
“Tell me about the twins,” he said. “I have so many questions, and I don’t know where to start, but how old are they?”
“They just turned three months,” she said, and reclaimed her seat on the sofa, and he sat next to her.
“So considering how quickly Andrew came into the world, it sounds like he’s a bit impatient,” Zion said, hoping to lighten the tension in the room.
Raven released a quiet snort. “Impatient is an understatement. They are both good babies, but with Drew, when he’s hungry, he wants to eat immediately. Otherwise, folks will hear his roar miles away. NayNay is a little more chill. She’s such a sweetheart, and when she bats those beautiful eyes at you—”
“Yeah, I’ve seen the look, and she’s not going to have any trouble wrapping folks around her baby finger. She’s beautiful… like her mother. The moment I stared into those gorgeous eyes, I was hooked,” Zion said honestly, his gaze steady on Raven while she stared down at her white Chucks.
Memories of the very first time he’d laid eyes on Raven came rushing back. She had the most alluring eyes he’d ever seen. Though Zanaya’s were similar, Raven’s eyes were uniquely hers.
Zion touched her arm, and she slowly lifted her head and met his gaze.
“I’m really sorry about the last ten minutes. It really is good to see you. Can we start again?” he asked, his hand extended to her. “Hi, I’m Zion Andrew Priestly, and I live in Chicago. I’m a thirty-year-old police officer, who before that served eight years in the Marines. And you are?”
A smile played around her tempting lips as she put her small hand into his and shook. “Raven Shepherd. I’m thirty-five years old and live in Houston. I’m a virtual assistant with clients all over the country, and I like tacos, dark chocolate, and quiet evenings at home.”
Out of all she’d just said, what stood out the most was that she was five years older than him. Cool. He had always been attracted to and preferred older women.
When Raven yawned, he figured they could pick up the conversation tomorrow. Yet now that they were talking civilized, he didn’t want to let her go. He still had so many questions, but they’d have to wait. Then again, he could always grill his mother because, if Virginia Priestly was anything, she was nosy. There was no doubt that she probably knew everything about Raven Shepherd.