Chapter 24
Laiken
Garlic hisses the second it hits the hot oil. The sound is loud in the kitchen as the fragrant scent blooms throughout the space. Normally, a task this simple would soothe me. Cooking is routine. Controlled. A series of steps I know by heart.
Tonight, though, it doesn’t.
All I hear is the tiny heartbeat. That steady, impossible sound from earlier today. Strong, fast, and real. No matter how much I focus on what I’m doing, part of me is still standing in that exam room, listening to proof that everything has changed.
Behind me, Elody giggles. It’s one of my favorite sounds in the whole damn world.
“Look, Kia,” she says, voice filled with pride. “I added sparkles.”
I turn, taking in the sight of Kia on the living room rug with my daughter, head bent, blonde hair falling forward as she leans over whatever masterpiece Elody has created.
Elody sits cross-legged next to her, tongue sticking out in concentration.
A pile of markers and crayons lay scattered across the coffee table.
It’s domestic and absurdly normal. The kind of moment I gave up thinking would happen. It punches me right in the gut that Kia has come into our lives out of nowhere and fits in so effortlessly. I grip the fork harder than necessary, and fluff the rice as that thought echoes in my head.
Kia laughs at something Elody says. It’s a warm and quiet sound. And I like hearing it almost as much as my daughter’s.
Which is a problem.
Elody pops up and sprints into the kitchen like she’s been fired out of a cannon. “Daddy! Look!”
After setting the fork down, I wipe my hands on a dish towel as she thrusts the paper at me. It’s a stick figure family. One of them is tall and another is tiny with wild hair. Besides them is another figure with long blonde hair.
A lump rises in my throat.
“That’s me,” Elody announces, tapping the small figure before pointing to the taller one. “And that’s you, Daddy.” Then she motions to the blonde. “And that’s Kia.”
I blink once and then again, unsure how to handle this.
“Kia isn’t part of our family, bug,” I say carefully.
Elody frowns, as if I’ve said something absurd. “Yes, she is.”
I open my mouth to respond but don’t get the chance.
Kia’s calm voice drifts in from the living room. “El, honey, I’m not—”
“But you are!” Elody cuts in, spinning toward the woman, as if she expected backup. “You stay here now and take me to school. That means you’re our family.”
When Kia stills, I feel the shift from across the room as Elody’s gaze lifts to mine. Her eyes are bright and filled with trust.
It’s the kind of trust I can’t afford to mishandle.
“Sweetheart,” I say gently, crouching until we’re nearly eye level with one another. “Kia’s here to help out. She’s going to stay for a while, okay?”
“But is she staying forever?” Elody asks. “Why can’t Kia stay with us forever, Daddy?”
My chest tightens just enough to make breathing difficult. Kia’s guarded gaze snaps to me, and I can almost see her bracing for my response. Unfortunately, in this situation, there’s no right answer.
“She’s staying for now,” I say cautiously, only wanting to manage my little girl’s expectations.
Elody’s lower lip thrusts out. “I want her here forever.”
“I know, bug.” My voice comes out unsteady, despite my best efforts, as I smooth back her hair. All I want to do is shield Elody from further pain. “But for now is good, isn’t it?”
She considers the question before reluctantly nodding. “I guess.” Then her face brightens. “I’m going to make another picture, and Kia can keep it in her room so she never forgets us.”
I force a smile. “That’s a great idea.”
Elody races back to the living room and drops down beside Kia, immediately starting another drawing.
“Wow,” Kia says a few minutes later. “I think this is even better than the first one.”
Elody beams. “It’s for you. Daddy said you’re staying for now.” Her voice dips, turning serious. “But I want you to stay forever.”
Kia glances at me. The moment our gazes collide, I turn back to the stove before instinct overrides what little sense I have left. I inhale a deep breath and then exhale it slowly as I fight the urge to cross the room and pull her into my arms.
But I can’t do that.
It would only bulldoze the boundaries that need to stay firmly in place between us. The ones we need if this arrangement is going to work at all.
“Laiken?” Her voice floats into the kitchen, and I close my eyes briefly, hating how much I like the sound of my name on her lips. “Do you need help with anything?”
“Nope. It’s all under control.”
Her footsteps falter near the threshold, which tells me she understands the need for space just as much as I do. It’s like we’re both hovering at that invisible line.
“That’s part of the reason I’m here,” she says. “To help.”
“I know.” I keep my attention on the chicken in the pan. “But tonight, I’ve got it covered.”
“Are you sure?”
I glance over and find her standing with her hands loosely clasped in front of her, hair pulled back, face bare of makeup. She looks exhausted and maybe a little pale, as if today took more out of her than she’s willing to admit.
A wave of protectiveness surges through me. “Yup. Go sit down and take it easy. I’ve got it.”
Her brows knit before she nods. “Okay.”
“Kia!” Elody calls out. “Come see what I made with glitter!”
The younger woman’s expression softens. “I bet it’s amazing.”
And then she retreats to the living room. I stare at the empty doorway longer than necessary before cursing under my breath. If I’m being honest with myself, I wanted her to cross that line. I wanted her in this space with me, moving around as we made dinner together.
And that realization scares the hell out of me.
Not only is Kia young, she’s my teammate’s sister.
And she’s pregnant with another man’s child.
I shouldn’t have been the one standing beside her in that exam room this morning, holding her hand and sharing such an intimate moment.
I shouldn’t have felt something flare dangerously in my chest when the doctor mistook me for the father.
And I sure as shit shouldn’t have wished it were true.
But I had.
I stir the sauce for the chicken a little too hard, as if the extra effort might keep my thoughts from drifting back to the woman who’s been occupying far too many of them.
In the living room, Elody giggles and Kia laughs along with her.
The sound slips straight through the walls I’ve built around my heart since Sarah left.
Elody wants this woman to stay. For one reckless second, I allow myself to picture the three of us at this table every night. It would be a life that finally feels steady. Then reality snaps back into place, and I remind myself this is a temporary situation.
It has to be.
I can’t allow my daughter to fall in love with another person who might take off on a whim. And if I’m not careful, I’ll be right there beside her, standing in the wreckage of something I let myself believe in.
My phone buzzes, knocking me from those thoughts.
Abigail.
Even though I should pick up, I let it go to voicemail. When it continues to buzz, I flip it face down, as if that will be enough to keep the threat at bay. The courts. The scrutiny. The reminder that my every move is not only being watched but carefully evaluated.
In the living room, Kia’s patient voice sails through the air. I hate how much relief I feel knowing she’s here, giving my daughter something I’m unable to provide.
After dishing out the chicken and rice, I carry the bowls to the table. Elody climbs into her seat, still smudged with marker and glitter.
But she’s so damn happy.
“Is everyone hungry?” I ask.
“Yes!” Elody squeals. “Look, Kia! Daddy made rice with sauce!”
The younger woman smiles. “It smells delicious.”
“It’s my grandmother’s recipe,” I admit gruffly.
“You’re a good cooker,” Elody says proudly.
“Good cook,” I correct.
She giggles.
For a few minutes, everything feels almost normal. Forks clink as Elody chatters. Kia listens like every word matters. I can’t stop watching them together, marveling at just how quickly they’ve bonded.
When my phone vibrates on the counter again, I ignore it.
“Elody,” Kia says, “what do you think about making pancakes in the morning? The smiley-face ones?”
Elody’s eyes light up as she swings toward me. “Can we, Daddy?”
The tension I didn’t realize I was holding begins to ease, replaced by something softer and far more dangerous.
“Sure. I love pancakes.”
Elody cheers, already bouncing in place, talking a mile a minute about chocolate chips and whipped cream and whether smiley faces can have freckles.
Kia’s gaze lingers on mine for a beat longer than necessary. It would be impossible not to notice the gratitude shining in her eyes. But threaded through it is an emotion that’s quieter and far heavier.
I don’t let myself name it, but I already know what it means. I’m in so fucking deep, I’m not sure there’s any getting out.
And the truth is… I don’t think I want to.