Chapter Thirty-Five
DEE
The doctor hands Colt an envelope, and something about it feels ominous. Colt opens it with a slight smile, but it fades the second his eyes hit the page.
My stomach flips as I watch his face drain of expression.
“I’m sorry, son,” the doctor says gently. “The results came back ninety-nine point seven percent negative. You are not the father of that child.”
I gasp, slapping a hand over my mouth.
Colt stumbles backward like he’s been shot, collapsing onto the stair behind him. “I’m not… Caleb’s father?”
The doctor places a hand on Colt’s shoulder. “No. I’m sorry.”
I sit down beside Colt and wrap my arm around him, trying to steady the shaking that’s taken over his body. My heart aches for him. He wanted this so badly. In his heart, he knew Caleb was his. The dates, the resemblance, it all made sense.
“Colt?” I whisper.
He looks at me, and I recognize the shift in his eyes instantly. The sadness disappears, replaced by something far more dangerous.
Rage.
“Colt, stop,” I whisper urgently as he shoots up from the stair with his chest heaving.
“Macy!” he bellows so loud it rattles the walls.
I jump up after him. “Colt, please. Just breathe.”
“Calm down? You want me to calm down?” he growls, shaking out of my grip. “Macy!”
She appears in the living room doorway, frowning. “What? Why are you yelling?”
He storms toward her.
“Colt!” I call out, chasing after him, but he brushes past me like I’m not even there.
“Caleb. Is. Not. Mine,” he snaps, punctuating every word.
Macy recoils. “What are you talking about? Of course, he’s yours!”
Hux steps in, placing a hand on Colt’s chest. “What’s going on?”
Colt’s eyes don’t leave Macy’s. “Tell us, Mace. Tell us how you lied. How you tricked me into paying for everything. Into believing I was fixing my kid.”
“What are you talking about?” Macy asks, shaking her head. “Colt, what the hell is wrong with you?”
I reach for Colt’s hand again, trying to ground him, but he yanks away. “Don’t touch me, Dee,” he snaps without looking at me.
I recoil, hugging my arms around myself.
I shouldn’t have asked for the test.
If I hadn’t pushed, Colt wouldn’t be going through this right now.
“What’s going on?” Grace asks, stepping out from the lounge.
“I had a paternity test,” Colt says coldly, still staring Macy down. “Wanna guess what it said?”
Macy blinks. “You… you can’t do that without my consent—”
Colt lets out a hollow laugh. “I’m rock royalty, sweetheart. I can pull strings. And I did. Guess what? That kid’s not mine.”
Macy’s hand flies to her mouth as a sob escapes. “It can’t be,” she whispers. “You have to be the father.” Then her eyes slowly shift to Hux.
And that’s when it hits me.
Oh. My. God.
“It was only one time, Colt,” Macy says quickly. “We fought, and I-I only slept with him once. I was sure Caleb was yours. I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to hurt you.”
“Who the fuck were you sleeping with, Macy?” Colt roars. “Do I know him?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she says, her voice trembling.
“The hell it doesn’t,” Colt yells. “I was in love with you! I trusted you!”
She sobs into her hands, and I see Joseph quietly walking Caleb into the kitchen, probably to shield him from the chaos.
“I wasn’t whoring around, you asshole,” Macy screams. “You came to me when you felt like it… when you wanted sex. Did you think I just sat there and waited? Like, I didn’t matter?”
“I loved you,” Colt shouts back. “I came home to you every night. Maybe I wasn’t perfect, but I was loyal! And you—”
“Fuck you!” she cries. “All you cared about was your stupid music. I was second place to a fucking guitar.”
“Hey,” Hux barks, suddenly stepping forward.
Macy falters.
“Say whatever you want about the music,” Colt growls. “It still doesn’t excuse you cheating. Is that why you left me? To be with him?”
“No! I left because I felt guilty. Because I got pregnant, and I couldn’t keep living that lie. You deserved better.”
“Damn right, I did,” Colt snaps. “You show up here, after my wife and I had just had a failed surrogacy, and blow up our lives with this? Why? What the fuck for, Macy?”
“Because I thought he was yours, dammit!”
“Well, guess what? He’s not. So who the hell is the father?”
Macy doesn’t answer.
“I will find out, Macy. And when I do—”
“It’s me,” Hux says quietly.
Everyone freezes.
Colt turns his head slowly, his eyes narrowing. “What?”
Hux looks at Macy, then back to Colt. “It’s me… isn’t it?”
Macy hesitates, but then slowly nods.
Colt’s face drains of color. “You! You slept with her? You slept with my girlfriend?”
“Oh, Huxley…” Grace whispers.
Hux steps toward Colt, raising his hands. “It was one time, bro. Just one. We both felt like shit afterward—”
“You slept with my girlfriend? The first woman I ever loved?” Colt asks quietly.
It’s the calm before the storm.
I gently place my hand over his clenched fist, but he shakes me off.
“Yes,” Hux admits. “But it was only once. We never meant for this to happen.”
Before I can react, Colt lunges, grabbing Hux by the collar and slamming him into the wall. Macy screams, and I cover my mouth, frozen.
“All these years… why didn’t you tell me? Why would you let me believe Caleb was mine?” Colt roars. “Why would you let me destroy my marriage over a child who isn’t even mine? Why?”
“I’m a fuck-up, Colt,” Hux fires back. “I’m not father material. You wanted a kid, so I let you have one. I figured… maybe the kid would have a better shot with you.”
Without warning, Colt draws his fist back, then slams it hard and fast into Hux’s jaw. His head snaps to the side, letting out a grunt as he slides down the wall, his eyes rolling into his head, dazed.
But Colt grabs him again, pulling him back up by the shirt.
“Colt, stop!” I cry.
He turns to me, eyes wild. “This one’s for you, Dee,” he snarls and lands a brutal hit to Hux’s nose. Blood splatters everywhere, and Grace starts to cry.
“Colt, please,” Macy pleads. “This is my fault. I should’ve gotten you both tested. If you want to blame someone, hit me.”
Colt drops Hux, letting him slump to the floor, then storms toward Macy. I dart after him and tug on his arm before he reaches her.
“Think, Colt. She’s a woman,” I whisper, my voice shaking.
He stops. His breathing ragged, the fury rages in his eyes like a man possessed, but so does heartbreak.
“Don’t worry,” he growls, glaring at Macy. “I’d never hit you. But Hux is getting tested. We’re not just taking your word for it, not after this. You ruined my marriage. You ruined my life. I despise you. And if you ever come near my wife again, I won’t be held responsible for what I do.”
I take his hand, our fingers locking.
“I’m s-sorry, Colt,” Macy sobs. “Hux and I… there was always this pull, but we never acted on it. That night, I was angry. I wanted to hurt you, and when I came back to get help for Caleb, I didn’t know about the surrogacy.
The timing was awful. I never meant to destroy your marriage.
” She turns to me. “I’m sorry, Dee.” Then she walks off toward the kitchen.
Colt turns to me, his whole body sagging. His eyes are brimming. I wrap my arms around him tightly, and he holds me like he’ll never let go.
The doctor helps Hux to his feet.
Grace presses a tissue to his nose. “Huxley, I’m disappointed in you. And Colter… violence is never the answer,” she says gently. “Fix your marriage, Colt. Make it right.” Then she walks out with Hux and the doctor.
“I’m sorry, Colt. I never wanted this to come between us,” Hux says on his way out.
Colt doesn’t even look at him. “Get out. Get tested. Take care of your kid. As of today, my trust fund contributions to Macy are done. That’s your responsibility now.”
When the door shuts behind them, I look up, my heart hammering in my chest. “Are you okay?”
He exhales, resting his forehead against mine. “Honestly? I don’t know what I am.”
Macy re-enters with Caleb and Joseph. Colt pulls away from me and squats to Caleb’s level, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. “Just remember I love you, no matter what,” Colt says, voice cracking.
Caleb nods and leans in, embracing him, really embracing him like he’s clinging to the only chance at a father he’s ever had.
A sob escapes me.
Colt looks back at me, his eyes swimming with pain.
“Thanks, Dad,” Caleb says.
Colt gasps and collapses backward onto the floor. I’m at his side in an instant as he curls up, knees to chest. “That’s the first time he’s called me Dad,” he whispers.
I bite my lip, blinking back tears. “I think you should go,” I say to Macy.
She nods, her eyes red. “I’m sorry, Colt. I’ll tell him when we get home.”
“Tell me what, Mummy?” Caleb asks.
“Let’s get you home, sweetheart. It’s been a big day.”
He resists. “Can’t we stay with Dad a little longer?”
Colt buries his face in his arms.
Macy guides Caleb to the front door. “I’m sorry, Colt,” she says again, like a damn broken record, then leaves.
I sit on the floor with Colt, holding him while he stays silent.
Joseph quietly steps away, giving us space.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I never wanted this when I asked for the test.”
He lifts his head. “No. I should have asked for one sooner. I shouldn’t have just believed her. Goddammit! I put you through all of this. I failed you. I get it now. If you still want to leave me, I understand.”
I cup his face. “I’m not leaving you, Colt. Not now. Not ever.”
His whole body shudders in relief as he buries his face into my neck.
“I don’t know how to deal with this,” he confesses.
“I thought I had a son… and I felt guilty because I knew how much it hurt you. I thought, maybe with time, you’d love him like your own.
But I realize now you couldn’t. Not like that.
And it’s worse for you because I can still have kids.
You can’t.” He looks into my eyes. “But I won’t, Dee.
If we ever want kids, we’ll adopt. Or we’ll go through another surrogacy together.
I’ll even get a vasectomy, so you know I’d never do this to you again. No more surprises. No more pain.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I say, tearfully.
“I want to. You’re my everything, Dee. This? Us? It’s all I’ll ever need.”
My chest aches with love for this man. “I never stopped loving you. Not even for a second. I’m so fucking mad with myself that I let Macy come between us.”
He wipes my tears. “You know what you swearing does to me.”
I laugh softly through the tears. “I’m sorry I couldn’t handle the Caleb stuff. I let you down.”
Colt stands and offers his hand. “Come here.”
I take it, and he pulls me to the staircase.
“I believe there’s something here that belongs to you,” he says, picking up my rings from the banister.
He faces me, eyes full of fire and tenderness.
“I love you, Deliah Slade. Now, let’s start again.
From this moment, a new beginning.” Then he drops to one knee, takes my hand, and looks up at me. “Will you marry me… again?”
I smile as Joseph walks in, clapping behind me.
“Of course, Colt. There’s no one I’d rather spend forever with.”
He slides my wedding ring back onto my finger, followed by the engagement ring, then lifts me into his arms and spins me around. I laugh, giddy and breathless, as he kisses me.
And just like that…
… I’m home.