Chapter 2 #2
Brooklyn tensed, and I moved forward, unsure of what to do. I didn’t know the legalities behind this, or what was true, but I wasn’t about to let this little girl get hurt.
“First, you’re not a problem. Never let anyone tell you that. I don’t know what’s going on, Bella, and if I am your father, then I guess we’ll figure things out. But I didn’t know you existed, Bella. I can promise you that.”
“Mom didn’t mention you.” She looked down at her hands, and I cursed Cassie and her family for doing this. To Bella. To me. To us.
“We’re going to figure it out. It’s on the adults to figure it out. Okay?”
She looked up at me with angry, watery eyes and in that moment, I knew she was mine, and I told myself that I’d do anything to protect this child.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I’m not going to let you get hurt.”
“Whatever.” She stood up then, and I realized that her grandparents and the lawyer had come in behind me.
“We will talk to you soon. Bella, come with us,” Mrs. Long stated as she held out her hand.
Bella sighed dramatically. “I guess I’ll see you soon. Or not.”
I stared down at her, wondering if I should reach out, or say anything.
Instead, I swallowed hard. “No matter what, I’ll talk to you soon.
” How the hell was I supposed to let this kid go now?
Her grandparents clearly didn’t want her and yet they were taking her away.
What the fuck was I supposed to do in this moment?
She met my gaze then, and I didn’t know what she saw, but when her shoulders relaxed, I thought maybe I had said the right thing.
The lawyer said a few other things to me and handed me his card, and somehow I found myself standing in the lounge with Brooklyn behind me, feeling more lost than I ever had in my life.
“Reece? Can I call someone for you?” Brooklyn put her hand on my shoulder, and I let out a deep breath. As if her touch pulled me back to reality.
“I need to call my lawyer. And I guess my family? We have to do a DNA test or some shit.” A metallic taste settled over my tongue and I swallowed hard, trying to focus on what life is going to become.
“Could she be yours?” Brooklyn asked, her voice oh-so-careful. I looked down at her, and resisted the urge to count the freckles that I had always been so attuned to.
“She looks just like my mom, Freckles.”
Her eyes widened, going glassy, and she squeezed my upper arm. “Okay. Whatever you need, we’ve got you.”
Lexington cleared his throat as he moved into the room, Dash right behind him. “Seriously, take all the time you need. And well, I want to say congratulations, but that sounds wrong.”
“What the fuck am I supposed to do?” I asked. No one had any answers. Of course.
“Did you know her mother then?” Lex asked.
I nodded. “Not well. I mean, we were seeing each other for a bit, but it wasn’t serious. Then we broke it off, and I hadn’t heard from her since.”
Dash cursed under his breath. “And she never told you?”
“I’m on the birth certificate. Which doesn’t do anything if I don’t fucking know.”
“And I guess there’s not an alert or something that lets you know when you’re put on someone’s birth certificate. Like a Google alert that emails you.” Dash tried to make a joke of it, but I couldn’t find any humor at this point.
“They…are giving her to me. Or rather…just…letting go? I need to talk to my lawyer because the way they speak about her makes my skin crawl. They don’t want her.
How could they not want her? I don’t care if they’ve been in her life for all those twelve years, because if she’s my kid, I’m not just going to walk away.
I don’t know, something sounds weird about this.
It’s so fucking fishy, and I’m so far out of my depth I’m drowning. ”
“You’re not alone,” Brooklyn said, squeezing my arm once again. “You’ve got us, and I know your family’s supportive. Do you have a good lawyer? If not, we know people.”
I snorted, liking her touch far too much. “I would make a joke that of course, the Montgomerys know people, but yes, I have a lawyer for something like this. I think. Fuck. I thought we were just going to have a meeting about the project, and here I am, living a fucking soap opera.”
“I kind of liked the fact that it’s not a Montgomery this time,” Lex said with a shrug, and that made my lips turn up.
“It does feel out of character that it’s me and not you guys.”
“Well, you’re not alone no matter what,” Dash said with a firm nod. “I suppose we should start calling you Daddy now.”
Brooklyn tried to hold back laughter beside me, her shoulders shaking.
I glared down at her. “Don’t you start.”
“I promise I won’t. But Reece?”
I raised a brow in answer.
“I think I know the Longs.”
I froze. “Excuse me?”
She held up both hands as I whirled towards her. “I didn’t know they had a grandkid. And honestly, I don’t even know if I’ve met their daughter. But the Longs, well, they were in the same circles as Duke’s family. I think I remember them from a gala or something. But it’s been a while.”
It felt like the floor caved in under me, and I let out a shaky breath. “Meaning they have money and connections, and if Bella is mine—”
“If you’re on the birth certificate, you have rights,” Dash said. “And they said they were giving her to you. Like she’s a fucking sofa or something.”
I rubbed my temples. “I could hate you for that comparison, but they were so damn cold about it. I don’t know how any of this works. Why are none of you Montgomerys lawyers?” I asked, trying to put some humor in the situation.
“We’ll make sure that the next generation has a few lawyers,” Brooklyn said, worry on her face.
“Take the night off and figure something out. I’m so sorry.
From the few moments I had with Bella, she’s amazing.
She’s smart, funny, and she misses her mom something fierce.
No matter what happens, no matter what you’re feeling or what her grandparents are feeling, there’s a scared little girl here.
And I know you’re going to take care of her. No matter what.”
I wanted to soak in the fact that she trusted me, that she believed, but in that moment, I couldn’t think.
Because I had a feeling my life had just irrevocably altered to the point of madness.
I was a forty-one-year-old man. Single by choice. And apparently a dad.