I held on. I wasn’t done.

She tried to jerk it out of my hands, and I was in her face. “I will not fight fair.”

She paled, her eyes growing big, and her hands went slack.

Not for long, though.

Right as the fight blazed in her and her hand tightened back over her phone, I added, “I will fight dirty. I will fight nasty if that is my daughter. I don’t care what Valerie wanted, or what her fucking lawyers, or whoever else has an opinion on the matter, says. If she’s mine, then she’s mine. Not yours.” When I let go, she fell back a step, holding her phone.

I leaned forward, ignoring the pulsating vein sticking out from her neck or how wide and fiery her eyes were. I promised, “You might’ve done your research. Your PI might have a file on me. I’m telling you right now that whatever you’ve read or been told says nothing about me or the lengths I’m willing to go. Your mistake was informing me about my daughter. Your second mistake was assuming I’d simply walk away, when and if that’s verified. If she’s not mine, I don’t even want to know your game. But if she is and you fight me on Nova, I won’t just destroy you. I will destroy your family. I will destroy everything and everyone you love except for Nova.”

I’d said enough.

If I said any more, I could get in trouble with my own lawyers.

I was already gearing up for a fight, but damn her. She came expecting this fight.

I said one last thing. “To me, you are standing between myself and potentially my daughter. I’d highly recommend your lawyer reach out to mine at the earliest hour so we can start these proceedings. Got me?”

She didn’t answer.

I didn’t know if she was capable of responding.

I nodded to her phone, which she was grasping with white knuckles. “If your PI wasn’t thorough enough to give you my contact information, my number’s in there. I’ll be in touch.”

6

Nate

The knock on my door wasn’t surprising since I’d made some calls as soon as I left her in the hotel bar downstairs.

What was surprising was the time. Six in the morning.

I went over and opened it. I didn’t need to look.

Mason Kade stood on the other side with a backpack slung over his shoulder, and that was it.

Mason had been my best friend for so long, then there was a group of us who were family. He’d been playing professional football with one of the best teams in the league, so not only was traveling alone a challenge for him, he didn’t have the time for it either.

The fact he arrived less than twenty-four hours later meant a lot.

His head had been down, but he straightened, looking me over. His eyes flickered once before he nodded. “You look better than I would.”

I grunted, stepping back.

He came inside, tossed his bag onto the couch, and took the bourbon that was still in my hand.

I should protest—no. No, I shouldn’t.

He tossed it in the sink, then set the glass down and moved to the coffee machine. Fingering through what contents I had, he frowned and went to the phone. He ordered a whole pot of coffee from room service before turning back to me.

“So.” He leaned back against the counter behind him, crossing his arms over his chest. “Tell me what you know.”

Right to business. That was Mason.

I tossed my phone on the couch, and Mason went over to scoop it up.

As he sat and began scrolling through everything, I said, “Her name is Quincey Royas. I got that much from her social media.”

He was reading and reading fast. “Her dad’s name is Duke Royas. Going through her account, I don’t see a lot of pictures of her and Valerie together. They’re sisters?”

“She said they were half-sisters.” I frowned. “Don’t you have practice today?”

Mason glanced up. “I talked to the coach.”

“Right. I’m sure he was fine letting you fly across the country for my emergency.”

He was putting the phone down, moving almost in slow motion. “Nate, you just found out you have a kid.”

“Might have a kid.”

He gave me a look. “You had a fuck-buddy relationship with Valerie, but it was still a relationship. Now the sister shows up asking you to give up your rights. You sign that paper, and she can’t turn around and demand money. It’s smart to be cautious, but considering what else she tried to get you to sign, let’s just assume the kid’s yours. If it were me, nothing is more important than my kids. I’d have a PI on her ass already.”

I nodded to my phone. “I made a call, and they’re on it already. Once I know when I can see Nova, I’ll get a doctor to do the test.”