He sighs. “And?”
“She’s Noah’s.”
“Break it down for me.”
“Without going into too much detail, because I still feel like it’s not my story to tell, there were only two men who could have been the girl’s father. Noah… and your father.”
“Fuck.” He blows out a heavy breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. I give him a second. This shit can’t be easy to hear. He pieces things together quickly. “You tested her DNA against Riley’s.”
“Got it in one. The results showed in Noah’s favor, thank fuck, because the alternative…”
“I’m glad that motherfucker is rotting in a grave somewhere.”
Lexi flinches.
Curling my arm around her, I pull her back against me. “Me too, man. Me too.”
“So I have another niece,” he says, not wanting to give his father a second thought. “What’s her name?”
“Mercy,” Lexi answers.
“Bet she’s beautiful.”
“The most,” she agrees.
“And I’m guessing you’re not the one…”
“Oh, no,” Lexi laughs with wide eyes. “Not guilty. I am one of Riley’s sisters, but not that one. She um…”
“She passed away, Adam,” I tell him. “Last week, in a car accident.”
“Jesus, I’m sorry.”
“Thanks,” she whispers, not wanting to talk about this.
“Look. Riley is with Noah right now. She drove to Blackwood yesterday so she could meet him and tell him about Mercy in person. I don’t know if she’s going to tell him the whole story, or only what he needs to know for now, but I’ve told you the most important parts, and what I’m comfortable revealing. The rest is… hard to swallow, and I’m gonna let the girls decide when and who they tell.”
“She’s here? For real?”
I wonder if he heard anything I said after the part about Riley being in town. I should have taken a breath and given him time to process.
“Yeah, that’s why I called you now. I owed you some information and I wanted you to hear it from me first.”
“I understand. Man,” he says, blowing out a low whistle. “I don’t know if I’m more excited to meet her, or irritated because Noah got to meet her before I got the chance.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Go with the excitement. The rest doesn’t matter.”
“You’re right,” he says with a wide smile. “I’ve got a sister, and a new niece to spoil.”
Lexi perks back up a bit at that. I told her it would happen. These guys don’t fuck around when it comes to family. They’re all in and they haven’t even met her yet.
“I’m happy for you, Adam.”
“Thanks, Jake,” he says, tone getting a little rough. “None of this would have happened if not for you. I know you had to go about things in an unusual way, but I’m not mad about it. I don’t even care that you can’t tell me everything because at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. You found our sister, and that was all I wanted. Noah’s daughter is a nice fucking bonus.”
“You know I’ll always go above and beyond for you,” I tell him truthfully. “But I’m gonna take some time off… spend it with my girl.”
“You deserve it,” he tells me, knowing all about my past. “I still want you to come out and see us soon though.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Bring your girl with you. I bet Presley could convince her to do a book cover,” he says, grinning wildly. “Then you would, too.”
I groan, knowing he’s probably fucking right.
With any luck, I’ll never have to find out.
I choose not to respond to what he said, not wanting to encourage him to give Presley any ideas. Instead, I switch back to the actual topic. “I’ll let you know when I can come for a visit, man. There’s still a lot to figure out here, and it’ll depend on Lexi and what she’s got going on. I’m not going anywhere without her.”
Adam chuckles. “I get it.”
We talk for a few more minutes, and I tell him to say hey to Noah for me before ending the call. When I close the laptop, Lexi looks at me with her eyebrow arched. “Book cover?”
Groaning again, I drop my head back on the couch. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”
“Fine,” she says, giving in a little too easily. “I’ll let it go for now, but I’m gonna make you tell me at some point.”
“I won’t have to,” I mutter under my breath, knowing she’ll meet them one day and find out for herself.
Lexi doesn’t ask me to repeat myself, she changes the subject instead.
“So… you meant it, huh?”
“What?” I ask, turning my head against the cushion to look at her.
“You told him you’re not going anywhere without me.”
“Yeah, but you already knew that.”
But the look on her face says otherwise, especially when her eyes lower to the floor.
I have to take a second to breathe.
Lexi isn’t who everyone thinks she is.
For a woman who’s full of so much fire and confidence, Lexi has these little moments of vulnerability that fucking wreck me.
“Baby, look at me.”
She lifts her eyes, gaze locking with mine.
Good. She needs to listen, and really hear what I’m about to say.
“I love you, Lexi Stone.”