Keeping Kane (Face-Off Legacy/Campus Kings 2)

I chose him for a reason. Because I knew he was the one I wanted from the start, even though I met Tucker first. To some extent, I have always known Trent was the one for me. So, why did he push me away? We have something special, a deep connection I’ve only ever felt with him.

“If I tell you something,” I say to Shannon, “do you promise not to say a word. To anyone.”

“Yes,” she whispers, relaxing her grip on me. “I promise. You can trust me.”

Deep down inside I know this to be true, which is the reason I spill my guts to her about Trent, Tucker, and my pregnancy.

Her mouth and eyes are wide with shock after I finish the story. “Wow. I can’t believe Trent said that to you. What an asshole. He’s usually the more levelheaded of the twins. He seems to have his shit more together than Tucker. I’m so sorry, Jemma. If you need anything, you can always count on me. That’s what Big Sister’s are for.”

“Thanks, Shan.” I rest my head on her shoulder, a tear escaping my left eye. But this time, it’s a happy tear. “I’m so scared. I have no idea what I’m going to do, and now that the father doesn’t want to acknowledge the baby, I guess I have to consider what it will be like to raise a child on my own.”

“You have me. And your family.” She smiles so wide it reaches her big, blue eyes. “You’ll have all of our sisters, who will love spoiling the baby growing in your belly. We have your back, girl. You might feel alone right now, because of how Trent reacted, but you will never be alone. And I can promise you Trent will come around. He’s in a state of shock. Give him a few days to process everything, and I bet he will apologize for being a jerk.”

“Yeah.” I sigh. “I’m sure he will. But it would have been nice to get a better reaction from him. I know he’s scared, but so am I, and I can’t do this without him. Our child needs a father.”

Shannon hooks her arm through mine and leads me down the block, toward my dormitory on the other side of Broad Street. “He will be there for you. Don’t worry. And if he doesn’t, I will kick his ass into next year.” Shannon chuckles. “So will Jamie and all of his friends.”

“Please don’t tell Jamie,” I interject. “I’d rather keep this information to a few people for now.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t dream of it. But I wouldn’t be surprised if their entire house knows by now. I’ve never met friends as close as they are to each other. Jamie considers them brothers, and I assume Trent feels the same.”

“They never told anyone I hooked up with both twins.”

“I wouldn’t expect them to,” Shannon says. “They keep things in the family. And now you’re part of their weird ass family.”

I laugh. “Not quite.”

“You will be. So will your baby. Drake and Tucker and the rest of the guys in the house might act like dicks most of the time, but they are all really good guys. Your baby will be protected and cared for. Plus, the Kane family is loaded. You will never want for another thing ever again.”

“I don’t need money,” I admit. “At least not from Trent and his family.”

“Right. I forgot you’re a rich girl.” Shannon chuckles. “But you and Jordan never act like it.”

I shrug. “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a cent. Whatever my dad owns belongs to him, not to me. I’m really not looking forward to telling him that I’m pregnant. He was telling me how proud of me he is on New Year’s Eve, and now I have to break his heart with the news.”

We cross the street at the light, passing a group of frat guys I met at one of the Delta Sig parties. Shannon waves to them, and I nod.

Shannon lowers her voice to an almost whisper, so no one can overhear our conversation. “It might feel like the end of the world to you right now, but trust me everything will work out in the end. Your dad is not going to turn you away because you’re pregnant. And Trent will be begging you to take him back in no time.”

I snort. “He better grovel when he does.”

Shannon tilts her head back and laughs so loud it sounds like a howl. “Make him pay, Jem.”

Thirty

Trent

My dad steps out from the living room, a glass of scotch in hand. “Hey, what are you doing home? Is everything okay?”

I shut the front door behind me and walk toward him, unsure of how to tell him about Jemma. So, I decide to rip off the Band-Aid and get it over with. “My girlfriend is pregnant.”