Page 127 of Fierce-Baker

Never the people he hurt along the way.

And in that moment, any lingering doubt she’d carried, any shred of guilt or what-if, evaporated.

This was who he was.

This told her that she’d made the right decision keeping her secret and now she’d do anything she could to make sure this man didn’t touch her child’s life.

“I can have kids. I have one. You’ve got a son.”

“Nope,” Shane said, shaking his head. “Not possible. I don’t need this shit. It’s like your form of revenge. Dumping someone’s bastard on me.”

She took a deep breath, then let it out. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Baker’s frown. The tension in his body, his urge to step in and put her ex in his place.

“I’m not dumping my son on you at all.” She turned and pulled out the documents. “I need you to take a DNA test. I knew you’d doubt it, but I want it on record.”

“No, no, no,” Shane said. “I’m not paying for some bastard that you had.”

She ground her teeth. “He’s not a bastard. He’s my son. He has two half siblings on top of it. A whole other family that he knows nothing about. I don’t want to be the person who kept him from it.”

Which was a lie because she wanted to do that, but her attorney advised she didn’t come out of the gate like that.

“You just want money or trouble for me.” He waved his hands at the papers, as if it would make them disappear. “I’m out of here.”

“Shane,” she said, her voice firm and final. “If you don’t take this paperwork and get a DNA test, I’ll have no choice but to submit it to your legal address back in Atlanta.” Which her attorney had found and was ready to send.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Shane snarled and got closer to her face. He was standing over her now. Baker looked ready to pounce, but they needed no more confrontations.

What she needed was this put behind her. This was the first step.

“I would dare. Do you think I want you in my life? I don’t. But you’re here. You sought me out. I didn’t want you to find out through someone else. I’ve seen my attorney and this is the firststep. You’re accusing me of being with someone else, then prove it.”

He snatched the papers out of her hand. “You’re the one who is going to regret this. You’re going to look like a fool, and when it comes out that I’m not the father, be ready for me to make sure everyone knows you’re trying to extort money from me.”

He stormed off, leaving her sitting there staring at the other bystanders walking around, trying not to gawk at the show she’d just provided them.

Baker stood and came over next to her, pulling her under his arm.

“It’s over with.”

“Not even close,” she said. “Once his anger is done over getting hit with this, he’s going to get his attorney and do exactly what he said. He’s going to make my life hell.”

“Do you really believe that? That when it comes back that Micah is his child, that he’ll want to be in his life? Do you want him there? Financially even?”

“I don’t. I told you that. But he should know and have that choice. I can’t buy him off. I can’t tell him to leave. Once it comes back Micah is his child, I can get him for support and he knows it. But he can also push me for visitations and I can’t fight it.”

The tears fell, her fight was gone. She was just drained in a way she hadn’t felt in years.

“I’ve got you, Tasha.” He helped her up. “Let’s go home.”

“I need to get Micah at daycare.”

“Go get him, then we’ll have dinner together. I’ll pick something up.”

She was too tired to argue. Too tired to put up much of a fight when someone was being helpful.

Nor did she care if Shane was still around and watching her. Seeing her with Baker.

Maybe it’d be better if her ex did see that.