Page 7 of Stealing Home

CJ immediately crossed the room. “Give her here.”

He handed the baby over so fast it probably violated several parenting laws. CJ shifted Lucia carefully against his chest with easy confidence, automatically supporting her head as he bounced gently. Almost instantly, the volume of her cries decreased several notches.

Dom stared at the two of them, eyes narrowed as he took in the betrayal before him. “What the hell?”

CJ glanced up. “My sister had a baby when I was seven.”

“Oh my God,” Dom whispered. “You know baby things.”

“I helped with my nephew when I was growing up,” CJ said, shifting Lucia a little higher against his shoulder. “I guess some of that stuff stuck.”

Dom blinked. He’d known CJ was close with his family, and he’d heard enough stories over the last year to know Noah was less like a nephew and more like a little brother. Still, hearing it was one thing. Watching CJ slip so naturally into holding a screaming newborn, like he’d never stopped doing it, was something else entirely.

Lucia let out one last hiccup before settling, and Dom pointed accusingly. “Why does she already like you better?”

“She doesn’t.” CJ rolled his eyes and moved to sit next to him on the couch. “She just needed someone who wasn’t holding her like she might explode.”

“She’s so little,” Evan whispered. He settled on the arm of the couch next to CJ and stared down at Lucia with wide eyes before lifting them to look at Dom. “What’s her name?”

“Lucia,” he said, rubbing a hand over his face. “She’s three weeks old.” He collapsed against the back of the couch. This night sure hadn’t turned out how he’d planned.

“You okay?” CJ asked quietly.

“No.” Dom stared at the ceiling. “I don’t know how this happened.”

“You got Talia pregnant,” CJ said, completely unhelpfully.

Evan smacked him gently on the shoulder. “Not helpful.”

“I’ve never seen her like that,” Dom said softly. “She looked so scared and overwhelmed.” He looked at them. “She needs help. Like real help.”

Evan nodded slowly. “It sounds like she does. Maybe she’ll get it now.”

He swallowed hard. “She left a baby with me.”

“Your baby,” CJ said.

“Because you’re her dad,” Evan pointed out.

Dom barked out a laugh. “Do you even hear how ridiculous that sounds?” Neither of them answered, which didn’t make him feel better. “You could at least lie to me.”

“I’m supposed to be worried about making sure I’m in shape for the season,” he muttered. “Worrying about my next contract, maybe. I was not supposed to find out I have a daughter on a random Tuesday in January.”

“Wednesday,” CJ corrected automatically.

Dom shot him a look.

“Right,” CJ said. “Not helping.”

The room fell quiet. Lucia’s face scrunched, and Dom noticed it immediately.

“Uh…”

A tiny whimper escaped her, followed by another. Then without further build-up, she let out a full-throated wail, and Dom’s heart lurched into his throat.

“What happened?” he asked, straightening from his slouch against the back of the couch. “She was fine two seconds ago.”

CJ was already moving. In one smooth motion, he stood, settled Lucia a little higher against his shoulder, and started pacing slow laps across the living room.