Page 110 of Desperate Games

So we sit together, shoulder to shoulder, clapping until our hands sting as she belts out “Jingle Bells” off-key and grins like the sun itself.

I lean into Remy’s warmth, and for a brief, shining moment, we’re just a family.

Later, we tuck her into bed at home, candy-cane striped pajamas and all.

“Christmas break starts now,” I whisper, brushing her hair back.

Her eyes are already fluttering shut, fingers curling around my pinky.

Remy kisses her forehead, fierce and gentle all at once.

And then we walk out, closing her door softly behind us, slipping straight into the silence of dread.

Because tomorrow?

Tomorrow, we stop pretending everything is okay.

Tomorrow is day one of our court battle.

Chapter Thirty-Seven-Andrea

The courthouse smells like lemon cleaner and nerves.

I smooth my dress over my bump—it’s a dark green paisley number, expensive but not flashy.

It’s made from some sort of organic elastic fabric that emphasizes my bump. I wear a lightweight wrap over it and my stretchy sweater knit boots on my feet.

My stomach is in a tight knot of anxiety.

Remy’s hand rests on the small of my back as we walk into the courtroom, a united front. He’s in his tailored suit, broad shoulders radiating authority.

But even with him beside me, I feel like I might shatter.

I catch my first glimpse of him in person, and all I feel is hate for the man I don’t even know.

Julio Castillo sits at the petitioner’s table.

I’ve seen pictures.

Mugshots, mostly.

But nothing prepared me for the smug smirk on his face, the arrogance dripping off him in waves.

This man—the one who abandoned Callie before she could crawl—is trying to rip her from us.

Remy tenses beside me. His jaw clenches so tight I hear the faint click of his teeth grinding.

“Don’t,” I whisper, gripping his hand. “Not here. Not now.”

His eyes flash, but he nods once.

The judge enters, and the bailiff calls us to order.

“Petitioner claims abandonment was circumstantial,” Julio’s lawyer drones. “That Mr. Castillo has now turned his life around and seeks a relationship with his biological child.”

Bullshit.

Every word makes me want to stand up and scream.