Page 181 of Second Sets Omnibus

“Fuck!” Rad huffs, climbing to his feet with her in his arms still. “What’s wrong with your mommy, Little Pretty Girl?” he huffs, hoisting her further up his body as we quickly walk toward the house that now seems like a damn mile away.

Oh, how I ache to comfort her like a father should and make all the pain leave her. From here on out, I’ll give her anything she desires. I’ll never be my fucking father, sending a few post cards here and there. But he never really fucking cared. He rode off into the sunset with his guitar strapped to his back and a dream on his mind.

Sounds so damn familiar. God.

“My mommy is dead!” she sniffs again, shaking her head with a renewed sense of sadness clinging to her voice.

“Dead? Tell me what’s going on, Little Pretty Girl. Tell daddy what is going on,” he says, emphasizing daddy and glaring at me like I have any idea what’s happening.

I cock my head to the side when he says the word daddy. Daddy? What in the ever-living fuck is going on in this house? Why is he daddy? My face twists into an unmasked expression, flushing the color from my face.

Something in my spooked expression must give me away as Rad soothes the little girl, pumping his skinny legs harder toward River’s house.

Turning his gaze to me, he cocks his head to the side and gives me a tight grin. “Welcome aboard, Daddy Kieran. Fucking finally. Now, apparently, River is dying, so we should probably go save her,” Rad says with urgency, waving me along as Iblindly follow right behind him, staring at the little girl in his arms with longing.

It’s ridiculous to feel so much toward someone I met two seconds ago on my front step. But it’s all there. A ball of feelings formed in my tight chest and squeezed out my breath. So many fucking questions beg to unleash as a sliver of denial hits me square in my stomach.

“Rad, what the hell is going on? Why does she… Who is her…” My heavy tongue is barely able to work as we slam through River’s unlocked front door, loudly entering the pristine home. “Tell me what I’m thinking isn’t the truth. Tell me that this is...” Because if it’s true. Then I’m a piece of fucking shit. I walked out. I left her.

Without ever knowing she existed.

Rad turns sharply on his heel in the middle of the living room with a scowl. The little girl clutches tighter to him, whimpering like she’s known him for years. Has he? Fuck. My heart pounds like a drum against my ribs as so many thoughts go through my mind. I knew River had a fucking kid. I knew because of Gloria… Gloria fucking knew and fucked up my entire life. She fucking…

I grip my hair tightly, pulling at the roots. My brain goes in a thousand different directions, leading me back to the same damn conclusion; Gloria somehow lied to me and led me astray. She used my vulnerability against me when I was at my lowest and manipulated me into thinking that, for some reason, River’s baby was Van’s. Shit. The phone call I received so many years ago plays in my mind on a constant loop.

The beautiful scenery of the large bluffs overlooking the blue ocean, my phone vibrates on my side table. I groan when it displays the name of the last person I ever wanted to speak to again. It’s bad enough that growing up she was the world’s worst mother, but the second the boys and I won, she called me and begged me for some money. With reluctance, I answer thephone, inwardly groaning at the lecture I’m sure I’m about to receive.

“Hello?”

“Kieran, so lovely to hear your voice again,” Gloria sings through the phone with a cheerful hint to her tone.

“Sure, I guess. What’s going on?” I ask, getting straight to the damn point.

“Well, I’m fine! Thanks for asking. Everything is settling so well since you boys left. Nigel has been on a business trip for the past week, and it’s been so quiet around here. I’ve missed you so,” she says through a wistful sigh. I’m sure not missing my ass at all.

“That’s good to hear,” I grunt, plopping down on the edge of my new king-sized bed. “So, why the call? It’s been a few weeks.”

“Well,” she huffs out a laugh. “You’ll never guess who got herself knocked up!”

“Hopefully not you,” I grunt, cringing at the thought.

“Heavens, no! A few days ago, I got a little visit from someone you used to know. You know, that cheating whore you ran from.”

I physically recoil from the phone, almost throwing it across the room. My mouth instantly dries as my gut tightens at the news.

“She-she…”

“Yes. She came sniffing around looking for you boys, claiming she was pregnant by one of you. Don’t worry, though. I got her to confess it’s Van’s. Can you believe that? She tried to pin it on you four! What a lying slut she is.” Gloria rambles on and on about River until I clear my throat.

“So, she’s pregnant by Van?” I ask hoarsely, squeezing my eyes shut. It’s bad enough she fucked him behind our backs. Butthis? Getting pregnant by the dickhead is the ultimate fuck you to us.

“Yes,” Gloria sniffs. “It appears so.” She talks more, but her words move like sludge through my ears, drowning out her annoying voice.

“Okay, bye,” I mumble, not bothering to listen to her goodbye.

Through my stunned daze, my phone slips from my fingers, landing with a thud on the ground. Whatever effect the shocking news has on me knocks me out of my stupor. Uncontrollable rage storms through my system, turning my vision a dark shade of red. My nostrils flare as everything Gloria said settles heavily on my chest, caving it in. Through my fit of anger, I march toward my old guitar leaning against the wall—the same one I wooed River with so many years before. Everything blurs around me. Sound stops. My feelings cease to exist.

Before I know what’s happening, my long fingers wrap around the long end of my guitar. The only sound that fills the room besides my pounding heart is splintering wood crashing against the hardwood floors. Over and fucking over, I smash it to pieces, basking in the destruction of my once precious guitar.