Page 96 of The Vengeance You Crave

"Oh whoa," I say, genuinely shocked when I see the cake. "Did you two make this?" I ask, taking in the two-tier cake with pink icing flowers all over it.

"We did," Kayden announces proudly coming up behind me. "The icing is just like Play-Doh but tastes better."

"It's a miracle there were any flowers left to put on it," Aunt Fee jokes lightly as we all take a seat at the table.

"Happy Birthday, Peyton," Elijah says, pouring me a glass of champagne, seeing as I'm now legal.

"Thank you."

"I know it's probably not quite what you imagined for your big two-one but I hope—"

"It's perfect, Aunt Fee. Thank you so much for… for everything."

"Anytime, girl. You know that, right? Dig in. I suspect you're going to need to fill that stomach before your big night out tonight."

I laugh at her, happy to pretend it'll be the first night I go out drinking. We can all fake it every now and then.

We chat away about nonsense. Elijah talks about shipping out again in a few days and Kayden regales us with every one of his crazy stories about the things he and Aunt Fee get up to when I leave the house.

Everything is as perfect as it can be given the circumstances until the back gate slams, turning all our attention to the other end of the yard.

"Oh my gosh," Aunt Fee gasps as my eyes land on the one person I did not want to see in this house—or yard—uninvited.

"L-Luc," I stutter, standing from my chair and coming to stand in front of Kayden in a pathetic attempt to hide him.

Luca is holding a huge bunch of flowers, way bigger than I've ever received before, and a birthday card, but exactly as I suspected, I'm not the object of his attention as he closes the space between us because his eyes are locked on the little boy I'm failing to protect right now like I promised myself I would.

"Peyton?" Luca whispers as he gets closer, his brows pulling together, and without any other option, I stand aside, allowing Luca to see Kayden properly for the first time.

Both gasp in shock, able to notice the similarities in each other's faces. Similarities I've been forced to look at every single day since Kayden was born.

"P-Peyton. Is he… is he mine?"

His question slams into me out of nowhere, shock rendering me speechless for a few seconds but before I get to respond, everything around me blurs, my head spins, and darkness consumes me as my body gives out.