Alcohol You Later (5)

If this is not what you want—if you cannot love them with all that you have to give—my parents will take them on, and no one will ever be the wiser.



So, here I leave you the two halves of my heart—my greatest treasure. Please, I’m begging you, make sure they know love and that I loved them, and never take a single moment for granted.



Ellie Mae Ritter



“Well?” Anika screeches, snapping me out of a trance. “Say something.”

“This is sick.” With the letter crumpled in my fist I stalk toward the girl and those babies she’s trying so hard to pass of as mine. “Where the hell do you get off?” I’m shaking it in front of her face, fighting for control as liquid fire surges through my veins. Heat radiates from my every pore.

“Woah,” Korie steps between us, shoving my chest. “You’re going to scare the babies, Nick. Stop.”

She jolts me out of a fury-filled fog where I find myself staring at two screaming toddlers. Even I’m not so much of an ass that I don’t feel like shit for frightening innocent kids. It’s not like they volunteered to be pawns in whatever game this lunatic is playing.

“His babies,” Stacy mumbles, staring me down with malice that could rival even mine.

“I’m sorry?” my cousin says, her vibrant green eyes bugging out of her head, “Come again?”

“These are his children.” She bounces the crying babies on her hips, shushing them all the while still shooting daggers my way. “His and my recently deceased sister’s.”

“They are not.” My childish response lacks the conviction I’m trying to exude. The truth is after reading that letter, I’m beginning to question my own innocence—not that I plan to make that little detail known.

Korie sucks in her lower lip, examining the babies more closely before turning back to me. “I mean, they have your green eyes…and that one,” she says, pointing to the little boy in overalls, “has your dimples.”

“What the hell did you do, bro?” Every drop of color drains from Rhett’s face.

“Fucking son of a bitch.” Anika begins pacing the room. “It’s not rocket science, Nicholas,” she shouts, balling her hands into fists at her sides. “Safe sex. Safe. Sex!”

“So much for keeping our voices down,” I mutter.

“I will murder you,” Anika threatens, “if you don’t stop being so fucking flippant about this.”

“If you could refrain from all the cursing in front of my niece and nephew, that’d be super,” Stacy snaps. “I guarantee my sister is turning in her grave right about now.”

“Not to mention you’re scaring my niece,” Korie chastises before taking the pigtailed cherub into her arms and cuddling her.

My cousin—the only family I’m close to—is a damn traitor. How could she just accept this as truth with no proof? She’s supposed to be on my side.

“We don’t even know if they’re mine!” I shout. “Just because their mother sat in my lap and posed for a picture once upon a time doesn’t make me the father of her children.” I shove the vanity chair into the wall. Although satisfying, the crash does little to calm my wrath. “Do you realize how many females have similar pictures…with all of us?”

“It’s not at all farfetched that you had sex with her, man,” Rhett points out, his crystal blue eyes filled with accusation.

“No shit. But even if I did—” And I probably did. “I always use condoms. Always.”

Of that, I’m certain. And what are the odds that after all this time, after countless partners and years of practicing safe sex, I’d get nailed with two crotch goblins?

“We have a theory about this.” Stacy clears her throat nervously.

“We?” I ask.

“My sister and I,” she answers. “Ellie also insisted y’all used protection. However, it must have been compromised by one of your many…” Her eyes drop to my pelvic region. “Uh…piercings.”

Korie gags. “I’m getting really tired of hearing about your junk, Nicholas.”

I snort, because even at a time like this I find it hilarious that my favorite fuck buddy is her best friend, who loves making her uncomfortable at every opportunity.

Fucking Raven, man. God, I wish she were here right now. Somehow, I know she’d be able to make sense of this. Make it all better.

“Okay…so obviously, we need a DNA test.” Anika turns toward Stacy, speaking about my future as if it is of no consequence to me at all.

“Of course,” she answers.

“In the meantime,” Anika offers, “We will put you and the children up in a hotel, and—”

“Oh, no,” the irksome woman interrupts. “Sorry, but I’m only here to deliver the babies. I’ve got to get back home in time for class Monday.” She shakes her head vehemently. “Listen, I love those babies to bits, but I just turned nineteen, and I’m not about to give up my youth to raise your children. The way I see it, you’ve already been let off the hook for the past twenty-one months.”

“You can’t just leave them here!” What the hell is happening? I don’t even know these kids! We are literal strangers.