Timber

Cassandra wasted no time. Her voice was strained but steady, a brittle strength underlying her words. "Look," she began, her gaze locking onto mine, a directness that was almost unsettling. "I'm pregnant." She paused, her chest rising and falling quickly, watching my face for a reaction. "And the only men I've been with around that time are my husband, you, and Kai.

"I let out a short, incredulous laugh, a dry, humorless sound that was more a scoff than anything. The nerve of this woman. "I KNOW YOU FUCKIN LYING." I shook my head, a wry smile playing on my lips, disbelief etched across my face. "Well, if this is why you told me to meet here at this DNA clinic, you can eliminate me now. Because I strapped up. I don't hit a woman raw unless I plan on being with them. And trust me, Cassandra, that night was a blur, a mistake, nothing more. We weren't planning a future." My gaze was steady, direct, leaving no room for doubt.

"But that n---a Kai?" I scoffed again, a look of pure disdain crossing my face, my voice dripping with contempt. "He don't give two fucks. He’s a reckless animal. Kai fucked you raw. You really don't remember any of that? The way he operates? The way he just takes what he wants?"

Cassandra swallowed hard, her throat bobbing. The memory, or lack thereof, still seemed to be a hazy, guilt ridden blur for her. Her eyes dropped, avoiding my gaze, and a flush crept up her neck.

"Sadly, no," she whispered, her shame returning with a vengeance, thick and palpable in the small space of the car. I sighed, a sound that was surprisingly gentle, a touch of pity in my chest despite my irritation. This woman was a mess, but she was a mess I had once briefly tangled with. "It's not a problem for me," I said, my voice softening slightly. "I'll go in here so you can remove me off your list. Get your peace of mind, at least about me."