“Damn, Dad, that was badass.”

“Thank you, son.” Callum smirks. “I still have my balls no matter what you boys think. And, Ella, no, I’m not murdering Daniel. The military can save kids. It can also turn bad kids into worse ones. If my friends think he’s not salvageable, then there are other options. None of which I’m discussing with either of you.”

Okay then.

When we get home, Easton gallops up the stairs to fill the twins in, while Callum disappears into his office to call Gideon and let him know what happened. I stand in the foyer, remembering the first night I stepped into this house. It was late, almost as late as tonight.

The boys were lined up against the upper railing of the split staircase, looking unhappy and unwelcoming. I was scared of them. But now? I’m scared for them.

Callum’s changing. His actions tonight and of the past few weeks have been so much more involved than when I first came. But he’s going to undo all that good if he marries Brooke. His sons will never fully trust him as long as he’s with that awful woman. Why can’t he see that?

If Callum was smart, he’d send Brooke away with Daniel to this special military place. But for some reason, he’s so blind when it comes to Brooke.

I chew on the inside of my cheek. What if Callum knew the truth? If he knew about Reed and Brooke…would he still marry her?

There’s only one way to find out…

If Reed were here, he wouldn’t want me to follow Callum to his office, but I’m making an executive decision. I know he’ll be furious when he discovers what I’ve done, but someone needs to get through to his father, and unfortunately, I think that someone has to be me.

I knock quietly. “Callum, it’s Ella.”

“Come in,” is the gruff reply.

I walk into this study. It’s very manly in here, with dark cherry wood paneling on the walls, burgundy leather seating, and forest-green drapes framing the windows.

Callum, of course, has a drink in his hand. I give him a pass. If there was ever a night for drinking, it would be tonight.

“Thank you for taking care of the Daniel thing,” I say.

“I promised you when I brought you here that I would do anything for you. That includes keeping you safe from people like Delacorte. I should’ve had him sent away long ago.”

“I really appreciate that.” I wander along the rows of books. In the center of the bookcases is another big picture of Maria. “Maria was beautiful.” I hesitate before adding, “The boys really miss her.”

He swirls the liquid in his glass a few times before answering. “We haven’t been the same since she left us.”

I take a deep breath, knowing I’m about to overstep a whole lot of boundaries. “Callum…about Brooke…” I exhale in a rush. “It’s the twenty-first century. You don’t have to marry a girl because she’s pregnant.”

A sharp laugh escapes. “Yes, I do. You see…”

“I see what?” I’m so frustrated. I want to leap forward and knock that stupid glass out of his hand. “What aren’t you telling me?”

He watches me over the brim.

“Dammit, Callum. Will you please talk to me?”

Nearly a minute passes before he heaves a massive, soul-sucking sigh. “Sit down, Ella.”

My legs feel wobbly enough that I don’t argue. I sink into the chair across from his and wait for him to shed any glimpse of insight about this awful compulsion he has for Brooke.

“Brooke appeared at the perfect time in my life,” he admits. “I was mired in grief, and I used her body to forget. And then…it was simpler to keep using her.” Regret is woven into his every word. “She didn’t care that I slept around. She encouraged it, actually. We’d go out and she’d point to different women she thought I would enjoy. It required no emotional investment and I liked that. But at some point she wanted more than I could give. I’m never going to find another Maria. Brooke doesn’t inspire anything in me but lust.”

I stare at him in disbelief. “Then let her go. You can still be a dad to this kid.” Hell, Brooke would sell the baby if the price was right.

Callum continues as if I’m not even there. “Maybe with Brooke as my wife, I can control her. I can bind her with contractual promises. She doesn’t want to live in Bayview. She wants something bigger. A life in Paris, Milan, LA, somewhere she can rub elbows with actors, models, athletes. If I can get her away from my boys, it’ll be worth it.”

“You’re not getting her away from your boys. You’re shoving her even closer in their faces!” Why can’t this man see reason?

“We’ll be on the west coast. Or abroad. The boys will be fine here on their own until they finish high school. I’ll make every effort to keep her away from them. Especially Reed.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

His next words make my blood run cold. “The baby is most likely his, Ella.”

I’m lucky to be sitting down. If I wasn’t, I would have keeled right over.

I came in here to confess about Reed and Brooke, but Callum, the man I thought was oblivious, already knew that his son slept with his girlfriend?

I must be revealing something on my face, because his blue eyes sharpen. “You knew,” he says thoughtfully.

I give a shaky nod. It takes a moment to find my voice. “You knew?”

A humorless chuckle leaves his lips. “When Brooke came to me with the news she was pregnant, I said the same thing you just did. That she could have the baby and I would support her. That’s when she told me she slept with Reed and that the baby could be his.”

Nausea tickles my throat. “Wh-when did she say it happened? Her and Reed…?”

Reed promised me that he hasn’t touched Brooke since he kissed me, but he’s never been specific about when they stopped sleeping together. And I haven’t been brave or stupid enough to push for details.

Callum drains the rest of his glass and stands up to pour himself another. “Before you came, I assume. I know Reed. He wouldn’t have laid a hand on you if he was still with Brooke.”

My hand flies to my throat. “You know about us?”

“I’m not entirely blind, Ella, and you two aren’t terribly careful. I thought…it might be good for both of you. Reed being with someone his own age and you having someone special in your life. I didn’t know before you ran,” he concedes. “But I figured it out after.”