Page 70 of Pretty Nightmare

“Why?”

“Because he’s back now. And that means…” I pause, unsure if I really want to go there.

“That means what?”

“Maggie is not your child, Adam.”

“She’s not his, either.”

“You don’t know that. We get some stupid birthday card from Carter Couture telling us he’s Maggie’s father, and we’re what? Just supposed to believe it? Maggie looks just like Nathan.”

“Bullshit. Maggie looks just like Indie.”

“Yeah, I thought that too. Until I got a phone call today from her other maybe-daddy.”

Adam side-eyes me. “He’s not her father.”

“You can’t prove that. But he sure as fuck can prove you’re not her father. All it takes is one DNA test.”

“Fuck you, man. She is my kid.”

“She’s not your kid, Adam. You took her when she was two years old. She feels like your kid because you’re all she’s had.”

“So you’re what? Holding a grudge about that?”

“I thought I explained this.”

“I thought you did too. But obviously, you left a few things out.”

“Look, I get it. You love this little girl. If anyone understands that, it’s me, Adam. Because I feel the same way about Indie.”

“Gross. Do not compare your relationship with Indie to my relationship with Maggie. It’s totally different. Trust me on this, if nothing else. I will not be sleeping with my daughter when she comes of age.”

“What the fuck, Adam? You’re an asshole.”

He huffs a little air. Stays quiet.

“Maggie does look like Indie. But she looks like me too. And you. And Nathan. And you know why she looks like all of us, Adam?”

“I don’t need a lecture on the Zero Program genetics, thank you.”

“Well, Maggie sure the fuck doesn’t look like Donovan. Does she? Not a single fucking thing about Maggie reminds me of Donovan. So the logical conclusion is—”

“The logical conclusion has been settled.” He glances at me. “She’s ours.”

“Fine.” I throw up my hands. “She’s ours.”

“You know, for a man who just said he’s not interested in making Nathan St. James really dead, you’re sure making a good case for it.”

“If I was gonna kill that boy, I’d have done it four years ago when I had the chance.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Because he wasn’t even that hurt. His face was fucked up and I’m pretty sure she broke a few ribs, but he was walking and talking. I wasn’t gonna kill Indie’s best friend in the spirit of finishing him off.”

“If he comes back, you have as much to lose as me.”

“Of course I do. I love both of them just as much as you do.”