Chapter Twenty-Two
KarainsistedonkeepingHank when I left with Blake. She also didn’t let me leave until she’d threatened Blake within an inch of his life. She’d gone full-on momma bear, and I loved her all the more for it, even if I was the one who’d done the hurting.
On the way to Isaac’s, Blake held my hand and mentioned a time or two how scary Kara was. He drove slowly towards the ranch, giving me time to get myself together. I didn’t know if any amount of time was going to help. My hands were shaking and I felt like I was going to throw up. I felt it in my gut that Julian wasn’t going to react the way I hoped he would. He was going to be angry, rightfully so. That didn’t make it any less hard to walk into. Even if I deserved him hating me, I didn’t want him to.
“He’s got big emotions. He always has. He’s quicker to react, but he loves hard and gives everything when he decides to. That shit with Grace fucked with him, and he’s been more reclusive than ever, but the old Julian is still there.”
“I hope I didn’t just break the old Julian.”
“Just keep breathing.” Blake turned off towards the ranch and squeezed my hand. “I’ll be there for you.”
I realized I was holding my breath and forced myself to blow the air out and suck in another breath. I hated confrontation. As sassy as I could be, I never wanted people to dislike me. I didn’t want to be the bad guy. There was just no getting around it, though.
Isaac and Julian were sitting on the porch when Blake parked his truck. They both stood up and moved towards us, but I couldn’t get out.
Blake undid my seatbelt and cupped the back of my neck. “Just be honest.”
“If only I’d taken that advice a while ago.”
“Come on.” He climbed out and went to move around to open my door, but Julian moved in.
Opening my door and stepping in, Julian cupped my chin and turned my face to his. “What’s going on, Red?”
I squeezed my eyes shut, the epitome of maturity. “Oh, Julian.”
Isaac swore in the background and drew Julian’s attention. Seeing his brothers staring at him, Julian stiffened. “What is it, Red?”
I forced myself to look up at him and meet his cautious gaze. “I…I have something I need to tell you.”
“I got that part, Mallory. What is it?” He’d already started shutting down. I could feel it in his body.
I winced at hearing him say my full name. “I’m so sorry. I just didn’t know how to tell you before. I was stupid and scared. I just—”
“Just spit it the fuck out.”
I glanced up and saw Blake moving towards us, his brows furrowed. I knew that I was messing things up for them. Looking back at Julian, I dug my fingernails into my thighs. “I got pregnant after we had sex. The first time.”
He frowned and shook his head. “What?”
“I got pregnant. And I had the baby. Hank. I had Hank. He’s yours.” I swallowed and tried to rush on to get everything out. “I know that I should’ve told you as soon as I found out; I should’ve come back here and found you. I should’ve told you as soon as I got back here and met Isaac. I did so many things wrong. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
He stumbled back a step, and then anger burned to life in his eyes. “They knew?”
I blinked, stunned stupid by the question. “What?”
Jerking his head towards his brothers, he growled. “They knew, didn’t they? They knew, and they didn’t tell me.”
I watched in horror as Julian stormed towards his brothers, fury clear on his face. “No, Julian! They didn’t know!”
It was too late. Julian spotted the frustration on Blake’s face and centered his ire on him. “What was it this time? Did you think it’d be easier to edge me out if I didn’t know she had my fucking kid?”
Blake tried to deny the accusations, but Julian caught him off guard with a punch to the chin. Blake stumbled back a step and then came back even harder at Julian. Isaac did his best to push them apart but then Julian swung at him, too.
“Stop!” I ran towards them screaming, my heart in my throat. I’d never seen grown men fight, and I didn’t ever want to see it again, especially men I cared about. “Stop it!”
“You fuckers are always pushing me out! You did this, didn’t you?” Julian was raging, a cut on his lip bleeding. “That’s my kid! You were going to take him, too?”
Isaac grabbed Julian in a headlock and tried to hold him steady, but then Blake landed a hard punch to Julian’s stomach that just kept the fight going. “We just found out, asshole! Stop fucking fighting us. You’re going to get yourself hurt!”