Archer huffed a laugh. "Except we pay you double and let you use the mountain shooting range on your days off."
James grinned. "Good point."
"Just one more question before you go," Archer said, his fingers tightening on my knee. "Did you ever suspect that maybe Samuel wasn't MK's biological father?"
That question was delivered with the impact of a Mack truck, and James looked like he was about to fall off his chair.
"Wh-what?"
"Did it ever cross your mind that you might be MK's biological father?" Kody elaborated, his hands linked on the table in front of him and his gaze intense. "It must have, when you worked out her birthday and counted backward..."
James winced, then shook his head. "No. I mean, yes the thought crossed my mind. Of course it did. But aside from the fact that I was meticulous about using protection—"
I cringed, thinking about my mom having sex with James. Come on, no one wanted to picture their mom getting fucked.
"—I ran a DNA test."
Wait, what?
Shrugging one shoulder, James gave me a sheepish look. "You were born almost exactly nine months after your parents got married. Yeah, it occurred to me that you might be mine. It's part of the reason I stuck around when Samuel showed up with his new girlfriend."
"So..." My voice was rough and dry, forcing me to clear my throat. "So, you did a paternity test?"
James nodded. "Just using hair from your brush. Results were negative; you're not my kid." He offered a small smile. "Although I admit I was a bit disappointed. I see a hell of a lot more of me in you than I do Samuel."
Archer was frowning hard, his fingers still gripping my knee. "What lab processed the test?"
James's brows shot up. "You think the results could have been tampered with?"
Archer shrugged. "Anything is possible with Samuel Danvers. Especially if he thought he was still going to bleed more money out of this arrangement I made with him. Would you be willing to take another test?"
"Uh, of course. I don't know that it'll change anything, but yes, for sure." James nodded, then stood from his chair when Kody did. He started to leave the room, then hesitated in the doorway. He turned back to look at me. "For what it's worth, Madison Kate, I'll still do everything I can to help. Regardless of the result. You're a good kid, and you deserve better than this mess."
He left with Kody then, and I turned to Archer with a long exhale.
"So, do we believe him?" I asked in a weak voice. I wanted to believe him... but life had conditioned me that everyone was a suspect these days.
Archer cupped the back of my head, bringing my face to his to kiss me gently. "Right now, Kate? I don't trust anyone."
I gave a bitter laugh as I thought how he'd just read my mind. "But we don't think he's the stalker?"
Archer shook his head. "I don't. Do you?"
I shrugged. "I have no fucking clue. I hope not. Though... it kind of seems likely he might be my real dad, and that would be all kinds of fucked up, right? My stalker has a clearly sexual interest in me which would be so, so gross if he turned out to be my biological dad."
Archer wrinkled his nose. "Not many lines that haven't been crossed so far, Princess. Incest probably falls way lower than torturing and mutilating a blogger for being a bitch online."
I groaned, then shuddered. He had a good point. But James just didn't give off those kind of crazy-killer vibes. But... did anyone?
"Hey, speaking of DNA testing," I said, a thought occurring to me. "What were the results of the blood on my mom's bra?"
Archer wrinkled his nose and shook his head. "Dead end. It was hers, like we suspected."
I deflated a fraction more. Not that I'd thought he would hide it from me if there’d been anything more eye-opening about the results, but part of me had been holding a little hope.
Dead end. Fucking hell, those seemed to be everywhere lately.
22
The cold rush of blankets being yanked off me wrenched me from my pleasant dream, and I groaned a protest. I fumbled around with my eyes still shut as I tried to find the blanket again, but the bastard had taken it out of my reach.
"Kody!" I whined. "Why do you hate me?"
His chuckle made me want to hurt him. Except that would mean waking up properly, and I really wanted to go back to sleep. We'd been so damn cozy; why'd he have to go and ruin it?
"Babe," he murmured, tucking his face into my neck as I huddled in a ball against the harsh, cold air of morning. "You and Arch both owe me for yesterday's missed session."
His lips worked their way over my collarbone, though, and I groaned when shivers of desire chased through me.
"Not fair," I mumbled as he tucked a hand under my T-shirt and let his fingers span my ribs. There was something stupidly possessive about the way he held me like that; it was such a turn on. "This is psychological warfare."
Kody's chuckle feathered over my skin and I found myself uncurling from my ball, eager for more.
"Whatever works, babe. Give me a good training session this morning, and I'll reward you afterward." His tone was mischievous and full of promise.
I cracked an eye open.
"Elaborate."
He sat back, giving me a smirk. "You'll just have to trust me, babe." His eyes sparkled. "You do trust me, don't you?"
I groaned. "You know I do, you shithead."
His smile spread wide. "Yeah, but sometimes it's nice to hear it." The look he gave me was more pointed than his words, and I knew what he was getting at. But fuck him, I wasn't confessing my love when he was dragging me into the gym when I should be sleeping.
Still...
With a sigh, I pushed myself up to sitting and looped my arms around his neck. "Kodiak Jones..."
"Hmm?" His bright gaze danced between my eyes and my mouth, like he was fighting the urge to kiss me. What was with these boys lately?
I licked my lips, which only distracted him further. Then I grinned. "I need to tell you something," I whispered, catching his gaze and holding it intently. "You're my penguin, too." A flash of amusement rippled across his face, and I wrinkled my nose. "Or one of my penguins. Is that okay? Can I have three penguins?"
Kody gave a short laugh. "Nah, fuck them. Archer is more of a sea lion, anyway. But I know what you're saying, even if you're being too stubborn to fucking say it. I love you too, babe."
He sealed his lips to mine, kissing me slowly and letting all that emotion pour into me, warming me from the soul up. Fuck me, Kodiak Jones was too damn perfect sometimes.
"Mmm," I mumbled when our kiss ended, "I'd love you more if you let me go back to sleep right now."
He scoffed a laugh, then kissed me again, harder. "Nice try. Now, are you going to get up, or do I have to carry you into the gym wearing that?"
I glanced down at my oversized T-shirt and panties, then sighed. "I guess I'll change. Give me half an hour."
With a bark of amusement, Kody climbed off the bed and headed for the door. "Not a damn chance, babe. Five minutes or I'm dragging you down there no matter what you're wearing... or not wearing."