Melissa doesn’t miss the wink or our obvious connection. She smiles, although I catch a trace of disappointment before she glances away and reaches into her purse. “Here. This is for you.” She hands Tess a new smart phone. “The pass code is 2-2-2-2. Please change it to something you’ll remember. The phone number is listed in the contacts section under ‘My phone.’ You may use the phone as long as you’re part of the office, but I’ll need it returned when your assignment is done.”

“Thank you so much.”

Melissa smiles again. “No problem. Do you have the other phone? I’ll have it recycled along with our old ones.”

“Oh, yes, of course,” Tess answers, reaching for her purse.

Melissa stares past Tess to where Miles and Declan are speaking quietly. “I should head back to my office, Dad. I still have a lot to catch up on.”

Miles turns his focus back on her, disappointed, but also something more. “I was hoping to steal you and Declan away for a quiet dinner.”

Melissa takes the phone Tess offers her, looking directly at Declan. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she answers, her voice firm.

Miles tilts his chin. “Very well. Dinner tomorrow, then? Just you and me?”

She tears her attention away from Declan, her face softening as she takes in her old man. “Depends—are you cooking or buying?”

“Buying,” he tells her.

“In that case, yes.” She’s just slightly taller than Tess, but still has to stand on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Good night, Daddy,” she says.

Daddy? Oh, yeah, these two are tight. My attention returns to Declan in time to watch him bury his pained expression in his hands. It’s all I can do not to crack up again.

Melissa waves to me and disappears through the door. Miles crosses his arms over his chest, his typical laid-back disposition dissolving in his daughter’s absence. “Contessa, Curran, will you excuse us, please? I’d like to discuss the Montenegro case with Declan.” He pauses, his deep tone turning harsh. “Among other things,” he adds, stiffly.

Chapter 26

Tess

Curran can’t stop laughing on the drive back to his apartment. His recap of Declan and Melissa’s first encounter, and now their reunion, has him in stitches. I sit here, horrified on his brother’s behalf. “Of all people he could have insulted, it had to be Miles Fenske’s daughter.”

“I know,” he answers, continuing to laugh. “It was like karma and Murphy’s Law hooked up and decided to screw with Declan. Holy shit, can you believe his damn luck?”

“No, and—” I tug on his arm. “Will you stop laughing? It’s not funny.”

“Considering what a kiss-ass Deck is, it kind of is.”

“Curran, what he did was awful.”

“Come on, it’s not like he meant it. For all that Deck is or isn’t, he’s not cruel. He’s a good guy. Knowing him, he’ll make it up to her and be back in Miles’s good graces in no time.”

I don’t agree. “Curran, did you see how close Miles and Melissa are? Or catch her reaction upon seeing Declan again? I don’t see either forgetting the incident so easily.” I consider the way Miles regarded his daughter. He adores her in a way that’s completely foreign to me. My eyes sting. Despite my father’s abuse, I hope I can somehow become the parent I’ve always wanted…especially now that the time has come.

Curran pulls into the lot and parks, slamming the emergency brake down when he sees my face. “What’s wrong?”

I let out a breath, trying to compose myself. I’ve been a mess since this morning when the giant blue plus sign confirmed my pregnancy results. My first instinct was to phone Curran at the precinct, but this is news I couldn’t share through a call or text.

“Tess, what is it? And don’t tell me nothing’s wrong, ’cause it damn well is.”

I take another breath as I watch the oncoming guard park across from us. “Inside, okay?”

Curran throws open the door and slams it shut behind him. He hurries to my side, but I can’t wait, knowing I’m moments from breaking down. The stress of my week coupled with the news that I’m pregnant is too much.

I swing open the door and leap out, rushing past him and toward the back doors. Curran catches up to me, but he waits to speak until I hit the door to the elevator. “You’re freaking me out. Tell me what’s wrong.”

I shake my head. I mean to tell him to please wait, and to give me a moment, but I know if I speak now, I’ll only cry. He places his arm around me and kisses my head. “Baby,” he says.

His choice of words makes me clasp my mouth to hold back my sobs. Good God, I can’t believe this is happening.

Curran doesn’t say anything more until we reach his apartment and he’s shut the door tight. Despite the tears blurring my vision, I make it to the couch and sit. He lowers himself beside me. For all his distress, he keeps his voice quiet. “Is this about your dad? Did he do something to you? You need to come clean and tell me what he did.”

“It’s not about him,” I assure him. At least, not yet. But I know Father would make it about him if he knew. “It’s about me.”

“Are you sick? Jesus, don’t tell me you’re sick.”

I clutch his hand when he reaches for me. “I’m not sick, Curran.”

“Then what could be so bad? Did you get your grades?”

I nod, grateful for the momentary distraction. “I received them a few hours ago. I didn’t think my final debate went well, but my professor emailed me to tell me I received the highest score in my class.” I release a shaky breath. “In fact, I excelled in all my exams and made high honors.”

Curran’s entire face lights up before he seizes me in a tight embrace. “Holy shit.”

I cry against his chest, my fear, excitement, and shock releasing all at once. “The head of the department emailed earlier to congratulate me, and to inform me that I’m graduating in the top three percent of my class.”

“Tess, that’s awesome. I’m so proud—”

“And I’m pregnant.”

It’s as if he dies, right there against me. Curran doesn’t move, nor does he breathe.

The burden of my secret releases every emotion burning its way into my heart. I don’t have a best friend to confide in, or a mother to speak to. The only person I have is Curran.

I wait for words of comfort that never come, or possibly even disappointment and anger. But in the silence-filled minutes that pass, I start to fear the worst. Very carefully, I inch away to meet his eyes.

Curran doesn’t meet me with his “cop” face. He’s not angry. Isn’t sad. Isn’t anything. He simply sits there, blinking, his expression absent of any emotion.

I clasp his hands as they fall away from me, squeezing them to remind him that I’m still here. He doesn’t squeeze back. His hands simply lie as unmoving as the rest of him. I allow them to slip from my grasp and release yet another breath. “I need you to say something.”

He swallows hard. “I thought you were on the Pill.”

I lift my glasses and wipe a tear away with my fingertips. “Okay. That wasn’t it.”

He leans forward and rubs his eyes. “Sorry, I just…How did this happen?”

I stand and start pacing. “We’ve had a lot of sex, Curran. There’s a reason the Pill is considered only ninety-nine percent effective.” Not to mention, my periods were always irregular. When I missed one, I didn’t think much of it. But when I missed it again…

I glance back at him. “Okay…okay,” he answers. I think he’s going to say more, but once again, the silence stretches between us.