Chapter 3

I sent her a screenshot from the security camera — the one of three men lined up pulling their own hair — along with the schedule.

Less than ten seconds later, the typing indicator appeared on her end.

Ten voice messages came in. Sixty seconds each.

"Olivia! Where did you get that?! If you show them that schedule, I swear I will come back and kill you!"

I pressed the record button.

"Before you kill me, you might want to think about how you're going to explain your scheduling system to these three gentlemen."

"They're out looking for you everywhere right now."

Silence from her end.

I put my phone on silent and tossed it on the table.

A soft sound came from the window.

A man in a baseball cap and black face mask climbed through, tripped over the stroller, and fell flat on his face.

Nate Cole yanked off his mask and pulled a black card from inside his jacket, slapping it on the table.

"Ten million. You tell everyone I'm the father. The money's yours."

I picked up the card and spun it between my fingers.

"Big movie star, doing charity work in the middle of the night?"

"Ten million to buy a kid?"

"Jinx loved me most. The baby has to be mine." Nate tilted his chin up. "I can't let Ethan and Ryan take what's mine."

I threw the old phone directly at his face.

"Read it yourself."

Nate fumbled to catch it. He stared at the screen, and the color drained from his face one shade at a time.

Thursday — Nate Cole — gallery date. Friday — Ryan Lux — yacht party…

He kept reading, and his voice started to shake.

"I'm just the Thursday slot?"

"She told me I was her one and only soulmate!"

"She said I was the only person whose singing she ever loved!"

I pointed at the crib, where one of the babies had started crying.

"Since you're here, go mix the formula."

"Stop talking and do something useful."

Nate walked to the electric kettle with red-rimmed eyes. He cried while he scooped formula into the bottle.

"How could she do this to me? I wrote her three songs!"

"I held front-row seats at every single concert for her!"

I tapped the table.

"Water at 104 degrees. Don't burn the baby."

"Cheap deal for a soulmate, honestly."

Nate sniffled and shook the bottle clumsily.

"This isn't over. What gives Ryan the right to be Friday? How am I less than him in any way?"

I took the bottle from him and slipped it into the baby's mouth.

"Pray the kid is yours first."

"Otherwise you won't even have the Thursday slot anymore."

Nate crouched beside the crib and watched the baby blow bubbles. Tears dripped steadily off his chin.

"This baby looks just like me, don't you think? Look at that nose. Strong bridge."

"Definitely the Cole family genes."

I glanced at the infant, whose features had barely formed yet.

"Ryan and Ethan both said the same thing."

"Funny how your genes are all remarkably identical."

Nate shot to his feet and pointed at the door.

"Bullshit! This is my kid! When those results come back, I'm going to shove the report in both their faces!"

At three in the morning, my phone on the table went crazy with vibrations.

The testing center.

I answered. A burst of static screeched through the line.

"Miss Olivia — something's wrong, please don't—"

The call was cut off.

A text message popped up, the red exclamation mark impossible to miss.

DNA comparison reveals extreme anomaly. Report under full lockdown.

Three days were up.

I left the babies at the apartment and took a cab to the testing center alone.

The moment I stepped out of the car, a dozen armed men had the entrance completely blocked.

Steve was at the front, a cigarette between his fingers, blowing a smoke ring.