Chapter 4

"Olivia. Hand over the report."

"Don't make me get physical."

I stood at the bottom of the steps and looked at him.

"What gives you the right to that report?"

"You call yourself a father?"

Steve dropped his cigarette and ground it out with his shoe.

"I'm your father. And Jinx said if I destroy the report, she'll wire me ten grand a month."

He waved his hand. A few thugs moved in with metal pipes.

"Pin her down. Search her."

"Don't let her ruin your sister's plans."

"Nobody is walking out of here with that report today."

Engines roared from around the corner like a thunderclap.

Three limited-edition sports cars fishtailed onto the sidewalk and blocked the thugs in completely.

The doors flew open. A dozen bodyguards in black suits piled out and dropped everyone to the ground in seconds.

Ryan Lux stepped out of the McLaren in the middle and took off his sunglasses.

"Steve. Bold move."

"You think you can put your hands on my people?"

Steve's legs buckled. He went straight to his knees.

"Mr. Lux, this is a misunderstanding! A complete misunderstanding!"

"I was just disciplining my daughter — no disrespect to you, sir!"

Ryan kicked him in the shoulder and sent him sprawling.

"Get out of my sight before you get blood on my shoes."

"I see you again, I break both your legs."

He turned and looked at me, tilting his chin toward the door.

"Let's go. Get the report."

"I need to know if this baby is mine. I've already got the birthday party hotel booked."

I ignored him and walked straight through the testing center doors.

The lobby was wrong — completely deserted. Not even the front desk nurse was visible.

I went to the counter and knocked on the glass.

"I need the DNA comparison report. Jinx versus the three men."

The front desk nurse was cowering in the corner. Her voice barely held together.

"Miss Olivia — the report — the report can't be released."

I frowned.

"What does that mean? System crash?"

The nurse shook her head rapidly and pointed upstairs.

"Half an hour ago, the Holt family locked down the entire system."

"They took the attending doctor with them."

"We don't know anything."

Ryan had followed me in. He heard every word. He slammed his sunglasses down on the counter.

"What is Ethan Holt playing at?"

"Trying to rig the results and keep the baby for himself?"

"The Holt name may be big, but even he doesn't get to break the rules like this!"

I took out my phone and called the number Ethan had left.

It rang three times before he picked up.

"The results are in. Whose kid is it?"

Dead silence on the other end. Just heavy, labored breathing.

"Ethan. Playing dead isn't going to work."

"Somebody settle the bill. I don't have time to play rich-family politics with you."

When Ethan spoke, the arrogance from our first meeting was gone. His voice was low and carried something cold and unreadable.

"It's more complicated than you think."

I pushed back.

"How complicated?"

"Three men fighting over who gets to be a dad?"

"Don't tell me they're quadruplets."

"It's not just about the father."

Ethan paused.

"Bring the children. Come to the West Estate. We talk face to face."

The line went dead. The dial tone echoed through the empty lobby.

Ryan leaned over, his brow furrowed.

"What did Ethan say?"

"Is he bribing the doctor to change the results?"

I pocketed my phone and walked toward the exit.

"He said it's not just about who the father is."

Ryan stopped cold. Then he caught up to me.

"What does that even mean? Did the baby fall out of a rock?"