Page 120 of Secret Baby for My Brother's Best Friends

"No idea."

He barks out a harsh laugh, rubbing his hand over his mouth. "I cannot believe this. I'm going to be an Uncle." The amazement grows until his entire face transforms into a smile.

The tension eases in my entire body.

"And Jake's potentially the dad," I joke, and he throws me a dark look, which makes me laugh.

38

JAKE

The satisfying thud of my fist colliding with the punching bag echoes in the basement. The chain clangs as the bag swings back in place, only to meet my strike once more.

And again.

And again.

I get in the zone, my entire mind focused on the swinging punching bag and the slight sting of my muscles. No idea how long I've been at this for. No idea how long I plan to continue.

The sound of footsteps breaks my concentration somewhat as Sam and Adam descend into the basement.

They both stand there silently for some time, leaning against opposite sides of the entrance while I fight, levelling a kick with my left leg. My injured leg, which I conveniently forgot was injured.

I wince at the impact but stubbornly refuse to let it show, bringing it back down to keep laying into the bag.

“You know thirty years from now when you have arthritis, and you can't walk on that ankle anymore, I'm going to laugh at you,” Adam says. "Because you refuse to listen to advice and just lay off it.”

“I’m fine," I grumble.

“No, you’re not. You haven’t been fine for some time, and we’re tired of watching you pretend.”

“Me?” I stop in confusion and stare at Sam. “Aren’t you the one who had the major stick up his butt and didn’t want to talk to me about it?”

He smiles smugly. “Yes. And now I’m over that. So it’s your turn.”

I narrow my eyes and go back to my punching bag. I know I should talk to them. It’s much better than talking to a shrink. But it’s still uncomfortable and embarrassing to talk about shit like this. Like I'm exposing a part of myself that was never meant to be seen by anyone.

I feel like such a loser, something, for thinking the things I do and feeling the way I do. And deep inside, I'm afraid they'll judge me for it. Hell, I'll judge me for it.

"Come on," Adam says. "Just talk to us. This won't work if we aren't honest with each other."

It might not work anyway. Because of me.

“I feel like maybe this is my fault,” I say.

“Told you,” Sam says, looking even more smug as Adam rolls his eyes at him.

“It's not your fault," Adam says.

“Yes, it is. I should have been more careful. I knew that she wasn’t entirely comfortable with our relationship being public, and I shouldn’t have been kissing her out on the streets. But I did because I...I don't even know. It’s almost like I wanted someone to catch us, wanted to be able to claim her in some way.”

They’re both quiet, and shame crawls up my neck. Knowing that I might have sabotaged our relationship, even subconsciously...God, I just screw everything up. No wonder my mother left me. They'd probably be better off leaving me too.

“Did she say she minded?” Sam says.

“No. She was into it, but obviously none of us knew that her brother was going to roll up on us like that. But when he did…I didn’t even feel much panic. I mostly felt relieved and maybe a little…I don’t even know. Definitely possessive and just proud of the fact that she was mine. That she didn't deny our relationship in front of him. And with that, I ruinedherrelationship with him. I guess I’m like my father after all.”

“Bullshit,” Sam says. “If you’re like your father, then so am I because I would have felt the very same things you did.”