Page 98 of Wicked Brutal

“Okay.” No panic. No anger. Just okay. “That’s a reasonable question if that’s what you’ve been told.” I look back at him. “Now here’s the part I want you to understand. The baby is mine and Ally’s. We both want the baby. We both love the baby already.”

“You do?”

“Yeah.”

“Even though it’s tiny?”

I smile. “Especially because it’s tiny.”

“How tiny?”

“I’ll show you in a minute.” He nods, apparently satisfied. “And the baby is private right now. Not bad. Not something Ally did wrong. Private.”

“Because Dad can’t know.”

“Right.”

“And Victor.”

“Definitely Victor.”

His forehead wrinkles. “Victor thinks Ally is going to have his babies.” Ally’s hand tightens around mine.

I rub my thumb over her knuckles. “What makes you say that?”

“He told me.” Tobias picks at the tissue in his hand. “He said Ally is going to give him lots of babies when they’re married. He wants boys.”

“Why?”

“To carry his name.” I nod, and he keeps going. “Dad said Ally better do better than Mom did.”

Ally goes rigid. I squeeze her hand. “What did he mean?”

“Mom only gave Dad one boy.” He points at himself. “Me.” My jaw locks. “And Victor laughed.”

Beside me, Ally’s breathing changes. I keep my thumb moving over her hand.

Tobias looks at me. “Victor says Ally is a good girl, though.”

“Does he?”

“Yeah. That’s why he picked her.”

Something ugly twists inside my chest. “What makes her good?”

“She listens.”

Ally snorts before she can stop herself.

Tobias looks at her. “You don’t?”

I grin. “Absolutely fucking not.”

“Ryan.”

“Sorry.” Tobias’s mouth twitches. “Your sister has never listened to me once in her life.”

“I listen,” Ally says.