Dinner was over.

Alsie and I were getting ready to head home. To say this dinner was awkward would be an understatement. The only person to seem oblivious to all the tension at the table would be Selena's husband. Poor bastard didn't know what kind of wife he was married to. I caught the not-so-subtle looks Selena was throwing my way. "Darren, can I talk to you for a minute?" Selena asks. I look over at Alsie who didn't seem too happy about this. I want to tell Selena no, but a part of me wants to know what she wants. I look back at Selena nodding my head.

We walk outside the house. I keep enough distance between us, as we stand on the porch.

"Speak." I finally say, after a brief moment.

"Do you have to be such a dick?" she raises an eyebrow at me.

"You said you would like to talk to me, yet I don't hear anything," I add. The quicker she says

what she has to say the quicker I can get back to Alsie. I know she is probably thinking the worst right now. "I need to get back to my fiancée," I say to only ruffle her feathers.

"Fiancée?!" She snaps. "You can't be serious!"

"And why not? Selena, you're married and have a child. Don't rain on someone else's parade." I cross my arms at my chest. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Do you even love her?"

"If you wanted to question me about my relationship, I think Alsie should be out here too. After all, she is the other party in said relationship." I'm growing annoyed by this right now. I make a move to go back in the house, when she reaches out, taking hold of my hand.

"Darren please," she pleads and hearing that tone is giving me flashbacks. I would have done just about anything for Selena, seven years ago. If you asked me who was my entire universe back then, Selena was without hesitation. She and Zoey were my everything. A world she shattered with a text message. A fucking text message. I came home that day and all their things were gone. It was like no one lived there but me. "Hear me out."

"Hear you out?" I look down to where our hands are intertwined. "You're seven years too late."

"I'm sorry Darren. I really am...I miss you--I miss us. If I could take back that awful day I would. I would change everything that happened back then. I don't know what I was thinking and I shouldn't have let you go. we can still work on us."

Is she out of her fucking mind? I shake her hand off mine. The last thing I want is for Alsie or anyone for that matter to come out and see this.

"There is no us. I'm with Alise now and she is having my child. Must I remind you that you're married once again? You shouldn't do this to your husband. he seems like a pretty cool guy." Her husband doesn't seem like a cool guy at all, but she really doesn't need to know that. He seems like a fucking weirdo.

Selena opens her mouth to say something, but the front door opens. Alsie is assessing everything. I notice she does that a lot at work before starting on a project. I can see the wheels turning in her head, she doesn't know what to make of it and I don't let her. I pull her into my arm kissing her forehead. I need her to feel like she is the only woman in the world for me, which she is.

"Are you ready to go home?" I look down at her as she looks up at me. She nods her head.

"We aren't done talking." Selena huffs.

"We are. Focus on yourself and your family." I say. I move Alsie to the other side of me as we walk down the porch steps, before positioning her in front of me. I don't put anything past Selena. My main job at this very moment and on is the safety of Alsie and our child. opening the car door, I help her inside. I can hear footsteps, as expected Selena isn't happy. Closing the door, I press the lock button on my key fob.

"So you're picking her over me?"

I turn around looking at a pissed-off Selena. Where the fuck is her husband?

"What is going on with you? There is no us. Go back in the house to your husband." Selena looks over at the car, I move in front of her--shielding Alsie. "Selena, what is going on with you?"

"I want you back. I've always wanted you back, I was just too scared. Don't you miss Zoey?" she asks and I mentally flinch. How dare she ask me that fucking question? Miss a child that isn't mine. Miss a child that I know nothing about and she doesn't know anything about me. I will never put myself through that and I sure as hell don't want to put Zoey through that either.

I shake my head walking to the driver's side. I have nothing else to say to Selena. I also need to let Alsie know she can't go anywhere alone for a while. Selena has a mean streak to her and I have witnessed it firsthand. Exhibit A: Zoey isn't my child.

Long story short. I told Selena I couldn't get off work early to meet her coworkers. That night she cheated on me and conceived Zoey. I couldn't believe she lied to me for almost two years about Zoey. I'm guessing her husband is Zoey's biological father.

Selena says something, but I've already tuned her out. getting into the car I take off without a second glance. Alsie reaches over touching my thigh.

"Everything okay?" she asks. I can hear the uncertainty in her voice. "If you want to talk about it...I'm all ears."

"It's fine. Selena definitely has a few screws loose." I sigh and Alsie chuckles.

"Yeah, I've been saying that since I first met her and Stephaine."

"I don't want to seem like an overbearing CEO or baby daddy, but you and I will be joined at the hip for a while. I don't trust Selena when it comes to you and our baby. I swear if something happens to you two I will lose my shit." I take a peek at her and she smiles nodding her head. Whew, I thought she was going to put up a fight. "No pushback?" I ask.

"Nope, I also think it's for the best too. I have something to tell you, but I don't want you to get mad or anything." she removes her hand off my thigh, placing it back on her lap. I nod my head but she tells me no she wants to hear it out loud. I promise and she clears her throat. "Selena kinda sorta threaten me and the baby."

My hands tighten on the steering wheel. So this is probably what was bothering her when I walked back into the living room. I'm glad she is open to communicating with me, but I wish she would have told me this sooner. I could have torn into Selena on that porch. How dare she threaten what is mine?

"Darren say something," Alsie says.

"I can't," I tell her.

"Why not?"

"I promised you I won't get mad or anything. Me staying silent is the only way to keep that promise at the moment. I will however have another chat with your sister though." I say through gritted teeth.