What would change for me now if I took the test and found out it was positive? Would I go back to mindless fucking between two consenting adults? How is that any different than trying to move on without finding out now?

Don’t spend it dwelling on your diagnosis…

She wouldn’t even have to know I’d taken the test if it was positive.

But what if I took the test and found out it was negative?

The choice is yours…

Didn’t the risk of finding out outweigh the risk of losing her?

It was almost one on the morning, but after I finally grew a pair of balls and answered that question, I needed to talk to someone. Reaching for my cell, I scrolled through my contacts until I found the one I needed and hit send.

He answered on the fourth ring with sleep in his voice. “Hunter? Is everything okay?”

I blew out a deep breath. “Yeah, Uncle Joe. Everything’s fine. I’m sorry to call so late. But I need to get blood drawn. Can I come by your office first thing tomorrow?”

“Are you sick?”

“No.” I paused. “But I need to know now.”

No further explanation was required. Uncle Joe took a moment to process what I’d said. “Give me a few minutes to get dressed. I’ll meet you at the office in a half hour.”

“It’s one in the morning.”

“I know. But you didn’t make this call lightly. I want to hear what’s going on. I’ll bring coffee. If you still want to get tested after we hash things out for a while, I know a lab that opens at six. I’ll draw the blood, take it over myself, and ask them to put a rush on it.”

Chapter 37

Hunter

“Turn on your TV—NBC.”

No hello. No how you doing, buddy.

I picked up the remote, flicked the TV on, and turned to the station Derek had said. A commercial for Rogaine played on the screen. I muted it to speak.

“I don’t have much going for me these days, but I have my hair.”

“Just wait.”

“You’re not making me watch a two-hour, B-flick horror movie again just so I can see your name at the end as robotics consultant, are you?”

“Shut up and watch.”

I’d just gotten in from a morning meeting, so I kicked off my shoes and pulled my dress shirt from my slacks. I’d started to unbutton with my cell tucked between my shoulder and ear when the news started to play.

I grabbed the remote to turn up the volume without noticing that my cell had fallen from my hold and landed somewhere on the couch.

What the fuck?

The screen flashed video of a man walking through a gaggle of reporters toward an apartment building. Beneath it read Convicted Ponzi scheme organizer Garrett Lockwood released early. A bunch of reporters shoved microphones in his face, asking questions about restitution to victims as he attempted to walk.

Garrett held up his hand, clearly no stranger to attention, and said, “Guys, I just want to be home with my family. I’ll answer whatever questions you have tomorrow.”

But that wasn’t what had me squeezing the remote so hard I cracked the battery panel cover. It was the building he was walking home to.

Natalia’s apartment building.

The segment didn’t last more than a minute before the news went on to a story about a string of home invasions. I stood staring at the TV, having forgotten all about Derek until I heard a muted voice calling my name in the distance. It was coming from my phone on the couch.

“Shit.” I picked up my cell. “Sorry. I dropped my phone.”

“Did you see it?”

“What the hell is she doing letting him stay at her place?”

“I don’t know. But I can think of one way to find out.”

Derek had been busting my balls to call Natalia since things ended. But since I’d confided in him that I’d gotten tested, he’d been relentless.

“You know the results aren’t due in until Friday.”

“Yeah, I guess Nat will just share a bed with her ex until then. That is, if you get the results you want. You don’t mind sloppy seconds, do you?”

“What the fuck? What do you expect me to do?”

“Get your head out of your ass, for starters.” He paused. “It’s two o’clock here. If you head to the airport now, you can get to her by, what, midnight?”

My heart started to thunder inside my chest. I couldn’t do that.

Could I?

Storm to New York to tell a woman I’d essentially walked away from that she couldn’t shack up with her ex-husband?

That would take real balls.

Pacing back and forth, I forgot I was on the phone, even though I had it held to my ear, until Derek spoke again.

“You’re gonna regret it, man. There’s such a thing as taking too long to make a decision.”

I dragged my fingers through my hair. Fuck. He was right.

“I gotta go.”

“Go get her, man. It’s about fucking time.”

***

I’d spent six hours on a plane trying to figure out what I would say when I got here. Yet I still didn’t have a goddamn clue. I’d gotten tested. If the results were negative, I’d planned to do everything in my power to win Natalia back. But Garrett’s release complicated things. Even without me in the picture, she deserved better than that asshole.

I’d caught the interior door from someone exiting as I walked in, so Natalia wouldn’t have any notice I was here until I was standing at her door. Wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or bad. I jabbed my finger at the up bottom on the elevator panel for the second time and stared at the slowly descending numbers above the doors while I tapped my foot. Sweat started to bead on my forehead even though the air was chilly today.

What if he answered the door?

Worse, what if I interrupted something going on between them?

My heart began to pound as I imagined the different circumstances that could possibly greet me.

When the elevator finally showed up, it stopped and opened on every floor, even though only the fourth floor button was illuminated. Talk about testing patience.

At her door, I took a minute in an attempt to steady myself. It was eleven o’clock at night, her ex-husband could be inside, and I had no damned idea what I was even going to say. Great plan. Two deep breaths did nothing to calm me, and since I thought it was possible I might explode if I didn’t get to her, I knocked and waited.

I knew I was taking a chance.

I knew I had no right to be possessive when I was the one who’d walked away.

I knew showing up after three weeks and without calling was a dick move.

But I also knew I loved this woman.

Which was why it felt like my heart ripped out of my chest when the door finally opened. And I was staring at Garrett, who stood inside her apartment wearing nothing but his boxers.

Chapter 38

Hunter

“I need to speak to Natalia.” My fists balled, but miraculously, I managed to keep them at my sides and not punch the asshole in the face.

Garrett squinted and looked me up and down. He stepped into the doorway and pulled the door closed behind him before folding his arms across his bare chest. “We’re a little busy right now.” He lifted his chin. “Whatever you were to Nat while I wasn’t here, you aren’t anymore, buddy.”

I had two choices: Push past him—which I knew from a quick glance at his physique wouldn’t be an issue—and demand to speak to Natalia, or turn around with my tail between my legs and leave, because there was no way in hell this guy planned to let me in.

I wasn’t leaving without seeing Natalia. I didn’t want a fight with this guy. Yet I needed to talk to her.

Luckily, Garrett wasn’t prepared for how dead set I was to speak to her, so it didn’t take much effort to brush past him. I caught him off guard, but his hand was already on my shoulder as I yelled Natalia’s name inside the apartment.

“Get out. Whoever you are, my wife doesn’t want to see you anymore.”

I pushed his hand from my shoulder and turned to face him. “Ex-wife. And I’d like to hear that from Natalia directly. I don’t want a scene. I just want to speak to her.”

The sound of a door creaking open from down the hallway interrupted our stare-off, and we both turned in the direction of the noise. I was expecting Natalia, but instead Izzy walked down the hall, pushing a set of Bose headphones from her ears.

She either hadn’t heard the confrontation brewing with her father or didn’t care. Her face lit up when she saw me. “Hunter! What are you doing here?”

I caught Garrett studying our interaction from my peripheral vision. “I stopped by to talk to Natalia. Sorry if I woke you, honey.”

She waved me off. “I wasn’t sleeping.”

I used the opportunity to push for what I’d come for. “Is Nat sleeping? Would you mind telling her I’m here?”

She furrowed her brows. “Nat’s not here. Didn’t Dad tell you? She’s staying at her mom’s this week.”

I looked at Garrett as I responded to Izzy. “No, he didn’t mention that.”

Izzy was a smart kid. She picked up on what was going on. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head at her father before looking to me. “Dad wanted to spend time with me, but Nat didn’t want to interrupt my school routine.” Her gaze shifted to her father. “My father offered to sleep on the couch. But Nat didn’t want him under the same roof as her because he would try to play games.”

“Isabella,” her father warned.