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Drew looks atThe buzzer sounds, indicating Riley’s arrival Drew gets up from the couch to answer it “Yeah?”

“Hi, it’s Riley”

Drew buzzes hiives me a look that says, Are you ready for this?

I nod in silent acknowledgment

RILEY

I KNOCK ON THE door, trying not to reveal how anxious I am The door opens a crack and Drew fills the space Why does he look so homicidal?

“Oh, hey, Dr—”

Drew flattens his pal the door behind hiainst the wall

He takes a half step back but still looks like he’s going to kill me “Listen, asshole Devyn told me who you are Who you really are”

I hold my hands up “Did she also tell you that I didn’t knoould’ve never stayed away if I knew she was pregnant”

He runs a hand through his hair and starts pacing “Yeah, she told me that part too But the fact reest people I knew ever since she was a little girl When our ot sick—when she died—Devyn was only ten years old but she soether And when our dad followed, she was still rock solid and stoic as ever

“When you…when she becanant with Nathan…she became a shell of her former self Sure, she put on a brave face, but when she didn’t think I was looking, I sa devastated she was It took her years before she slowly started couy she’s with now, but he’s good to her and he’s good to the kid If she chooses to stay with him, you stay the fuck out of the way You will not cause her anyto me” He takes a fist full of my shirt and leans into me “Capiche?”

I gulp “Yep”

DEVYN

I’M PLAYING WITH THE heh the door What the heck is going on out there? Drew’s an extraordinarily big guy; therefore, he intimidates people pretty easily if you don’t knohat a teddy bear he is He’s probably using that to his advantage right now and playing the big brother card, try