Ashley got up and sat beside him on the couch. She took his hand and just held it. Adam moved to his other side and took his other hand. The comfort of these two special people beside him was his anchor. With them by his side, he could get through anything.

“Whatever you need to do, we’ll support you,” Adam said.

Dare shook his head, determination spiking through him. “Even if it is true, I won’t leave you.” He squeezed their hands. “Either of you. What the three of us have is special. The love we share is…” His chest compressed. “I can’t lose that.”

But he couldn’t abandon Helen either. Even though what she had done was despicable … if she was carrying his baby …

*   *   *

Dare watched as Helen sat on the couch, looking properly contrite.

“So Ash told you,” she said.

“Of course she told me.”

“I’m sorry. I know I should have told you myself, but—”

“Told me?” he flared. “You shouldn’t have fucking done what you did? What the fuck were you thinking?”

Her eyes widened and she stared at her hands folded in her lap.

“I know that I shouldn’t have—”

“Do you?” he glared at her. He could see that her hands were trembling and she wouldn’t look at him.

He let the silence simmer around them. Let it sink in to her exactly how much trouble she was in with him.

“I…” She shifted under his acidic stare. “I’d been drinking and—”

“Do you think that makes it okay?” he demanded.

“No.” Tears rolled down her cheeks but he steeled himself to her discomfort. “I just…” She bit her lip, clearly reading from his expression that she was getting nowhere.

He sucked in a calming breath. “At first I tried to convince myself that it hadn’t really happened. That you were just lying to … I don’t know, I guess to trap me into taking care of you forever. But then I really thought about what happened that night. And…” His hand clenched into a fist. “God damn it, the very thought of what you did sickens me. I have been nothing but patient with you, but, fuck…” He slammed his fist on the table, sending vibrations through the room. “This is too much.”

“I’m so sorry. Just … sometimes I feel so alone and scared … and you’re the only one who’s ever cared about me. I’m always so afraid that you’ll walk away and—”

“All you’ve accomplished is to succeed in driving me away. As of now, you’re out of my life.”

She covered her face with her hands, sobbing. “Please, I know I have a problem. I’ll do anything you want. Please, don’t do this.”

He stared at her, considering.

“You’ll go into rehab again.”

“Yes, of course.” She stared at him, her eyes hopeful. “Anything.”

He compressed his lips, letting the silence continue.

“What about the baby?” she finally asked.