“Let’s go pick out your swim trunks,” I say to Chance. Aunt Hope and Aunt Trinity went bananas buying stuff for Chance once we settled into the house. The kid has enough clothes to fill an entire mall.

He’s settled on a blue pair with bright red lobsters when Lilly finds us.

“They’re trying to subpoena me again.”

The happiness clinging to me from spending the day with my family evaporates. My obsession with Lilly turns dark and hostile with the need to protect her. To protect our family. “What do they think you know?”

“I have no idea.” She bites her lip. “I’m scared. I can’t do it, Z. I can’t be in the same room with him again.”

“Hey,” I stand and pull her into my arms, “no one’s forcing you to do anything. What did Mara say?”

“To lay low. Dodge the process server as long as I can. Hang out at the house since technically no one knows I’m down here.”

“All right. So that’s what we’ll do.”

“I’m worried they’ll go to my brother’s house or my parents’.”

“So what if they do? Fuck ‘em. They know you worked at the legislature. They must have heard about the trial. Nothing else should come up.”

She drops her gaze to Chance who’s playing on the floor with some of his cars. “I don’t want him to know about Chance,” she whispers.

No need to ask which him she’s referring to. I brush my knuckles over her cheek. “It’s clear to anyone with eyes that he’s mine.” I swallow hard, afraid I won’t like the answer to my next question. “Did you name me as the father on his birth certificate?”

Her scared eyes meet mine. “I did,” she whispers. “I wanted it to be true with all my heart, and figured if it wasn’t…”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m glad you did. And obviously it’s true.”

She nods, but fear still lingers in her eyes.

“What can I do, Lilly?” Besides, kill Senator Kelly, because I’m definitely doing that as soon as possible.

“Nothing right now.” The worry fades and she shrugs. “Being holed up in the house with my two favorite men isn’t exactly a hardship.”

The corners of my mouth twitch. “That’s my girl. We’re going to get through this and everything will be fine.”

After convincing her to put on a red two-piece, that’s become my absolute favorite thing ever, I encourage her and Chance to go outside so I can duck into the office upstairs and make a phone call.

Loco doesn’t seem as happy to hear from me today.

“Z I’m trying. It’s not like I can stick some pop-up ads on his phone, man. What do you want me to do, send him a damn flyer?”