So Toxic(Bad Boy Next Door Book 4)(5)

“You never saw his birth certificate? You simply took her word that you’re his father?”

“I believed her because I’m not a scumbag who shirks his responsibilities and denies his kid. The timing was right. We were together several times over about a month. I missed using a condom that once. When she told me she was pregnant, it was a foregone conclusion that it was my baby.”

Marcus pulls a single page from his briefcase. “I was able to get the clerk to do me a favor because she and I were fucking a few months ago. But still, this is only a copy.”

I take the offered paper and skim over it.

Sure enough, there is no father’s name listed on Caden’s birth certificate. It simply says unknown.

Another sucker-punch—this one to my nuts.

My mind plays over all the times I held him as he slept, fed him, changed his diapers, rocked him when he had a fever, and felt his smile all the way to my soul.

“I give exactly zero shits what that says. I’m his daddy.” I crumple the lying document until it’s a compact little ball, then I hurl it across the room.

How could Jess do this? Lie?

Whether I’m his biological father or not, she lied. Either to me or on that birth record by saying Caden’s father is unknown.

I let out a sigh. “What can I do to make sure he doesn’t go into foster care?”

Marcus shrugs. “Petition the courts. Ask for a DNA test to prove paternity, and then, if it goes your way, seek custody.”

“What if it doesn’t go my way?” I swallow the scalding hot lump of doubt clogging my throat. “If, God forbid, I’m not Caden’s bio-dad?”

He lifts his left eyebrow. “If it doesn’t go your way, this will be a hell of a lot harder. Not necessarily impossible, but definitely not as simple. Though I wouldn’t count on it being a cake-walk even if you can prove paternity. I hear Rossie is taking these cases now. We both know how he feels about you.”

Rossie?

Fuck me.

Back in the day, I stood before him for breaking and entering, topped off with vandalism of public property. The hard-nosed judge had disliked my teenaged bravado. It sure as hell didn’t help that there was some sort of old grudge between him and my dad. I never found out what their deal was, but I can imagine it had something to do with who sat on which bench and when. But what the hell do I know? It could have been anything.

“You know, my dad’s retired. He stepped down when he had that heart attack scare.”

“Yeah, I know. Not sure that’s gonna help you a whole helluva lot though. That guy’s got the memory of an elephant and the bite of a Great White.”

What the fuck is this guy doing in the Family Court anyway? Don’t they specialize in certain types of cases?

Wait.

A possible ray of light shines through my clouded mind.

“I thought Foreman was the one who hears all the custody cases.”

“Foreman had a stroke. He’s off the bench.”

My clouds choke the withering sun as I clamp down on the frustration welling up inside. “Fine. Do whatever you have to. I want Caden with me now—or as soon as possible.”

“Jessica’s sister has Caden at the moment. She’s married with two children of her own and wants to take custody of him.”

“I’ve not met her, but it doesn’t matter. I’m his father. Throw as much cash at it as we need to.”

His deep sigh tells me he isn’t optimistic.

I turn to him. “What? I’ve got more than enough money to grease the wheels.”

Marcus swipes a hand down his face. “Not with Rossie, you don’t. He’s notoriously pro-family. He’ll likely place Caden in a family setting over a baby-daddy-slash-maybe-daddy situation. You didn’t marry Jessica, you aren’t married to anyone, you have a record, and you’re living with a roommate at the moment.”

“What the hell? So what if I’m not married? And fuck my record. That’s ancient history. As for my living arrangements—that’s temporary. When a house burns to the ground, it takes time to rebuild. But fine, I’ll just buy a fucking house—problem solved.”

“If it turns out that Caden isn’t yours—”

I wave his words away. “He’s mine. He should be with me. And regardless of some double-helix, I love him. I’ve helped raise him. He’s my son.”

“I’m not disputing your love for him. I’m telling you the facts. You must prove paternity first. And then you’ll have to get the courts to grant you primary custodial rights. You’ll likely still have to share custody with Jessica.”

“Share? As in visitation and all that crap?”