3. Rayna

CHAPTER 3

Rayna

" O kay," I sigh to myself, letting out a heavy breath filled with frustration and admittedly a bit of gratitude as Janta closes the door behind him. I close my eyes, fighting against the all too familiar prick of tears threatening to spill over.

Lily happily coos and gurgles in my arms. She's becoming an anchor, keeping me present in my responsibility for her.

After Janta leaves, I'm left with the weight of the tension that seems to exist between us. Having him here was both awkward and eye-opening. His overall gruffness and reluctance to help left me feeling guarded. This is why I prefer to do things on my own.

But at least he could calm Lily down enough for me to get the groceries put away. I would have never asked him for help. That gratitude extends to him coming over and taking charge of my struggles.

While it was hard to accept at first, I realize I'm going to have to learn to take the help where I can get it. Especially when Lily's wellbeing can benefit. If it weren't for him, I'd still be outside juggling Lily while attempting to pick up spilled groceries from the ground.

I'll admit I was jealous of the ease with which he took to her and how responsive she was to his soothing. His large hands dwarfed her, but there was a gentleness there that I couldn't have expected.

A pang of jealousy nudges at me, at how easily Lily seemed to calm in his arms. I chalk it up to stress as I turn toward the living room, stopping when I see Janta's retreating form from the window.

I watch him as he crosses the yard, heading back to his own house, and I'm struck by the muscular expanse of his back. The sheer size of him is almost overwhelming, but I'm willing to bet under that gruff exterior is some semblance of softness.

I could sense it with the way he handled Lily.

His presence fills the room with a grumpy sense of command as if he's used to being in charge. He gives off an air of authority with no time for nonsense.

Despite it all, there was something else there, I think, recalling the way his hands cradled Lily to him as he rocked and bounced her. It was such a contrast to the impatient impression he gives off. I sigh as I step away from the window.

"Let's get you ready for bed, little girl," I say to a cooing Lily

I feed Lily and get her to sleep. As I lay her in her crib, my eyes linger on her, my heart filling with warmth at her blissful innocence.

"Sweet dreams, my sweet girl," I whisper, my eyes filling with tears yet again.

It's truly unfair the hand life dealt her, and I just hope that I'm able to live up to the mother Ashley would have been. I leave her in her room, softly cracking the door.

The evening takes on a solemn quietness that fills the house.

I settle down on the living room floor with some boxes Ashley left behind and start going through them. I pull out a picture of us bikini-clad at the lake. The grief rises at the sight of her smile.

We had some great times, she and I. The next thing I pull out is her favorite book. Her favorite pages are earmarked, and the edges weathered from the many times she's read it.

Every item I pull from the box is a piece of her, and every item brings me more and more grief. As I keep digging through her things, I see what looks like an envelope tucked away in the corner. I reach my hand in and pull it out, gasping when I see my name written in Ashley's looping handwriting.

I open it with shaking hands, unprepared to receive a posthumous note. As my eyes scan the first line, my hand comes to my mouth.

"What?" I whisper to myself, holding the letter between both hands now, absorbing every word.

What the hell?

"Janta," I say incredulously, my eyes widening with surprise. Janta is Lily's father.

The letter explains that their relationship was brief. So brief that Ashley kept Lily's parentage a secret. My heart beats quickly in my chest as I realize that, by taking the house I inherited from Ashley, I've just moved next door to Lily's father.

Is this some weird twist of fate?

The same grumpy and gruff orc that was just in my kitchen not even an hour ago had a baby with my sorority sister. I stand up, overcome with a feeling of overwhelm, and walk over to Lily's room. I peer through the cracked door, watching as she sleeps soundly.

I lay down for a restless night of sleep, resolving to handle Lily's true parentage first thing in the morning. I toss and turn for what feels like hours. At some point, sleep wins, because the next thing I know, sunlight is shining through my window, its golden rays brightening my room.

I dress quickly, my heart racing with impatience and a touch of nervousness. I poke my head in at Lily, making sure she's still asleep, then I swipe the letter from the counter and march with purpose to Janta's house.

I knock on the door, my heart pounding as I wait for Janta to answer. The moment he does, I thrust the letter into his huge hands.

"What's this?" he asks, his brow raised and his hazel eyes wide with surprise.

"I was hoping you could tell me," I demand, my voice shaking.

He narrows his eyes at me and grunts as he turns the letter over in his large hands. I watch as his expression shifts from confusion to shock.

"Wha—?" He turns the paper over. "Where did you find this?" he demands. His eyes are hard as he stares at me.

"I was going through a box of Ashley's things, and it was at the bottom. So, is it true?" I ask, my hands on my hips as I wait for Janta to make it all make sense.

"I need to do a paternity test," he says. He's insistent in his demeanor, but disbelief tinges his tone.

"That's all you have to say?" My hands are shaking, and I hate the way my voice cracks. "Were you with Ashley or not?"

"I never said I wasn't," he grunts. "But it was so brief that I need to see it confirmed if I'm to believe what this letter says."

His answer annoys me. Because why would Ashley lie about something as serious as this? With a huffy sigh, I turn on my heel and march back over to my house.

"Rayna, wait!" Janta calls, but I keep moving, crossing the lawn with purpose until I'm back at my house. I shut the door and lean against it, taking a deep, shaky breath.

Janta is right. We need to have a paternity test done. It's the only way to truly prove that he is Lily's father. A confusing flux of emotion rises within me. But before I have time to make sense of things, a knock reverberates through the door.

I turn and open it to find Janta on the porch, letter in hand. His hazel eyes look troubled, yet his commanding presence is still front and center.

I sigh again, swallowing my confusion over the trajectory of my life and gesture to the kitchen. "Come in, we can arrange for the test," I say, throwing out an olive branch.

"Thank you," he says in his quiet grumble and steps inside.

"Do you want anything to drink? Coffee?" I ask as he takes a seat in the kitchen. "Lily will be awake soon."

"I'm okay, thanks." His usual sense of put togetherness seems off today, no doubt from the news of his impending fatherhood, should the test prove Ashley right. Though I don't see why she wouldn't be.

I pull my phone out, sit across from him, and start looking for a lab that can perform the test. "It says here that they're open tomorrow. Lily and I can come with you if you'd like?"

He stares thoughtfully before giving a terse nod. "That's fine."

"They open at 9 tomorrow morning." I raise my eyes, meeting his for a moment, and a prickling of something ripples through me.

As if on cue, Lily's cries rise from her room before I have time to process what any of it means.

I give Janta a forced smile. "I'll be right back," I say and leave to grab Lily from her crib. Grabbing a diaper and an outfit for her from the closet, I lay her on the changing table.

My thoughts wander back to Janta and what it means for Lily if he turns out to be her father. The array of tumultuous feelings running through me are heightened when I return to the kitchen with Lily in my arms.

How will he react if Ashley's claims turn out to be true? And what does that mean for me? I'm still certain I'm nowhere near ready for parenthood, but if Janta steps in, how will this change for Lily?

I watch as Janta's eyes travel over her and his gaze locks on her tiny form. Something crosses his face, so fast I almost miss it, but I could have sworn I saw him slightly soften at the sight of her.

All things considered, there's a sense of relief knowing that the secret is out and it's not one I have to keep. Though, that relief is still mixed with a sense of fear for what the future may hold for Lily and me, and how things might change if Janta steps in.

"I should go," he says suddenly and stands from the table.

"Oh, alright," I reply, both disappointed and relieved.

"I need to get ready for work," he says gruffly, but he pauses as his gaze stays glued to the cheerful baby wiggling in my arms.

"What do you do?"

"I'm the CEO at OrcTech."

"Oh," I reply, as further realization of our differences set in.

"Yeah. My days are overwhelmingly busy. But I'll be ready in the morning. Have a good day," he says as he walks to the front door.

As it closes, I let out a deep sigh.