She snorted derisively. “Can you men not come up with something better to say? It’s exactly what I think. Tawny’s pregnant. The baby is yours. And you didn’t bother to tell me about any of it. Am I wrong?”
I grimaced. “Technically, no, but let me explain.”
“No. There’s nothing you can say?—”
“She’s my sister!” I blurted, louder than I meant to.
Daphne’s jaw dropped.
Diablo stopped barking.
The box Walter was carrying fell to the floor.
“Eww,” Buck said, breaking the silence.
“He’s not the biological father,” Ink said, stepping in to explain since words seemed to be failing me. “He’s adopting the baby. So, it is his baby, but also not his baby.”
“What?” Daphne asked, looking confused. “Earlier you said she was Badger and Macy’s daughter.”
“She is. When my parents died, I was given custody of Tawny. I didn’t even know she existed until that phone call. I was twenty-three and didn’t know how to take care of a four-year-old, especially one who’d been traumatized. When Badger and Macy offered to adopt her, I knew that’s what would be best for her. She was only with me for a few days before she went to live with them.”
“Skip to the part about this baby being yours and not yours,” Buck said.
“Tawny is an addict. That day when Ink stayed with you because I didn’t get home until late, I was at the hospital with Badger and Macy. Tawny overdosed and almost died—again. They were able to resuscitate her and discovered she was pregnant. From what Badger and Macy said, she wouldn’t survive another overdose, and she likely wouldn’t survive the pregnancy. She was refusing to see any of us and refusing to go to rehab. I’ll admit that I panicked, but it was the only thing I could think of to buy her some time. I offered to buy the baby if she would stay in rehab for the duration of the pregnancy. When I told her the amount I was willing to pay, she agreed without hesitation. And that’s how the baby is mine and not mine.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Daphne asked, sounding far more understanding than I expected her to.
“I haven’t told anyone except Ink,” I said. “No one knows, not even Badger and Macy. I planned to tell you about Tawny when I told you about my parents, but we were interrupted. I sort of took that as a sign to keep it to myself because Tawny doesn’tlike people knowing she is adopted. That’s also the reason I don’t routinely refer to her as my sister. It prompts questions she doesn’t like answering,” I explained. “I’m sorry you found out the way you did. I never meant to keep it from you. I just hadn’t figured out how to tell you or anyone else. Buying a baby isn’t exactly an okay thing to do. And I don’t want anyone to think I’m trying to force her to have a baby she doesn’t want. I’m trying to keep her alive for as long as I can and maybe save another life in the process.”
Daphne stared at me with a look of shock on her face. I couldn’t tell if she believed me or not.
“Show her the contract,” Ink said.
“The what?” she asked.
“When she agreed to sell her baby, I made her sign a contract saying she would stay in rehab for the entire pregnancy. It’s packaged as a pre-adoption agreement, but the outcome is the same. She stays in rehab, delivers the baby and gives it to me, and she gets twenty-five thousand dollars.”
“Twenty-five thousand?” Buck blurted.
I shrugged. “Like I said, I panicked. It was the first number that came to mind that I thought she’d agree to.”
I turned my attention back to Daphne. “I’m really sorry. I never meant for any of this to hurt you.”
“I don’t know what to say. This is a lot to process.”
“I understand,” I said, and I did. “Regardless of what’s going on between us, you’re still in danger, and I hope you’ll let the Blackwings continue to help you. I don’t have to be involved, if that’s what you want.”
Walter walked over to Daphne and said something I couldn’t hear. She nodded her head when he finished speaking and hugged him. “We’re going to clear out and give you two some time to talk. Ink, do you have time to show us around the farm? I want to see this greenhouse Daphne keeps talking about.”
“Sure, man. Follow me.”
Walter stopped beside me on his way out the door. “That is one hell of a story, son. I’ve always thought you were one of the good ones. Glad to see I wasn’t wrong.”
“I hope your daughter shares your opinion.”
“I think she does,” he said and continued on his way out the door.
I glanced at Diablo, who was watching my every move. “Is he going to eat me if I move?”