Dirty Secret (The Burke Brothers #1)(63)
Author: Emma Hart

“I have no idea where we’re goin’, man, so if she says she’s happier with you comin’ along, then get in your car and follow us.”

I lean out of the window and whisper to Ajax, “Vital Records Office.”

“Ahhh.” He smiles, looking at Conner knowingly.

“The fuck? You’ll tell him but not me?”

I smile sweetly, flip the car around, and drive out of Shelton Bay. Conner grumbles the whole way, presumably to coerce me into telling him. I won’t, though. Not until we get there.

My surprises are definitely better than his.

Still he moans, muttering to himself, and when a Dirty B. song comes on the radio he shuts it off. I laugh, making the turn onto the road that’ll take us to the records office.

Conner sits up straight when I pull into the lot. Ajax pulls up beside us, and so do a bunch of media.

“We’re—what?”

My lips curl hesitantly, and I get out without responding.

Ajax gets out of his car. “Conner, move your ass before they jump on you.”

Conner joins me and wraps his arm around my waist. Ajax scuttles us into the building before anyone gets too close, and I head for the front desk.

“Hello, miss. Can I help you?”

“Yes. My name is Sofie Callahan. Myself and Conner Burke have an appointment with the Vital Records department.”

The woman behind snaps her head up from her computer and blinks furiously. Her eyes find Conner and she blushes. “Oh. Oh. Of course, Miss Callahan. Just a—just a second.”

She’s flustered as hell, and I lean into Ajax. “Hilarious, isn’t it?”

“If you’ll go up to the, er, third, er, third floor,” she stutters, her eyes flitting to Conner every few seconds. “Check in with reception, um, there, and you’ll be seen. Yes.”

“Thank you, darlin’,” Conner drawls, shooting her a charming smile.

I shove my elbow into his side. He laughs and puts his hand on my back as we walk to the elevator. Ajax pushes us inside as one of the photographers comes in, a baseball cap pulled low in disguise.

Hell. They’re relentless.

We get out, and Ajax stops a guard by the door. “There’s a member of the media coming up the elevator behind us. He’s wearing a blue shirt.”

The guard’s eyes flit to Conner and flash in recognition. “No problem. I’ll send some guys to the front door to make sure no one else gets in.”

Ajax nods and shoves us through the doors.

I check in at reception, thankfully this time with a woman old enough to be our grandmother.

“What are you doin’, princess?” Conner whispers, sitting next to me.

“I’m putting you on Mila’s birth certificate,” I say softly, glancing up at him through my bangs. “I applied the day after you found out. They approved it at the beginning of the week. We’re signing everything today.”

He stares at me for a long moment, and my mouth gets a little dry. He pinches the bridge of his nose, then, quick as lightning, wraps his arms around me.

“Thank you,” he whispers, kissing my ear. “Thank you, Sofie.”

I smile into his shoulder. “Don’t thank me for something that shouldn’t need doing.”

He pulls back, and our names are called. We walk into the tiny room and sit on one side of a large desk. The man in front of us runs through everything we need to know, what we’re doing, what rights it gives Conner as Mila’s father, and affirms that I accept that.

I do. Conner squeezes my hand.

Papers are pushed across the table toward us, and I sign on my dotted line. I pass them to Conner, and he hesitates before taking the pen. His hand shakes as he signs them, and he lets out a long breath that’s just as unsteady.

Then her new birth certificate is placed in front of us, and we sign again. My eyes fall to the box at the bottom with his signature in it, right where it’s always belonged.

I pull the fee from my pocket and hand it to the notary, a weight lifting from my chest.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Conner whispers.

“Yes I did.” I meet his eyes. “My mistake to correct.”

He takes my hand, sliding his fingers through mine. When it’s all done, we take Mila’s new birth certificate and leave, our hands still entwined.

Ajax smiles when we walk out of the room. No words are needed, because no words can possibly express what that moment meant to us both—and to Mila.

It means that this gorgeous, loving man is now able to fight me on all things Mila.

It means that he has a say, some control, and I have to listen to every one of his words and compromise on it.

And it means he’s legally able to give her candy whenever he wants.

I can’t believe she actually did it.

She said she would, but I can’t believe she brought me here to actually put my name on Mila’s birth certificate. If I needed any confirmation about her staying in Shelton Bay, that’s it. Right there.

That signature in the box means she can’t take her away without my permission.

It means neither of them can leave if I don’t let them.

It means I can trust her again.

I scratch the side of my head, then run my fingers through my hair. I’m not naive enough to believe that this means I can make them come and finish the tour with me. Sofie will only do that if she really believes it will hurt Mila more to be away from me for two months.

Fact is, I already know it will. The night she called me over because Mila was screaming for me all night was evidence enough.

I also know Sofie would rather struggle if we’re better off apart.

Except we’re not. Me and Sofie—we’re better together. Now everything is out in the open, now we’ve thrown our insults and our curses, yelled our frustration, and cried through our fears, we can both see that we’re not better apart.

We’re better together. Always.

I can’t be away from her any more than she can be away from me. She’s just a lot more fucking stubborn than I am.

Hell, her stubbornness is what put us here in the first place.

Ajax drives past Sofie’s house and toward mine. We follow him, and my heart thumps at the thought of seeing Mila again. It’s been twenty-four hours since I saw her last, and I already miss her playful grin and endless giggles.

We get out of the car at my place and walk up to the house. Sofie seems completely unaffected by the still-waiting media, but I know she’s not. I can still see her hands trembling a little.