Kate (Madison Kate #4) - Tate James Page 0,74

this arrangement I made with him. Would you be willing to take another test?"

"Uh, of course. I don't know that it'll change anything, but yes, for sure." James nodded, then stood from his chair when Kody did. He started to leave the room, then hesitated in the doorway. He turned back to look at me. "For what it's worth, Madison Kate, I'll still do everything I can to help. Regardless of the result. You're a good kid, and you deserve better than this mess."

He left with Kody then, and I turned to Archer with a long exhale.

"So, do we believe him?" I asked in a weak voice. I wanted to believe him... but life had conditioned me that everyone was a suspect these days.

Archer cupped the back of my head, bringing my face to his to kiss me gently. "Right now, Kate? I don't trust anyone."

I gave a bitter laugh as I thought how he'd just read my mind. "But we don't think he's the stalker?"

Archer shook his head. "I don't. Do you?"

I shrugged. "I have no fucking clue. I hope not. Though... it kind of seems likely he might be my real dad, and that would be all kinds of fucked up, right? My stalker has a clearly sexual interest in me which would be so, so gross if he turned out to be my biological dad."

Archer wrinkled his nose. "Not many lines that haven't been crossed so far, Princess. Incest probably falls way lower than torturing and mutilating a blogger for being a bitch online."

I groaned, then shuddered. He had a good point. But James just didn't give off those kind of crazy-killer vibes. But... did anyone?

"Hey, speaking of DNA testing," I said, a thought occurring to me. "What were the results of the blood on my mom's bra?"

Archer wrinkled his nose and shook his head. "Dead end. It was hers, like we suspected."

I deflated a fraction more. Not that I'd thought he would hide it from me if thereā€™d been anything more eye-opening about the results, but part of me had been holding a little hope.

Dead end. Fucking hell, those seemed to be everywhere lately.

22

The cold rush of blankets being yanked off me wrenched me from my pleasant dream, and I groaned a protest. I fumbled around with my eyes still shut as I tried to find the blanket again, but the bastard had taken it out of my reach.

"Kody!" I whined. "Why do you hate me?"

His chuckle made me want to hurt him. Except that would mean waking up properly, and I really wanted to go back to sleep. We'd been so damn cozy; why'd he have to go and ruin it?

"Babe," he murmured, tucking his face into my neck as I huddled in a ball against the harsh, cold air of morning. "You and Arch both owe me for yesterday's missed session."

His lips worked their way over my collarbone, though, and I groaned when shivers of desire chased through me.

"Not fair," I mumbled as he tucked a hand under my T-shirt and let his fingers span my ribs. There was something stupidly possessive about the way he held me like that; it was such a turn on. "This is psychological warfare."

Kody's chuckle feathered over my skin and I found myself uncurling from my ball, eager for more.

"Whatever works, babe. Give me a good training session this morning, and I'll reward you afterward." His tone was mischievous and full of promise.

I cracked an eye open.

"Elaborate."

He sat back, giving me a smirk. "You'll just have to trust me, babe." His eyes sparkled. "You do trust me, don't you?"

I groaned. "You know I do, you shithead."

His smile spread wide. "Yeah, but sometimes it's nice to hear it." The look he gave me was more pointed than his words, and I knew what he was getting at. But fuck him, I wasn't confessing my love when he was dragging me into the gym when I should be sleeping.

Still...

With a sigh, I pushed myself up to sitting and looped my arms around his neck. "Kodiak Jones..."

"Hmm?" His bright gaze danced between my eyes and my mouth, like he was fighting the urge to kiss me. What was with these boys lately?

I licked my lips, which only distracted him further. Then I grinned. "I need to tell you something," I whispered, catching his gaze and holding it intently. "You're my penguin, too." A flash of amusement rippled across his face, and I wrinkled my nose. "Or one of my penguins. Is

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