Claimed by My Ex's Stepbrother

Tessa moved to the door slowly, buying herself seconds she didn't have. Roman stood in a dark coat, his presence filling the narrow porch. His eyes swept over her, unreadable, sharp enough to strip her bare.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, keeping her tone flat.

"We need to talk... now."

"Yeah? About what?" She folded her arms. "I thought we agreed that until the baby-"

"I noticed your calls," he blurted out.

She blinked, stunned by his sudden change in tone. "It was a mistake."

"Twice is too much for a mistake."

His gaze dropped to her arm-the one she kept folded against her body.

"What's the problem?" he asked.

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me." His voice cut through the air like steel. He pulled her closer, tugging up her sleeves, his eyes darkening at the bruises.

"Who did this to you?" he demanded.

"It's nothing," she shrugged.

"Would you stop with the damn lies?" he snapped. "Just stop it."

"What do you want, Roman?" she asked, pulling away from him.

He drew in a deep breath. "I paid the hospital a little visit. I know about your sick father... and the altercation with your boyfriend you didn't think was worth mentioning. Now, I'm giving you a chance to tell me what's going on."

Tessa shifted her weight, keeping her eyes on the ground.

"You will look at me when I am talking to you," Roman said sharply.

The command made her spine stiffen. She forced herself to meet his eyes.

"Nothing is going on," she sniffed. "And I appreciate your concern, but it's not your business."

His jaw tightened. "Not my business? You're carrying my child. Or should I start wondering if it's even mine?"

Her breath caught. "How dare you?"

Roman scoffed. "You call me when I ask you not to. You hide things. You let me hear about you from strangers-what the hell am I supposed to think?" he barked.

"I know you don't know me, but the least you can do is trust me," she shot back. "But clearly, that's asking too much."

He took a step forward, closing the distance. "Trust goes both ways, Tessa. You don't want to talk? Fine. But don't expect me to stand by while you-"

"While I what? Keep certain things to myself?" Her voice rose, heat flooding her cheeks. "You don't own me, Roman. And you sure as hell don't get to control me."

"Don't raise your voice when you're talking to me," Roman scolded.

"But you're raising your voice at me!" she shouted back.

For a second, neither of them moved.

"Yes, I did have a boyfriend," she admitted finally. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about that, but it's hard to explain that to you without you thinking I'm a lying whore."

"You're damn right," he said, his voice low and cutting. "Because this isn't something you just drop in my lap and expect me to accept. Not without answers. Not when you're-"

"Screw you, Roman," she cut in.

"Tessa-"

"I'm done with this discussion. Have a good night." She stomped her feet and stepped back into the house, slamming the door.

Her breath was loud and shaky as she stood with her back against the wall.

Gina's brows lifted. "Who was that?"

"My baby's father." Tessa let out a frustrated sigh.

Her eyes widened. "And what did he want?"

"To remind me who he is," Tessa muttered, walking past her without another word.

Roman's POV

Roman's jaw tightened as he watched Tessa step into the house. The bruise on her arm burned into his memory. Whoever had touched her would regret it.

She was carrying what was his. So who the hell would dare lay a finger on her?

And how dare she walk away from him?

He didn't know her well enough yet, but he knew she wasn't weak. She was the kind of woman who'd bite down on her pain before she let anyone see her bleed. That only made him want to rip the truth out of her more.

His boots crunched against the gravel, every step away from her door feeling wrong. His hands itched to go back, pound on it, and make her talk.

But she'd slammed a wall between them tonight.

Fine.

But walls could be broken.

He turned away and yanked open his car door. Sliding into the seat, the slam echoed through the night.

"She's hiding something," he said flatly.

Davin's eyes flicked toward him. "What do you think it is?"

"I don't know," Roman bit out, "but it seems like everything she says is a damn lie."

"So what do you want to do now?"

He didn't hesitate. "Find out everything about her. I don't care how deep you have to dig. Her name, background, who she talks to, and when she breathes. I want to know everything."

Davin gave a short nod. "Consider it done, sir."

"Good." Roman breathed. "Now get me the hell out of this place."

Roman's POV

Morning came and Roman had been pacing for ten damn minutes.

The coffee on the table was untouched, the laptop open but useless. He couldn't focus on a single damn thing because every time his mind cleared, Tessa's face slipped back in. That bruise. That look in her eyes when she lied to him like it cost her nothing.

He hated that it got to him.

She was hiding something, and he wasn't the type to wait around and hope the truth landed on his doorstep.

The door opened and Davin stepped in, a blue file in one hand, a small device in the other.

"I hope you've got something for me," Roman said, his voice irritated by the long wait.

"I've got everything."

"So, what is it? Tell me everything," Roman demanded impatiently.

"Here's what I got," Davin started. "Tessa Quinn. Age twenty-four. College dropout."

Roman raised his brows. Dropout?

"Engaged once," Davin continued. "And, boss... you're gonna want to see this."

Roman took the file, flipping through pages-birth records, addresses, a hospital report.

"Any info on the sperm mix-up?" he asked as he skimmed through the file, but Davin's voice cut in, sharper now.

"Forget the paperwork for a second. Watch this."

He slid the small device into the laptop on the desk, the screen flickering to life. The security footage was grainy and muted. It was a hospital corridor.

Roman saw Tessa. Being dragged by the arm, her face pale. And then, a conflict in a room. A man closing in on her, causing havoc, his jaw tight, yelling words Roman couldn't hear but didn't need to before he understood.

The man turned just in time for the camera to catch his face, and Davin paused the video.

Roman's eyes widened in shock. He sat up straight, his eyes drying out from not blinking.

It looked like-

And just like that, his blood turned to ice. His heart dropped, and his words failed him.

Grayson.

Grayson fucking Thorne.

Roman's breath stopped. He picked up the file, flipping through it with lightning speed until he stopped at the end.

It was him-a picture of him and Tessa wrapped up in each other's arms.

"What the fuck is this?" Roman muttered.

The name in the file was one thing, but seeing him there, on that camera-towering over her, grabbing her-was something else entirely.

He leaned forward, every muscle in his body coiled tight.

"That's Grayson," Roman said to Davin, barely believing his own words. "That's my fucking brother."

His voice dropped, deadly quiet.

"And if this is true, then this is a fucking mess."