Back in Litamark.


    After Anders Lowry hung up the phone, Dan spiraled he was so angry he practically shut down.


    “He didn''t hit Xander. He didn''t hit Shawn. And he calls that punishment?” Dan fumed, half talking to himself and half to the room. "What kind of punishment is that? Does she honestly think Xander and Shawn are on her side now? Calling that ''punishment!""


    Punishment was for people you cared about. If you didn''t care, it was just straight- up revenge.


    Dan reyed Yvonne''s frosty tone from the call in his mind. “And she said I was the crazy one!" he snapped. “She''s the one who ys favorites, but I''m the one with the problem. She''s out of her mind, not me."


    The more he spoke, the more he worked himself up.


    "She took things from me, hijacked a ton from ck Gate, and won''t bother returning a thing! If we''re done with those past grievances, why isn''t she giving it all back?"


    Anders Lowry was getting heated now too. It had started as Dan drinking alone, but the more he ranted, the more Anders joined in, grabbing his own ss. He''d tried to cate Dan at first, but that went out the window quick.


    "Right! She''s got her double standards and won''t let anyone call her out!" Anders agreed, nodding drunkenly.


    Carroll looked at the pair, both getting absolutely hammered, and felt a headache bloom behind his eyes. Leroy kept calling Dan, who ignored the phone every time, wanting nothing to do with ck Gate business just now.


    Eventually Leroy tried Carroll''s number. Carroll took the call, then walked over and addressed Dan respectfully. "Sir, Leroy says you need to return right away."


    "What for?" Dan mumbled, his words slurred.


    "Derek... he''s copsed."


    Dan stared for a beat. Copsed? Derek?


    He was so foggy with drink he needed a moment to register it. His thoughts drifted dizzily back to the chaos at cktower that day. "Didn''t everything get sorted out? What''s he copsing for?"


    Carroll could only sigh inwardly. It was because it had all gotten sorted out that Derek had snapped-the anger was enough to give anyone a stroke.


    Up until now, Derek had always assumed the three kids were his, living in that easy happiness. He''d had a pretty good fun. Now learning that not a single one of Adelle''s children were biologically his was enough to make a man keet over from the shock.


    "Probably just too angry," Carroll offered quietly.


    "Angry? Well, he''s got reasons. He''ll get over it," Dan muttered.


    Carroll was at a loss. Get over it? If Derek had heard that, those words would have


    been enough to knock him right back down.


    Dan''s mind circled right back to Yvonne again, unable to let go: "What''s going on


    with that Yvonne? How did she keep her temper this time?"


    And here we go again.


    Dan had spent the whole night grumbling about Yvonne, spitting her name as if he wanted to ripher apart with his bare hands. He truly was beside himself with rage.


    “Where''s all that fury she used on me? How did it just evaporate?”


    "Exactly!" Anders chimed in, good and drunk now, slurring his agreement. “She should''ve unleashed it on Xander, hell, and on Shawn! Take them down!"


    The two devolved into rambling


    Yvonne growing by the


    minute—especially Dan, now nearly


    foaming at the


    mouth with jealousy


    and wounded pride.


    to''


    Atst, Carroll tried to bring things to a close: “Maybe Ms. Quinn''s just waiting until


    she''s had the baby before she deals with Mr. Schultz.”


    Both Dan and Anders stopped short, staring at Carroll.


    "Is that what it is?" Anders pressed.


    Carroll nodded, "Most likely. She''s pregnant at the moment—it''d be tough to get into


    a real fight."


    Just when he thought he''d ended the discussion, Dan erupted again.


    "She still intends to have that baby?" Dan bellowed, voice raw with disbelief.