Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
There’s no fucking way the mother of my child will sleep on a fucking couch.
“I’m sorry, what?” she says as I stand.
I pull out my phone and shoot Genna a quick text.
Finn: Everything’s good. I’m heading out. Damage control with my brothers, please?
Genna: I need details about this, Finn.
Genna: Seriously. Details.
Genna: But I’ll see what I can do about the assholes.
I shove my phone away. “You’re coming home with me.”
“Finn, wait, I didn’t come here for—” She’s blushing, practically purple.
I know what she’s thinking about. The last night we spent together.
I can’t help but chuckle. “I’m not taking you home to fuck you. Although if you want—”
“No,” she says, a little too forcefully. “No, I’m sorry, I just—I can’t get involved like that. I just came here to tell you about the baby and ask for your help.”
“And this is how I’ll help. You’re coming home with me tonight. You’re sleeping in a proper bed. In the morning, we’ll sort out what to do with you next.” I walk around the desk and stand in front of her. “You’re carrying my child now, Dara, and there’s no fucking way I’ll ever let you be homeless. From now on, I will take care of you.”
Whether you like it or not.
She blinks up at me a few times.
Then sets her jaw.
“I want your help,” she says, speaking quietly. “I don’t want you to dictate my life. Do you understand the difference?”
“Nothing is free, Dara. There are always strings.” I hold out my hand. “Are you coming? Or are you going to try to figure out this whole raise-a-baby thing on your own?”
Her eyes flash with anger. She doesn’t like my demanding, intense tone, not that I can blame her. But I’m too rattled to be gentle right now.
It’s unfair. I know I’m being a bastard. But this is my child we’re talking about, and Dara did make my life infinitely harder by telling me in front of my brothers. I’m angry, and yes, I’m being a little more controlling than I should.
But fuck. She’s pregnant. The girl I’ve been obsessing about is pregnant.
My life is going to blow up into a million little pieces.
It’s one thing to have an affair—it’s another to knock a girl up.
She has no clue what she just did.
“Fine,” she says through her teeth, accepting my offer. She stands, glaring at me. “But just to be clear, I’m only coming with you so we can discuss this further. I’m not agreeing to anything.”
“It doesn’t matter what you want anymore, Dara. You’re pregnant with a Crowley baby. That means you’re in the family now, whether you like it or not.”
That pisses her off. I catch a moment of regret in her expression. “I came here for support, not for you to start acting like a possessive prick. I don’t need that in my life right now.”
“You came here for my financial support. Don’t pretend otherwise.” I meet her glare with my own. “You want my money. Fine, I can’t blame you, why go through this alone? But if you want my money, you’ll need to follow my rules. That’s the deal.”
Her jaw works as tears fill her eyes.
Ah, fucking god damn it, Finn.
Why am I being such a bastard?
I can’t make a damn pregnant girl cry.
I soften a bit and move closer. “We’ll talk about what happens from here, all right? Back at my place, somewhere private. I’ll take care of you from now on, okay? We’ll figure out how.”
That seems to help. She nods, gathering herself, wiping her face. “It’s fine. Let’s get out of here, but I just need to tell Kathryn really quick.” She shoots off a few quick texts before we walk out into the back hall together.
I call a car as I lead her to the emergency back exit. We step out into the night, into an empty alley alongside the club. She walks close to me, little Dara, beautiful fucking Dara. What am I doing right now, bringing her home to my apartment?
If I were smart, I’d send her back to her place, wherever she’s been staying. I should write her a fat check—a very fat check—and keep the money flowing so she never has to worry about that again. I could easily make sure she is taken care of financially and my child never wants for anything.
If I were smart, I wouldn’t get involved.
My father is going to murder me. Getting Dara pregnant the night before I got engaged was just about the worst possible thing I could do.
Dad is not a forgiving man, not even to his sons.
Particularly not to his sons.
When he finds out, there will be hell to pay. My engagement with Robin might be in jeopardy, which means Dad’s precious little business arrangement with the McLaren family might fall through, and if that happens—