Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 110694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Now, the tingle was an ache. Dammit! I hadn’t had sex in over a month. Hudson had been so tired in the evenings that he often fell asleep on the sofa before Stevie went to bed. Then, he’d wake up to leave. That was all this was. I was clearly in need of an orgasm.
“You’re blushing. That’s cute, seeing as I’ve had your legs wrapped around my head while you came all over my face.”
Jesus! Would he shut up about it already?
“Linc, stop,” I said, holding up a hand, and a deep, sinister laugh sent a shiver over me. “We have a child together. She is my only concern here. You have given me no choice but to uproot our lives and come here to live with you. I don’t need a recap of five years ago. I need to know when we are going to get our things and when I can talk to Hudson. I also need to explain all this to Stevie, and she’s going to have many things to ask you. She’s inquisitive, and seeing as how I have lied to her about her real father, this is going to be an even bigger shock.”
That got his attention.
His eyes narrowed. “What did you tell her about me?” The husky tone was gone.
At least I’d stopped his trip down memory lane.
Time to face up to this lie for the first of three times I would have to do it.
Sucking in a deep breath, I steeled myself before replying, “I told her you were dead.”
He said nothing as he stared at me.
Wanting to defend my lie, I continued, “You walked out of the hotel room with no way for me to contact you. I was left with a pregnancy that cost me my job—although do not get me wrong; I wouldn’t change it. I was given Stevie, and that was worth all of it. I struggled to eat and keep a roof over our heads, and at times, I hated you for it. Because she deserved more. Eventually, I was able to give that to her. But it was you I blamed for the times she went without. To me…you were dead.”
I watched as his eyes showed the range of emotions that his expression did not. It remained the same. He studied me, then shifted his focus to Stevie. “And I paid for it. By missing four years of her life.”
Fine, whatever. He had missed a lot, but I’d done what was best for her. Not that any of it mattered now. He was getting his revenge. He’d snatched everything I had wanted and worked for away from me with the snap of his fingers.
“That lie gets cleared up today. She needs to know I’m her father. That everything I’m going to hand to her is from the man who will take care of her. Protect her. I don’t want to hear her refer to the dentist as her new dad ever again.” Controlled rage flared in his eyes as they swung back to me. “Change in plans. Tomorrow, I’ll go with you to get your things. Once you know what you’d like to bring back here, we can leave my men to pack it up, and I’ll take you to speak with the dentist. Stevie can stay in the car with me. There’s a television in there, and I’ll be sure, uh, Bluey is available for her to watch.”
He was going to sit in the car while I went in and talked to Hudson? That would make it worse. There was a sliver of hope that Hudson might possibly forgive me. How could he even consider it with Linc waiting outside for me? It would just be rubbing salt into the wound.
Hudson told me he loved me regularly, but I’d never said the actual words back to him. He never mentioned it, but I knew he’d noticed. Every time he said them, I saw the pleading in his eyes. The hope that I’d say them back. Doing it now would not only be yet another lie, but it would appear calculating. I did love him, but I wasn’t in love with him. I was going to make it up to him by being an excellent wife. And when he was ready, maybe have a child with him. It was all slipping away. Melting in my grasp like a piece of ice until it was all gone. Splattered on the floor, unable to return to what it once had been.
“I don’t suppose I can talk you into staying here. Stevie could stay with you,” I finally said after a brief second of panicked silence.
He shook his head. “No. She needs to stay with you until I am secure with how to handle any allergic reactions or choking. We’ll go together.”