Chapter 23

Leo

Tracking Grace down wasn’t easy. After my calls and texts went unanswered, I had my private investigator go to her apartment while I was on the next leg of my journey home. She’d already moved out, along with her roommate. He found Anna, but she wouldn’t talk to him.

I made my way to Anna from Bhutan as fast as possible, but it still took days of travel. I’m not used to waiting for free spaces on commercial airlines.

Once I got back to Kathmandu, my private jet was waiting for me.

It took me another two days to get the Tennessee address out of Anna.

And now, here Grace is, in my arms where she belongs.

Seeing her again, knowing she’s carrying my child, fills my veins with fire. I fight the overwhelming urge to throw her on the ground right here and fuck her senseless just to reinforce my claim on her.

“Baby, what are you doing here?” I ask.

Grace pulls back, and looks at me with heavy, tear-stained eyes. “Where else was I supposed to go? I’m pregnant and jobless, both because of you.”

“I may be the reason you are pregnant, but I have nothing to do with you losing your job.”

She stares at me, and shakes her head. “It was all Shawna.”

“It doesn’t matter. You don’t need a job anymore. I’m going to take care of you and our baby,” I say, gripping her hips in my hands.

“I only need child support, you don’t have to be responsible for me,” she says, her shoulders slumping.

“Of course I’m going to be responsible for you, and not just financially. Grace, I’ve never cared about anyone the way I care about you. When I found out you’re carrying my child, I jumped for fucking joy. I’m excited about the baby.”

“Well, I’m not. I’ve had sex exactly once in my life, and I’m pregnant. How is that fair?”

“Don’t worry, you’re young, there’s plenty of time for me to make your body sing.”

“You can’t just turn up here in a helicopter and say these things. You are pretending the last month didn’t happen,” she says, taking a step back.

I plant my hand firmly on her belly, imagining my baby growing underneath my touch. The image of her belly swelling sends a shiver up my spine. I cannot wait for this child to be born.

“I can’t help the past month. Trust me, I did everything I could to get to you as fast as possible. But I’m here now, and that’s what matters. I can say that over and over, as many times as you want or need, but it’s always going to be the same. The fact is, this is my baby, and you are my woman. Everything is fine, now the three of us are together,” I say, my voice firm.

“I was so scared,” she says, her voice a mere whisper.

“I know you were, but everything is okay now,” I say, stroking her cheek with my thumb.

“I don’t even know what to think right now.”

“Don’t think anything, just feel,” I say, drawing her against me.

Grace gently sobs against my chest. I hold her tight and let her cry. It’s understandable, given how sudden my arrival here today was.

I glance around at my surroundings. The tiny house is in disrepair, and the yard riddled with junk. The flowerbeds are overgrown, but at least the grass has been cut.

Something tells me we won’t be staying the night. I need to get her to leave with me now.

“Who the fuck are you?” a woman screams from the doorway. She is wearing gray track pants and a stained, white T-shirt. She sounds drunk. Very drunk.

Grace jerks away from me, and says, “Mom, this is Leo.”

“Is he the one who knocked you up?” she screams.

Heaving a great sigh, Grace says, “Yes, he’s the father of my child.”

“Fuck me, and he turned up in a helicopter? My daughter’s done something right for once in her life. You hit the jackpot.”

Grace winces, and I draped my arm around her shoulders to comfort her.

“Should we go inside?” I ask.

“Do we have to?”

“Mom, get your ass in here and leave them alone,” another woman yells from inside the house. She grabs Grace’s mother and pulls her inside.

“That’s my sister, Charity. This is her place.”

“And your mother lives here too?”

“Unfortunately. She got kicked out of her place because of her drinking and my sister took her in. Even though she’s a single mom with three kids and no money.”

“Doesn’t the father pay child support?”

“Three fathers, you mean. Although she doesn’t know who any of them are.”

Grace’s decision to stay a virgin well into her twenties suddenly makes sense to me. I now understand what she meant when she talked about not being like her mother and sister.

“Come on,” I say, taking her hand and leading her to the house. “You have to pack, the sooner we get to New York the better.”

“New York?”

“Of course. You are going to move in with me.”

“I am?” she says, stopping dead in her tracks.

“It’s where I live, and now where you live too. At least until we figure out somewhere else. The city isn’t exactly an ideal place to raise kids.”

Grace’s brow is creased, and her lips pursed. She better not be planning to resist the idea.

“Baby, you are having my child. I need you near me. Hell, even if you weren’t having my child I’d want you near me. I told you I was coming back from you and I meant it.”

“Do you mean it? I mean, really, truly mean it?”

“I never say or do anything I don’t mean,” I say, practically growling.

“Well, my mom does want her seat on the couch back.”

“You have been sleeping on the sofa?”

“Not everyone has ten bedrooms,” she says, placing a hand on her hip.

I ignore the comment, and lead her the rest of the way into the house.

The sooner we leave this place the better. I want her in New York with me. Naked, in my bed.

“It’s about time you brought him in here to introduce him to me. Charity, get us some beers,” Grace’s mother says.

“Mom, can you leave us alone, please,” Grace says.

“Hey, this is my house, don’t you tell me what to do,” the mother says, her words slurred and her eyes glassy.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m Leo, the father of Grace’s baby,” I say, extending my hand.

“Where did you get a helicopter from? How much money do you have?”

“I rented it, and I have about two billion dollars.”

She stares at me, her drunken brain trying to compute what I just told her. A glass shatters, and I look up to see Charity staring at me, her jaw slack and glass shards at her feet.

“Mom, Leo came to take me to New York to live so he can be near the baby,” Grace says, squeezing my hand.

I’m glad she’s just agreed to move in with me, but I can’t help thinking it’s as much to get away from her living situation here as it is to be with me.

“But first Grace wants me to tell you that I’ve secured a spot for you at the Betty Ford Center in California. You get to go hang out with all the stars.”

“Betty Ford? That means no beer.”

“Mom, you have a problem and I can’t let you be around my children like this.” Charity says, her words high and rushed like I’ve just given her the best news ever. “This is your chance to get your life together.”

I think I have just given her the best news ever.

“Actually, Charity, I have a surprise for you too. My architect coming on Monday to discuss the plans to build your very own house for you and your kids.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Charity says.

“Leo?” Grace says under her breath.

“Yes, he’ll help you find a suitable piece of land and design your dream home.”

“What about me?” the mom says.

“After you dry out at the Betty Ford Center, I’ll buy you a nice little house too.”

All three of them stare at me, frozen, and I wonder if I did the right thing. But I want to help Grace any way I can and repay her sister for supporting Grace when she needed her.

“Thank you,” Charity squeals, and flings her arms around me.

“It’s my pleasure. Now, Grace, grab your things, we have to go.”