“A baby?” Ian’s mother said for the second time.

Ian had decided to pay his family a visit, seeing as they were taking the extra time with his wife. “That’s what I said.”

He couldn’t be happier or more thrilled. His woman was going to be having his baby. They’d made something sweet, precious, and he for one couldn’t wait for every single step. He’d already stopped off at a bookstore and purchased as many books as he could find on pregnancy, naming kids, the birthing process, what to expect. Before he left this morning he’d booked an appointment with his doctor.

Lucy would only receive the very best care. She had their child, their future inside her. Not only did she now carry his baby, but she was also the only woman that he’d ever loved and there was no way he was going to lose that feeling.

He loved her way too fucking much, and wouldn’t survive anything happening to her.

“A baby?” This came from his father.

He sighed and glanced down at his watch. He didn’t want to be here for all that long. In fact, he’d been spending more and more time with Lucy and delegating work to his managers at the company.

It was what he paid them for in the first place. For so long he’d been the one putting in all the hours, making sure that his company was above reproach. Now he intended to spend time with his woman, enjoy his family, and bask in the fruits of his success.

What had started out as a mere revenge ploy had changed course and now he only wanted to enjoy his life.

“Am I speaking English or do you just not understand what I’m saying?”

His mother got up and moved toward the window, laughing. “You’ve got to be kidding me right now.”

He waited as she continued to laugh.

Glancing at his father, Ian saw that he’d bowed his head.

The tension in the room began to build and he had this horrible feeling that something was about to happen he wasn’t going to like.

“So you’ve knocked up that stupid gold-digging whore! You’ve purposefully ruined our entire name by dragging it through the mud. We’ve had to deal with all the mockery, the laughter, and this is just going to be the icing on the cake.”

“Don’t talk about Lucy like that,” he said. He clenched his hand into a fist, gritting his teeth, angry that they would talk about her as if she didn’t matter.

Lucy mattered.

“Son, you’ve got to do something about that,” his father said.

“What the hell are you trying to say?” He glared at his father, knowing what was coming next.

“The baby has to go.”

Pure white anger built inside of him. “I know you didn’t fucking just say that to me. That’s not going to happen.” He’d only known for a matter of days, but already he loved his baby.

“Ugh! I always knew you were useless but I didn’t realize you were so fucking stupid.” His mother grabbed a lamp and threw it across the room, her dramatics not that uncommon.

Getting to his feet, he stared at his parents. “You were all full of shit. You didn’t accept Lucy at all.”

“We thought you’d tire of her. Did you think we didn’t know what you were trying to do?” His father stood, moving toward the bar where the whiskey was held. “We figured if we played along you’d get bored and move on.”

“I love Lucy,” he said between clenched teeth.

Staring at his parents, he realized that once again he’d been the fool. He’d believed that his parents had actually come around. That they would consider being there as parents rather than these two spiteful … bastards.

They were not good people.

He’d known that all along and yet the way they’d been with Lucy, he’d had hope.

“There’s no way I’ll ever get rid of my baby or my woman. She’s here to stay. I love her and we’re going to have this baby. Consider this my last visit. From this day forth, I will never be referred to as your son, and any media outlet that dares to even write or speak of my name with yours, will be their last.”

He left his parents’ home and made sure his lawyer made all the necessary arrangements that would permanently remove any contact he had with his parents but also to ensure their contacts within the press knew about the change.

Demanding that he get rid of his baby, that he kill his unborn son or daughter sickened him. Lucy had asked him to go before they made the personal announcement. He’d not wanted to, but seeing as they were making the effort, she didn’t want to ruin it.

Now he felt like a fool.

Arriving at his apartment, he realized they would have to find a house for the many children he hoped to have with her.

Just the thought of seeing her pregnant, their little babies running around her feet, filled him with a desire that wasn’t easily quashed. His cock hardened at the thought of all those nights he intended to fuck her, to fill her with his seed.

Opening the door, Lucy appeared around the corner. The scent of onions and garlic was heady in the air.

She threw her arms around him, hugging him close. “I missed you.”

The pain and anger faded as her scent filled his senses.

“I missed you too.” He pressed a kiss to her lips, hoping that he could distract her long enough so that she wouldn’t ask.

Of course, he knew he shouldn’t have asked for miracles.

“How did it go?” she asked.

“How did what go?”

“Don’t be silly, Ian. What did they say? Are they excited?”

He hated to be the bringer of bad news. She looked so damn happy and he was about to ruin that.

She pulled away, and he saw the smile drop from her face, replaced with a frown. “What is it, Ian?”

“I’ve disowned my parents, Lucy.”

“What? Why?”

“They will have nothing to do with you or our baby.”

“But I don’t understand.”

“It was all a lie. They …” He didn’t want to say anything else but he knew he didn’t have much of a choice. “They wanted you to abort the baby.”

She gasped, jerking away from him.

There was no way he’d let that happen.

“I love you, Lucy, and our baby. There’s no way I would ever allow anything to happen to you.” He cupped her face, tilting her head back. “It’s just you and me. The way it’s supposed to be.”