Six

Roc

If Abby thought she could keep my daughter from me she had another think coming. While I appreciated her desire to shield the child from…hell I don’t know what she thought she was protecting her from, I wasn’t about to wait weeks for a DNA test when she was right here.

That’s exactly why I’d left the office early, hoping to catch Abby at home with her. Off guard. I didn’t play fair and it was past time Abby remembered that fact.

Pulling up in front of the adorable little yellow bungalow, I stepped from the car and paused to let the sun warm my suddenly chilled body. Why should I be nervous to meet a three-year-old? I’ve wined and dined, and even bedded heads of state, royalty, CEOs and pretty much every person in between. I could handle a child.

At least I hoped so.

When the door opened, it wasn’t Abby or even a little girl, instead it was a woman I’d seen in photographs and heard so much about. “Aunt Melanie,” I greeted her with a smile she didn’t return.

“Roc Mahoney,” she responded with nothing but disdain in her voice.

“You know who I am?” It felt good to know Abby hadn’t forgotten me as thoroughly as I thought.

Melanie crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes. “Of course I know the name of the man who turned my niece into the other woman and then left her brokenhearted and pregnant.” Shaking her head, she mumbled something that sounded like, “That’s not something I’m likely to forget.”

I had no idea how to respond to her words since most of them made no damn sense. “The other woman?”

“Like you don’t know,” she supplied un-helpfully with another shake of her head. “Your fiancée showed up at that last party and introduced herself. But I guess you were so happy to see the twat to even notice Abby had left.” Her gaze lanced through me, slicing me open more than anything could have. “She was in love with you, thought you loved her, too. But really she was nothing more than your dirty little secret.”

Apparently, she could say something that would hurt even more. Abby was in love with me? “I haven’t had a fiancée since I was in my twenties, well before I met Abby.”

“Yet you never once tried to find her or contact her using your considerable resources. I’d say it’s good you stayed away then.”

“Don’t pull any punches, Aunt Mel.” I tried for a wry grin but it probably looked more like a grimace than anything.

“When it comes to Abby, no.”

I knew that. “Abby always spoke so highly of you.”

“You too. Even when she came back heartbroken and sad, she had nice things to say about you.”

“Yeah,” I scoffed, “so nice she decided I didn’t need to know about my child.”

Mel glared at me. “She didn’t want to cause any problems between you and your wife.”

Damn the hits kept coming. “I didn’t know.”

“Didn’t care, more like.”

I stumbled back at her bitter words but I deserved them, I knew that now. “Where’s is she now?”

“Not here.” And judging by her stance she wasn’t about to tell me more.

“And the child?”

“Not here either,” she told me and stepped back, slamming the door in my face.

In a daze, I walked back to the street, passing my car altogether as I processed all the information Melanie had shot at me—obviously believing I already knew them. Abby had seen Eve that night, before I had her kicked out of the party and banned from my property. Obviously, I hadn’t kicked her out before she could do any damage. Like costing me the first three years of my daughter’s life. Like watching Abby grow round with my child.

If I ever came across Eve again I would strip her of everything she held dear and make her regret fucking with me or Abby.

But I knew I couldn’t place all the blame on Eve. I should have realized her sudden appearance and Abby’s disappearance were related. I should have gone after Abby when she left. Instead, I’d acted like a petulant child whose favorite toy had been taken away. Dammit!

Before I realized how far I’d walked, I was on the beach, the sounds of waves and laughter washing over me. People were here to have a good time, to enjoy the day with their loved ones. I came to clear my head, but I should probably wade into the sea to wash away my sins. Apparently, I’d committed a fuck load of them against Abby.

She’d probably never forgive me.

Removing my shoes and socks, I let my toes sink into the sand, so hot it was almost unbearable. But I ignored it and continued towards the water.

“Mama, look!”

I turned and spotted Abby looking like a dream come true in a modest blue bathing suit that should have seemed matronly and unattractive. Yet it didn’t. It looked sexy as hell from what I could see. Then my eyes were drawn to the little curly headed blonde sprite in a blue and white bikini with little ruffles on the top and bottom.

“Come here,” she told the little girl and held her in the air so her hands pressed into the sand. “There, now you’ve got your own walk of fame.”

The sweet sound of her giggle drew me in and before I knew it I stood beside them, casting a shadow over the handprints.

Abby grabbed her daughter and held her close before looking up to address what she obviously perceived as a threat. “Oh you. What do you want?”

“Hi, mister!”

I dropped down to face the little girl and found myself struck by piercing blue eyes so similar to my own. Noah called them the Mahoney blues since he and my father had them along with me and my two brothers. “Hey, little girl, what’s your name?”

She looked to Abby for reassurance before turning back to him with a curious smile. “Lily, what’s yours?”

“I’m Roc,” I held out my hand and she shook it with a giggle. “Nice to meet you, Lily. That’s a pretty name.” I wondered what it was short for.

“Thank you.” She eyed me with more than idle curiosity, and I felt unease slide over me.

I turned to Abby who wore a dark look and flashed a smile, which she didn’t return. “Do you mind if I sit?”

The look she shot me said she did mind very much but before she could say anything, Lily said, “Sit!” She said a bunch of other words but I didn’t quite catch them. “Roc, sit,” she insisted when my gaze lingered on Abby a little too long.

I couldn’t help but smile at the exuberant little girl, so full of life and laughter, sunshine and innocence. “Okay, okay I’m sitting. Happy?”

“Yeah!” She handed me a bucket and a shovel which I took to mean we would build a sand castle together.

Like a real father and daughter. That’s when I knew I didn’t need a damn DNA test to tell me this little girl was a Mahoney.

I knew.

***

Abby

“I want you to tell Lily who I am.”

“Mr. Mahoney, come on in and have a seat, or you know, let the entire hotel know my personal business.” Ever since he crashed our girl’s day at the beach I knew it was just a matter of time before he started making demands.

He stood and closed the door before returning to the seat across from me. “I want her to know.”

“And what you want is most important, right?” I knew I would regret the moment he reentered my life, but I had hope he wouldn’t try to take over everything. Wrong.

“I’m sure she’s mine and I want her to know me. And the rest of my family. To know that I want her.”

I understood that, I really did. “The test has already been done so let’s just wait for the results.”

He frowned and leaned forward, elbows planted on my desk and his intense blue stare boring into me. “Are you worried I’m not the father?”

“Sure, Roc, let’s go with that.” The truth was that I didn’t want him or any of the other Mahoney boys coming after me. They were a mistrustful bunch and something like this would definitely bring them all out, making accusations and assuming I’m after the Mahoney fortune.

“Why? Help me understand, Abby.”

God, I couldn’t stand it when he said my name like that. Like a plea for a lifeline that might never come. “Things will be simpler once you have definitive proof.”

“I’m certain,” he insisted.

“Really, because you just asked me if I was concerned you’re not her father. The test will stop the insults.”

He looked confused, dark brows furrowed. “I’m not insulting you.”

“I know. It’s just your generally negative view of women.”

Roc sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “Abby, she’s my daughter too.”

“And when you have proof of that, we can move forward.”

“Dammit, Abby, why are you being so difficult?”

I didn’t have time for this. There were just a few weeks left before I would be out of a job and I’d only sent out a few resumes. “When the results come in we’ll have dinner at the house and I’ll tell Lily. Deal?”

He didn’t like it, I could see it in the fixed set of his jaw and the unhappy expression he wore. “Fine,” he grumbled and left, letting the door smack against the wall in his wake.

Another encounter and I survived. Who cared that my heart still raced and that my panties were damp.

Not me.