Chapter 2

Eli

The following day I was out at a site visit all morning meeting my Realtor, Haley Martin. I’d known Haley for three years now since I’d first made my alliance with Arthur Green and his Real Estate agency. It had made no sense for me to build up a separate business when I could work with a man who knew real estate inside out. We’d made Haley my liaison, with her friend Tiffany—who also worked for Green’s—as second in command.

Both women were fabulous at their job. I had a great professional working relationship with both of them, but had to say that Haley was how I’d wished my daughter had turned out in personality. She was fresh and genuine, and since I’d known her and she’d settled into her relationship with Chase and Todd (yes both of them), her confidence had grown. She’d bloomed in front of my eyes.

Today she stood outside a condo in Brooklyn. I walked over to her and shook her hand.

“Whatever,” she said and gave me a hug.

“I can’t help myself, I’m a gentleman.” I told her, receiving a smile in return.

“You most definitely are, and a pleasure to work with, and I, as the best Realtor ever, have found you the most amazing condo that will make you even more billions to go with the ones you already have.”

“Music to my ears, Miss Martin, and of course you’ll also benefit from one extremely high commission.”

“I know.” She replied. “Which will come in very handy in buying lots of things for the baby.”

“The, what?” I immediately looked down at her stomach, which looked the same as usual to me.

“Yes, I’m pregnant. Only eight weeks so very early on, but I wanted to give you the heads up because should I fall victim to morning sickness or any other delightful symptoms then of course you’d be seeing Tiff here, not me.”

“Congratulations.” I said to her. “That’s amazing news. You’ll be a fantastic mom, Haley. How are the fathers-to-be?”

“Both convinced they fathered it. We won’t know until it’s born and then for baby number two, we’ll do a swapsie.”

I felt myself stiffen. Haley was so open about everything, like she was discussing getting a pint of milk. It was just as refreshing, but I couldn’t help needing a second to catch up with her lifestyle.

“So will you do a DNA test?”

“Yeah unless it’s entirely obvious. Though seeing as it’s behaving at the moment I figure it’s Todd’s. If it starts being a pain in the ass causing me grief, then I’d hanker a guess at Chase’s.”

We both laughed at that. She couldn’t have two more different men in her life. Chase was blond and had a killer sense of humor, whereas Todd was dark haired, dark eyed and had a calm demeanor.

“Well, as long as the baby doesn’t turn out like mine, you’ll be fine.”

She clutched my arm. “Is she really that bad?”

I shook my head. “I’m afraid so. It’s a terrible thing to say about your own daughter, but she doesn’t have a redeeming bone in her body. I’ve tried with her, but every time I feel I’m getting somewhere I find out she’s just been playing me along to get something or pitching me against her mother. I don’t know where it all went so wrong.”

“Well, I guess the fact you’ve never repeated either the marriage or the child experience shows what a nightmare they both were for you.”

“Yeah, it has taken me a long time to consider dating again.”

Haley stared at me a little too long. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

I smirked. “What do you think I’m saying?”

“That you might be ready to date again.” She began to walk into the condo. “There’s a restaurant in the lower lobby. We’re having coffee, my treat, and you’re going to tell me everything.”

“Oh my God, you are seriously gonna ask Alex out? She’s going to have a heart attack.”

Haley once again wore another great beaming smile and then smacked herself around her cheeks. “Am I dreaming? Is this really happening? Two years, Eli. Two years I’ve been nagging you to ask this girl out. She’s been obsessed with you for years. How she hasn’t met anyone else in the meantime and you missed your chance I don’t know. “So, how are you going to do this?”

“Well…” I said and Haley narrowed her eyes.

“What?”

I told her about the fake business meeting. Then I watched as she cracked up, clutching at her stomach. “Oh my God, Eli. Don’t. The baby presses on my bladder. I do not want to urinate on the floor of this lovely restaurant.” She guffawed again. “So she’s going on a date, not knowing it’s a date. How about when you take her home? Wouldn’t you normally kiss a date goodnight?”

Fuck. I’d not thought of that. My mouth twisted to the side as I mulled it over.

“I’ll give her a chaste kiss on the cheek. That would be perfectly acceptable for a first date.”

Haley collapsed in a fit of laughter again.

“Your professionalism is debatable today, Miss Martin.”

“I’m gonna blame it on pregnancy hormones. You kinda can’t say anything then. They’re highly unpredictable.” She sat up straight. “Do your British accent. Go on, let me hear it. What did you say to her?”

“I’m not because you’re just going to laugh at me again.” I wiped at my mouth with a napkin.

“No, I won’t. I promise. Look, I’ll close my eyes and see if you fool me with your accent.”

She closed her eyes.

“That would be jolly good, thank you.”

Haley laughed so loudly that other patrons of the restaurant turned to her and frowned. “Oh my God, that was terrible. She fell for that? Alexandra Cross needs taking out of the naïve life she’s living. Go get her, Tiger.”

When she looked at me again, my arms were folded over my chest. “Sorry, Eli. Hormones.” She said before adding a “Roar.” Then she smiled and winked at me before we finished up our coffees and headed to look at the development.

The condo was as amazing as Haley had described if not more so. With an uplift in terms of what each apartment provided, adding extra luxury, would mean a very healthy return on the investment. “Let’s do this, Haley.” I told her.

“Fantastic. I’ll start negotiations when I get back to the office. The great thing is I know the developer has spread himself too wide lately in buying up real estate so I believe I can secure a good price on this.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Haley. Please tell me you’re not going to leave after having the baby.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. I’ll be leaving those two at home to fight over who does what. We’ll be lucky to get anywhere near the baby with Chase around. He’s already started buying gender neutral clothing. I’ll end up giving some things away to charity because no one needs thirty-two pairs of bootees.”

“Sounds like you’re going to have your hands full.” I said to her.

“Nothing I’m not used to.” She quipped, with an accompanying wink. “Anyway, a little heads up about my friend, Alex.” She added.

“Friend?”

“Yes, you unobservant jerk. I meet Alex once a week for cocktails although mine are now non-alcoholic.”

“So, Alex knows about the baby?”

“Yes, and so prepare for the heads up.”

“Okay, and by the way I’m only letting you off with calling me a jerk because you’re holding me ransom with this valuable information.”

“Okay, so listen up. Alex is giving herself a year to find a man and then if nothing is happening, she’s going to get a sperm donor.”

My jaw dropped. Whatever I thought Haley was going to say, it wasn’t that.

“Say that again?”

“She’s twenty-nine and while she says she can cope without a relationship, she’s not prepared to go through life without a baby. So in a year’s time, if there’s no man in her life, she’s going to have a baby on her own. Which means,” Haley stared at me pointedly. “While you’re considering dating this woman, you’re gonna have to think more long-term. The daughter you have already is a nightmare, but Alex wants kids. If you don’t then you need to cut her free.”

Fuck. I’d never given a thought to the future. My history of parenthood was scarred by my nightmare marriage. Did I want to go through it all again at the age of forty-eight?

Haley noted my reaction. “And that’s why I’m betraying her confidence and giving you a heads up.” She said. “Because I don’t want you breaking her heart. She deserves the love of a good man and so much more.”

“Thank you, Haley.” I replied. “I understand it has put you in a difficult position, giving me that information. You can bet I’ll think things through.”

“I think you left it so late with Alex, you’ve kinda been placed in an ‘all in’ situation.” Haley shrugged her shoulders. “And it could be a whole lotta fun if you get the stick from up your butt and start living your life by the seat of your pants.”

I sighed. “Know anywhere that does personality transplants?”

Once I left Haley, I returned to the office and asked Alex to screen my calls and for me not to be disturbed. I blamed it all on the bogus business meeting and told her I was getting prepared. I even asked her to spend the afternoon compiling a list of King’s available properties that we could show Mr. Saunders. Should I be concerned that I was becoming so adept at lying?

I swung my chair around, looking at the view of Manhattan, while I stroked my chin. I imagined Alex carrying an unknown man’s child inside her body and my own insides churned, acid rising in my throat. Over my dead body was that happening. Then I allowed myself to picture her full with my child, heavily pregnant, her face glowing. The possessive feeling in me rose like a wave and I had to grip the arms of my chair to stop myself crashing through the door of my office, storming over to Alex’s desk, locking the outer office door and taking her over her desk.

Christ, my dick was straining against my pants. ‘Calm the fuck down’, I told my mind and body. I’d locked my door and the blind across the glass was down. I swiveled round to face my desk and opened a private browser window where I typed in short blonde hair and it brought up a hot woman, not as hot as Alex but someone who my mind could picture was her. Sitting back in my seat, I watched as the man stroked his hand down the woman’s back and then trailed his hand up before he grabbed the back of her neck and guided her mouth toward his cock. I loosened my pants and freed my own cock from my boxer briefs before holding my length firmly in my hand. As the woman in the clip began bobbing her head up and down on the man’s cock I began to fist my own. My eyes closed as I pictured the real Alex who was just the other side of the door. I banged my desk in frustration that I was in my office jerking off when really I wanted to be balls deep inside Alex, sunk within her warm depths. I could feel the telltale pull in my balls that my climax was coming, and I fisted myself for all I was worth.

“Fuck, Alex.” I groaned.

As I came into my hand I rushed through into my private bathroom, banging the stall door. I grabbed some tissue paper while my heart rate—that currently thudded and strained like I was about to have a stroke—combined with my rapid breathing, making me feel a little woozy. Gently, I sat for a moment and once recovered I cleaned up and dashed out of the office, making Alex jump.

“I’ll be back shortly.” I announced offering no further explanation.”

Alex flushed, “Okay, Sir.”

Then I was out of the door, escaping what had just happened and feeling in firm need of a scotch.