Five

Abby

So he knew. I didn’t know how Roc found out about Lily but now that he knew, I had no idea what to expect. If I were a betting woman, I’d say he’d drop in soon to see for himself what he didn’t yet believe. His reaction was exactly the reason I hadn’t told him when I first learned I was pregnant. He wouldn’t have believed me and if he had, I didn’t want to risk him trying to steal my baby for his new bride.

Regardless of his current relationship status, I needed to find a way to let Lily know that the father she’d always been so curious about was here on the island. She would be over the moon, at least if Roc decided he wanted to be an active father. If not, well, I would make sure she never felt deprived of his absence.

I hated thinking about him on my day off, so I stepped back from the sticky counter thanks to Lily’s love of peanut butter and jelly and her desire for independence, and literally shook away all thoughts of Roc Mahoney. I had four hours to get the house and my thoughts in order while Aunt Mel and Lily enjoyed the day at a kid’s festival. I should be there with them but the house needed a good scrub and I needed to update my resume. Today.

Roc’s return had upended my life the same way meeting him had years ago. He had a way about him that had drawn me in, silly young girl that I was, and turned my head. I found him irresistible, and when he’d lavished attention onto me, I was powerless to say no. “Stupid idiot.” Not that I regretted Lily, she was the best part of my life. But I would have liked a husband or at least a long-term relationship first.

The sound of the bell startled me and pulled me from thoughts I had no business thinking. If I hadn’t been so distracted I would have looked before opening the door. “Roc, what are you doing here?”

“We need to talk,” he answered gruffly, pushing forward, but I held the doorknob tight to prevent him from entering.

“What do we need to talk about?” I hadn’t seen him since the day he asked about our daughter. Other than a few calls and emails our interactions had been limited, and I was pretty sure it was by design.

“You said I was the only man you’d been with.”

“I did and you said, yeah right. We’ve discussed this.” I did my best to keep my emotions shuttered from him. An expert at reading people, he’d use any weakness to his advantage and exploit it.

“Dammit, Abby, open the door so we can talk!”

As calmly as I could, despite my racing heart I gave him a polite smile. “The door is open as far as I’m willing at the moment. Now what did you want to talk about?”

“The baby you’re saying is mine, is it true?”

“Does it matter what I say? Your mind is clearly made up.” He looked at me and saw the woman who’d tried to trap him, so I knew nothing I said would matter to him.

“I’m asking so yes it fucking matters.”

“Fine, Roc, yes she’s yours. But you don’t need to worry about either of us because we’re not asking you for anything. Anything,” I emphasized just to make sure he got it.

“Are you sure?”

“Goodbye, Roc,” I pushed the door shut but the move was pointless since he took his chance and moved in.

“I don’t think so, Abby. You can’t just say that shit to me and shut the door. Who the hell do you think you are?”

I huffed out a bitter laugh. “Actually, I can. This is my house and I didn’t invite you in, so get out and don’t come back until you learn some fucking manners.”

He rushed at me but I refused to back down to Roc and stood my ground. He moved fast and grateful, like a big game cat stalking his prey. Me. Without stopping he backed me against the wall, hands flat on the wall bracketing me in. “You’re telling me you had my child four years ago and—”

“Three years, actually,” I tossed in just to break up his rhythm.

Jaws clenched in a show of impatience, his blue eyes skewered me with a single look. “You had my child three years ago and you didn’t bother to tell me? If I believe you.”

“Which you don’t,” I added helpfully. “So it doesn’t fucking matter.”

“It matters and if I believe you, I’ve missed out on three years of my child’s life.”

He sounded so anguished I almost believed him. If I’d been the Abby he remembered I would have believed him, but she was gone. Long gone. “And if you really gave a damn you would have found out so don’t come to my house trying to lay a guilt trip on me.”

“You’re the one who left, Abby. Not me.”

“Well, I had my reasons.” The fact that he still thought I should have stayed just pissed me off and I shoved at his chest. His wide muscle-covered chest was hot and hard under my hand but I ignored how good it felt.

“Care to share?” Holding my hands against his chest so I couldn’t move, Roc gave me the smile that used to melt me from the inside out. Now it just served as a reminder of how stupid I’d been over him. How gone.

“No thanks. Look, Roc, you have questions and I get that but you are entirely too angry and emotional, and I refuse to talk to you when you’re like this.” My efforts to put distance between us were fruitless and it only made him more insistent. His forehead touched mine, my breath mixed with his in a heated moment and I felt it. Still there between us.

Dammit.

“Emotional? Of course I’m emotional, I’ve just found out about a child I knew nothing about.” His voice came out raw and gritty, low.

“That you don’t believe is yours. When you do, then we can talk about it.” This time when I pushed at him, his hands fisted in my hair and he took my mouth in a blistering kiss that shook my body until it vibrated with need. For him. I felt weak and dumb for leaning into that kiss, for hanging on to him like he was my only tether in a storm. But damn he tasted good, just like I remembered. Then I remembered who the man was bringing me this pleasure.

The one who’d brought me pain. I pushed him back and this time he let me.

“I want to see her.”

His demand was spoken softly but still a demand. “I assume you’ll want a paternity test?” Because what else would a billionaire playboy with trust issues want?

“Of course.”

“Set up the test. Two appointments back to back. When you’re happy with the results then you can meet her.”

He wasn’t happy with that answer but it was all I had to offer him. “Fine.” He pushed me up against the wall and laid another punishing kiss on me that quickly broke my resolve, before stepping back. “But this isn’t over, Abby. Not at all.”

I knew that because family meant everything to him and the Mahoney men. They only had each other and looked out for one another fiercely. His brothers, Ethan and Jax, seemed laid back on the outside but they all had warrior hearts and a willingness to do battle to protect the family. And the family name. I’d never met them but I knew it to be true.

In the coming days and weeks, I would face a rich and powerful enemy with larger forces than my own. But I’d be ready to fight.

And I would not give in so easily to the passion between us.