Expecting the Billionaire's Heir - Chapter 20

'That night did mean something to me… It meant a lot. And so do you.’

The words were tortured, as if dragged from the depths of his soul. But how could Ellie believe them?

‘Please don’t lie to me, Brody.’

He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his blue eyes ablaze with something she’d never seen in them before. Trust. As well as longing.

‘I’m not lying. For the first time, I plan to tell you the truth. The whole truth… Will you let me? Without interrupting again.’

She swallowed past the painful lump and nodded.

‘You want to know why I was in the pub that night?’ he asked softly. ‘Because I’d seen your photo on the Hall website and recognised you… And I convinced myself all I wanted was an invite to the Hall because I was interested in buying the property, but I didn’t want to alert Lorenti or he might up the price. Plus, I figured you owed me, after ratting me out to the police all those years ago.’

‘But… What?’ The dart of pain—that even their reunion hadn’t been sincere—made her knees shake. ‘You mean, you hadn’t even come to see me that night? Just to see Westwick?’

He pressed a finger to her lips. ‘Shh… Let me finish,’ he murmured, the fierce regret in his eyes making her heart contract. ‘Yeah, that’s what I told myself. But the minute I saw you again, and when you told me why you’d ratted on me, that you’d been trying to save me…’ His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. ‘It all came back to me. How important you were to me then. That you were the only person who ever really cared about me. I said a lot of dumb stuff back then, about how I didn’t want to be a dad… When the truth was, I was just scared to make a commitment, to anyone. I promised to look after you, but the truth is you were always the one who looked out for me. And when we made love that night at Westwick…’ He let out a rough breath. ‘I couldn’t get enough of you. Because it was like finally finding a home for me too.’

‘Then why did you run?’ she said, wanting so much to believe him, but still afraid to trust him. Or the painful bubble of hope.

‘I was too much of a damn coward. Because you’re also the only person who knows what a screw-up I am. I lay there with you in my arms, terrified to admit even to myself I wanted more. But all these weeks, I never stopped thinking about you… About us. And when Lorenti invited me to this event, I accepted immediately, hoping you’d be here…’ He let out a bitter chuckle, as he raked his fingers through his hair again, more agitated than she had ever seen him. ‘Damn it, I even persuaded myself that perhaps I’d be able to pay you to become my mistress. That if I offered you enough money, you’d be with me again. So I would never have to risk asking you to love me.’

‘What?’ she said, torn between insult… And hope and heartbreak. How could they both have been so insecure, so scared to trust their feelings?

‘But I couldn’t put a price on how much I’d be prepared to pay. Because no amount felt like enough.’

He banded his arms around her waist to drag her towards him. And press his lips into her hair.

But then she felt the thick ridge through their clothing and wedged her forearms against his chest. ‘I won’t be your mistress… That’s just sex and…’

‘Ignore the erection, I can’t help that…’ he said. Then, to her utter astonishment, he sank onto his knees, clasped her hips and laid his cheek on her belly. ‘This isn’t just about the sex. And it never was… And the only reason I wanted to offer you money was because I was too scared to confront my own feelings. Too scared to ask for what I really wanted—because I was convinced there was no way on earth you’d ever want me, just for me.’

‘Oh, Baz…’ She placed trembling hands on his shoulders, torn by the vulnerability in his voice, reminded of the boy she’d known, who she’d always assumed had never needed her the way she had always needed him.

He tilted his head back to look up at her, the longing in his eyes fierce and unambiguous now, his desperate expression making her heartbeat choke her.

‘I want you, Ellie, not just in my bed, but in my life. Always and forever. If you want me too.’

The wary hope in his eyes crucified her, but before she could give him her answer, he rushed on, making her heart expand.

‘And FYI, I’m ecstatic you’re going to have my kid, because I lied when I told you I don’t believe in happy families. I do… But only with you.’ He kissed her belly through the satin. ‘Please give me another chance, Ellie. I’ve stopped running, I promise. And I’ve stopped lying to myself. Let’s make a home together for this baby. The home we never had. You deserve it… And maybe one day, if I work hard enough to prove to you I’m not a complete idiot, I’ll deserve it too.’

Cradling his face in her palms, she tugged him to his feet… And whispered past the happy tears clogging her throat and threatening to cut off her air supply: ‘Yes, Baz. Yes. All I’ve ever wanted is you, too.’

EPILOGUE

One year later

‘Hey, bud, no pouting, Mummy is sleeping—and you already stuffed yourself an hour ago.’

Brody Kane jiggled his six-month-old son on his hip, aware that all hell was about to break loose. Because he’d already changed the baby and played with him and now he was walking him up and down the terrace of the Brooklyn penthouse as dawn broke over the East River, pointing out every single skyscraper he could name like a manic tour guide.

But little Callum Kane was losing interest fast.

And was about to start exercising his considerable lung power any second now, because there was only one thing he ever wanted when he had that scrunched-up, I’m-starving-here-Daddy expression on his face… And Ellie’s lush breasts were the only things that could supply it.

He rubbed Callum’s gums with his knuckle, feeling the tooth that had been torturing all three of them for two days now.

The little boy held off his sobs for another few precious seconds. And Brody smiled. God, he adored his son—even though he’d nearly died watching him being born…

But Ellie, of course, had been a trooper.

Was there nothing the love of his life couldn’t do, he wondered?

She’d given up her job at Westwick and moved to Manhattan with him. But they were looking for a townhouse now in Brooklyn. So, he could give her a proper home. The way he’d promised her a year ago.

Callum hiccupped, then burst into angry tears.

‘Brody, it’s okay, I’ll take him.’

He swung round to find Ellie standing in the reddening glow, her hair mussed, her thin nightgown translucent.

She settled onto the luxury terrace sofa and popped out one succulent nipple. His son latched on hungrily, even as the familiar spike of lust assailed Brody.

He settled on the couch beside his family and slung an arm around them both.

His happy family.

What had he ever done to deserve them? Then he kissed Ellie’s messy hair, loving the scent of baby powder and woman that clung to her.

‘Happy, Mrs Kane?’ he asked.

It had been a wild ride to get to here… And he still felt the need to make sure occasionally he wasn’t mucking this up.

She glanced up at him, her drowsy smile full of promise and possibility.

‘What do you think, Baz?’ she said, using the old nickname he’d come to love, almost as much as he loved her.

He chuckled and felt the new sunrise burst in his heart.