Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(10)

"You told me the baby was dead. You said you had a miscarriage. You demanded I get out and leave you alone.

Lord above, Ellie, why did you do that?"

Ellie folded her hands in prayer and pressed them to her mouth. When she moved them away, she met his accusing gaze directly. Why exactly had she lied to him? That was the million dollar question.

At the time she'd thought she was in love. It didn't matter if he'd hurt her and resented ever meeting her; she'd adored him. She hadn't been able to bear the thought of him hating her and holding a grudge against her because she'd accidentally gotten pregnant. He'd been full of so many dreams, had so many plans for his life. Those plans had been important enough to him that he'd gotten rid of her in order to pursue them. Ellie had presumed that if his dreams were that big, then he should go after them. So, she'd cut him loose and taken all the fear and trouble of a baby onto her own shoulders.

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Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

She couldn't tell him any of this, however. Not only would he not believe her, but that reason wasn't even valid anymore. She no longer loved him that way. She no longer cared about providing him with an opportunity to follow his life's dream. Lifting her face, she let out a breath and met his accusing gaze.

"I was young and stupid." She waved a dismissive hand for emphasis. "I was thinking with my emotions rather than my brain."

Boston nodded. "And when you grew up?" he pressed, spreading his arms to encompass the room. "You couldn't have gotten this far without growing up at least some. There's been ten years to tell me about her. So, what's your excuse now? Why didn't you get a hold of me when you weren't so young and stupid and emotional anymore?"

Because she couldn't risk the chance he'd try to take her baby away.

Ellie would've regretted ever meeting Boston Kincaid if it weren't for the fact he'd given her the most precious gift in her entire life. Cassidy was her reason for getting up in the morning. Without her daughter...

She shook, not even wanting to think about that possibility.

"What are you so upset about, anyway?" she grumbled, trying to turn the tables on him. "You didn't have to drop any of your precious dreams, did you?"

He straightened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, just look at you." She motioned to his clothes. "I can see you're successful. Do you think you'd have gotten 44

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

any of this, that car out there, or your...your whole way of life if you'd stayed here and become a daddy? You wouldn't have been able to go off to law school..." Ellie paused and eyed him. "You did go to law school, didn't you?"

Wouldn't that be the kicker if he hadn't. He'd caused their breakup so he could go off to Yale and not have any disturbing ties left behind. And she'd lied about his daughter so he could do just that. Wouldn't it be one big ironic joke if he hadn't even bothered?

But obviously, he had. His jaw hardened as he glared.

"What's your point?"

"If I had kept you here," Ellie explained calmly. "If I hadn't lied to you, then you wouldn't have any of this today, Boston.

Instead, you'd be some miserable man who blamed everything on me for tying you down and keeping you from your dreams. Well, I refused to be the scapegoat for all your problems. So, yes, I lied. And if it wasn't for that lie, you wouldn't have anything you have today."

"What are you fishing for, Ellie? A thank you?" He let out a bitter laugh. "Don't hold your breath. You kept my child from me."

"A child you didn't want."

Shock froze every muscle on his face. "Says who?"

"Says you. You told me you didn't want the baby."

"The hell if I did."

"You did," she insisted. "You said you weren't ready to be a father. You said—"

"Oh, my God," he yelled. "I was upset. I was afraid. Of course, I didn't feel ready. And don't you dare tell me you 45

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

did. We were both scared out of our minds. Christ, Ellie, that didn't mean I wanted out. I never wanted out of the situation."

Ellie shook her head and wrapped her arms around her waist as if she were cold. "I just...it seemed like a good way to let you go with a clear conscience."

Boston stared thoughtfully a moment. Then he nodded as if he understood. But a second later, he exploded.

"That's the biggest pile of horse shit I think I've ever heard. Let me go? You had no right. If I hadn't wanted to stick around, I would've left at the first of it. Did you think I wouldn't want to know my own child? Did you think... Oh God."

He turned away, and she knew he was once again trying to control the onslaught of emotions rushing through him.

Running his hands through his hair, he glanced her way.

"Damn it. Damn it. I'm so mad at you, I can't even..."

He shook his head and turned away again, setting his hands on his hips.

"I have a daughter," he said to no one in particular as if he wanted to test the sound of that reality on his lips. "I've had a daughter for nine years and ten months, and I wouldn't know her if I ran into her on the street. I don't know the sound of her voice. I don't know what she looked like when she took her first step or if she..." His voice broke and he glanced over his shoulder to glare at Ellie. "How could you take that away from me?"