Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(8)

Boston waved back and gave a nod of greeting. Letting out a groan of misery, Ellie wondered how in the world she was ever going to explain Boston to Nora...and there was no doubt in her mind Nora would badger her until she revealed every detail.

"We have a lot to discuss," Boston told her, turning back with a probing look. "And I don't think you want an audience any more than I do."

Well...that didn't sound good. Actually, it sounded downright threatening. Boston had never been quite this menacing before. Her knees turned to Jell-O.

"What's going on?" she demanded, the hair standing straight up on her arms.

His jaw went stubbornly hard, but when Ellie remained rooted in her spot, he sighed and took his hand from his pocket, holding up an envelope folded between his fingers for her to see.

Ellie's mouth dried out. Eying the letter, she had this urge to snap it from him and tear it into tiny pieces. With no idea what was inside the note, she had a strong suspicion it had somehow brought him here.

"Did you really have a miscarriage?" he asked.

36

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

God...there it was.

The earth opened and left her suspended above a deep chasm. Ellie's ears buzzed; her skin turned prickly and cold.

This was it. He knew. She had no idea how, but he'd finally discovered the truth.

Life flashing before her eyes, her heart rate accelerated.

The man she'd once thought had completely destroyed her was back to do it all over again.

She glanced at the letter and then up into his eyes. A nervous droplet of sweat leaked down the center of her spine, making the back of her shirt cling to her skin.

Licking her dry lips, she held his gaze and croaked,

"Excuse me?"

"Did you lie to me in the hospital that day?" he repeated.

The question was asked a little less calmly this time.

Ellie shrank back a step, but she frowned as if he were insane. "Why would I lie?" she hedged, glancing back at the note he was now unknowingly starting to crumble in the tightening muscles of his fist.

"That's a good question," he murmured in a steely soft voice. "Why would you lie?"

Ellie backed up another cautious step. Shaking her head, she said, "I don't..." Her eyes darted to the letter in his hand.

"What is that, anyway?"

"It's a letter," he stated the obvious. "Written to my brother, Monty."

"Written to your...your brother?"

37

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

He nodded and took a looming step closer. "You really have no idea about this, do you?" He wasn't asking. He stated it as if he were just now convinced of that fact.

"Of course not," Ellie snapped, wanting to back away some more, but remaining stubbornly still. "You're not making any sense. What does some letter to your brother have anything to do with me?" She set her hands on her hips and sent him her best intimidating glare. "And how in the world did you know where I live?"

For an answer, she got a slight smirk. "Well, that was the easy part," he murmured, unfolding the letter. "It was on the return address."

Boston held up the note for her to read. And sure enough, there it was, in her daughter's handwriting, their permanent address. Right above it were the printed words, Cassidy Trenton.

Ellie's mouth dropped. "Oh, my God."

"Who's Cassidy Trenton?" he asked. "And why did she send my brother a letter, asking him if he was her father?"

"She what?!" Snatching the note from his hand, Ellie ripped the stationary from the envelope. "I can't believe this,"

she murmured even as she read the words. "I can't..." She pressed a hand to the side of her face. "What in God's name was she thinking? And why would she believe your brother was..."

She glanced up; her words fell silent as she met the deadly expression on his face.

38

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

"Still feel like standing out here?" he asked. "Because, at this point, I don't care where the hell we talk. As long as I get some goddamn answers. Right now."

"Okay." Ellie quickly nodded, finally becoming compliant.

"Let's go inside." She stepped forward and nearly went sprawling flat on her face as she tripped over the grocery bags she'd dropped.

"Oh," she mumbled, glancing down.

She swept one bag into her arm and reached for the other, except Boston leaned down and snagged it with one hand.

She looked up, surprised. His cool blue eyes studied her dispassionately.

She flushed and looked away. "Umm, thank you," she mumbled and hurried past him. With him so close behind her, her fingers shook as she tried to unlock the front door.

Leaning her single sack against her hip and chest to help balance it, she made three attempts before she finally slid the key home and managed to get them inside.

As she stepped over the threshold, something wet and gooey soaked through her shirt. She glanced down as she flipped on the interior light and groaned. Yep, she'd completely forgotten about the eggs. Yellow goop seeped through the brown paper bag, leaking down the side.

"Great," she mumbled. This was just icing on the cake.