Baby for the Billionaire(157)

Except that he felt she hadn’t been a very good mother.…

Victoria sank back onto the couch and dropped her head in her hands. “Dylan is more important to me than anything in the world.” Half-fearful of what expression she’d find, she parted her fingers and gazed up at Connor through the gaps.

The cushion lowered as he dropped down beside her. “But what about your job? That’s always been your number-one priority.” His face was stern, but at least he was listening.

“I love my work, Connor.”

How could she explain to him that her work was her security blanket? The thing in life that made her feel worthwhile. He’d think her a total nut.

So instead, she said, “Don’t push me out of Dylan’s life. He’s all I have left of Suzy and he’s the only child I’ll ever have.”

“You should have told me sooner.”

“I considered it. But I promised Suzy that I wouldn’t tell anyone. I finally convinced myself that you should know. But I couldn’t find a way to tell you. What stopped you telling me?”

He shook his head. “At first there was just so much to cope with, I honestly never considered it. Then once you moved in I thought that you were already so stressed that I might take Dylan away from you, that if you knew he was my son you would become even more anxious. I wanted you to settle down a bit before I told you.”

“I suppose that’s why you’re kicking me out now,” she said sarcastically.

Connor’s expression changed. “Tory—”

Her mobile rang.

“Leave it,” he ordered as she dropped onto her knees and rummaged in the side pocket of her laptop bag.

Prickling at the return of his high-handed tone, she said, “I can’t. It might be important.”

“Work, you mean.”

She forced herself to ignore the icily sarcastic jibe and squinted at the face of her cell phone. The number was unfamiliar. And so was the voice that introduced itself as Juliet after she’d said hello.

Listening in absolute silence and in growing guilt to what Juliet had to say, Victoria heard the silent screaming in her head. Please not this.

She terminated the call and raised her gaze to Connor’s bleak visage.

“My father has had a heart attack.”

Connor insisted on accompanying Victoria to the hospital after waking Moni to look after Dylan. It didn’t take him long to bundle a rigid Victoria into the Maserati and head for the hospital.

“I haven’t seen my father for three years—and I haven’t spoken to him in months.”

Connor shot a look to Victoria where she sat curled in the passenger seat, her hair tousled and wild against the leather seat back, her eyes dull and staring.

“The conversation ended badly the last time he called.”

Her voice was flat and lifeless—nothing like the decisive Victoria he knew. Guilt etched deeply into her pale, drawn features. Empathy for her overwhelmed him. And he wished he could absorb the pain she must be feeling. Coming on top of the crushing shock of Suzy’s death, the news of her father’s heart attack must be a heavy blow.

He nosed the car into the hospital’s underground car park and came around to help her out before putting a hand under her elbow and escorting her into the elevator.

Frank Sutton was still undergoing an emergency angioplasty to open the blocked coronary artery, they were advised by an efficient nurse who sent them to the visitor’s waiting room.

As they came through the double doors a woman with a round face and laugh lines leaped to her feet and directed a shaky, uncertain smile at them. “Victoria?”

Victoria moved forward. “Juliet?” At the older woman’s nod she said, “Thank you for calling me.”

“I tried your home number first, but a disconnect message gave me your cell number.” There was a hint of curiosity as Juliet’s gaze flickered from Victoria to Connor.

“This is Connor North.” Victoria linked her hand through his elbow as she introduced him. Drawing a deep, audible breath, she added in a rush, “My husband.”

She hadn’t found that easy to admit, Connor realized with grim humor.

“Oh, Frank didn’t mention …” Juliet’s voice trailed away.

“My father doesn’t know yet,” Victoria said brusquely. “Do you have any idea when I’ll be able to see him?”

“The nurses said it would be a while.” After an uncomfortable pause Juliet said, “Frank’s been talking about you a lot over the past few weeks.”