This Heart of Mine (Chicago Stars #5)(24)

She turned toward her sister. "The future doesn't involve him. The truth is, I—"

Kevin sprang away from the fireplace. "Get your coat," he snapped. "We're going for a walk."

"I don't really—"

"Now!"

As much as she hated facing him, talking with Kevin alone would be easier than dealing with him in front of the Calebow Mafia. She set her lovey on the carpet and rose. "Stay here, Roo."

Phoebe picked up the poodle as he began to whine.

With her spine ramrod straight, Molly marched out of the room. Kevin caught up with her in the kitchen, gripped her arm, and hauled her into the laundry room. There he shoved Julie's pink and lavender ski jacket at her and snagged Dan's brown duffel coat from a hook for himself. He threw open the back door and gave her a none-too-gentle nudge outside.

Molly pulled on the coat and tugged at the zipper, but it didn't come close to meeting in the front, and the wind cut through her silk blouse. Kevin didn't bother fastening Dan's coat, even though he only wore a summer weight knit shirt and khakis. The heat of his fury was keeping him warm.

She reached nervously into Julie's pocket and found an old knit cap with a faded Barbie patch. The remnants of a glittery silver pompon hung by a few threads at the top. She yanked it on over her hair. He pulled her to a flagstone path that led to the woods. She could feel the anger rolling off him.

"You weren't going to tell me," he said.

"There was no need. But I'm going to tell them! You should have done that when Dan showed up and spared yourself a long trip."

"I can just imagine his reaction. This isn't my fault, Dan. Your perfect little sister-in-law raped me. I'm sure he'd have believed that."

"He'll believe it now. I'm sorry you had to be… inconvenienced this way."

"Inconvenienced?" The word was a whiplash to her. "This is a hell of a lot more than an inconvenience!"

"I know that. I—"

"This might be an inconvenience in your rich-girl's life, but in the real world—"

"I understand! You were a victim." She hunched her shoulders against the cold and tried to fit her hands into the pockets. "This is my situation to deal with, not yours."

"I'm not anybody's victim," he snarled.

"You were mine, and that makes me responsible for the consequences."

"The consequences, as you call them, add up to a human life."

She stopped walking and looked up at him. The wind snatched a lock of his hair and slapped it against his forehead. His face was rigid, his too-handsome features uncompromising.

"I know that," she said. "And you have to believe that I didn't plan any of this. But now that I'm pregnant, I want this baby very much."

"I don't."

She winced. Logically, she understood. Of course he wouldn't want a baby. But his anger was so fierce that she crossed her arms protectively over her waist. "Then we haven't got a problem. I don't need you, Kevin. Really. And I'd very much appreciate it if you'd forget all about this."

"Do you really think I'm going to do that?"

To her this was personal, but she had to remember this was a professional crisis for him. Kevin's passion for the Stars was well known. Phoebe and Dan were his bosses and two of the most powerful people in the NFL.

"As soon as I tell my sister and Dan what I did, you'll be off the hook. This won't affect your career at all."

His eyes narrowed. "You aren't telling them anything."

"Of course I am!"

"Keep your mouth shut."

"Is this your pride talking? You don't want anyone to know you were a victim? Or are you that afraid of them?"

His lips barely moved. "You don't know anything about me."

"I know the difference between right and wrong! What I did was wrong, and I won't compound it by bringing you any further into this. I'm going back inside, and—"

He caught her arm and gave her a shake. "Listen up, because I'm jet-lagged and I don't want to have to say this more than once. I've been guilty of a lot of things in my life, but I've never left behind an illegitimate kid, and I don't intend to start now."

She drew away and clutched herself tighter. "I'm not getting rid of this baby, so don't even suggest it."

"I'm not." His lips tightened into a bitter line. "We're getting married."

She was flabbergasted. "I don't want to get married."

"That makes two of us, and we won't stay that way for long."

"I won't—"

"Don't waste your breath. You screwed me over, lady, and now I'm making the calls."



Normally Kevin enjoyed the dance club, but now he wished he hadn't come. Even though his confrontation with the Calebow clan had taken place yesterday afternoon, he still wasn't fit to be around other people.

"Kevin! Over here!"

A girl with glitter on her eyelids and a cellophane dress called to him above the noise. They'd dated for a couple of weeks last summer. Nina? Nita? He no longer remembered or cared.

"Kevin! Hey, buddy, come on over here and let me buy you a drink!"