Her Little Secret, His Hidden Heir(47)

The amusement that had begun to touch Vanessa’s features vanished, turning her face hard and defensive.

“Because I refuse to let her push me around any longer. I refuse to let her make me feel inferior just because she will always think of me as a lowly waitress, unworthy of her son’s misguided affections.”

Marc shook his head and started forward. “This is just a misunderstanding. Mother can be distant, I know, but she’s thrilled about Danny and I’m sure she’s pleased to have you back at the house, as well.”

He reached out to grasp her shoulders, but she took a quick, single step back.

“No. It’s not a misunderstanding, Marc,” she told him, her tone implacable. “I know you love your mother and I would never ask you to change that. I would never intentionally try to drive a wedge between you and your family. But as much as I love you, I can’t be here anymore.”

Marc’s chest tightened at her words. She loved him…or claimed to, at any rate yet she was preparing to walk away and leave him. Again.

“You love me,” he scoffed, tossing the declaration back in her face. “Right. You love me, but you’re leaving. Again. And what about Danny? What about the child you might be carrying now? My child. Are you going to run off and hide another pregnancy from me? Keep another baby from its father?”


She blanched at that, and God help him, he was glad. He knew he was being cruel, saying things to intentionally hurt her. But damn it, he was hurting, too. He was being betrayed a second time by the only woman he’d ever loved and who’d claimed—more than once—to love him in return.

“That’s not fair, Marc,” she said in a small voice, tightening her grip on Danny.

“The truth hurts, doesn’t it, Vanessa? Signed divorce papers or no signed divorce papers, you knew you were pregnant when you left town the last time and you didn’t even bother to tell me.”

Because Danny was starting to fuss at her hip, she lowered her voice, but her temper came through loud and clear.

“Don’t you dare lay that entirely at my feet. I kept Danny a secret, yes, but only after you refused to speak to me. I tried to tell you I was pregnant, but you couldn’t be bothered to listen.”

Marc’s gaze narrowed. What game was she playing at now? he wondered. If what she said was true, it was news to him—and he sincerely believed he would remember his ex-wife telling him she was carrying his child.

“What are you talking about?” he asked carefully.

“I called you. As soon as I realized I was pregnant, I called you at the office, but you said—and I quote, because I will never forget the words as long as I live—there’s nothing you could possibly have to say to me that I want to hear. End quote.”

Well, now he knew something fishy was going on. Because he’d never uttered those words, not where Vanessa was concerned.

“I never said that,” he murmured quietly.

“Yes,” Vanessa retorted with conviction, “you did. Or at least that’s the message Trevor said he was ordered to give me on your behalf.”

“Trevor.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Yes.”

For a second, Marc wasn’t certain if the thin sheen of crimson falling over his eyes was imaginary or if he was literally seeing red. He did know, however, that his blood pressure was rising like a geyser about to erupt and his hands were fisting with the urge to punch something. Or someone.

Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out his cell phone and punched the button for his assistant’s line at Keller Corp. Trevor Storch picked up on the first ring.

“Yes, sir,” the overeager young man answered, well aware of who was calling thanks to Caller I.D.

“I’m out at the house. I want you here in under fifteen minutes.”

“Yes, sir,” Trevor responded dutifully and Marc could almost see him jumping up and rounding his desk before he’d even returned the telephone to its cradle.

Meeting Vanessa’s wary blue gaze, he snapped his own phone closed. “He’ll be here soon and then we’ll get to the bottom of this mess once and for all.”





Fifteen




The seconds dragged on like hours, the minutes like years. Vanessa stood at the bottom of the stairs while the stony silence in the foyer grew heavier and more suffocating.

Danny wasn’t getting any lighter, either. Shifting him to her other hip, she started to lower herself into a sitting position on one of the wide, carpeted steps, but Marc moved forward to stop her.

“Let me take him,” he said brusquely, holding out his arms.

For a moment, she hesitated, the panicked thought that if she let Marc take the baby, she might never get him back racing through her mind. But if she tried to hold on to him now, then her avowals that she wouldn’t try to keep Marc from seeing their son would be a lie, wouldn’t they?

Hoping Marc hadn’t noticed her uncertainty, she handed Danny over, rolling her shoulders and stretching her arms to work out the kinks.

“He’s getting big, isn’t he?” Marc said, a small smile curving his lips. The first he’d offered since spotting her luggage in the middle of the entryway.

“Yes, he is.”

She was about to suggest they move into one of the nearby parlors to await Trevor’s arrival, but just then a squeal of brakes came from the front drive and a minute later the door swung open.