The Billionaire's Christmas Baby(27)

“Stop using your past as an excuse to be a jerk for the rest of your life!” She inched closer to him, not feeling the least bit intimidated as he stared down at her. “You could have your own family. You have the power to change everything, to do something really meaningful. She would be your daughter. If you had a little girl that looked up to you and thought you were the best daddy in the whole wide world, wouldn’t you do everything for her, to keep her safe?” Hannah didn’t give him a chance to answer before continuing.

“If I had a dad that came home to me every night and lifted me in his arms and kissed me, I’d know that I was loved, that I was wanted. If I was sad and thought the whole world was against me, but I had a daddy that loved me, and was there when I cried, or was there to pick me up when I fell, then I would know that everything was going to be okay. That’s what every child should have, Jackson. If this were a perfect world, then every child would have enough food in their stomach, a warm bed at night, and a parent who would walk through fire to keep them safe. I don’t care how important your career is to you or how your sister screwed you over or how many times your father hurt you. You are a grown man and you have the power to change your future and that baby’s future. You’re a coward if you turn your back on her. How can you go to sleep at night, not knowing where your niece is? Not knowing if someone is hurting her? How dare you refuse her!” Hannah didn’t care that tears were streaming down her face when she finished. She didn’t care that she’d just revealed her innermost yearnings as a child, she didn’t care that she was visibly shaking.

He didn’t answer and Hannah stood there, letting him see her cry, hoping that she’d gotten through to him. He stared at her for a few seconds, his eyes glittering, his cheek flexing.

“I’m going to get firewood, I need some fresh air.” His words came out in a cold, clipped tone and he didn’t make eye contact with her. He whipped open the front door and then turned to her, pausing at the threshold. “If Charlie needs to go outside, make sure you put him on a leash and don’t go past the back deck.”

She gave him a sarcastic salute with her hand while she shook with rage. He said something under his breath and walked out.

She forced herself to take a few deep breaths and collapsed onto the sofa. She needed to regain control, she thought, trying to catch her breath. He had ignored everything. She wasn’t going to get through to him. Charlie came over to sit in front of her. She buried her face in his warm fur, gently stroking him. A few minutes later she forced herself to regain control. “Charlie, I’m not giving up just yet. I’ve got until tomorrow,” she mumbled. Charlie laid a furry paw on her knee and whined.

“At least you understand,” she said. He scratched at her leg and then trotted over to the back door and scratched it, turning to look at her. “Oh, I guess that’s what you wanted,” she said with a sigh, rising and grabbing her coat

She walked into the kitchen and pulled on her boots. She went through the motions of putting on her hat and mittens, though her mind was on Jackson. It was still blizzard-like conditions and she knew how dangerous it could be in case they got too far from the house. She opened the broom closet and found a yellow toolbox. She flipped open the lid and found a rope right away in the perfectly organized box.

“Figures he’d be this neat,” she mumbled. She paused for a moment, then purposefully took a few screws and bolts out of their compartments and dropped them into other compartments. She felt a little better as she snapped the lid shut. After hooking Charlie’s leash around his collar, she swung open the door, the cold blast making them both step back a second.

“Okay, boy, make this quick,” she yelled above the wind. She squinted, trying to keep an eye on Charlie as he pulled at the leash. It was almost impossible to see even a foot in front of them. How was Jackson able to be out in this for so long? Charlie kept nudging her down the steps, refusing to do his business anywhere near the deck. “You’re as stubborn as your owner, Charlie. Hold on, I’m going to tie this rope around the banister so we don’t get lost.” Charlie waited obediently while she tied a double knot around the wooden handrail.

Hannah tried to focus on not falling in the deep snow. She lost her grip on the leash and swore under her breath while Charlie ran off, exhilarated by his freedom. Hannah yelled after him, forgoing her hold on the rope, instinctively choosing to run after the dog. A few steps out into the almost waist-high snow, the porch light was now impossible to be seen through the thick wind. She yelled Charlie’s name as loud as she could, careful to keep her bearings so she’d be able to walk back to the house. At the sound of a bark she spun around, but there was still no sign of Charlie. She ventured out a few more steps, knowing the situation was getting more and more dangerous. She didn’t have her rope to guide her back and she knew how easily a person could become disoriented and lost in a blizzard. She turned around to where she thought the deck should be and began trudging through the snow, feeling the snow seep through her clothing.

Seconds turned into minutes and Hannah tried not to panic as the only sound she could hear was that of ice pellets, and the only thing she could feel was a frigid cold seep through her. She kept calling for Charlie but couldn’t hear anything except her own voice engulfed by the wind. She trudged along, but with each step felt herself move farther and farther from any chance of finding Charlie. Or the cabin.