The Billionaire's Christmas Baby(50)

Hannah wiped the tears away with trembling hands, hating standing here, like this, in the room that twenty-four hours ago had been filled with a babbling baby and a smiling Jackson. She stared at his tense face, hating how even now that he was the most gorgeous man she’d ever known.

He cringed. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t want you to panic—”

“You lied to me. How long have you known this?”

He looked away for a moment. “The night of our wedding.”

Hannah put her hands over her face. This was a mess. He had lied. Emily’s father was back. And she was…

“I was trying to protect you.”

“Emily is going,” she whispered, her voice shaking. He walked up to her and held her shoulders, the power in his hands reminding her of last night. The gentleness, the passion…

“No,” he said slowly. “Stop thinking like we’ve lost. Paternity results aren’t in.”

Hannah shook her head, his words not registering. “If he’s her father, he will gain custody. No matter how good Nicholas Wright is, we won’t be able to adopt her.”

“You know I will never let them take her. Think about this rationally. He’s an addict, he’s after money, not a baby. Emily is ours and we’ll never lose her. I’m a fighter and so are you.” He pulled her against him. She resisted for the briefest of seconds, not wanting to share her pain, not wanting to be comforted. But she couldn’t resist the shelter he offered and she buried her face against his chest, crying for Emily, crying for them, crying for herself. Her kingdom of dreams belonged in her books, in her fantasies. He’d broken down her walls, and she’d been seduced by his kindness, his touch, his vulnerabilities. And now she was going to lose everything.

“I can’t do it,” she said against his chest, holding him tightly.

“I’ll fight for both of us. You won’t have to say goodbye to her,” he said, his lips brushing her hair.

“You don’t understand how much this would kill me. If you care about me you have to let me go,” she whispered, still not moving away from him. She felt his body tense against her.

“Hannah,” he said, as she finally gained the strength she needed to pull herself out of his arms, out of this false sense of security.

“Please, Jackson.” She heard Emily begin to stir on the baby monitor and froze. She felt him watching her closely, and then Emily cried out again. She needed to go before he went to get Emily.

“Fine,” he said roughly. “If this is what you need to do, then go. But I swear to God, I’m going make everything right. I’m not going to lose you or Em.”


She didn’t meet his eyes, just turned and walked down the hallway, pausing to pick up her two bags. She had to get out now. She felt her body tremble as she heard Emily begin to cry, and his voice call after her. “When you’re ready, I’ll be here.”

She shut the door on his words, on Emily’s cries.





Chapter Fourteen



Hannah took a deep breath, letting the cold December air fill her lungs as she stumbled out onto the bustling sidewalk. But she couldn’t keep pace with the pedestrians, she couldn’t move forward, she couldn’t keep walking away from the only two people in the world that she truly loved. The Santa on the street corner jingled his bell and the image of Jackson in Hope’s Crossing rushed through her mind. He’d fought for her, defended her, saved her. Jackson had taken the leap of faith. She had begged him to adopt Emily, to fight for his neice, and he had kept his promise. And now it was Hannah who was running the minute things got tough. She had spent so many years running. She understood why he had lied to her. He was the protector. He did it for his mother, his sister, and now for her and Emily. There was no way she could walk away from Jackson. She had to go back.

She slowly turned around when she heard her name above the noise of traffic and pedestrian chatter. It was the deep, rich voice that said her name like no one else could. There he was. Jackson stood tall and straight in the middle of the sidewalk, his black coat covered with snow.

Her eyes left his for a moment and her step faltered, as it had that night she’d found Emily. Jackson wasn’t alone. In his arms, in complete contrast to his black coat, was a pink bundle. The world slowed for a moment, even as Jackson rushed toward her. Through the blur of tears, the haze of disbelief, she knew. Even though she had walked out on him, he was here for her.

“Hannah,” he said roughly.

“Jackson.”

He lifted his free hand to her cheek. He was real.

“I’m sorry I lied to you, and I know you said you needed time, but, hell, I can’t let you go.”

“I was on my way to you,” she said, laughing and crying at the same time. “I’m sorry I walked out on you.”

“I love you. You are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life loving every single day. I don’t want a day to go by that I don’t get to kiss you or hold you. You, Hannah. I want you forever.” He stepped closer to her, wiping the tears that ran down her face. “I want you and Emily. Forever. If you’ll have me, of course,” he said with that smile that echoed his love.

She took a deep breath. “Emily?”

“I know that guy is a sham. You know it too. Emily is ours, but you need to believe it. And if we have to fight for her, we will. And we’ll win,” he said, brushing a kiss on Emily’s forehead.