The Billionaire's Christmas Baby(9)

“I’ll let you get settled. There’s a phone beside the bed if you need it. I’d use it sooner than later. I wouldn’t be surprised if the phone lines go down. Cell phone reception out here gets a bit sketchy at the best of times.”

“Great. I’ll, uh, be a few minutes.”

He walked out of the room without saying anything.

…

Jackson leaned against the kitchen counter, staring at the baby sleeping in the car seat. What he’d give for a night’s sleep like that. He had moved her closer to the fire. Even a moron knew not to keep a baby by a door during a blizzard. He ran his hands through his hair, letting out a rough sigh. His evening had been going perfectly well until little-miss-smart-mouth crashed his annual escape-Christmas bash.

He glanced down at his watch. What was taking her so long? What if the baby woke up?

He decided she’d had more than enough time to get settled, he thought walking down the hall to her room. Besides, she was staying for one night, not a month.

He stopped himself from walking into her room. He heard her voice, her door slightly ajar. He would have knocked, but when he heard his name, he thought it might be wise to listen first.

“I found Jackson Pierce. I found little Emily’s uncle. Thank you for letting me do this, Mrs. Ford. I’m so grateful… it’s the weekend so no one from the child services bureau will be contacting you… yes… thank you. I’ll call you when I know more… take care, Mrs. Ford.”

Jackson stared at her back, trying to make sense of what she said, but that sick feeling he got whenever someone mentioned his family was lodged in his gut.

Jackson felt dread seep through his veins. Emily? Emily’s uncle? As though she sensed his presence, Hannah turned around. Her bright green eyes loaded up with tears as they stared into his. Her uncle. Her uncle. Those softly spoken words echoed in his mind and they echoed in the beautiful face of the woman standing across from him. Jackson couldn’t move, his body going cold as the truth of Hannah’s visit sank in.

The baby.

That baby wasn’t hers. It was his sister’s.





Chapter Three



Jackson had heard everything.

The look on his face made her forget about Emily for a moment. All she could feel was the painful pumping of her heart and the acrid taste of the tears burning in her throat. This wasn’t the way he was supposed to find out. She’d had a carefully rehearsed speech.

His eyes locked with hers and he strode across the room in what seemed like two steps. Suddenly there was no space between them, the room tiny and stifling. Panic set in.


“I want to know exactly who you are and what the hell you think you’re doing. Everything. Now.” His voice was raspy. Harsh. The anger that emanated from him was blatant. His jaw was clenched tight and the eyes that she thought were warm not too long ago, glistened with hate.

Hannah despised showing her hand. Hated showing that she was afraid of anything or anyone. Hated having someone know that she could be weak. But when he took a step closer to her, waiting for her answer, she took a step back, because he reminded her of a different man, of a different world, when she had no one, when she was helpless. But she wasn’t that same girl anymore. She was a grown woman. She had confronted her demons years ago. She held her chin up and looked him squarely in the eye. Don’t show your fear. Don’t show your fear.

“I’ll tell you everything you want to know, but I need you to back away from me and I need you to calm down,” she whispered holding up a hand between them.

…

He nodded slowly. “I am calm. I’m in control. I’ve never been out of control. I’m not going to touch you. I won’t hurt you. I’m angry as hell right now, but I don’t want you to spend another second thinking that you are being physically threatened by me. I’ve never, ever raised my hand to a woman.” He was surprised at how gruff his voice sounded. He watched her try to figure out if she could trust what he was saying. She looked into his eyes and he could swear she saw things that he’d managed to keep hidden from those closest to him. He backed up a step and put his hands in his pockets, willing himself to look relaxed.

She finally gave him a small smile, and it tore at him, more than it should have. He barely knew her, but that expression on her undeniably beautiful face made his gut clench. It made him forget for a moment why he was so angry with her. For a second, the relief of her not being afraid replaced his rage.

She folded her arms in front of her and nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, for God’s sake.” Jackson ran his hands down the front of his face roughly, trying to stay in control of a situation that had the power to tear him down. He needed to get out of the room, away from her and everything she represented. He needed to gather his composure. He turned on his heel and walked out. When he reached the great room, Charlie came up to greet him, his scruffy tail wagging. Jackson patted the top of his head absently.

He heard her footsteps approaching.

“Jackson…” Her hesitant voice was barely audible against the wind and ice pellets drumming on the windows. He didn’t really feel like turning around. He avoided looking anywhere but straight ahead because he was acutely aware of the baby asleep in the room. He did not want to acknowledge what or who she might be.