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“Just hold your horses. I’m not doing this out here.” She charges forward, taking us around the back of the stage, and finally stops. Her eyes are focused on the ground, her hands in her coat pockets, and I don’t like it. A loose curl falls in her face, and I fight the urge to push it away.
I take a tiny step forward. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Her shoulders slump. “I did something you might not like, or at least, it’s probably not going to do you any favors.”
My brows pinch together, and the space where my stomach used to be aches. “Ok.”
She kicks the ground with the toe of her boot. “I was trying to find Nora earlier when Mr. and Mrs. McNeil stopped me wanting to meet Ax. Your GM was there.”
I try to remain relaxed, but every muscle starts to contract, that ache growing heated. I know I won’t like what’s going to come out of her mouth.
“He’s an arrogant jerk, in case you didn’t know. He pretended to be all friendly, then followed me. He asked me, or maybe he assumed…Ax is yours.” She pauses. “Apparently, he’s a problem, and he doesn’t care what our arrangement is, but there can’t be any reports about a baby.”
“That son of a bitch.” I run a hand over my face.
“Sean.” She waits for me to look at her. “Do I need to worry about this? Are you worried people will talk about Axel…or that they’ll think he’s yours?”
The pain in her eyes stabs me straight through the chest. I don’t even have to think about it.
“No. I told you that before, and I meant it. Andie, I don’t want any more of this to hurt you. It’s absurd to even think about it, but we both know practicality doesn’t factor into what these bottomfeeders will report on. They don’t care who they hurt, the cost, or whether or not an innocent child is harmed in the process.”
She swallows hard. I want to step into her and pull her close, but I force myself to stay put.
“He’s my life,” she whispers. “I won’t hide my son, but I will protect him. So, I won’t parade him around giving these predators an opportunity.”
She sucks in a breath and pushes it out like she’s collecting herself, and I can barely stand it. I want to hold her and tell her it will all be ok, but I can’t. I don’t know that it will be, and it’s killing me.
She pulls herself up and meets my eyes. “I…I’ve spent some time hiding from things and can’t do that anymore. I pray if people find out I’m a mother, they won’t use that to make headlines, but like you said, they don’t care. You and I can’t control what lowlifes will do.”
“I couldn’t stand it if that ever happens.”
“You didn’t do this, Sean, and I’m not going to live my life worried that someone might say you’re Ax’s father. That could happen today or six months from now, regardless of what you and I do or don’t do. I’d do anything to protect him, but he’s also my son, not something to hide.”
Her confident words help ease the fury raging through me. “It’s only Tiger PR here. No, outside reporters, but are you sure you aren’t worried? That’s not why you didn’t tell me about Ax? When this is over, I can make a statement or…”
I hear her inhale and exhale, and I’m not sure if she’s pissed or just thinking. “Sean, I didn’t tell you about Ax because it was none of your business. He’s not my little secret.”
I hear anger and hurt, and I don’t like it. “I didn’t mean–” I start, but she cuts me off.
Her tone is soft, but there’s an edge to it. “My own parents have never met my son. They’ve never asked about him, called him by his name, held him, and made him feel safe…like you did.” She pauses, the rawness of her words and the tears she’s determined not to let fall, kick me straight in the throat. “He is the best, most important thing in my life. I won’t let them or anyone else hurt him or make him feel inferior. I trusted you enough to let you into my house. You held my son.”
I suck in a breath, needing it. “You can trust me now.” I want her to know it and believe it.
“What happens if they say he’s yours and this whole thing starts over but worse?” She’s putting me on the spot and has every right to.
In this, I’m surprised to find I have no fear or hesitation.
“Then you and I do whatever necessary to keep him safe and away from it.”
Her eyes flick between mine, searching. “Ok.”
“Ok?” I need to know that this conversation is closed. I can’t stand being worried she’ll end up hating me, which could happen at any moment. Given my history, I’m very familiar with people walking me to the door and closing it.
She bites her lip. “He said your career is on the line.”
A string of curse words hovers on the edge of my lips, but I hold them back. “What did you tell him?”
“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t–”
