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“Derek, what are you doing here?” she asked, slowly crossing the room, praying she didn’t collapse.
“Go back to bed, honey.” Ian turned to her, his face softening as he took in what she knew was impressive bed head. “Emily is fine and he can come back later.”
“Don’t tell my wife what to do,” Derek practically shouted as he shouldered his way past Ian and into the living room.
“She’s not your wife.” Ian’s eyes narrowed. When Emily started to fidget, Ian patted her back and murmured something to her. “I need to feed her and change her diaper.”
Derek’s gaze darted from Ian to Cassie and back to Ian. “What the hell is this? You move in your lover to shack up? Never took you for a whore.”
Cassie didn’t think she could feel worse. She was wrong. But before she could defend herself, Ian had turned back, clenching the muscle in his jaw.
“Apologize,” Ian said in a low, threatening tone.
Cassie had no doubt if Ian hadn’t been holding the baby, he would’ve been across the room in an instant.
“This has nothing to do with you,” Derek shot back. “Why don’t you give me my daughter and get out.”
No matter how awful Cassie felt, she raised her hand to silence Ian and moved closer to Derek. Too bad whatever bug she’d picked up couldn’t be fast-acting or she’d so exhale all over him.
“You relinquished any right you had when you walked out on us.” Cassie laid a hand on the back of the couch for support. She’d be a little more intimidating if she wasn’t freezing and ready to fall onto her face. “You can’t just barge into my house and try to take control. I don’t know why you’re here, but I don’t really care.”
Cassie felt Ian’s hard body behind her, his strong hand settled around her waist. The man offered support both physically and emotionally with one simple, selfless touch. And the sea of differences between the two men in this room was evident without so much as a spoken word.
Ian had watched her with care, concern and, yes, even love. Derek stood glaring, judging and hating. When he’d first walked out she would’ve done anything to get her family back, but now that he was here, she loathed the sight of him.
“I’m here to see my wife and daughter,” Derek told her.
“I’m not your wife,” Cassie fired back. “And if you want to see Emily, you can contact your attorney and he can call mine. You can’t just charge in here after being gone for nearly a year and expect me to just let you see her. Did you think she’d be comfortable with you?”
“She seems fine with him.” Derek nodded his chin in Ian’s direction.
“That’s because she knows who I am,” Ian stated from behind her. “Now, Cassie has asked you to leave. She’s not feeling good and my patience has just about run out. Leave now or I’ll escort you out personally, then notify the crew’s security to take you off the estate property.”
Derek looked as if he wanted to say more, but Ian stepped around Cassie, keeping his arm wrapped around her waist. He said nothing and kept his gaze on Derek until Derek stepped back toward the front door.
“I plan on seeing my daughter,” Derek threatened. “And my wife. I’ll go through my lawyer, but I will be getting my family back.”
He slammed the door, leaving the echoing sound to fill the silence. Cassie hadn’t seen Derek in so long, she had no idea how to feel, how to react. She didn’t feel like battling him.
And had he threatened to take Emily? Was that what he’d implied?
Cassie sank onto the back of the couch and wrapped her arms around her waist. Maybe she should have listened to those voice mails.
“Go back to bed, Cass. Don’t think about him—just go rest for now.”
Cassie looked up at Ian, still holding Emily. The image just seemed so...right. The three of them felt right. They’d all been random puzzle pieces and when they’d come together they’d instantly clicked into place without question.
Shoving her wayward hair behind her ears, Cassie shook her head. “I can’t rest, Ian. He just made a veiled threat to take Emily. He can’t do that, right? I mean, what judge would let him have my baby after he walked out on us?”
Tears pricked her eyes. She couldn’t fathom sharing custody of her baby. Emily belonged here.
“She doesn’t even know him,” Cassie murmured, thinking aloud. “There’s no way he could take her. Emily would be terrified.”
Ian rested a hand on her shoulder and held on to Emily with his other strong arm. “You’re jumping the gun here. He didn’t say he was going to ask for custody. I honestly think those were just hollow words. He wants to scare you because he’s angry I was here. I guarantee had you been alone, his attitude would’ve been completely different. One look at me, especially holding his daughter, and he was instantly on the defensive.”
