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Ian issued one final warning through gritted teeth. “Stay away from me and mine.”
As he walked away, he didn’t go into the flower store as originally intended. He had some thinking to do.
No, he wouldn’t be intimidated by some jerk who thought he could blackmail his way back into Cassie’s life, but if Ian’s presence was going to cause issues with custody of Emily, Ian knew he had a difficult decision to make.
As he headed back to his sporty rental car, the small box in his pocket felt heavier than ever.
* * *
Cassie had never been so eager to return from a race, especially one as important as this one.
They’d done it. The Barrington women had conquered the racing world and brought home the Triple Crown. Cassie was pretty sure she’d be smiling in her sleep for years to come. She and Tessa had worked so hard, prayed even harder, and all their endless hours and years of training had paid off.
But beyond the joy of the racing season coming to an amazing end, Cassie couldn’t wait to celebrate with Emily and Ian and wanted to get Derek taken care of so he would leave her alone once and for all.
Because she’d gotten home later than intended, Linda had stayed in the cottage and put Emily to bed. Now Cassie was alone, her baby sleeping down the hall and unpacked bags still just inside the door where she’d dropped them.
She had to see Ian now. Too many days had passed since she’d seen him, touched him. Each day she was away from him she realized just how much she truly loved him.
A gentle tap on her front door had her jerking around. The glow of the porch light illuminated Ian’s frame through the frosted glass. She’d know that build anywhere and a shiver of excitement crept over her at the thought of seeing him again. She hadn’t realized she could miss someone so much.
But the second she flung the door open, ready to launch into his strong hold, she froze. Something was wrong. He wasn’t smiling, wasn’t even reaching for her. Actually, his hands were shoved in his pockets.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, clutching the door frame.
Ian said nothing as his gaze moved over her. Something flashed through his eyes as he settled back on her face...regret?
“Ian?”
He stepped over the threshold, paused within a breath of her and then scooted around her. After closing the door behind her, she leaned against it, unsure of what to say or how to act.
Her eyes locked on to Ian’s as silence quickly became the third party present. Moments ago she’d had nothing but hope filling her heart. Now fear had laid a heavy blanket over that hope.
“This is so much harder than I thought it would be,” he whispered, his eyes glistening. “I had tonight planned so different.”
“You’re scaring me, Ian.”
Wrapping her arms around her waist, Cassie rubbed her hands up and down her bare arms to ward off the chill.
“I love you, Cassie. I’ve never said that to another human being, not even my own parents.” Ian stepped closer but didn’t touch her. “Tonight I thought I would tell you I loved you, show you that I can’t live without you and Emily, but I’ve thought about it all evening and came to the hardest decision of my life.”
Cassie wasn’t a fool. She knew exactly what he was going to say. “How dare you,” she whispered through tears clogging her throat. “You tell me you love me a breath before you’re about to break things off? Because that’s what this is, right?”
Ian ran a hand over his face. “Damn it, Cassie. I’m letting you go to make things easier. I can’t keep you in my life, knowing I could be the one thing that stands between you and keeping custody of your daughter.”
Realization quickly dawned on Cassie. “You bastard. You let Derek get to you, didn’t you? I never took you for a coward, Ian.”
“I’m not a coward, and if Emily weren’t in the picture I would stay and fight for you...and I’d win. But Emily deserves a chance to know her father, and I can’t stand the thought of you sharing custody or possibly losing because Derek is going to fight dirty. He said it himself. This way, with me gone, maybe you two can come to some sort of peaceful middle ground.”
Torn between hurt, love and anger, Cassie tried to rein in her emotions. “You’re leaving me because you’re afraid. I understand that you didn’t have a great childhood, which makes me respect you all the more for stepping up and loving Emily the way you have. But don’t you dare leave now when things get tough. I thought you were more of a man than that.”
He jerked as if she’d slapped him. “Trust me, Cass. In the long run, this is the best for Emily.”
