She didn’t have to look at him to confirm her suspicions.She could feel it in the way he sat so quietly and stared at her daughter.Hisdaughter.
Without saying a word, he rose to his feet and walked over to Billie.He crouched in front of her and touched her face.
“What?”she asked, puzzled.“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Billie.”His voice sounded hoarse.He kissed her cheek, then took her hand.
“Where are we going?”
“To see Aunt Charlene.You’re going to visit with her for a few minutes while your mother and I have a talk.”
Chapter Nine
“When were you going to tell me?”Adam asked.
The shock had sustained him for the time it had taken him to walk Billie over to Charlene’s.The older woman had taken one look at the girl’s outfit and blond wig and had gasped.The look in her eyes had been compassion for him, but not surprise.She’d known, as well.Looks as though he was the only one kept in the dark around here.He’d left Billie with his aunt.He would deal with Charlene and her betrayal another time.Right now all he cared about was Jane.
He leaned against the doorframe and stared into the dimly lit parlor.As the shock faded, cold deadly rage took its place.She’d made him angry when she’d first arrived and pushed him to get in touch with his feelings.Then he’d lost his cool, but nothing like what was about to happen.Images formed in his mind—disconnected pictures of Billie laughing at him, smiling, burrowing in his arms.No wonder they’d gotten along so well.
A sharp pain jabbed his heart.A daughter.He had a daughter.His gaze narrowed as Jane rose from the sofa and walked toward the shuttered window.
“I asked you a question,” he said, struggling to keep his voice low and even.“When were you going to tell me?”
She laughed sharply and without humor.“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the best I have.”
“Come on, Jane.You can do better than that.”He folded his arms over his chest.“What the hell kind of game have you been playing?I don’t even know where to begin.”
“It’s not what you think.”
“Oh?Billieisn’tmy daughter?You haven’t kept her from me for over eight years?”
“I…” She touched the shutter and swung it open.Dim light crept into the room and illuminated her profile.“Yes.Billie is yours.”
Her simple answer opened the floodgates.“That’s it?”he asked, stepping into the room.“That’s the whole confession?After all this time, you calmly announce she’s mine?Where do you get off, lady?You stole my kid.You ran away and hadmychild and didn’t tell me.How dare you play with my life, with Billie’s life?”
“I’m her mother.”She glanced up at him, her eyes flashing with temper.
“So?”he asked, taking another step closer to her.“Does that give you the right to lie to her?To me?”
“Dammit, Adam, I made the best decision I could at the time.”
“You think I care about you?After what you’ve done?”He clenched his hands into fists.“You had no right to steal my child from me.You had no right to keep her a secret.How long, Jane?How many years would have gone by until you told me?”He shook his head.“If we hadn’t been interrupted, you would have come to my bed last weekend.You would have made love with that lie between us.”
Her gaze faltered until she dropped her head toward her chest.“There’s nothing you can say that I haven’t already told myself.”
“So what’s your excuse?What reason do you have for cheating me out of Billie?Who gave you the right to make that decision?”
She snapped her head up and glared at him.“You did, Mr.High and Mighty.”She pointed her finger toward his chest.“The day you coerced me into your bed.”
“Don’t give me that.I never did anything you didn’t want.”
“Now who’s lying?I wasn’t ready.You scared me.I would never have told you no, and you took advantage of that.”
A small measure of guilt joined his rage.“What are you saying?Are you accusing me of something?”
