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“Did you think I’d be a deadbeat dad?” I interrupted. “Did you think I wouldn’t support the baby?”
She took a deep breath and calmly said, “I wasn’t going to be at your mercy. I knew you were a powerful man, and it scared me. Money buys decisions in your favor, and a part of me worried you’d take the baby. No, don’t scoff at me. You could’ve crucified me in court, and I would not let you take away my child.”
She paced in front of me. “Plus, I didn’t want just the money. I wanted my baby to have a name. I refused for my child to be a bastard. And when I found out who you were, I wanted the Radcliffe name for my baby more than I ever wanted anything in my life. I didn’t want your money. I wanted my own money, but I also wanted my baby to belong. So, yes, coming here and being chosen as a belle would give me money, and that’s great.” She looked at me, her eyes entreating. “But I wanted so much more. I wanted the baby to truly have you. Not just a paycheck from an absentee father.”
“I would never be that.” The very thought insulted me.
“How was I supposed to know that?” she asked, throwing her hands in the air. “I didn’t know anything about you, not really. All I knew was that I had to try. I had to fight to be a belle. It could be life-changing, and it was. When you found out I was pregnant, you actually wanted this baby. You wanted a family. You even wanted me.”
“Yes, but it was based all on a lie. Why wouldn’t you tell me?”
“I tried,” she said. “A couple of times. I wanted to, but at the same time you were starting to open up to me, and I was getting to see you for who you really were. I wanted to see you. The real you. I was scared that if I admitted my full story, you would close up. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity of seeing you without walls. I was so scared of losing everything that you were giving. You were offering me and the baby a future which is all I ever wanted. You were giving me hope, and I was terrified that with my confession, it would all disappear.” She looked down at her feet and then back up to my eyes. “I was falling in love with you. I was scared. I was scared I’d lose it all.”
“And how am I to believe you now?” I asked, narrowing my eyes and trying to picture her as Consuela instead of Abilene. “How do I know you aren’t just scamming me again?”
“You don’t,” she admitted. “And I understand if you can never trust me again. But I love you, Beau. I love this baby. And I love what the three of us could have. The only thing I lied to you about was my name. The rest was all me.”
Love.
Did I love her?
Yes, of course I did. I fell in love with Abilene and the baby and…
Abilene, Consuela, Abilene…
My fucking mind spun, and heart twisted in a knot. I didn’t know what to think or say. This entire situation was fucked.
I glanced at the door leading to the ballroom. “You know you could have fucked this all up for the both of us. Your lie could have not only cost you your payday, but also my family business. You could have ruined the Radcliffe heritage that you claim you wanted so badly for the baby.”
She hung her head in shame. “I know. I was hoping they wouldn’t find out.”
“The Elders find everything out. These men are some of the most powerful men in the world. You picked the wrong mark.”
“I have no excuses for you other than I did what I felt I had to.”
“We’re almost done. The final hour, and now it could all be ruined.”
She nodded and took another step toward me. Her teeth were chattering, and no matter how mad I was, I couldn’t just stand there and allow her to freeze. I reached out and took off the soaking red robe and then removed my jacket.
“Wear this,” I said as I covered her body with my dry clothing.
“I’m sorry,” she said, and something in the way she said it made me believe her. “If I could fix this, I would.” She put her hand on her belly and added, “Everything I do is for this baby. Our baby.”
“And what do we do now? Where do we go from here?” I asked.
“None of this changes the fact that we have a baby coming.”
The door to the ballroom opened and Montgomery walked out into the foyer. I couldn’t exactly read his face, but my gut told me he didn’t have good news.
