AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Kinley Troy! Of course, we’re still going to be in your life. We’re family. No matter what is going on with my brother, you’ll always be my sister.”
I smiled, needing to hear that. Other than Jax, Christian’s family was all I had. I couldn’t lose them too.
“It’s not too late to change your mind. It’s obvious you don’t want this divorce. And I know—you guys have had some issues with … you know, conceiving.”
“Did he tell you that?”
“No, Christian is a very private man. He wouldn’t tell me that, but I’m sure he’s told Julian. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Autumn, you didn’t even live here until a couple of years ago when you and Julian got back together.”
“That’s a cop out. I was a phone call away.”
“I know, but you were Autumn Troy, the biggest and best publicist in the world. You had your own shit to deal with, on top of being a single mom. You didn’t need to carry my burden too.”
“I call bullshit.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I think you didn’t want to tell me because you still have a hard time letting people in your life, Kinley.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I kept my mouth shut.
“After all the shit that happened with your mom, I can understand, but having to go through infertil—”
“Autumn, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but there’s more to it than that.”
“Because of what happened that night?”
Her question didn’t surprise me. She was there, his whole family was. However, I still managed to flinch.
“Listen.” She stood, grabbing my hands. “All I’m saying is that I’m always here for you.”
“I know.”
“Christian loves you, Kinley. He’ll take you any way he can.”
“That’s just it. I don’t want him to settle for me. It’s not fair to him.”
“I don’t want to say this, but it needs to be said.”
“What?”
With an utmost sincere expression on her face, she asked, “Are you sure it’s not about being scared that he’s going to eventually leave you, like your mom did?”
At this point, I didn’t know anymore.
We spent the rest of the afternoon talking about just how much I didn’t know anymore.
Chapter 18
Christian
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
I turned to see Julian standing behind me. “Exactly what it looks like.” I turned back around, nodding to the bartender to bring me another drink.
“You go before the judge this afternoon.”
“No shit.”
“So what? You think this is what you should be doing with your time right now?”
“If you came here to bust my balls—”
He sat beside me. “Are you going to let her go without a fight?”
“I’m the only one who has been fighting for us these last few years. She doesn’t want me.”
“Since when has that stopped you from doing anything?”
“She’s probably with Jax.”
“Actually, she’s with your sister.”
“She is?”
Taking off his suit jacket, he nodded to the bartender. “I’ll take what he’s having.”
“What are you doing here, man? Shouldn’t you be at work?”
“I own the company. I’m where I need to be.”
“Right… Alpha CEO.”
He chuckled. “Don’t remind me. Although, your sister has managed to change my image.”
“I just saw a Times article calling you a coldhearted bastard.”
He smiled. “I do what I can.”
“How does it feel to be one of the richest men in the world?”
“Not as great as it feels to be your sister’s husband and your niece’s father.”
“And soon-to-be nephew’s father.”
“Yeah,” he scoffed out, taking a drink. “And that.”
“What’s with the tone?”
“Picked up on that, huh?”
“It’d be hard not to. What’s going on?”
“I’m not going to lie to you and waste our time. I’m fucking scared shitless about having a boy.”
“I’d be more terrified about having a little girl and ending up in fucking jail for all the little shits trying to get down her pants. You remember what we were like, right?”
“Exactly my point. Karma. I was a selfish bastard. The shit I put your sister through … fuck, man. Let’s just say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You’re nothing like your parents.”
“You don’t know that. I don’t even know that. All I’m saying is I have to raise a man, and I don’t want to fuck it up.”
“You’re amazing with Capri.”
He took another swig of his whiskey, then leaned back into his chair, and rested his glass on the bar. “I worry I won’t be good enough.”
I jerked back, not expecting him to say that.
“You know how I grew up, Christian. Fucking kicked around from foster home to foster home.”
“Julian, look how far you’ve come. You’re one of the richest men in the world. You have to give yourself more credit than that, man.”
“I know.” He nodded. “It’s hard to do that, though. When I left Texas, I promised myself I’d never be that foster kid again. I threw myself into my career and didn’t stop until everyone knew my name. I thought it’d give me peace.”
