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How dare he use her biggest fear against her.
“Oh, I get it, all right. Just another opportunity for the Coltons to buy whatever they want.”
“That’s not fair. When have I ever tried to buy you or Luna?”
You’re doing it now. She wanted to shout the words, but it already hurt so much just to think them. Why he’d even mentioned her, she didn’t know, when all he really wanted was her daughter. He had to guarantee that the child would be in his control in case the test confirmed she was a Colton heir. If not, at least he could secure quality, permanent childcare for his own child. Even after their lovemaking that had meant so much to her, for Asher, nothing had changed.
“Please give this a chance, Willow. I will promise to love your daughter, whichever one she turns out to be, as my own. I’ll commit to support you, emotionally and physically.”
But you won’t promise to love me. The unspoken words gripped her heart, tearing strips of flesh slowly, agonizingly, instead of ripping all at once.
“I even promise to be faithful to you,” Asher continued, oblivious to the pain he’d inflicted. “That’s more than you can say about a lot of people.”
She shook her head. First, security and then Xavier’s infidelity. Had he listened to her stories only to use them as ammunition later? Despite the humiliation that made her wish she could curl into herself and disappear, she met his gaze, daring him to look away.
“Look, I know that this is a good offer for someone like me. A single mom with no father herself and no family support system at all. A Colton wants to marry me. Wants to provide a wonderful life for my child.”
She shook her head as twin tears slid from the outside corners of her eyes. “But I can’t do it.”
Anguish covered her as an image of her young, pregnant mother stole into her thoughts. Willow tried to push the picture away, but her mom only continued to twirl in that fantasy dress, those lovely baubles bouncing, as she dreamed of a life she would never have. Now Willow had the chance to live a life filled with every luxury and comfort her mother had longed for, as long as she was willing to give up the only thing that really mattered.
It wasn’t enough. Not close to it.
“I’m sorry, but I’m going to turn down your proposal again.” She wiped her tears with the corner of the sheet. “I will never marry again without love.”
His crossed arms appeared to squeeze tighter.
“You’re asking too much of me. You’re asking for more than I can give.”
“I know I am. But I also know that I deserve more than you’re offering. Every woman, every person, does.”
He opened his mouth as if he was about to say more but clicked his jaw shut instead. Then he gripped the doorknob.
Over his shoulder, he spoke once more. “I’ll see you at the hospital tomorrow. We’ll get the results and go from there.”
With that, he strode from the room. After a few seconds, the loud click of her apartment door filtered through the apartment. He was gone.
As she pulled the sheet high, she gave in to her earlier temptation, rounding her shoulders and drawing her knees up tightly against her. The tears came, hot and fast, but instead of trying to wipe them away, she let them fall.
In a few hours, she would go to that hospital with her head held high, but now, just for a few minutes, she allowed herself to grieve. So like her mother and yet so different, she would mourn the life she’d dreamed of and would never have.
Chapter 20
By the time that the upstairs side entrance finally opened again at Tender Years, her eyes were bleary over staring at the door for so long. Beyond that, her ears must have been bleeding from listening to him talk for the past few hours. Didn’t the guy ever shut up?
“Oh. Look. He’s coming out. Think he’s got an extra spring in his step after all that time?”
His horselaugh over his own joke could have made any Revenge of the Nerds character proud. Where had she found this guy? Oh, right. When you scoured the dating apps for computer whizzes who might be convinced to try their hacking skills, you couldn’t get too choosy.
“Would you hush? Do you want to alert the neighbors? Or the rent-a-cops up the street?”
“Sure, I can be quiet, but can you?”
He reached over and planted his hand at the top of her thigh on her shorts, a smooth move he’d been going with all night. This time she grabbed his hand and squeezed hard. She’d be
en pawed enough, thank you very much.
“Ouch!” He yanked it back. “You could have just said you weren’t in the mood.”
