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The most recent one. Her girl in an outfit for the community center, face smudged, and her smile so big it was nearly ear to ear.
“Heads up.” Linc didn’t move from his spot, just nudged her leg with his.
Emma looked up at the man walking down the hall. She noticed how beside him was a small blonde woman taking twice the steps Paul took merely to keep up. With a deep breath, Emma rose and stepped into his path.
“I need a moment of your time.”
“I’m sorry,” he said without looking at her. “You’ll have to make an appointment with my secretary. I’m always happy to make time for my constituents.”
“How about the mother of your seven-year-old child? The one you never acknowledged until recently?”
He snapped his gaze to her and yes, Greer’s eyes were looking at her. “Emma?” His gaze moved over her and she stiffened her spine against the pain his usual dismissal gave. “You haven’t changed.”
“Neither have you. I want to know why a reporter is asking me if my daughter is going to be coming to live with you.”
The blonde with him watched avidly. “We can’t discuss this right now.”
More people were walking into the hall.
She didn’t have to look over at Linc to know he had her back. “Fine. Your office then, because it’s happening now.”
He stepped toward her and she locked her legs. “I’m not leaving, Paul, until this is very clear to you. You don’t mention my daughter’s name. You—”
He dragged her into a room and tried closing the door behind them but Linc’s hand stopped it from shutting completely and he was followed them in, along with the secretary. “You can’t just show up at my work and do this, Emma. She is my daughter, too. She sure as hell wasn’t an immaculate conception, although for all the participation you gave, it might as well have been. Christ, you really are dumb like people say.”
“Watch how you talk to my fiancée.” Danger drenched Linc’s statement.
Warmth at her back gave her courage. Noticing how Paul stared at Linc, she hid her smirk.
“Let’s get something straight. Your name isn’t on her birth certificate. You weren’t there for me while I was pregnant and you sure as hell weren’t there after she was born. Not once. No support. In fact, you wanted to abort her. While you were here fucking your way to whatever position you’re after, I was busting my ass with more than one job. Greer is my daughter and you will forget you donated sperm. I’m guessing you saw the photo in the paper and now you want to be part of her life but if I get one more question about her and you, I’ll let everyone know how you abandoned her and wanted me to abort her and didn’t give her another thought, until it could further your career. Let’s see how well your constituents take that.”
She looked down her nose at the man who had given her the greatest treasure she had. He didn’t make her heart skip a beat, not even in anger. She felt nothing for him. At all.
He glowered at her and took a step only to pull up. “I can bury you, Emma. Don’t forget that. Hey, wait a minute. You’re Franklin Conner. I remember you from school.”
“I am.” A sniff. “Can’t say the same.” He reached down and lifted Emma’s left hand in a very deliberate move, turning it so the large heart-shaped diamond couldn’t be missed. “And I’m hers. Which makes this woman, and her daughter, mine.”
Looking up at Linc, she gave him a smile. One he returned seconds before he kissed her. Gentle. Tender. Loving.
“Seriously?” Paul shook his head.
A low growl escaped Linc. “Deadly. I want to make sure we’re clear on something.” Linc slid his hand around to cup Emma’s neck. She loved him holding her like that. “You’re not part of this woman or her child’s life. All the friends you have that you think will be impressed by you showing up to play the savior father have nothing on the ones I will bring in. The ones who will make sure you are painted in such a light you can never run for office again.”
Paul blanched as he glanced to the secretary, who was listening avidly. His gaze swung to Emma who was a statue beside him.
“I fully back this woman, my future wife, and her daughter. You don’t want to know what I will do, what lengths I will go to, in order to protect them.”
“Understood,” Paul muttered, his skin a bit pale and the pulse at his neck rapid.
“Good,” Emma said and walked out.
Linc kissed her again when they made it to the truck. “Feel better?”
“I do,” she admitted. “I didn’t think it would be that easy.”
“Sometimes you have to face your past.”
