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Lucy
MyheartclenchesasI watch Katie and Wes walk away. The sadness I managed to overcome all those years ago rises to the surface. Why the hell couldn’t he have been her father? Why didn’t I stay and get to know Wes the day I first kissed him? Why didn’t I tell him everything after I found out? Why have so many years passed without Wes being in my life, when there’s something telling me he’s meant to be there? And while I’m at it with the whys… Why the fuck is Greg on his way here now?
After Katie’s been gone for a few minutes, I step into the hallway, trying to listen for any clue as to how she’ll be with Wes. His office isn’t that close, but considering most people have gone home, it’s dead silent in the building, so I’m hopeful. As if hearing my prayers, Katie’s laughter travels the distance to my ears, and I sigh in relief. At least that’s one less thing to panic about. The second, though, should be here any minute.
As soon as I push through the door to the foyer, I see him. He’s pacing back and forth with his hands moving around animatedly, like he’s delivering some big speech, and I huff out a laugh. If he thinks he can talk his way back into my life…
Slowly moving forward, I’m standing in his direct line of sight when he spots me, a smile adorning his face.
“Lucy,” he sighs like I’m a sight for sore eyes, while I wish him gone.
Rolling my eyes at his bullshit, my hands settle on my hips as I try to appear confident. “Why are you here, Greg?”
“Why do you think I’m here, Lucy? You have a daughter. She’s four. I did the math.”
“You’re not the only guy I’ve ever slept with, Greg. And you know for a fact I was with someone else. You confronted me about it.”
Greg’s eyes narrow as his teeth clench, but then his gaze flashes up to our second-floor offices, and he smiles.What the fuck?
“Please, Lucy. No more games,” he says, taking slow steps toward me with his hands raised in the air. “Have you done a DNA test with the football player?” he asks, saying the wordsfootball playerlike it pains him.
I want to say yes. I want to tell him Katie is Wes’s, but guilt swirls inside me and I can’t. It was one thing keeping Greg from his daughter when we’d lost touch, but straight-up lying is a lot harder.
“I haven’t,” I rasp and cringe when I see that my answer gives him so much pleasure.
“So, it’s possible that she’s mine?” His face lights up and he reaches out to touch me but thinks better of it when I flinch away, my eyes flashing to the security guard near the office entry.
“I guess it’s possible.”
Greg drops to his knees in front of me and grabs my legs. His grip is tight enough that I can’t move without risking a fall on my ass, but also loose enough that it wouldn’t be considered as a negative gesture. Even though it is.It one hundred percent is.And I feel sick to my stomach.
“Get up, Greg,” I say, my voice void of emotion.
Greg shakes his head. “I don’t care if there’s only a fifty percent chance she’s mine. I will be there for her and raise her like she is. Give me a chance to prove myself to you both, Lucy. Take me back so we can be a family.” My stomach churns at what he’s asking. Is he really that messed up to think that would ever be a possibility?
“Get up, Greg,” I whisper-yell through my teeth, my skin prickling with disgust.
Greg shakes his head again, more violently this time. “Not until you agree to let me see her.”
“Please, Greg. Just stand up.”
“Where is she?”
His grip tightens but he’s still smiling, portraying a romantic to the outside world.
“Get up,” I repeat, much louder this time. I’m trying so hard not to use the wordslet go, as though asking him to do that is like admitting that I think he’s the one in control.
Greg’s eyes flash with impatience before he schools his features once more. Then he laughs. Like this is some big joke. “I’m not moving until you agree to give me a chance.”
He runs one of his hands up the inside of my thigh, stopping just as he gets to my skirt. The feel of his hand so close to my core sends a shiver down my spine as my skin crawls. Yep, I’m going to be sick. The instinct to use my self-defense training kicks in and my knee itches to move, but I hold back. As long as he’s focused on me and Katie’s with Wes, I’m okay. I can handle this.God, I hope she stays with Wes.
“It’s not going to happen, Greg. Katie and I are fine on our own.”
“You named her Katie?Fuck!” he yells the last part, finally losing his cool, though I don’t know why. Closing my eyes, I mentally curse myself for giving him too much information as I contemplate what to do next.
Both our voices start to rise after that, and I chance a look to the second level of the foyer, hoping they haven’t carried up into the offices. That’s the last thing I need.
When no one peers over the balcony I figure we’re safe. Although, I don’t know why I’m worried; no one’s here and I’m hoping Wes is too focused on Katie to notice.
