“I don’t think it’s weird at all. Welcome to parenthood.”
He pulls me to my feet and runs his finger down the bare skin of my shoulder. “You’re right. You are my family now.” He leans in and presses his lips to mine. The kiss is short, but even after he pulls away the soft kiss lingers on my lips. “Goodnight, Red.”
CHAPTER NINE
LIAM
Holly Jenkins has put me under some damn spell. The one where men become instantly whipped under a woman’s charm. Hell, I was a goner the second I laid eyes on her outside the Tilted Keg. She’s different. I don’t know what it is, but she sees something in me that I don’t see in myself.
When she called me family, my first instinct was to bolt. Everyone in my family has let me down, but after spending only a week with her and Matty they are the closest thing to family I have.
It makes it impossible not to want more with her.
Something I haven't wanted with any woman since my freshman year of college.
Jaxson had a field day when I told him the development.
I’m taken out of my reminiscing thoughts when my office door flies open with a bang revealing my father. Mary is right on his heels, her glasses slipping from her face as she chases in after him. He’s puffing out his chest, trying to assert his authority, wearing a designer power suit, rather than his normal golf polo, telling me, he wants to be heard.
Great.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Morgan, I tried to stop him,” Mary says flustered.
My father glares at her and she shrinks back.
“It’s okay, Mary. You can leave us.” She nods and scurries out of my office. “What do you want? I’m busy. I have a meeting in twenty minutes,” I tell him, refusing to stand from my desk and greet him properly.
“I’ve heard a bit of a rumor about you and I’m hoping you can clear it up.”
I roll my eyes. “What is swimming around your elite circle’s rumor mill now?”
“That you have a child.”
Fucking great. I was hoping to keep that under wraps for a little while longer.
My teeth grind. “Who told you that?”
“It doesn’t matter who told me. I want to know the truth.”
“It’s true,” I say flatly.
There’s no point in playing around with him and the sooner he knows, the faster he leaves.
“For Christ sakes, Liam,” he shouts. “And is the other rumor true that it's with the new designer?”
I shrug. “Listen, I don’t see why this all matters to you?”
“You don’t see?” he scoffs and loosens his tie. "Are you blind? She just happened to end up in this job and suddenly ropes you into a child conveniently. I seem to remember another slut doing the same."
“Don’t call her that,” I grind out, gripping the edge of my desk.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Landon did say this one had you tightly wound up already.”
I fucking knew it was his big mouth talking.
“This one is the mother of my child and I appreciate you not talking about her when you don’t know anything about her.”
My father’s left eye twitches. It’s something he does when he’s agitated. “How can you be sure the child is even yours?”
“DNA is pretty accurate these days. The results returned a 99% match. He’s mine.” I stab my finger in my chest.
He rests his hands on the back of the chair and takes a deep breath. “How do you plan to raise a child and take care of your business at the same time? It took you years just to get your feet on the ground.”
“My feet are planted pretty firmly on the ground."
"What do you even know about this woman? This child?" He goes for this tactic and my jaw ticks.
"I know enough,” I argue.
Like how easily she blushes at any form of compliment or how she makes little snorting noises when she's racing cars around with Matty. Best of all, I know how soft her lips are.
“You know enough?” My father roars, driving me away from the delectable thoughts. “But not enough to wear a fucking condom? Or were you just so strung out back then you forgot how to use one?”
“Will you stop!” I snap, rising from my desk. “I fucked up, but it was years ago. In case you missed it, I’m putting my life back together. I fought to get myself sober. But you do nothing to help me by rubbing my face in it and telling me how much of a fuck up I was. I don’t get why you don’t understand that?” I sigh, feeling the anger starting to deflate from my lungs. I’m so sick of always explaining. “I might have made a million mistakes in my past, but I know I will be a better father to my son than you ever were. Because I will be there for him at his worst. It’s the one thing your absence actually taught me.”
There’s a light clearing of a throat that grabs both of our attention. Holly stands in the doorway, looking nervously between both of us with a stack of paper in her hands. “I’m sorry to interrupt. Mary wasn’t at her desk.”
I stand from my desk, knocking my chair back. I rush to her, needing to get her out of the war zone. “Now isn’t a good time, Ms. Jenkins. We can talk later.”
Holly's mouth slacks as she eyes me and then my father, who is glaring at us. “Right. Of course, I shouldn’t have walked in, Mr. Morgan.”
“It’s okay.” I put my hand on the small of her back to lead her out.
“Is this her?” my father growls.
“No.”
“Don’t lie to me, Liam,”
