Playing Pretend: A Single Dad Secret Baby Romance Read online

  The more she talked, the more confident Delainne became, and uncertainty wavered on her step-brothers face. Standing up slowly, she held herself tall, chin out and shoulders back- like a goddess. Now, she had everyone’s attention, but she wasn’t going to make a scene, and my lips quirked in a smile as tender affection gripped my heart.

  She must’ve realized they were all watching, but she could mitigate the damage.

  “Do you think you’re the only resource my father has to find me? If his health was in danger, he wouldn’t go to you, Greg- he knows I wouldn’t believe you. All my dad has to do is follow my debit card transactions to know that I’m okay. I left with no warning, but our bank accounts are linked, and he can check them any time. Whatever you said to him, he probably knows is dubious at best.” Greg turned an enraged, purplish-red as he glanced around, no doubt realizing how many eyes were on him. Delainne held her hand out to me, wiggling her fingers, and I automatically pulled out my cell phone. “Let’s call him right now and ask- Hey, Dad, did you know that Greg is here? No- well, he didn’t tell you? What could he possibly want to do with me if he’s not bringing me back home?”

  She only held the phone to her ear, not bothering to turn on the display, and I barked a harsh laughter at the high-pitched, whiny quality in her voice. For some reason, it made her smile broadly, but her reaction was short lived as she glared sharply at her step-brother. Greg, who’d spoken so smoothly when he thought he had the advantage, was silent, trembling with rage that bulged the vein in his forehead.

  That’s when I noticed his hair was covering an ugly, yellow-green mark, and I shoved my fist in my mouth to gobble my malicious mirth.

  “Well, Greg? Should I call Georgia? Should I tell her about what you did? Do you remember the last time I told her what you did? Do you remember the feeling of her slapping you- assaulting her own child for someone she didn’t give birth to? Do you remember having to sleep on your friend’s couch while she was putting security cameras in my room so you couldn’t sneak in anymore while I was asleep? Do you remember, huh? Do you?” Surprise shot through me, jolting my muscles to push me from my chair when Delainne actually shoved her finger in Greg’s face. He didn’t move, too consumed with rage and possibly embarrassment, but I thrummed intensely from the threat that rolled off him in powerful waves. “What about the consequences of your actions, Greg? What about t-“

  “Delainne- that’s enough!” Rounding the table as I cut Delainne’s tirade off prematurely, I grabbed her to pull her to my chest. She was drowning in the power of breaking a powerless situation, and she couldn’t see what I saw. Holding her head to my chest, I kissed her crown while Greg glared daggers. “Stop, sweetheart. You’ve done enough.”

  This was bad. Greg was fucking stupid, but he also wasn’t fucking stupid- not that that makes any sense. Still, he’d clearly lost this battle, and Delainne had humiliated him in front of an entire restaurant. Which meant that now, he had an axe to grind, and his behaviors would escalate.

  “It’s okay- I’m okay.” Inhaling deeply, sharply, Delainne stroked the lapel of my casual suit before stepping back. She glanced around, ignoring Greg as he sat in cold, furious silence before spotting our waitress. The woman was good, striding over with a huge, beaming grin cresting her cheeks. “I would like a different table, please. He can have this one.”

  “Of course.” The waitress was so giddy about Delainne’s display that she actually giggled, and I smiled even as tension roiled just under my skin. Keeping one eye on Greg as he sat and glared, I followed Delainne to a new table just a dozen feet away.

  And Greg sat there, like a kid in time out after he misbehaved. It was fucking glorious- if not a little foreboding. He won’t do anything tonight, though. He’ll stew on it until it gets overwhelming, which gives me some time.

  “I’m proud of you, sweetheart.” Delainne exhaled harshly from across the small table identical to our last one, and her face flooded a gentle shade of red. Pride bubbled up against my ribs like tar, and I reached across the table to hold her hand. Her engagement ring glittered brighter than before- or maybe it was a trick of the light. “It takes a lot of courage to deal with that. I’m proud of you. He doesn’t have a job, right?”

  “No.” Curiosity laced Delainne’s tone, and I smirked broadly as I cast Greg another look. He was so pissed that he just sat there, glaring, radiating anger and apprehension, and my grin widened. “Why?”

  “Excuse me-“ Ignoring the question to get our waitress’ attention as she sat our waters down, I squeezed Delainne’s hand even as I pointed to Greg. Mine was a personal indulgence- a little, testosterone-fueled fuck you- and she arched a brow as she pulled out her little pen and pad. “I’ll pay for whatever he wants to eat.”

  “Of course- is there anything else I can get you?” Shaking my head, I stroked Delainne’s hand as the waitress bounced off, assuring us that our original meals would be out shortly. Out of the corner of my eye, Greg bounced up like he had rockets strapped to his shoes and fast-walked to the door. The tiny chime echoed around the huge floor, and I exhaled slowly before rolling my shoulders to ease the stiffness.

  “Why did you offer to pay? I don’t get it.” Chuckling at the confusion painting Delainne’s expression, I tore my eyes off her to fiddle with her engagement ring. Should I get her a new one?

  “Ah- it’s a guy thing. Being a loser is emasculating, you know. Your competitor knowing he’s better than you is a horse pill to swallow. When someone knows exactly how much of a little bitch you are, it forces the realization that she’s probably not going to leave him for you.” Delainne didn’t have anything to say to that, and affection barreled through my chest at her slight shrug. “Anyway, back to the issue at hand?”

  Eric

  Watching Delainne pace furiously across the kitchen, I narrowed my eyes over the rim of my coffee cup. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife, and she dragged her hand through her hair for the umpteenth time. Despite the anguish rippling across her face, she didn’t cry, and she paused to take a shuddering, deep breath before facing me fully.

  “I just need to go by myself, okay? Tony’s here. It’ll be fine. I’ll be back before Maggie even knows I’m gone.” The high-pitched tone in her voice bounced off the tiled floor, and she screwed her lips in a grimace at her own rationale. “Greg wouldn’t come here, so she’ll be fine.”

  “Delainne, why can’t you just go with Tony? I know he’s on crutches, but he’s perfectly capable.” Immediately, Delainne shook her head viciously and began pacing again, and I glanced at my watch as I held back a sigh. “I need to go to work- why don’t I drop you off?”

  “I can go by myself, Eric.” She halted again, midstride, to frown at me, and my heart ached for her. Setting my cup down, I wandered over to wrap her in my arms as my mind circled through the shit-show that’d been the last 15 hours.

  “I’m not saying you can’t. I’m saying- I’ll give you a ride. That’s all.” Delainne was in full power-trip mode, and I couldn’t help but grimace at the tension that bristled through her back muscles. She’d stood up to Greg all by herself, and she was desperate to cling on to that lever of control. Rubbing her back in deep, long sweeps, I kissed her crown as her slender arms wrapped around my waist. “Just relax, sweetheart. Everything will be fine. I just am suggesting going with Tony and Maggie so that Maggie doesn’t feel left out. She loves doing things with you.”

  “I guess so…” Just in that moment, Maggie’s heavy, fast footfall on the stairs echoed through the house, and Delainne inhaled sharply. Her body deflated like a popped balloon, and I squeezed her before letting her go. Snatching up my coffee, I went bottoms up as my daughter bounced into the kitchen.

  Beyond the rim of my mug, Delainne’s entire body language changed, and a powerful wave of affection slammed into my chest. Her smile was big and bright, and there wasn’t the slightest hint of her turbulence as Maggie jumped in excitement.

  “♪We’re going shopping!♪�
� She was all dressed, my daughter, and she couldn’t keep her excitement at bay. Setting my empty mug in the sink, I couldn’t help but chuckle as Delainne nodded furiously- only moments ago, she was totally against this.

  But, Delainne needed clothes, and Maggie needed school clothes. This was a win-win in my opinion.

  “I’m all ready to go. Where’s Tony?” She talked and acted as if she hadn’t just tried to sneak out alone, and Delainne picked Maggie up effortlessly. “I haven’t seen him yet.”

  “Maggie.” Closing the small distance between us, I dropped a kiss on her temple and messed her wild bedhead. “I gotta go to work. Make sure Delainne doesn’t get lost in the mall, okay?”

  “Yeah. This is gunna be so fun- I’ll go get my hair box.” Wiggling down to rush upstairs once again, Maggie left Delainne and I in a pleasant silence. Hooking my arm around her waist, I kissed her lips hard, and she braced her palms against my chest with a soft moan. My need for her raged, tightening my abs under my uniform, and a growl built up in my chest before I pulled back.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to use my card? It’s not a big deal.” Shaking her head, Delainne cracked a grateful smile at my probing. She had her own money- money that she’d saved up working with her father- but it still left a bad taste in my mouth. Living out of a motel was expensive, after all, and she’d done it for well over two months if my math was correct.

  “It’s fine. Everything will be fine- just like you said.” Nodding firmly, I twisted as Maggie came thumping down the stairs, a small tote full of hair ties and brushes jostling in her hands. “You should go. I can handle this.”

  “I know you can, Delainne.” Giving her one last, pointed, look, I headed for the front door as Maggie launched into a tirade about how she wanted her hair. Until Delainne showed up, I only knew how to put her hair in a pony-tail, and even then, it was a 50-50 chance of being a disaster.

  My mind filled with all of the things that Delainne made up for in my parenting as I climbed in my car and backed out of the driveway. Doing Maggie’s hair might’ve seemed small, but my daughter was ecstatic that she could have a braid or proper pigtails or curls. Watching Maggie while I was at work, Delainne was giving Maggie experiences that a normal babysitter wouldn’t bother with.

  A normal babysitter wouldn’t go shopping, and I knew full well that Delainne would come back with some crazy choices.

  Glancing in my rearview mirror, I frowned at the ugly, beat up, yellow car that rode my tail end. I hadn’t even made it to the first turn off my street, and irritation swirled in my chest. The sun reflected off the windshield, and I grumbled to myself as I flicked on my blinker and slowed for a stop sign.

  The vehicle behind me sputtered dangerously as it followed me into the left turn, and I squinted to get a better look. Surprise and a sharp spear of annoyance tightened my chest, and I nearly slammed on the brakes before thinking better of it.

  Greg was officially an unredeemable fucking idiot. There he was, clear as day, scowling as he leaned far back in his seat- so far that I wasn’t sure he could see over the wheel. Grumbling softly to myself, I fiddled with my cell phone to listen to the ring blare through my car speakers.

  “Detective Jonathan.”

  “Dude- hey, it’s Eric.” Flexing my hands on the wheel, I rolled my jaw absently as I jammed the gas. The tiny, unkept vehicle behind me lagged behind far enough, and the engine sputtered when Greg tried to catch up. “I need you to look up a license plate for me. It’s a long story, but I’ll fill you in later, okay?”

  “Uh- okay. Go ahead.” Jonathan was such a good guy, not bothering to question me; maybe it was our friendship, or maybe, it was just the no-nonsense tone in my voice. Rattling off the plate as I kept one eye on Greg, I headed towards the center of town using the same route I took every day.

  Even if this asshole was smart enough to know my habit, he wasn’t so smart that he’d realize I was heading right for the station.

  “Yeah- that’s a stolen car from some crapheap on the coast. Why?” The wise, old man that had tried to talk me into joining the force upon my arrival in this city was quiet for a moment. Apprehension bored holes into my gut, and he grunted as his side of the line crackled ominously. “I hope your explanation is good. Are you on your way to the station? I just got in.”

  “Yeah, it is. I’ll be there in, like, 10 minutes. Bring some backup or something, though- this guy’s a fucking lunatic. I’ll buy you a beer and tell you the story tonight.” My mind churned even as Jonathan hung up on me, and I licked my teeth as the muscles in my legs tightened. Glancing in the rearview mirror, my eyes narrowed and strained with the urge to just jump out of my car and beat the living shit out of Greg.

  I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that I really should just throw caution to the wind and shoot him- that doing anything less would invite some trouble.

  “Fucking Hell, man.” Clenching and releasing my jaw absently, I scowled at my reflection as Greg came dangerously close to tapping my back bumper. Reaching across the center console, I grabbed my gun out of the compartment, and the goosebumps ravaging underneath my suit instantly died down. The comfortable weight and coldness eased some of the tension in my muscles, and I silently begged Greg to hit me.

  But he never did, and his tentativeness was really fucking annoying.

  Jonathan was idling outside the huge, brick building labeled in huge, metal letters, and I flashed my lights at him as I pulled over. Only then did Greg realize what was happening, and he tried to drag his useless excuse for a car past me. Sitting on a busy, congested corner of downtown, the station’s walls easily hid the cruiser waiting for him, and I hopped out of my car just as the lights started flashing.

  “Wow… how dumb is this guy?” Taking a long, exaggerated drag of his cigarette, Jonathan sauntered over to me with a grimace, and I grinned maliciously. Leaning on my car, I watched in sickening joy as Greg was pulled out of the car without any questions at all. “He’s not from around here, huh?”

  “He’s my fiancée’s obsessive step-brother.” Jonathan’s bushy eyebrows disappeared beyond his salt-and-pepper hair, and I chuckled as he dropped his cigarette. “I told you- it’s a bit of a story.”

  “I’m definitely going to need that beer to hear it, man.” Greg shot me the meanest glare possible as he was summarily cuffed, his car left in the middle lane. My grin only widened as he was jostled towards the sidewalk, but that gnawing feeling only ate deeper into my gut. “He looks slippery. I don’t like it.”

  Jonathan’s admission only tightened my abdomen, and prickles shot down my spine. This wasn’t done just because Greg was arrested. Of that, I was absolutely sure.

  Delainne

  Holding Maggie’s hand tightly as we wandered through the packed mall, I couldn’t help but smile at her blabbering. She pointed out every store she’d ever gone to, what she’d gotten there, and commented on whether or not the employees were ‘good’ or ‘bad’. On her opposite side, Tony was clearly having an uncomfortable time as he pushed a carriage, and I pursed my lips as I cast him a concerned glance.

  “If you want to sit down- I’m getting a little hungry. Maybe we can take a break?” Tony scowled at my concern, but he couldn’t hide the twinkle of appreciation in his eye. Turning my gaze to Maggie, I checked the time on my phone before nodding firmly. “Let’s do that. What place is the best, Maggie, huh?”

  This mall was like every other mall I’d ever been to, and the food court wasn’t anything particularly special, either. In the end, Maggie chose to get McDonalds, and I ordered from the taco place that sat right beside it. Tony found us a place to sit, and he would rub his leg and side every time I looked back over my shoulder. As bad as I felt for him and his injuries, I knew he wouldn’t appreciate it.

  He didn’t want pity for being blown up in the defense of his country- it was an honor for him. His scars were his pride.

  “So-“ Once we were seated, and Maggie was digging into her Happy Meal, Tony spo
ke up, and I passed him his tacos before he continued. “I was wondering… why haven’t your parents come after you, yet?”

  My heart stuttered at the probe, and I propped my elbow on the table to hold my chin in my palm. Greg shadowed my thoughts, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d thought about my father or step-mother and what I might’ve been putting them through. Of course, I did think about them, but it was always in relation to my step-brother. Rolling my lips between my teeth as I unwrapped my taco gingerly, I shrugged even as regret tightened my chest.

  “My dad knows I’m okay- he knows where I am. Our bank accounts are linked, so he can find out what I’ve been doing with a simple phone call. I never wanted to live under his thumb, and he knows that.” Meeting Tony’s gaze, I clenched my jaw at the silent understanding that passed between us. “I didn’t tell him I was leaving, but I didn’t try to stop him from figuring out where I was. I just… I left my phone because it was just easier. I wouldn’t have to deal with the aftermath of leaving so suddenly and not telling anyone.”

  “Are you gunna tell your dad so he can come and see how happy you are? That way, he won’t worry.” Maggie’s innocent question pulled my attention, and I smiled absently as I reached to stroke her long, thick braid. She munched happily on a chicken nugget, and her eyes glistened with childish innocence. “Is he gunna be my grampa if you and Dad get married?”

  “We don’t know if we’re going to get married, Maggie. I told you before, right? It takes a long time to get married.” Clearly, Maggie didn’t listen to the multiple explanations that Eric and I had reinforced- or attempted to. “I don’t know how it would work, honestly.”