“I’m worried that Tony is going to try something with Joey. And legally, if he wants to make a fuss, I can’t stop him.”
“Is his name on the birth certificate?”
“No, but if he kept the texts I sent him, he could probably force a paternity test and Joey is his. I didn’t sleep with anyone else in that time period.”
“He’s never shown any interest before, though, right?”
“I was still only about eight weeks pregnant when he gave me the ultimatum, so no. No contact at all.”
“If he really wants to take it to court, we can fight him.”
“West, I don’t have the money for a court battle! And before you say you’ll pay for it, you know how I feel about that.”
“Are you really going to let your pride get in the way of protecting Joey?”
She sighs. “That’s not fair.”
“Maybe not, but if we’re going to be together, you have to let me in, angel.”
“Look who’s talking.”
I pause. “Is that comment about Briar? Because I’ll tell you anything you want to know. I don’t have anything to hide. I just thought it would be easier not to bring baggage into something new.”
“We can’t outrun our pasts.”
“No, but we should be able to put them behind us.”
“Apparently not always.” She sighs heavily.
I stroke my hands up and down her arm, the curve of her hip, the side of her thigh. She’s warm and soft and sexy, and even though I’d like to make love to her, I don’t think this is the time. She needs more from me tonight than sex. I’m just not sure exactly what that is.
“How can I help you relax?” I ask gently.
“By doing what you’re doing. Touching me. Talking to me. Letting me know you’re here for me.”
“I can do those things.”
“I don’t want this to come between us, West.”
“Do you still have feelings for him?”
“Ineverhad feelings for him.”
“Then we don’t have to worry about it, angel.”
I say the words because I know that’s what she needs to hear, but I’m not sure I believe them.
Briar said all the right things. She assured me everything between her and her daughter’s father was in the past. He’d been gone for nearly five years and didn’t even know she was pregnant when he left. A military-man-turned-spy or some bullshit. He had all the right excuses to win her back even though I didn’t know it at the time.
I thought I could trust her and what we were building.
Turns out, I couldn’t.
And I don’t know how to reconcile how that made me feel with this new situation with Serena. It’s not fair to compare but my heart doesn’t care what’s fair—it only cares about not getting hurt. Kind of like the rest of me.
Chapter
Thirty