Page 51 of Double Daddies (Dirty Daddies Anthologies #8)

“Love you,” I answer back, giving him a smile as I drop his hand and stand up.

I glance to the other man in the room, fishing for what to say to him.

There’s so much to be said, the air feels heavy with expectation, but I don’t have time to deal with it right now. “It was… nice to see you again, Ryle.”

I run out of the room, making a beeline for my bedroom before anyone can see my flushed cheeks and assume things from my expressions before I even know what I feel.

Ben

My jaw tightens as I see Cami flee from the room. Without meaning to, I’ve balled my hands into fists, a fact I don’t realize until I feel the ache in my fingers.

I can’t believe he did this… violated our space this way.

I shift my eyes to Ryle, who is staring at the empty space Cami’s departure left. The sight of it affects me more than it probably should. It almost looks like he… loves her. Which is crazy because Cami said they’d only met once before.

Then again, I fell in love with her super-quick, too. That’s easy to do where Cami is concerned. She’s just that sweet, and vibrant, and innocent. And I’ve spent our entire relationship trying to protect her. Trying to protect her from guys like him .

The realization makes my hands clench into fists again. “You shouldn’t be here,” I say, my voice quiet, but full of heat.

“You shouldn’t have followed me.”

I flick my eyes over to Ryle, raking him with my gaze.

For the hundredth time in the last two hours, I can’t help but think, she was honestly into this guy?

His suit is immaculate and tailored to fit his broad shoulders and tapered waist. But he seems all about his wealth and the power it brings.

I know his type, and I’ve got him pegged.

“Look.” My voice is clipped and commanding. “You?—”

A sudden movement out of the corner of my eye distracts me from what I was going to say. Cami is rushing still, this time in the opposite direction. “Sorry again. Um, we’ll talk… later?”

“Yes,” we both answer in unison. I glare at Ryle, then shift my gaze back to Cami. “Of course. Have a good shift, sweetheart. See you when you get home.”

“Thanks.” She smiles, and for just a second, things feel normal.

“When do you think we could sit down together?” Ryle asks, shattering my illusion.

Cami bites down so hard on her lip, I wince in pain.

“Um… I’m not sure. We’ll figure something out,” she says then whirls around and walks out the door. Even as the door closes behind her, it seems to sigh with relief on her behalf.

“You make her uncomfortable,” I accuse as soon as we’re alone.

Ryle’s mouth lifts in a lazy smile. “Stop projecting,”

“Listen, man?—”

He holds up a hand to cut off my protest. “This is actually quite simple.”

I snort. What planet is he from ?

“This is between Cami and I?—”

“Between Cami and me, you mean.”

He continues as though I never spoke. “She said she wants to wait until the baby is born. So that’s what we’ll do.”

I fold my arms over my chest and glower. “You’re right. And when the baby is born, you can disappear.”

He doesn’t answer, at least not in words.

He folds his lips together and looks back with just as much malice as I feel toward him.

The room fairly crackles with the electricity of the fury we’re both battling.

We both know if the paternity test says it’s his baby, he’s not going anywhere.

And neither will I—because whether he likes it or not, until she tells me otherwise, Cami is mine.

“You shouldn’t have followed me,” he says at last.

“No,” I answer curtly. “I shouldn’t have. But Cami means everything to me. If I had it all to do over again, I’d do the same thing.”

His eyes flicker over me, much like mine had earlier in turn, and I could swear I see begrudging respect lurking in his brown depths.

“How did you and Cami meet?”

Ryle weighs my question, and I’m not sure he’ll answer, but then he clears his throat.

“I went into the ER. I was in a car accident and needed stitches. While I was there, one of the nurses noticed a lump on my neck. I thought it was from the accident, but she made a big deal about it, and I agreed to get it biopsied.” He cleared his throat, clearly emotional though he maintains eye contact.

“I got the call a week after I was released that it was cancerous.”

I take all this in. “Sorry to hear that.”

He shrugs. “I’m alive, for the time being. They caught it early and believe they got it all. Still, the radiation treatments months later…”

I nod. “And so Cami… she only saw you that once?”

He considers me. “Yes. And then when I bumped into her at the club weeks later, I asked if I could buy her a drink. Then we danced?—”

“I get it.”

Ryle obliges and falls quiet.

I rake my hand over my hair, grateful for the peace, even though I know it can’t last.

He clears his throat. “Earlier, with Cami… what happened there? It seemed like you both are used to it, so I was just wondering…”

He trails off and I consider him and his question. Eying him up and down, I make my decision. I walk to the door, turn the knob and throw it open. “I don’t help people who blackmail me to get into my home. Have a nice day, Ryle.”

Ryle

I’m not surprised when the boyfriend demands I leave.

I lift my chin, nodding in his direction, and I’ve just turned away when I freeze.

This isn’t a familiar feeling for me—leaving with this pit in my stomach.

Shame. Which is absurd because I don’t have a thing to apologize for. None of what has happened is my fault.

I pivot back toward Boyfriend and clear my throat.

I can see at a glance that he knows I’m not leaving yet, and that it pisses him off.

Well, good. I’m kinda pissed myself at this point.

But if I want a shot at really making this work until Cami has the baby, it’s time to be vulnerable.

That, in and of itself, I don’t enjoy. But doing it for this guy…

it takes a lot of swallowing pride. “I never thought about being a father. Not until my doctor told me radiation pretty much guaranteed me I never would be.”

Boyfriend folds his arms across his chest and gives me a narrow stare. I don’t know him well enough to have any idea what he’s thinking, and he doesn’t oblige me by letting me in on his thoughts.

I have to admire him for holding his ground. Most people can’t help asking me a question or three.

“And then it was all I could think about. I come from a, ah, well-off family.”

This at least gets a snort and an eye-brow raise.

“I’m an only child—my parents wanted more, but my mom couldn’t have any after me, as it turns out.” I shrug a shoulder. “I guess deep down I always thought I’d have a child one day, someone to carry on the family legacy. Ever since you told me Cami’s pregnant and it might be my baby?—”

“Might be.” The words shoot from his mouth, clipped and forceful.

I nod, acknowledging his concern. “Still. I want to do whatever I can to put both of you at ease.”

“Good.” The word is so soft I almost don’t hear it—but I read his lips just fine. “Then leave .”

I sigh and dip my head, resigned. I do what he says.

I can see I won’t be able to accomplish any kinship with him just now—maybe never.

But I have to try. I walk to the door and reach for the knob when it hits me.

I turn around and face him once more. “Just so you know, whatever happens from here on out, we’re even. I won’t report you following me.”

A muscle ticks along his jaw, but he nods. I wait a moment longer, but it’s the only acknowledgement I receive. I let myself out, softly closing the door behind me.

My car is on the curb, but I hardly see my black Audi Q8 as I walk right past it. I want to stretch my legs—exercise always helps me think, and I have a lot to think about at the moment. Not only that, but I want to see the neighborhood Cami lives in—where my child might live one day.

I’ve gone about three blocks before I decide I have no cause for complaints.

It’s nice. The apartment buildings are nice, the yards well maintained.

There’s even a small playground, and I stand there for longer than I probably should, staring at the pair of empty swings, watching as the breeze makes them sway.

There’s a colorful jungle gym and I gaze at it, wondering what my child might look like gripping those dark blue bars.

There was a time when I would have sneered at such simple accommodations, but cancer is a great equalizer.

I now know that everyone doesn’t need the same things to be happy.

After all, my father’s fortune hasn’t really bought me happiness, has it?

Luxury, yes, and ease… but I am old enough to know that there’s no specific balance in the bank that can make you happy.

Cami… that night with her was one of the rare nights of happiness in my life.

And to hear that she could be carrying my child…

it was indescribable, the feeling inside my chest. It’s equal parts fear, joy, and hope.

But there’s a problem: Ben. Clearly, Cami truly cares for him, which means that no matter what the DNA test shows, he will be in the picture.

Sure, I’ll admit that I’d considered wooing her away with fancy gifts and trips that he would never be able to compete with, but even as the thought crossed my mind, I discarded it.

That was the easy way, and I don’t want to win Cami the easy way.

I’m lost in thought when I realize a mother is giving me strange glances, then looking back to her toddler playing in the sandbox.

I realize then I have a scowl on my face and decide to head back before I start a panic at the playground.

I turn and head for my car, but I can’t shake my thoughts. Ben is a problem I don’t know how to solve.