Page 7 of Nothing to Beat (Nothing to… #13)

SHE FOUGHT TO dip her head back enough to speak. “If we’re having sex, lock that door or text Tripp. Your mother walking in is one thing, but if Ben’s on his way—”

“We’re not having sex.” The tension ebbed just a little as he sat back, still holding her head. “You’re going to tell me why you haven’t taken a test.”

The hold became more of a caress until he was stroking her hair back from her cheeks over and over.

“Because if it’s negative, the hope goes away.”

“Did I tell you it was a one-shot deal?” he asked. “Hell, if I said that, would you believe me?”

No, probably not, the last few minutes were a good indicator of their typical restraint around each other, or more accurately, their lack thereof.

“Why do we have to know so urgently?” Somewhere in the course of the night’s dramatic events, they’d become “ we ” again. How did that happen? That mindset needed to be turned on its head, quick, for both of their sakes. “Why does it matter?”

“Because there are steps you should be taking if you’re pregnant. If we know, we can make adjustments to—”

“I take vitamins. I eat right. Exercise. You know these things about me.”

“And alcohol?”

“I stopped drinking at Thanksgiving.”

When her drive to procreate ramped up. Hoping the possibility was on the horizon, she’d taken steps to give them their best shot.

“Work?” he asked. “You’ve been in late every night for weeks.”

A busy mind meant less speculating. “There are things to do and I love my job. Gil’s leaving at the end of the month.”

“Yes.”

Since the opportunity presented itself… “And I don’t know that we need a new person, you should promote from within.”

“If you have a suggestion…” He was edging nearer to scrunchy until he figured her out. “If you want the job, it’s yours. Can you shoulder two divisions?”

“Just to be nice, I won’t slap you in the face for your doubt. I think choosing someone internal makes more sense than breaking in a stranger. I’m assertive, I’m loyal, I’m tenacious—”

“You’re my girl. I was sold before you started talking.

” His fingers were slower in combing through her hair.

“Love, you could have my job if you wanted it. Hell, if you wanted Dad’s job, I’d find a way to give it to you.

” His other hand rested on her thigh, high up, so his fingers could graze her abdomen.

“How will you handle two divisions with a baby?”

“Women work and have children all the time. How can you doubt me?”

“I do not doubt you. But this is a good time to remind you there’s no need to do it alone.”

“Breckenridge have daycare.”

“They do. And would you expect me to walk past my child every day and fail to acknowledge them?”

Perhaps he’d meant that to be somber or sharp, instead a laugh whispered past her lips. “I think it would be easier for you than it would be for your mom.”

And as he explored her, his probing curled around her heart. No matter the laughter, he could read deep truths within her that even she couldn’t interpret.

“You’re worried about your father.”

All frivolity fled.

“Why did you do that?” she asked, mood flipped on its head. “We were having a perfectly nice conversation.” She tried to get up. “Please don’t talk about him.”

He caught her hips to clamp her down. “We can protect you.”

“That’s not your job.”

That truth didn’t make a jot of difference to him. “How far do you think he’ll go?”

“With my father, I’d never venture a guess. He’ll always surprise us.”

“My brothers own one of the largest security firms in the country—”

“I know that.”

“We can have you surrounded twenty-four, seven.”

“That’s not the way I want to raise my child.”

“What’s more important than their safety?” The sheer struggle written in his expression cut her deep. He literally couldn’t figure it out. No matter how hard or long he thought about it, he’d never come up with an answer because there wasn’t one, not a happy one. “Coy, I’ll keep you safe.”

“I am not your burden to bear.” How many times had she said it? “This isn’t your responsibility. If he doesn’t know it’s your child—”

“I don’t give a fuck who the father is,” he said. “Look me in the eye, Coy, and tell me it would matter. Tell me I’d fight any less for you, and this baby, whether it was biologically mine or not.”

He’d move heaven and earth for her. All those corny lines about a guy switching the sun and moon and rearranging the stars? Yeah, it was all talk, no man would be capable. None except her Breck.

Any other guy might say he didn’t care about parentage.

Any other woman would be right to hesitate.

Except Breck’s squadron of brothers weren’t biologically related, some were, some weren’t, and it didn’t matter.

Genes were irrelevant, love was love, family was family.

They were all Breckenridges just the same.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen this way.” Everything was all screwed up. Why couldn’t life just go to plan? “People weren’t supposed to know. Why did you have to open your big mouth?”

“If you’d talked to me in person…”

“Oh, no, don’t put this on me. It was private. It should’ve been private. I told you it was private. We’re private.”

“My family don’t lie to each other. Did you think they wouldn’t notice you pregnant or with a baby? How long would it take them to ask?”

“Haven was right, I should’ve used a sperm bank. It worked for her.”

“Then what? Your father is persistent.” He linked their hands. “Any child you have will be at risk.”

“He’s not at risk.” In offense, she snatched her hands back. “My child will grow up healthy and happy. We don’t know that my father will be interested at all. You know how he feels about promiscuity.”

“You’re not promiscuous.”

“You know what I mean.”

“How he feels about sex before marriage when it comes to his little girls? Yes, I do. Is that the—you think because this child will be born out of wedlock he’ll let it slide?”

Archaic way of putting it, but accurate. “His rules are specific.”

“And you’ve never played by them.”

She had, actually, for years, as a child, before realizing there was another way.

“This is my life. I will live it how I want to live it.”

“Except you won’t because you won’t marry me.”

“That’s my choice, not his.”

“You make it because of him…” Pouncing up from the bed, he stalked to the glazed wall to gaze out over the city. “Coy, we’ve played this game for too long.”

“Which is why we need a clean break.”

“You think that’s possible?” He spun around, throwing an arm out to his side. “I stare at you all goddamn day. I can’t hear myself think when you’re in the building.”

Which was all the time. “Are you telling me to quit my job?”

“No,” he said, stalking back to her. “You belong to Breckenridge and you always will. I’d never let anyone else hire you. If they tried it, we’d initiate a hostile takeover not long after.”

The words “Breckenridge” and “hostile” were contradictory. Trust her Breck to be the first breaking the mold, and for her to be the one prompting it. Such a good family didn’t deserve to be connected to someone like her.

Oh, it was fraught, and so much could go wrong, but she sighed. “That’s a ridiculous statement. It’s arrogant, misogynistic, abusive behavior…”

Again, he sat with her. “And you can’t get enough of it. You know you belong to me, Coy. You want me to own you, like you own me.” His fingers brushed across her cheek. “I’d never let any man take you from me, including your father.”

Her stomach lightened. He always did that, got close and inspired need, hope… na?veté.

“This responsibility isn’t on your shoulders,” she stated. “I’ve told you that. How many times have I told you that? We’ve had this conversation. We are through, Breck, finished, over, finito. My business is no longer your business.”

She hated being abrupt. Though it wasn’t like he couldn’t take it.

In his job, he dealt with tough customers every day.

The role demanded he bear responsibility for corporate Breckenridge.

And at home? He shouldered responsibility for every one of his brothers.

You know that saying about the camel and the straw?

She wouldn’t be the straw. That decision was clear cut when it came to them.

Ending their relationship was the most difficult thing she’d ever done.

Until then anyway. It wasn’t about her biological clock, not as such.

Having children had always been an ambition.

For years, it was one of those things out there on the agenda that they just hadn’t got to yet.

And when the time came? It could only be him. Why could it only be him?

A knock at the door interrupted his scrutiny. Opportunistic, because what could he say?

Roxie poked her head around the door. “The doctor’s here. Alice is getting twitchy, you need to see this guy.”

“Yeah, send him in.”

“Coy—”

“We’ll finish this later.”

So much of her time was spent thinking about what he’d do for her.

She spent little acknowledging just what she’d do for him.

Although he couldn’t see it, putting up barriers protected him.

Regardless of what he thought of her, she would act in his best interest. And when it came to her father, she was a world authority.

“Do you want me to stay?” Breck asked.

“No.” Her gaze switched to Roxie. “Would you stay with me?”

“Yes, absolutely. I’ll stay.”

Whatever his thoughts, he kept them to himself. In typical Breck fashion, he stood up straight, expression inscrutable, and stalked out like he had somewhere else to be. Big faker. Man had nowhere else to be. Nowhere was ever more important than right next to her.

“Are you sure you want me?” Roxie came closer to the bed. “We just met tonight, and—”

“Everyone else out there is a Breckenridge. I don’t want to impose, but from everything I’ve heard you take supporting people seriously, especially women.”

Roxie’s cheeks plumped. “We’re going to be fast friends.” The woman went around the bed to climb on the unoccupied side. “Anything I should know?”

The doctor came in carrying a bulky first aid bag. “Ms. Drury, I understand you took a tumble.”

Yes, many years ago she’d tumbled head over heels for a man she could never have.

So much for her straightforward plan. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

The pregnancy was supposed to be quick and easy, the getting pregnant part anyway.

She’d figured when it was done, when he’d done his duty, she’d have what she wanted and no one would get hurt.

Now it was all complicated and messy. How was she going to clean this up?