Dare to Hold (12 page)

“That you are, baby.”

She closed her eyes and obviously focused on slowing her breathing. “I don’t, that is…” She stammered over her words. “It has to be the pregnancy hormones,” she muttered finally.

He knew exactly what she was referring to. “It’s not the hormones,” he said, disgruntled. He’d had enough sex—he’d even had sex with his pregnant ex—to know better. Nothing he’d ever experienced came close to Scott and Meg together.

He reached for her, pulling her on top of him. “This,” he said, punctuating the word by rolling his cock against her sex, “isn’t just random fucking hormones.”

Her eyes opened wide. She was surprised either by his harsh tone or his body’s already thickening response.
That
sure as hell shocked him.

“I didn’t mean—”

“Yeah, you did.” He crushed his mouth against hers, plowing his tongue inside and claiming her in the most primitive way possible. When he pulled back, he pressed her head into his shoulder and closed his eyes, both startled and alarmed by his primitive response to her trying to brush off something he’d never ever felt before.

They lay in silence, her breasts crushed to his chest and her warm breath on his cheek.

“Scott?” She wriggled free, and he let her roll off him.

“Hmm?”

“This is really scary,” she whispered.

His heart cracked a little bit at her admission.

“One minute I was pregnant and alone, dealing with a huge upcoming life change and an asshole ex, knowing I had to step up as the sole adult and take charge. And the next I have you barging in like some white knight, taking over.”

He met her gaze, keeping one arm around her waist. “It’s overwhelming for me too.”

Surprise flickered in her dark eyes.

“But us—we’re a good thing. You’re not in this alone anymore.” And he meant it. He was falling hard and fast for her, and he wasn’t going to fight something that felt so right.

A tear fell, and he caught it with his fingertip. “Hey. What is it?”

She met his gaze. “I don’t understand what you’re doing with me,” she said honestly. “And that’s not putting myself down or even short-changing myself. It’s a fact. But it’s also a fact that I’m grateful you’re here, and I’m not strong enough to turn you away.”

“Good. Because you’d have a real fight on your hands. Some things are just meant to be.”

“And in my experience, fairy tales don’t come true.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Don’t think too hard, okay?” Lord knew he was trying not to.

She sniffed and nodded. “I’ll try.”

“Good. Are you tired?” he asked.

“Beyond.”

“Then let’s get some sleep.”

*     *     *

Monday morning came way too fast. Scott stayed the weekend, and Meg couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed just hanging around and relaxing quite so much. He liked action movies and so did she, which meant they were able to agree on what to watch. They viewed
The Expendables
on Netflix, so he got his action, and she got her fill of Jason Statham, and moved on to the
Taken
series, which she’d missed in theaters. Liam Neeson certainly wasn’t hard on the eyes either.

Before she left for work, Scott reminded her that Rick would be following her to school and waiting in the parking lot just in case her ex decided to make an appearance. Scott was heading over to his brother’s so they could hammer out business details and talk to a lawyer to make his partnership and ownership of Double Down Security official.

He left her with a kiss and, “Have a good day, baby.”

Her heart fluttered at that, and she set out for work. Maybe because her mood was good, the kids were on their best behavior and the morning flew by. When she sent them off to the music teacher for half an hour, she headed back to her classroom for a brief break but didn’t get much time before the intercom sounded in her room. Allie asked her to come to the office, and Meg headed down the long hallway lined with children’s artwork on various class bulletin boards before arriving at the office.

Allie’s desk was directly in front of the doorway. “Hi,” she said to her friend.

“Hi.” Allie smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Meg, these people would like to speak with you.” She gestured to an elegant blonde with a classic bob hairstyle and light makeup, wearing a dressy pants suit. By her side was a gentleman with graying hair and a well-fitting suit.

Meg didn’t know them, and if they’d been the parents of her students, she would have. In a shocking change of pace, they’d all shown up for parent-teacher night. She didn’t recognize either of these people.

“Ms. Thompson?” the man asked.

Meg nodded warily. “How can I help you?”

The woman stepped closer and spoke in a low tone. “I’m Lydia Ashton and this is my husband, Walter.”

“Ashton? As in Mike Ashton?” Meg asked, as lights began to flicker in front of her eyes. She was suddenly dizzy. She reached for the wall behind her, seeking support.

The woman gave her a slight nod. “We’re Mike’s parents.”

Meg drew a forced breath. She wasn’t about to have a conversation with them here, where, heaven forbid, the principal could overhear. He was already upset with her pregnant single mother status. She had no desire for him to find her having personal meetings during school time.

Meg pulled herself up to her full height. “Let’s go talk somewhere private. I only have another twenty minutes before my students return.” She led them away from Allie’s curious stare to a quiet part of the hallway where no classrooms were located. “Why are you here? What do you want?” Meg asked.

“Mike tells us you refuse to see him,” his mother said.

Rick, her bodyguard, sat in his car, watching for Mike, who, thanks to online photos, he’d recognize on sight. Were his parents here because he couldn’t show up himself?

Meg curled her hands into fists. “I have a restraining order against him, which means I don’t
have
to see him. And he’s already violated that order once. If the police catch him near me, they’ll arrest him.” Meg’s legs shook, and she leaned against the wall to steady herself.

“Yes, that is unfortunate. My son is … a disappointment, to say the least.”

Meg’s eyes opened wide at that unexpected statement.

“That’s why we’re here. We”—the older woman pointed between herself and her husband—“want to know we’ll be able to see our grandchild.”

Meg shook her head in disbelief. “You do realize, when I told your son he was going to be a father, he questioned paternity,” she said, still offended by his insinuation. “I’m happy to take any damned test. It’s his. He was furious and he pushed me, hard. I fell and nearly lost the baby.” She swallowed hard. “Your son is an abuser.”

Her voice cracked, and she rested her hands on her stomach. “All I want is for Mike to sign away his parental rights. My lawyer sent him the papers, and based on his initial reaction, I don’t understand why he hasn’t done it already.”

A terrifying thought occurred to her as she stared at the couple. “Has he changed his mind? Because I don’t want him anywhere near me or my child.”

A surprising look of regret and compassion passed over the other woman’s face. “As I said, Mike is a disappointment. He isn’t interested in being a father.”

“Then why won’t he sign the papers?” Meg asked.

Lydia Ashton turned, and a look passed between her and her husband, one Meg couldn’t begin to decipher. “We don’t know why Mike behaves the way he does,” she said when she turned back to Meg. “He was always a trying child. He tested us at every turn, and when he found alcohol, we lost all semblance of control.”

“You threw him out,” Meg said, repeating what Mike had told her.

The other woman winced. “More than once, hoping he’d hit rock bottom and want help.”

“But he kept finding unwitting people to see the best in him and take him in,” Walter said, speaking up for the first time.

“Like me.” Meg shook her head.

“Don’t be hard on yourself. We know how charming he can be.”

Meg swallowed hard. “Well, I’m sorry you drove over here for nothing. Mike knows what I want from him, and this is between him and my lawyer.”

Lydia reached out a hand to touch Meg’s shoulder, then reconsidered. “You do realize we’re going to be this child’s family.”

“Not if your son signs those papers.” Meg hung on to the slim hope that her ex would act on common sense. He didn’t want anything to do with her or the baby.

“We don’t want to lose access,” Lydia warned her. “Family is very important to us.”

And look what a wonderful job they’d done with their own son, Meg thought bitterly, but she wasn’t cruel enough to say so.

Lydia shook her perfectly coiffed head. “We just want you to agree to let us see the baby, our
grandchild
. If you do, perhaps we can persuade Mike to do as you asked and sign away his rights … not ours.”

Meg narrowed her gaze. Would they really help her cut their son out? Or was this a game of some sort?

On the one hand, she understood where these people were coming from. She didn’t have much in the way of family, and if her baby could have good, decent people in her life besides Meg… But that was the issue, wasn’t it? She didn’t know the Ashtons at all. Except for what Mike had told her about them being too controlling. And Mike’s word wasn’t to be trusted.

“We just want to be close to the baby. My hope is that you and I can work something out,” Lydia said softly, her tone pleading. She reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper with a phone number on it. “Here. Please think about it.”

Meg accepted the paper, knowing she’d do nothing
but
think.

Lydia studied her for a long moment, then inclined her head. “Thank you for seeing us.”

If she’d had a choice, she wouldn’t have, Meg thought. But then this woman had known the element of surprise would work in her favor.

Meg waited until she’d returned to her classroom to let her emotions free. Her shoulders dropped, and she fell into her chair, shaking. Although the Ashtons hadn’t threatened her, they’d made it clear they wanted access to
her
baby. She covered her stomach protectively, wondering how she could gauge the truth about them.

Maybe Tyler’s man would uncover information that would help her decide. Her own knowledge was limited. From her early days with Mike, she knew that controlling him via the purse strings was his parents’ favorite sport. Although Meg had come to learn Mike did nothing to support himself financially, and so he relied on his parents, making himself subject to their whims. It was a messy family dynamic. Meg didn’t want to be a pawn in their schemes. If there was a scheme. Maybe they were being honest.

Her head began to pound. She just didn’t want her child to be drawn into an abusive or unstable environment. Meg had had enough of that herself, growing up.

Of course, after the Ashtons’ visit, the rest of the day dragged on. Meg was preoccupied, so the whining and complaints of the children seemed exacerbated and more annoying. She kept a smile on her face and focused on the kids and her work, finally making it through to the release bell.

She always waited until her young children’s parents came to get them. Today, two were late. She didn’t want the kids to be scared or feel lost or unwanted. By the time Meg walked out of the building, most teachers had left for the day.

She exited and caught sight of Rick sitting in his car, watching. Just the sight of him made her feel safer.

She blew out a breath and was about to head for her own car when her cell rang. Hoping it was Scott, she answered without looking at the caller ID.

“Hello?”

“You stupid bitch! What are you doing talking to my parents?” Mike’s scratchy yell caught her off guard.

At the sound of his voice, she dropped her bag. How did he know she’d seen his parents?

Oh God. He’d obviously been watching her somehow, and she swung around, searching for any sign of him in the few vehicles remaining in the parking lot, without luck.

She refocused on the call. “Mike! Just sign the papers, and I’ll be out of your life!”

“I can’t. If I do, my parents will cut me off for good.”

Meg closed her eyes and groaned, things becoming clearer. This was about money. Wasn’t everything in Mike’s life? Hadn’t he moved in with her when his parents had cut him off the last time?

Meg pressed the phone to her head, trying to think things through. She was already considering granting his parents their request, assuming they turned out to be decent people. Would that satisfy Mike? Would he sign away his rights and disappear from her life?

“What if I promised your parents
they
could see the baby? Without you,” she made clear.

“No!” He hissed. “They’ll try to take over its life.”

“He or she!” Meg spat into the phone. “Don’t call my child an it.” Stupid, selfish bastard.

“What the fuck ever, Meg. Doesn’t matter. They can’t have a relationship with
him
,” he sneered. “They’ll make the baby their heir, and I’ll lose everything.”

Oh, boo hoo, she thought. How had she ever thought he was charming? He had been though. Before the alcohol. Or before he’d let her see this side of him, anyway.

“What do I have to do to get you out of my life?” she asked as she picked up the items that had fallen out of her open purse.

“What I told you to do from the beginning. Get rid of the fucking baby. I’ll go back to being the perfect son, and my parents won’t have another heir to threaten me with.”

Horrified, she was just about ready to hit disconnect when Mike spoke again. “You do it or I’ll do it for you.”

Meg dropped her phone and forced a gulp of humid Florida air into her lungs. She remained on her knees, unable to believe what she’d just heard.

“Meg!” An unfamiliar male voice called her name. She swung her head around to see Rick coming toward her.

He knelt and tossed the remaining items on the floor into her purse, then helped her to her feet. “What happened?”

She looked into steady green eyes and drew a calming breath. “I had a visit from my ex’s parents at school earlier today. And Mike called just now.”