Strollers & Stilettos: A Sexy Contemporary Romance (In Stilettos Book 4) (14 page)

Jaya cracked her neck. “I’m not mad at him for omitting. It’s the lying. He lied. And let’s not forget that he’s plotting behind my back to send Alexa somewhere.”

Ricca shrugged. “Well, maybe he didn’t want to get into it right then. He’s probably trying to keep her safe.”

“No. We’re married. Partners. Or at least I thought so. We’re supposed to discuss these things.”

Ricca nodded. “Okay, yeah, you have a point there. So what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to take a couple of days to myself to figure this all out and how I feel about it.”

Micha snorted. “Liar. You’re lying low so you won’t end up boning him while you’re still mad at him. Remember, Allison told me all about the preggo horniness.”

Heat snaked up Jaya’s neck. “Oh, God. You know?”

Her friend laughed. “Well, the moment you were talking about how you set out to seduce him before talking, I thought maybe your hormones were in control.”

“So what do I do about it? What did Allison do?”

Micha grinned. “She jumped her husband at every damn opportunity.”

“Yeah, well, I’d have to be talking to him first to achieve that.”

* * *

Alec didn’t bother to knock. He hadn’t had to use his key in more than six months, but for a while, Jaya’s apartment had been their home, and he still had the key. When she hadn’t come home and she hadn’t been at Ricca’s or Micha’s, he’d known to look for her here. It was where she always came to hide out.

He found Jaya curled up on the floor on a stack of blankets right next to Alexa’s Boppy pillow. Both were sound asleep. Tiptoeing in, he took care to not wake them. He hung his keys where he always has, on the hook right by the door, and wondered where they’d gone so wrong. He should have clued Jaya in from the beginning. At the time he’d honestly thought he was protecting her, but maybe he was shutting her out.

He scrubbed his face and stared down at his makeshift family as he sat on the couch. Alexa stirred and blinked into morning awareness. Immediately, her eyes pinned on him, and she broke out into a wide, toothless grin. Her little legs started to kick, and that’s what woke Jaya.

She mumbled something sleepily, trying to soothe Alexa back to sleep, but the baby was having none of it. She was up, and she wanted to play. Alec smiled as Jaya mumbled sleepily, “I love you, kid, but you and I are going to have to establish some new ground rules. Starting with no cooing before coffee.”

“I’m not sure that’s going to work,” Alec said.

Jaya whipped around, dragging something out from under the pile of blankets near her head. A skillet. When her eyes focused, and she realized it was him, she sank back against her pillow. “Jesus Christ, Alec. You scared me half to death.”

He nodded. “Well, imagine how I felt when I went home and you weren’t there and you didn’t show for several hours. I knew you were mad, but I didn’t think you’d leave.” He shook his head. “Where’d you get that thing anyway,” he asked, indicating the skillet.

Jaya pushed herself into a sitting position and scooped Alexa up to check her diaper. “The girls brought over the makings for crepes last night. And Alec, I’m not mad, I just needed some space to think about a few things.”

Panic seized him as his mind raced. Fuck, he was not letting her leave him. Through clenched teeth, he asked, “What exactly are you thinking about?”

She chewed her lip. “I don’t really want to get into it.”

Oh, hell no.
He recognized this particular avoidance tactic. He’d used it for years. “You tried to talk to me earlier, and I was an asshole.”

She pursed her lips. “Well, at least you know it and you didn’t make me say it.”

He chuckled mirthlessly. “Yeah, well. Know thyself, right?” He shook his head. “I had no right to bite your head off like that. You just called at the wrong time and caught the brunt of me being an ass. I’m sorry about that.”

Jaya cleared her throat. “So exactly when were you planning on telling me about the photos or about family services?”

Fuck
. “Jai…”

He watched her swallow hard. “I was coming up to talk to you, and I saw her. You went to her without consulting me. You were just going to send Alexa away.”

Yeah, not his finest hour. “Jai—”

“Please just tell me the truth. Are we a partnership? Or have I been deluding myself? If you’re not going to consult with me before making major decisions, then we’re not going to work. You knew who you married, Alec. I’m sorry if you thought I’d mellow out or just let you take the lead or something.”

He sighed. “That’s not what I thought, and it’s sure as shit not what I want. It freaked me out, okay? With everything going on, the idea that I couldn’t protect you or her—it freaked me out. I want her safe. I don’t want my shit tainting her.” He rolled his shoulders, trying to think of the right words. “You chose to be with me. My shit is your shit. But she’s a kid.”

“And what happens when we have our own kids and you can’t protect them? Are you going to send them away?”

“I—that’s not what I meant.” Fuck, when she put it like that, his logic didn’t look so good.

“You aren’t an island, Alec.”

“I know that.”

“Do you?”

Fuck. No, he didn’t really know that or hadn’t seen that until now. He smoothed his thumb over her cheek. “I can fix it. I promise not to be an ass anymore, and if I am, you should have Micha shoot me.” His heart pinched. He hated seeing that tight expression on her face. He’d rather see her full lips pulled into a smile. Or even better a fullout laugh. “I’m sorry.” He tugged her and Alexa close. “I’m so sorry.”

He heard her sniffle and looked down to find tears tracking down her face. It scared him shitless. “Please just tell me what I can do. What ever it is, I’ll do it.”

She sighed and tipped her face up, eyes shining. “I’m pregnant.”

For a long moment, he thought he’d heard her incorrectly. “What?”

“Pregnant, Alec. You know, sex and sperm? We made a little life.”

The flare of hope in his chest surprised him. Panic temporarily receded as his brain focused on her words. “Pregnant?”

She nodded. “But now, obviously, I know it’s the worst timing, or rather that you don’t want a baby at all, and I didn’t know what to do. So I came here to think. I wasn’t avoiding you deliberately; I didn’t know what to say.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he croaked.

“I tried the other night, but I didn’t know how you’d feel about it, and it was easier to make love than to tell you.”

He smirked. “You wanted to soften me up?”

She laughed even as a tear rolled down her cheek. Alexa wiped away the tears with her chubby hands.

“Yeah. And then I got those stupid pictures and you trying to send Alexa away and I thought you didn’t want—”

He held her face in his hands. “Stop. I fucked up. This woman is trying to destroy our lives, and I hated myself for bringing her into our lives. So I was trying to fix it the only way I knew how.” He kissed her forehead. “I do want a baby with you. I can’t believe this.” In a span of two weeks, he’d been a father, then not, then back again.

“Are you sure, Alec? It’s only going to get harder.”

“But it will be infinitely easier with some advance planning.” He smiled, picturing her with a round belly, carrying his child. He liked the image.

“I don’t even know how this happened.”

“It doesn’t matter how. All that matters is that we’re in this together, and I can’t wait.” He placed a palm over her flat, taut belly. “You’re going to be so cute waddling.”

She scowled up at him. “Did you just say I’ll be waddling?”

Damn
. He’d have to watch his mouth. “What I meant was—”

She whacked him on the arm. Alexa thought it was a game and gave him a gentle tap on his chest.

Looking down at Alexa and Jaya, he knew what he had to do. Alexa might not be his, but she was part of his family. And she belonged with them. He’d see to it that she stayed.

Chapter Fifteen

“I swear to God, you’re acting like a caveman.” Jaya grumbled. They’d stayed at her old place, camping out for the rest of the morning, but had come back home to put Alexa down for her nap. Alec was already acting like a moron, not even letting her hold the baby.

“Well, you’re carrying my baby, so you don’t need to carry anything else.”

She rolled her eyes. “You realize said baby still needs to be confirmed by a doctor and that he or she is about the size of a blueberry right now.”

He shook his head even as he bounced Alexa up and down. “I don’t care. Just humor me, okay?”

“Fine, whatever.” She opened the front door and turned to shut off the alarm system, but the lights were blinking green. She paused in the doorway, and Alec almost ran into her.

“Jai, what are you doing?”

She pointed at the security panel. “Did you set the alarm before you came to find me this morning? I know you said you were in a hurry.”

His brows snapped down. “Of course I set it.”

“Well, it’s not set now.”

They both froze for several seconds, then he handed her Alexa and sent a quick text. Presumably to Caleb. Or the security office.

“Take Alexa upstairs. I’m right behind you. I just want to check things out.”

She eyed the stairs dubiously then looked back out at the car. Which was the safer route? Damn, she needed diapers. Clutching the baby to her chest, she headed for the stairs, and Alec headed toward the kitchen. They both paused when they were met in the hallway by a pretty blonde with a gun.

“Wow, don’t you all make a happy little family?”

Fear snaked down Jaya’s spine. The woman from the photos. Presumably the same woman who’d tried to break in two nights ago.

Alec’s voice was tight, but he kept his body loose. “Melanie, I assume?”

The blonde’s eyebrows arched. “So you finally realized who I was?”

He inclined his head. “Took me a little while, and you didn’t exactly make it easy. Why didn’t you just contact me? You didn’t need to go through all of this, and you certainly don’t need to threaten me with a gun. It’s only money. You can have whatever you want.”

Melanie waved the gun. “See, you’re just like him. You throw your money around like it’s nothing. I was counting on that. I knew all about you, Big Brother, and your new wife here.”

Jaya cuddled the baby closer. “Melanie, let me put the baby down, okay? You’re making me nervous with that gun. I’ll put Alexa down, then you, me, and Alec can have a conversation.”

Melanie laughed. “I know from watching you that you’re the planner. Always have an answer for everything. Well, I don’t think I’ll be sitting down with you. And you’re not taking Alexa anywhere. I know Big Brother here already used his mother’s influence to circumvent Child Protective Services. I sent that woman to you to get my baby back, but she returned empty handed. I knew I’d have to come get Alexa myself.”

Clearly, this woman had gotten on the crazy train at the corner of Where’s My Sanity and Left My Common Sense At Home. “You’re the one who left her with us. As you can see, she’s taken care of.” Jaya muttered.

“Give me my fucking baby.”

Instinctively, Jaya shied away from her. “You left her with us. What did you think was going to happen? You’d show up, and what, you’d get to have her back? It doesn’t work that way.”

“She’s mine!” Melanie shouted.

Jaya’s stomach rolled, and Alec took a step closer to them. He tried to calm his sister down. “Melanie, listen to me. Let Jaya take the baby into the other room. She’ll leave the door open so you can see them.”

Melanie’s gaze darted between Jaya and Alec. “I don’t believe you. She’s not going anywhere with my baby.”

How the hell were they going to get away from her? More importantly, how did they keep Alexa out of her hands?

Alec moved even closer to Jaya and Alexa. “Melanie, listen to me. I know your life hasn’t been easy. I know this is a fucked up situation. And I’m sorry. But if you put the gun down, I can make sure the authorities go easier on you.”

Jaya worked hard to keep from scoffing. This was Alec’s sister. She was clearly disturbed. She didn’t want this woman anywhere near Alexa.

“You think you’re so smart. I never intended to leave her with you for long. You were supposed to pay me.”

Alec nodded and inched closer to Jaya. “Deep down, you have to trust me a little. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have left her with me. You clearly love her and want to be with her.”

Melanie nodded, her blond hair flying around her shoulders. Behind her, Jaya noticed a shadow. She inched back toward the laundry room. There was a window in there, and she could maybe shove something in front of the door while she and Alexa climbed out.

Alec inched more solidly front of her. “Melanie. What happened to you wasn’t fair.”

“You mean, you getting all the money and me getting nothing? I’m a Westhorpe too.”

“I know you are.” His tone was soothing. “I know you’re family. You’re my sister.”

“None of you ever came to find me.”