“Nora, Grace and I had already picked out names,” Eve whispered, her throat full of emotions. “I knew I wanted the nursery decorated in gray and yellow no matter what the sex of the baby was. When I was seventeen weeks, I went in for an ultrasound. The doctor’s office had a new machine, one that had top-of-the-line imaging. I was so excited to see that little face, to find out what I was having.”
When her voice broke, Eve bit her lip. She wanted to hold it together. She wanted to show Graham that she was strong, but all those past emotions threatened to strangle her and end this conversation. Tremors racked her body as her eyes filled. There was no stopping the wave of memories and feelings as she relived the horrid day.
“Eve, don’t—”
“No. I’ve come this far and you need to know.” On a shaky breath, she continued, “The tech kept searching the screen and moving the device over my stomach almost frantically, and I knew something was wrong. Her face wasn’t bright like when I’d first come in. At one point she excused herself and stepped out into the hall to ask someone to find the doctor. I knew. In my heart I knew something was wrong with my baby.”
“What happened?”
“In simple terms, the cord came away from the amniotic sac. I don’t know how far along I was when that happened. The doctor said my body still thought I was pregnant, so my uterus was still stretching.” Eve sniffed, wiped at the tears on her cheeks. “I could’ve lost the baby a month earlier or I could’ve lost her that day. I honestly don’t know. But I know I never want to live through that again. I can’t.”
“Oh, baby.” Graham kissed the top of her head. “I don’t even know what to say.”
“Nothing can be said,” she said. “People told me how sorry they were. They tried to say the right thing, but there isn’t a right thing. I lost a piece of myself that day and the following days are a blur. I will never know that face. That’s all I kept thinking. What did she look like?”
“She?”
Eve shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t ask. They had to perform a D&C the next day to remove all the tissue. I was getting prepped for surgery, wondering how things had gone from the highest mountain to the deepest pit I’d ever known, when the nurse had me sign a paper. It was a paper stating I gave them permission to dispose of any remains. Dispose of.”
“Eve, stop, please.”
Tears slid down her face. “How could I sign a paper saying that was okay?” she asked, ignoring his plea. “This was my baby. I know I wasn’t far enough along to have a funeral, but the wording was just so cold, so heartless. I’ll never forget it.”
Graham reached a hand up to wipe her wet cheeks, then smoothed her hair away from her face. “No more. Don’t do this to yourself. I’m such a jerk for asking, but I thought I deserved to know. I should’ve thought of your feelings.”
“No.” Eve shifted in his arms to face him. “You did deserve to know. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want to kill our mood here. I want you to know everything about me.”
“I don’t want you hurt,” he murmured against her lips. “I can’t stand it, Eve. Never again will you hurt like that.”
Reaching up to cup his face, Eve tipped her head back. “I hope I don’t. I hope this baby is delivered full-term and healthy. I’m so afraid of how my family will react, how your brothers will take the news. I can handle quite a bit, but I won’t let our child be in the cross fire.”
Graham slid his thumb along her bottom lip. “Nobody will harm you or our child so long as I’m in the picture.”
“And how long will that be?” she dared to ask.
In lieu of an answer, Graham kissed her gently. Eve instantly opened to him. He never had to ask, never had to persuade her. She was always ready for more contact, more of anything that had to do with Graham. He’d listened to her, he’d hurt for her and he was trying to make her forget if only for a short time.
When his hand trailed down to the hem of her shirt, she shifted. Without words, without the usual rush and frenzy, they were undressed and somehow ended up settled right back in the chair.
Eve rested a knee on either side of Graham’s hips. “I love you.”
She didn’t mean to let loose with the words, but there was no holding them back.
“Eve—”
“No.” She held a finger to his lips. “I don’t need anything said in return. I’ve been completely open with you tonight and I wanted to get it all out. I needed to. Now show me how you were going to make me forget the rest of the world.”
* * *
Graham couldn’t get those words out of his mind.
She loved him. Loved. Him.
No other woman, save for his mother and Gerty, had ever uttered those words to him before. He wasn’t sure what to do, what to say. Had she not cut him off, what would’ve come out of his mouth in reply?
As he put breakfast together the following morning, Graham tried to pull himself together. This was what he’d been waiting for. She’d fallen in love with him and now all he had to do was make this relationship more official.
But after all she’d shared before her declaration of love, he didn’t feel right about using her state of vulnerability to complete his plan. He needed to see what happened today, when they could talk more, explore the area together and just be themselves. Maybe...
What? Nothing had changed. He still wanted this child to have his name.
His cell vibrated on the counter. Brooks’s name lit up the screen. Graham slid the casserole into the oven and answered his phone.
“Hello.”
“Roman has a major lead. He thinks he has a name, but he’s going to make a quick trip before he tells us to be sure.”
Could this be it? After all this time could they have found their father?
Since Eve was still in bed where he’d left her, Graham put his phone on speaker so he could start cutting up the fruit.
“How soon will we know?” Graham asked, pulling out various bags of produce from the refrigerator.
“He’s heading there today. Hopefully soon.”
Graham slid a knife from the block on the counter. “I’m going to be nervous all day.”
“Me, too,” his brother said. “You ready to tell me where you are?”
“I’m at the cabin.”
Brooks made a humming sound, one that mocked Graham and made him sorry he’d even admitted that much.
“With?” Brooks asked.
“None of your concern.”
“It’s my concern if you’re sleeping with our enemy’s daughter.”
Graham glanced over his shoulder, thankful to see the living area still empty, which meant she was still in bed. “I’m with Eve, yes. But—”
“What the hell, man? What are you thinking?”
Graham didn’t get a chance to reply before his brother went on. “Are you using her to try to get to Sutton?”
Graham slid the knife through the mango. “No. I wouldn’t do that to her.”
“Then what are you doing?”
Graham swallowed, deciding now was as good a time as any to come clean. “We’re having a baby.”
The explosion of cussing had Graham dropping the knife to the counter and taking the phone off speaker. “Calm the hell down,” he barked.
“How long have you known and how could you keep something like this from me?” Brooks demanded.
“We kept our personal lives from everyone,” Graham explained, leaning against the counter. “Between you, Carson and her family, we just wanted—”
“What? To mess around and not get caught?”
Basically.
“How’d that work out for you?”
Graham raked a hand through his bed head. “Listen, we’re figuring things out and we needed to get away from the city.”
“Sutton is not going to like this.”
“No, he’s not, but there’s nothing that can change the fact.” Graham stared at the stairs to the second floor, wondering how long she would slee
p in. “I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
“Are you a complete moron?” Brooks yelled. “Can you just slow down and think this through?”
“I have.” Graham turned around and checked the casserole in the oven. “This baby is a Newport and will be raised as such. I’ll do anything to make sure my child has my last name.”
“So you love her?”
Graham shut the oven door again. “Love has nothing to do with it. The baby is what I’m concerned with.”
When he turned back around, he froze. Eve stood on the other side of the kitchen island. All color had drained from her face as she clutched her silk robe together. The hurt in her eyes gutted him. He’d promised her no more pain, but he’d delivered a hell of a punch.
“I’ll call you later,” he told Brooks, ending the call without waiting for his brother’s reply.
“Don’t make excuses for what I wasn’t supposed to hear,” she told him, tipping her chin. “I’m flattered you want to marry me, but I think I’ll decline. You see, I already made a fool of myself for one man I conceived a child with. I don’t intend to do so again.”
Graham started to step forward, but when she held up a hand and squared her shoulders, he stopped. The sheen in her eyes, the fact that she was fighting back tears, told him he’d completely ruined everything.
But he wasn’t going down without a fight.
“Marriage isn’t a terrible idea, Eve.”
“For us? It’s a terrible idea.”
“Why?”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she pursed her lips as if choosing her next words carefully. Damn, she looked beautiful this morning. With her tousled hair, bright eyes, face devoid of any makeup, Eve was stunning. And she was pulling away. He couldn’t let her end what he’d worked so hard to complete.
“I told you I loved you,” she started, blinking away the tears. “I meant it. I didn’t expect the words in return if you weren’t feeling the same way. I understand. But to know you only want to marry me because of our baby, it’s just so archaic. Did you think I’d keep your child from you?”
Graham didn’t care what she wanted. He took a step toward her. “I didn’t know what would happen, Eve. All I know is I’m going to be a father and I can’t miss that. I can’t.”
Emotions he hadn’t fully grasped came rushing at him. “I grew up without a father,” he went on, still slowly closing the gap between them. “I’ve wondered for the past thirty-two years who my dad is, if he wanted me, if he even knows I exist. It’s an empty void that I may never fill.”
He stood so close now, Eve tipped her head back to look up into his eyes. The need for her understanding was so great, he had to find the right words. Any charm or wit he normally used to get his way wasn’t possible here. All he could do was hope for the best when he opened up with complete and total honesty.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?” he asked. “I can’t let my child grow up without me. I don’t want another man raising what’s mine.”
Eve’s jaw clenched as she closed her eyes and pulled in a breath. “Do I look like I have men lined up outside my door?” she finally asked, glaring back at him. “Apparently you don’t know me at all. And all I hear is how you want to give this child a name and treat him or her like your property. That’s not how this works and that sure as hell isn’t how a marriage should work.”
“Eve—”
“No.”
She backed away and held out both hands. Just as she did, she started to sway. Graham reached for her, but she pushed him away. She held her stomach with one hand and covered her mouth with the other. Alarmed, he waited to make sure she wasn’t going to get sick or pass out. He was a complete ass for...well, everything. He remained close, though, in case she needed him. Not that she’d take his help now.
Moments later she pulled herself together and smoothed her hair from her face. “I’m going back to Chicago as soon as I call my pilot to come get me. Elite has a private helicopter at our disposal.”
“I’ll take you.”
She was going. There was no stopping her. She’d erected walls he couldn’t penetrate, not when she was so angry, so hurt. But he’d continue to chip away because he wasn’t lying. There was no way he’d let his child grow up without a father.
“I’d rather call my pilot,” she told him.
Eve turned on her heel and headed toward the stairs. Graham couldn’t take his eyes off her. He silently pleaded for her to understand where he was coming from, why he was so adamant about marriage.
With her hand on the post, she turned to look over her shoulder. “You know what’s sad? I thought you brought me here because you cared about me. I was naive enough to think you might have stronger feelings for me, that you wanted to get closer to me. Not because I was pregnant, but because of me.”
Graham couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move.
Eve dropped her head between her shoulders, her grip tightening on the post. “You were using me all this time. I should’ve listened to my family when they first told me to stay away from you. But I defended you.”
Now she turned to face him, her cheeks pink from tears, from anger. Graham hated himself at that moment. He hated the way he’d portrayed himself, the way he’d let her down when he’d promised that no one would hurt her again. He’d destroyed her. Destroyed the light in her eyes, the smile she so freely gave.
“I won’t keep you from your child.” Her voice shook, her chin quivered. “But I won’t marry you, and from here on out, we’re nothing to each other.”
Without another word, she went up the stairs. Graham listened as the bedroom door clicked shut. The gentle sound seemed to echo through the spacious house. It symbolized everything that had just happened. She’d put a barrier between them, and as he stood on the outside, he couldn’t help but wonder how the hell he could ever fix this.
Seventeen
When he left her alone to pack, and then leave the cabin, Eve was even more hurt. She shouldn’t have been surprised, but she was. He’d given up. Clearly he only wanted the child and she was an absolute fool to have believed otherwise.
But what hurt the most was that she still loved him. Well, she loved the man she thought he was. He’d been so caring, so amazing these past couple of weeks, but one overheard phone call had revealed the truth.
Eve had been home only a day, but she’d called her sisters and her father for a family meeting. Dr. Wilde had told Eve that Sutton was resting, but he was having a good day and to come on by. Grace and Nora were meeting Eve at the Winchester estate.
As Eve stood outside the front door, she fought back her nerves. Had it only been two nights since she was here for a party? A party announcing her sister’s engagement. A party Graham had crashed, and then he’d taken her...
No. There would be no more thinking along those lines. Whatever they’d shared in the past was best left there. Their affair had started out so fast, so intense, there was no way it could’ve lasted or even morphed into something with deeper meaning. Eve cursed herself for getting so caught up in romanticizing the secret of it all.
Gathering up her courage, she let herself in and headed straight to her father’s study. Grace and Nora were already there. Grace adjusted the throw on her father’s legs and Nora glanced up, catching Eve’s eye. A soft smile from her sister was all Eve needed to get through this. Having Nora here was a huge help since she already knew.
Grace glanced up when Eve shut the door. “Is everything okay?” she asked. “You sounded strange on the phone.”
Eve met her father’s questioning eyes. “I’m fine, but I have something I need to tell you all.”
Grace straightened, taking hold of their father’s hand. “You’re scaring me. Are you sick, too?”
“What? No.” She hadn’t meant to scare them. “I’m pregnant.”
Silence. Not a word was said as her sisters and father just stared back at her.
“I’m at seven weeks,” she went on, in a r
ush to fill the dead air. “The doctor has assured me that everything looks great, but I’m scared.” There, she’d said it. “I need your help and support, no judgment, please. I can’t deal with it right now.”
“Because Graham is the father?” Grace asked.
Eve bit her lip in an attempt to battle back the emotions. Afraid to speak, she merely nodded.
“He didn’t say a word when he was here the other day,” her father chimed in. “Does he know?”
Eve moved farther into the room. “What? He was here?”
“With Brooks and Carson.”
Eve’s mind spun. He’d been to see her father and hadn’t said a word. The betrayals kept on coming. He’d been sleeping with her, telling her everything she wanted to know, but sneaking to see her father behind her back.
“Was he pressuring you?” Eve demanded as she eased a hip onto the side of the bed.
“I actually invited Carson here,” he stated. “I wanted a chance to tell him I’m sorry, to see if there was a possibility of connecting now that I know for sure he’s my son. I didn’t want to die without him knowing that I loved his mother, that I would’ve fought had I known he existed.”
Eve listened as her father exposed his emotions. She’d never heard him this passionate about anything other than business. Sutton Winchester was one of the most prominent, powerful men in Chicago and he’d been deprived of raising his own child.
Was that truly what Graham had thought she’d do? Had she ever indicated she’d be so heartless? He’d been determined to marry her, so much so he’d swept her away on a trip away from everything she knew. She’d been easily swayed because she honestly thought he cared about her, when in reality he was softening her, getting her to fall for him, all so he could convince her to marry him.
“Wait, has he pushed you away?” Grace asked.
“No.” Eve took her father’s other hand. “He...it’s complicated. I don’t want to go into the details, but—”
“Complicated? You two were on the same page when I saw you the other morning.”
Eve glanced at Nora, who had pulled up a chair by their father’s bed. Grace and Sutton both turned to Nora.
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