For One Night Only (Siren Publishing Classic)

by For One Night Only (lit)

  ‘Ruben,’ she said breathlessly as she was brought to him. ‘I am Tyla. You know my Aunt Bethany.’ The pain hearing her name always caused never ceased to surprise him. ‘You’ve got to see her. It’s like, so important.’

  ‘Why, is she ill?’ Fear gripped at him. Unable to hear her, he had to get the kid out of this madness. Opening the door to the limo, he told her to get in.

  ‘Oh, wow. This is amazing,’ Tyla said, awestruck at the luxurious interior of the sleek black Mercedes. She fell silent as her wide eyes took in the television screens, plush carpeting and leather upholstery, seemingly unaware of Ruben.

  So help him, if this kid was yanking his chain, he was gonna lose it. ‘What is wrong with Bethany?’ Ruben fought to keep his voice calm.

  ‘Oh, she’s fine. She doesn’t know I am here,’ the girl whispered, as if confiding, ‘but you really need to see her.’

  ‘Why?’

  Her eyes flew open in horror. ‘I so can’t tell you. I promised I wouldn’t.’ Ruben couldn’t help, but laugh. She was driving him crazy, but she was a cute kid.

  ‘Then what are you doing here?’

  ‘I didn’t promise that I wouldn’t try to get you to visit her.’ She babbled on, warming to her topic. ‘Grown-ups are so stupid sometimes.’

  Ruben shook his head, unsure of how much she knew of his history with her aunt. ‘I don’t think Bethany wants to see me, Tyla. It was nice of you to try, but there is really no point.’

  Leaping forward, she grabbed his hand. ‘Oh please, you have to see her. It’s like, so huge.’

  Gently extricating the fingers she was crushing, Ruben decided to put an end to it. ‘I am sorry…I can’t. It was sweet of you to try, but you shouldn’t really meddle in your Aunt’s life.’

  Tyla burst into tears, startling Ruben into silence. Her words came out in a jumble. ‘It’s so hard for her…she’s…she’s…not coping…Tiana wont sleep…Aunt Beth has to work and she’s so tired—’

  ‘Tiana? Who is Tiana?’ Ruben saw the girl reel in shock. Her hand flew to her mouth as if trying to pull back her words back in. Ruben was losing patience. ‘I said, who is Tiana?’

  Tyla squirmed in her seat, avoiding his eyes. ‘Tiana is her baby,’ she muttered so quietly, he wasn’t sure if he’d heard right.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I said she’s her baby,’ Tyla groaned. ‘Please, please don’t tell her I told you. She would so kill me.’

  Ruben couldn’t put the girl out of her misery. His brain was paralyzed. ‘How old is she?’

  ‘Tiana? Six weeks and, ohmigod, she is so cute.’ Tyla’s expression became serious. ‘Please, Ruben, don’t tell her I said anything. My mom will lose it, big time.’

  Ruben’s heart soared and fell in a matter of seconds. The timing meant the baby had to be his…but what about Simon?

  ‘I won’t say anything—I promise,’ he reassured her. It was a promise he knew he couldn’t keep. If Bethany thought she could simply ignore him so that she and Simon could play happy family with his baby— then she was in for a shock.

  ‘Maybe you could pretend you needed to speak to her about something important,’ Tyla plotted—unaware just how portentous her words were.

  ‘Don’t you think Beth and Simon would mind if I just showed up?’

  The look of confusion on her face would have been charming in other circumstances. ‘Simon? The guy she used to be with?’ He nodded. ‘Why would he mind?’

  ‘Does he know about me?’

  Tyla shook her head. ‘Aunt Beth may have told him when he visited months ago, but she hasn’t seen him since, so I’m not sure.’

  Ruben’s brain raced, unable to process the information with the twitchy teenager staring at him in bewilderment. He needed time to think. ‘Hey, we better get you home. Do you need a lift?’

  ‘I’m with my friends and I can’t really turn up at my house with you. I’ll get busted if my mom sees me in your limo.’ He smiled then, forgetting how devious teenagers could be.

  ‘Good thinking,’ he laughed. ‘You did the right thing, Tyla. Your aunt is lucky to have a niece like you to watch out for her.’

  Blushing furiously, she changed the subject. ‘Could I have some autographs for my friends?’ Five minutes later, he’d signed and personalized fifteen postcards for her never-ending list of ‘friends.’

  ‘Thanks,’ she shouted, kissing him quickly on the cheek as she jumped out of the car. Byron practically crossed her at the threshold, climbing into the space she had left.

  ‘What on earth was that about?’

  ‘Nothing’ Ruben said, ‘you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.’

  Angie wasn’t happy.

  She’d had a bad feeling about Ruben being in Vegas again as soon as the gig had been announced. Who was the kid that had been in his car, and why had his limo suddenly turned off—away from the airport?

  Glad now that she had followed her instincts and rented a vehicle, she let the Mercedes get about three or four cars ahead of hers, so she wouldn’t be spotted, before following it into the exit lane.

  Taking a hand off the wheel to scratch distractedly at the scar on her wrist, a slight pain from the still healing wound reminded her she had to be careful. She’d done a fair bit of damage to the nerves and tendons and the healing process hadn’t been easy.

  Not that she’d wanted to heal at the time. The last thing she remembered about that night was fighting off the security guard who had broken her door down to get in just after she had decided to end her misery. Vague impressions she couldn’t really call memories floated in and out of her mind—like the sound of a siren and then a bright, noisy room with lots of people in it.

  The next thing she had known for sure was waking up on the psych ward with her worried aunt looking down at her. That had been a little over six months ago.

  Angie’s aunt Sharon had given her no choice but to accept an offer to stay with her at the house in Long Island until she had recovered—threatening to have her committed if she refused.

  The medications she’d been on at the time had drained her of the desire to either live or die—she simply hadn’t cared anymore. Life at her aunt’s had been easy enough to tolerate at first, but once the doctors started to reduce her dose she’d begun to feel restless. Her thoughts had turned to Ruben—tentatively at first—in case she found the memories too painful.

  When she’d first started using the Internet again all those months ago, she had been scared of what she would discover. The relief had been immeasurable when she’d found no new pictures of him and Bethany. The online gossip contained no mention of the other woman’s name—save for a few old comments discussing the fact they must have split up as nobody had seen her for months.

  Eventually, she’d come to feel glad that her attempt at ending her life had failed. The more she had thought about her earlier desperation over Ruben, the more she realized she had given up too easily. If she looked at things logically, it had all been a blessing—she knew now that he wanted her and his being with Bethany hadn’t changed that.

  He’d been drawn to her again, with no memory or knowledge of their previous encounter. Ruben had thought he was in love with someone else, but still had not been able to resist his attraction to her or fight the connection between them. Why hadn’t she realized at the time what that meant? Lightening didn’t strike twice without good reason.

  The limo turned into a residential area with very little traffic. Angie had no doubt he was on a personal errand. It seemed insane to hope that he would be conducting business affairs so late at night. They aren’t together anymore, she reasoned, trying to calm the pounding in her head.

  Bethany. Just the thought of her made Angie shake with rage. She’d allowed the other woman to come between them, almost ending her life over the misery Bethany had inflicted on both her and Ruben. The desire to make the bitch pay for what she had done to them had been a motivating factor in the early days of her recovery. Angie had alw
ays intended to track her down, determined to inflict just as much pain and suffering on her as she had caused. But being with Ruben again had been the most important thing, and she’d focused solely on that for the last few months, putting Bethany to the back of her mind for the time being.

  She had needed to rethink her approach, choosing against using her old connections. She had no idea how much Martha had seen that night or what the gossip about her was amongst the other fans. These days, she eschewed concerts, TV shows and personal appearances in favor of buying her way into the charity events he regularly attended.

  Angie had begun making contacts amongst the organizations his charity worked with regularly and the invitations to more fundraisers and events had begun to land on her doormat, as the people she had met added her to their lists of supporters. She hadn’t allowed him to see her yet—wanting more time to allow the angry, jagged scars on her wrists to heal and to ensure that he’d forgotten her face.

  She’d had no choice but to follow him this time. The idea of his being anywhere near Bethany in Vegas while she stayed in New York had driven her insane. The tour had long since finished save for the occasional appearance and he spent much more time at home. Angie still made the trip over from her aunt’s house in Long Island to his condo a couple of times a week, unable to totally give up what had become a way of life for her. Without Ruben and her hopes for their future together, she had nothing.

  The limo finally stopped outside a small residence. Ruben got out alone, leaning back in to speak to someone before watching them drive away. Angie kept going as she passed him, turning the bend before pulling over.

  Chapter 22

  Bethany tiptoed from the room, clicking off the light. Tiana had finally settled. Despite her tiredness, Bethany had to admit she was a good baby on the whole. The night feeds were hard, especially since she had returned to work in the last couple of weeks.

  Soon after, she was up to her neck in bubbles, luxuriating in finding five minutes to pamper herself. Washing quickly, she ensured she would at least be clean if Tiana started to fuss and she had to jump out, forsaking the long soak she intended to have. Smoothing her hands over her flat tummy, she’d been thrilled at losing her baby weight so easily. A few ugly stretch marks remained, but she couldn’t complain. Donna’s tip about moisturizing every day had really helped.

  She’d switched to bottle-feeding pretty early on so her breasts were beginning to shrink back to normal size. She’d enjoyed being busty at first, but as soon as her nipples began to get sore from feeding, she’d been happy to forsake the extra couple of bra sizes for comfort. Tiana had a healthy appetite and didn’t seem to mind where the food came from, as long as it came on demand.

  The doorbell rang, making her jump. Leaping from the bath to wrap a robe around her, she ran to the door. Whoever was outside better not wake her baby or there would be hell to pay. Panic fluttered in her chest as she realized how late it was. Who the hell could it be? Peering through the spy hole, she stepped back in alarm when she saw Ruben on the other side.

  She couldn’t think…couldn’t breathe. What the hell was he doing here after all this time? She knew he had no idea what had happened. How could he? No matter how strongly Donna felt about the situation, she would never betray Bethany.

  Backing away from the door, she toyed with the idea of leaving him outside. Maybe he would just leave.

  The door rang again. This time he kept his finger on the button, filling the house with a shrill ring. It would be a miracle if Tiana slept through it. Bethany moved quickly forward, swinging the door open wide as she pressed a finger to her lips, hushing him.

  ‘Ruben. How…how nice to see you.’ Bethany’s brain wouldn’t function as her emotions warred with each other. Her heart leapt at the sight of him, but the knot of fear in her stomach tightened as she prayed the secret sleeping in the other room wouldn’t stir.

  ‘It’s good to see you too. You look great, Beth.’ He smiled, genuine warmth in his eyes. He can’t know, Bethany reasoned, he is too calm. ‘Are you going to invite me in?’ he asked, stepping inside anyway.

  ‘Sorry,’ she mumbled, ushering him quickly into the kitchen, the room farthest from Tiana’s. ‘Would you like a drink?’

  ‘A glass of wine would be nice,’ he smiled, shrugging off the leather biker jacket he wore with his jeans. His hair was much longer now, resting in thick waves that reached his shoulders. She watched amazed as he made himself right at home, looking for all the world as if he were staying the night.

  ‘Aren’t you joining me?’ he asked, as she got a single glass from the cupboard. She shook her head, wondering what the hell was going on. He seemed far happier and healthier than the last time she’d seen him. He looked back at her, an unreadable expression on his face. If she had to guess, she’d say he was a little angry, save for the fact he appeared so calm. He was looking at her intently, as if trying to see through her.

  Unable to stand the tension, she broke down, initiating a conversation. ‘So, what brings you to town?’ She gestured for him to take a seat at the breakfast bar, placing herself at the opposite end.

  ‘I had a gig tonight and thought I would drop by and see how you are.’ His tone gave nothing away. Bethany could almost believe it was purely a friendly visit if she didn’t know him better.

  She fiddled with her hair self-consciously. She’d scooped it up into a loose twist while she had her bath and hoped it didn’t look as bad as it felt. ‘You should have called first, given me a chance to tidy up.’

  Ruben smiled. ‘You look fine. Besides, you don’t have to make any effort on my account.’ He was toying with her, but she didn’t know why. Bethany began mentally ticking off people who could know about Tiana and whose daughter she really was. She was sure nobody, but her immediate family had all the information necessary to make the connection.

  Her concentration was broken by the thin wail of a baby stirring. Blood pounded in her ears as she looked up, hoping he hadn’t heard it too. Tiana ensured there would be no doubt about it by opening her lungs fully and shrieking into the silence between them. Bethany leapt to her feet, wanting to go to her child, but unable to move, pinned to the spot by the look in his eyes. He knew! God alone knew how, but he did.

  She tried to speak. ‘Ruben…we…we need to talk.’ He got to his feet slowly, coming to stand in front of her. Placing a finger gently on her lips, he stopped her.

  ‘Take care of the baby, Beth…we can talk later,’ he said softly. There was no mistaking the look in his eyes this time. He still loved her, despite all that had happened. She didn’t know what that meant yet, but it felt good. Tiana’s cries got louder, telling anyone who would listen that she hadn’t eaten in ages, jolting her mother out of the daze she was in.

  Ruben sat at the counter, his heart beating loudly. The urge to follow her out of the room was a strong one, but he wanted to wait until she brought his daughter to him of her own free will. There was no doubt in his mind that Bethany had given birth to his child—it was the only explanation for the panic he saw in her eyes when she found him standing outside her door.

  He still loved her. He hadn’t known just how much until now. The journey over to her house had been fraught with emotion as he swung wildly between absolute fury at her deception and sheer bliss at the knowledge of their child. He’d sat in stunned silence for a few minutes after Tyla had left, causing Byron to panic. Questions had come thick and fast from his friend, but he’d been unable to answer them, turning to him after a few minutes and saying in a flat monotone that he had to see Beth…he had to see her tonight. Byron had begun to object, but the look on Ruben’s face had stopped him dead.

  Minutes ticked by as he sat in the kitchen. His drink remained untouched as his fingers drummed thickly on the counter and he tried to be patient. Frustration drove him to his feet and he paced around the small room, trying not to think about the fact that his whole world was in another part of the house. He had to find them.


  Walking quietly to her bedroom, Ruben guessed correctly that Bethany would have the baby sleeping with her. The first thing he saw as he peeked around the doorframe was an empty white crib occupying the left corner. Leaning further into the room, his vision scanned to the right until he found them. Bethany was feeding the little bundle nestled in her arms. The first thing he noticed was a shock of dark hair, spiking out in all directions from the baby’s head. Her tiny hand was curled around one of the fingers her mother held the bottle with, as if afraid she would take it away. Awestruck, he watched as his daughter wiggled slightly, murmuring in contentment at her full belly.

  Ruben didn’t know he’d moved to stand over them until Beth looked up, forcing his gaze from the baby to her. The love and pride evident on her face brought tears to his eyes and he let them fall freely. He sank to his knees, drawn closer to the strange little person he’d never met. Reaching out with his fingertip, he traced a feather light path across the back of his baby’s fat knuckles, smiling through his tears as her hand flexed open at his touch.

  Bethany caressed his cheek, bringing his attention back to her. She was crying too, looking at him with such gratitude that he broke down. Dropping his head forward onto her chest, he fought to control the tears overwhelming him. The hand in his hair was comforting as he let go of months of frustration and loneliness. The baby began to fuss, causing him to pull back. The tiny bundle opened her eyes, gazing at him sleepily before her lids drifted shut almost instantly.

  ‘She’s got your eyes,’ he whispered to Beth in amazement. He’d only seen them briefly, but the piercing green shade was exactly the same.

  Beth smiled. ‘I know. I’d hoped she would have yours…’ She fell silent as he shook his head at the notion. ‘I named her Tiana,’ she said, unaware that he already knew.

  He tested it out loud for the first time. Tiana. It suited her. The beautiful dark haired girl looked like a Tiana. About to ask her last name, he thought better of it, unsure he could control his reaction if Beth had chosen to use her own. The thought was sobering, reminding him that there was much to talk about.