by Marie Kelly
Sitting back down Craig had put his arms around Kira feeling her quivering, the look of shock still on her face
“What did he mean” she finally managed to say looking up at him with confusion
“What is he going to do?”
Craig had smiled down at her softly.
“It’s not what he is going to do” he said “It’s what we did”
As she looked at him questioningly he had explained
“As you know your father came after me three years ago. It was a dirty no holds battle between us, but two years ago I finally beat him…he was furious. It cost him a lot and took him over a year to get his company back up to strength. I on the other hand during that time managed to make some really good business choices and my company is now doing so well that there was no way he could come back after me”
He sighed
“So he went after the next best thing…Paul. Paul supported me both as a friend and with financial help during his initial battle with me. So he decided to get to me through him.”
What are you going to do she asked softly
“Already done Kira” he said his face sombre
“When we were at Paul’s we created a consortium …. Led by Paul, with myself and 2 others which began a hostile take over bid of your fathers Company...Looks like your father may be retiring real soon”
Kira gasped
“Really?” she said
“I didn’t know how to tell you” he said “didn’t know how you would take it”
Nodding slowly she had looked at him with a warm glow in her eye
“I appreciate your concern for me Craig. But Allan Rothman has never been a father to me. He made mine and my mother’s life hell, and I really have no loyalty to him…..and as you heard there neither does he have for me.”
Smiling he had taken her hand kissing it gently.
From his seat close by them Bill Thomson had watched the exchange between the three. He had instantly recognised Allan Rothman, and as he was about to rise was stopped when Craig had stepped in. He had smiled as he watched how Craig had placed himself between father and daughter, before dealing with the man who had make her life such a misery. Yes Bill was starting to really like Craig Kent
CHAPTER TEN
Kira had been stunned at the upper class suites onboard the plane
“Have you ever seen cattle class” she asked Craig, who had laughed
“Well, once I thought I might have to travel that way” he joked, “But the air hostess was very accommodating” he winked
Kira had glared playfully back at him “I just bet she was” she giggled
The three had sat at the bar talking for several hours before Kira had began to grow tired
“I’m really sorry” she had said “but I didn’t get a lot of sleep”
Her eyes flew to Bill as she realised what she had said, and she had blushed
“I mean…I …”
He had smiled softly
“It’s OK Kira” he gently patted her hand
“You go to sleep”
Craig had watched the exchange with a smile on his lips; she had reminded him of a school girl just admitting to her father she had done something naughty.
“I’ll help you with the bed” he said, moving over to show her how to convert the chair into a bed. Once she was securely tucked up with the blanket around her he had kissed her gently on the lips
“Goodnight Kira, see you in the morning”
She had smiled up at him with a seductive look
“Now how much extra is it to join the mile high club” she whispered naughtily. He chuckled
“Well I am already a member” he said wickedly, as she glared at him
“Well it was the only way to avoid cattle class” he laughed gently, as she chuckled back
“Ah…well that’s OK then” she grinned. He had given her another kiss before leaving her to move back to finish his drink with Bill.
Bill had sat silently for a while watching Craig with a cautious look on his face
“I saw what happened in the lounge with her father” he had finally said
“Will she be safe from him Craig?”
He had looked thoughtfully back at Bill.
“Allan Rothman by the end of business tomorrow will no longer be running his business Bill. Instead it will be run by a consortium…of which I am one. He will be allowed to retire gracefully to his property in America, his personal fortune intact……..with one very large proviso from me………that he never come near her again”
Bill had smiled nodding. “Thank you”
“Kira means a lot to you doesn’t she” he asked
The older man had nodded “Yes she does” before adding with a small note of sadness
“Over two years ago, my son died”
Craig had looked at him in shocked surprise
“I’m sorry” he said
Smiling gently Bill continued
“It was a hell of a time Craig. A car accident…….he was only 23…his whole life ahead of him….my wife took it real bad, withdrew into herself…..I was really worried about her”
He paused for a second
“Anyway, one day she was just sitting in the park, in the middle of winter. She had been there for three hours, when Kira sat down beside her with a big cup of tea for her…. Turns out she had walked by her two hours earlier and when she was still there she knew there was something wrong.”
Bill smiled gently
“She just sat there quietly with Marissa, the two of them drinking tea until Marissa had started to talk about what had happened…..it was what she needed Craig…….to talk to somebody. I swear that she saved my wife that day”
He paused before continuing
“She made sure that Marissa got home and I insisted on taking her home. I couldn’t believe the dump she was living in……here was a young girl with real problems of her own but more concerned with a stranger….. I finally got her to move in with us, but only after telling her that she could help Marissa………and in truth she did”
Bill smiled
“Then she came to work for me, one of the best employees I’ve ever had…..so she has been like an angel to us.
Craig had nodded thinking about how much she always seemed to care about others, remembering Tom.
With a small sigh Bill finished “we lost a son, but we have always thought that we were given back a daughter…and we both care for her a lot”
Craig had nodded
“I know she feels the same way” he said softly, knowing now why his blackmail victim had been so perfect for Kira, and feeling ashamed.
“That must have been hard Bill, but you have a grand-daughter don’t you?”
Bill had looked strangely at him, before he continued
“I saw the picture of you both on Kara’s lab top”
Nodding Bill had gently answered
“Yes, we have her …. And her mother….and we love them both with all our hearts”
Bill had smiled at Craig.
“You know, sometimes Kira has a hard time letting people in on her problems”
Craig had smiled
“Yes, she can be very secretive he admitted…..very” his mind went to the mysterious phone calls
“Can you blame her” Bill replied
“I don’t know how much she’s told you about her childhood, but it was difficult”
Craig had nodded
“She told me” he said gently, wondering where this was going, he had the strangest feeling that Bill was trying to tell him something
“Well just wanted to make sure you understood that” he smiled before rising from his seat
“Well, I think I’ll hit the hay Craig……..don’t worry I’m sure that I can manage to figure out how the big convert to bed button works” he chuckled
Craig had flashed him a quick smile back wishing him a good sleep.
It hadn’t been long before Craig had followed
Bill to his seat. He had taken the bed opposite Kira, bending down to look at her sleeping face. She lay so innocently in sleep and he had kissed her cheek gently, before laying down himself and soon falling fast asleep.
The flight over had passed quickly with the three of them sleeping most of the journey. When they landed they had felt refreshed, unlike the journey over only one week previously. Kira had laughingly told Craig how she could quite easily get used to travelling that way not seeing the look of hope in his eyes.
Once they had collected their luggage they had taken a taxi to Kiras flat. She had spent most of the journey apologising for how small her home was, concerned that he would find it too small, however, he had the feeling that their was more to her nervousness than she was letting on, and he had wondered if her mysterious caller had anything to do with this agitated state she seemed to be in.
As they reached the old block of flats within the quant row of Victorian conversions it was nearly 8 at night. Already the light was starting to disappear and there was a chill in the air. Pulling out both Craig and Kiras luggage Bill had left his in the taxi asking it to wait for him.
As they approached the door Bill had handed Kira a plastic bag
“I didn’t think you would have the time” he had said softly
Looking in the bag she had flashed him a warm thankful smile
“Thanks Bill” she said gently
Finally she had pulled out her keys and with a look at Bill she had nervously bit her lip opening up the door to the brightly lit flat.
Hearing the door to the flat open Marissa Buchanan came running out to the hallway. Kissing her husband, so happy to see him, she had smiled before she had hugged Kira warmly.
“It’s so good to see you both” she cried before stopping with a surprised look as she saw the man entering behind Kira
“Oh!” she exclaimed in shock her eyes questioning her husband
Craig stepped forward with one of his winning smiles taking her hand in his
“It’s lovely to meet you Mrs Buchanan” he said “My name is Craig Kent”
Marissa had looked in wide eyed surprise at the other two before remembering her manners and shaking his hand back smiling a welcome
“erm… it’s lovely to meet you” she said.
She turned to look questioningly at Kira before softly adding
“She’s in the living room…refused to go to bed before she saw you”
Craig didn’t understand the conversation but noticed that Bill had lifted his wife’s handbag and jacket which were hung up in the hallway and was now guiding her towards the door, much to her surprise
“Ok honey, say goodnight to Kira and Craig” he said and with that he said bundling a surprised Marissa out of the door much to her annoyance.
“But…but…..”
“Goodnight” he shouted as he closed the door
Kira smiled gently looking at Craig.
“Subtle isn’t he” she laughed.
Craig was looking at her and at the door of what he assumed to be the living room
“Who…” he asked a questioning look in his eyes.
Kira looked back at him, her eyes suddenly nervous as she moved towards the door
As she opened it a small figure ran from one end of the room where she had been playing with toys to throw herself into Kiras open arms
“Mummy, mummy” the little voice cried hugging her neck, her small arms only just making it around Kiras neck and hair. Kira was laughing happily, kissing the writhing little bundle in her arms as she held her tightly lifting her high in the air.
“Hello sweetie” she said her voice full of love. Craig instantly recognised the tone and stared at the two before him.
Kira turned to face him her eyes wary and questioning. He was looking at her in total shock. He had instantly recognised the small child in her arms as the little girl in the picture on Kiras computer and everything had started to fall into place. She hadn’t been hiding the picture of Bill, but of the gorgeous little girl before him.
As the little girl finally let her mother go, sitting balanced in her arms she had become aware of the other person in the room. Craig looked on as she turned to look at him, her face so sweet and shy, as she moved her body back in against her mother. He stared in shock at the two pairs of aqua eyes now looking at him. She had her mother’s eyes, but dark almost black hair like his. Moving closer to him Kira spoke
“Alex, darling, this is your daddy”
Kira was shocked to see Craig’s eyes shining with tears as he looked at her with bemusement.
“Hello…daddy” the little voice said sweetly, causing him to have to wipe away a small tear from the side of his face
He moved closer to his daughter
“Hello Alex it’s nice to meet you” he said his voice soft and gentle
The little girl looked at him with large wary eyes
“Like bunnies” she asked in her childish voice, with a serious expression on her small face, causing Craig to laugh gently at the odd question
Looking as thoughtful as he could, like it was the most important question he had ever been asked he finally answered
“I think bunnies are the best things in the whole wide world”
The small child giggled reaching out to him
“See my bunnie”
Kira moved her over to Craig, who gently lifted her as though she was made of china. As he took the small child she gave him the plastic bag which Bill had given to her.
“Here, you give her this”
He walked over to where she was pointing to and kneeling down with her looked at the picture book she held in her hand full of rabbit images. Looking in the bag he had grinned at Kira
“Thank you Bill” he said with a smile before pulling out the cuddly rabbit, which the little girl had embraced with a squeal of delight and a happy smile, laughing and kissing it.
Kira watched them together, knowing that she had done the right thing. She could see the love for the little girl pouring from him as he concentrated on her every word. Alex had loved the attention from the new stranger and was giggling at him as he lay on the floor allowing her to clamber all over him.
“Daddy silly” she had chuckled as he made things disappear from his hands and re-appear behind her. She had found this so funny that she had fallen over laughing. Craig who had leapt over to her in concern started laughing himself, seeing her lying on her back giggling uncontrollably. He looked over at Kira, silently watching the whole scene and smiled.
“She has your eyes” he said softly seeing the same expressive eyes on his daughter. Kira smiled
“Yes, but she has your nature” she replied chuckling “always gets what she wants and lord help us if she doesn’t”
He looked back down on the small bundle in her pyjamas
“And how could you not give her what she wants” he said with such love in his voice
Kira groaned “great like Bill and Marissa don’t spoil her enough” she laughed “now I’ll have to deal with you too”
“OK, young lady” Kira said before sweeping the child into her arms and blowing a raspberry into her stomach much to her delight
“Beddie byes”
Alex hugged her mother not arguing as she moved into a small bedroom which held a child size bed and an assortment of brightly coloured furniture all built for a child.
Craig watched as Kira put her into her bed, kissing her gently on the forehead.
“Say goodnight to daddy” she said watching her as her eyes slowly closed and her head turned to the side as sleep took the tired child
“Night daddy” she said sleepily before she fell fast asleep
Putting on a small night light Kira switched on a baby monitor before the two of them moved back out into the hall and closed the door.
As they returned to the living room, Craig dropped down into one of the couches.
“I have a daughter” he said looking at her still in shock
Sitting beside him she softly replied “I tried”
An anguished groan escaped him as memories started to flood his bemused mind
“Oh God” he said in a pained voice
She covered his hand softly as he lifted it to his lips
“I’m so sorry” he muttered
“When you didn’t turn up that night I didn’t know I was pregnant. I waited for you to call and then I tried to call you. I was told that you weren’t taking any more calls from me” her voice was sad
“I was so upset….I couldn’t believe that you would cut me off that way…and I only had a week left before my visa expired and I just kept calling you”
Craig moaned at the thought of her desperately trying to contact him
“Kira, I was in a hell of a mess. I thought that you were working with your father, I couldn’t stand seeing you”
She smiled at him a sad pained smile.
“Eventually I went back home. That’s when I found out I was pregnant. “She paused for a second
“But I was lucky…. I had no where to live, I had no job, no money and there was no way I was turning to my father, but I met Bill and Marissa. They let me stay with them for a while, gave me a job and helped with Alex.” The memory of their kindness brought a small smile to her lips
“I tried calling you and then I tried writing to you…..but all my letters were sent back unopened.”
She stood up and reaching into the back of a drawer in a bureau she retrieved a small pile of letters. She looked for and found one in particular and handed it to him.
Slowly he opened it to stare at the small black and white pre-natal scan image of the little girl now sleeping next door. Once again she saw the tear in his eye, as he read the letter inside.
“I’m so sorry” he muttered “Wasn’t there some way you could have told me….some way of getting the message to me…… I would have been here straight away”
She smiled
“What tell the press…….no…. you were getting enough press at the time……..I didn’t want Alex to be just another sordid story”
She looked down at her hands