I was so relieved I finally let out a sigh when Christopher reached out and grabbed my arm. His eyes were vicious and cold.
“Oh, and Reyna, you look absolutely fantastic. No one would ever guess you just had a baby. You certainly can’t tell by looking at you. I can’t believe you got that gorgeous flat stomach of yours back. I thought women’s bodies went to hell after having a child. You prove that theory wrong.” His voice was an evil hiss.
“Excuse me!” Sinclair was about to snap. “Please take your hand off of my girl… assistant.” His eyes were wild and territorial.
“Did you have a girl or a boy?” Chris continued.
I froze in my tracks, terrified, and stared at him. I didn’t know what to say. After an uncomfortable beat, I finally was able to form words. “I don’t want to discuss it.” My voice was a flat monotone.
Sinclair took my hand and pulled me up towards the exit. “I don’t know what this is all about Christopher, but Reyna and I need to be going.” He moved us away, but it wasn’t fast enough.
“What? Did you give it up for adoption or something?” His last remark was cruel and biting.
As Sinclair marched us away, tears welled in my eyes. He pulled me closer and whispered in my ear, “Are you okay?” His voice was laced with worry and concern.
“I’m fine,” I responded feeling blindsided and terrorized. “Can we talk about it later?” I asked, even though I didn’t know what I’d say when we did bring up the subject again.
I couldn’t tell him about Arianna. I wasn’t ready to let him know she was his. If I told Sinclair that what Chris had said was true… he might jump to the wrong conclusion. We let ourselves get carried away on Halloween. I told him that night I hadn’t been with many men. Now I’d have to say I’d gotten pregnant and had a child with someone else? I have no idea what he’d think of me… and worse, it would be a lie. Dread filled my veins, and my body became as heavy as lead.
Chapter 13
Sinclair
As we made our way out of the theater, I was stunned to silence. My mind was scrambled with thoughts. I couldn’t even put them together properly. She had a newborn baby from the sound of it. Whose was it? When did she have it? It had to have been within the year. Was it Christopher Regent’s child? I couldn’t let the night pass without facing this, so when we got into the limo, I put up the privacy screen and confronted her.
“I know you told Christopher Regent you didn’t want to talk about it, but I feel like I should know the truth.” I was somber and disoriented.
“I know,” was all she said as she began to cry.
“So, you do have a baby?” Even saying the words increased the weight of my shock.
“I do,” she whispered.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I was prying, but this was a woman I was trying to get to know better.
I fully intended on bedding her. Yet as I stared at her gorgeous face flushed red with shame, I realized I knew absolutely nothing about her. She’d withheld the truth from me, and I wasn’t sure why. I guessed having another man’s baby wasn’t something she wanted to share. I understood. In my opinion, though, trust was important in a relationship, and the trust between us was tenuous at best.
“I didn’t know how to tell you,” she confessed as her eyes drifted down to her lap.
“Sinclair, I have a baby at home...” I teased, trying to get her to relax a little.
The evening wasn’t feeling much like a date anymore. I’d waited so long for this. Well, it was a little over a week… and a year. It felt like an eternity. I was fully intending on fucking Reyna all night long, and here I was feeling morose and guilty for some weird reason. Maybe it was because she was paralyzed with fear.
“Sinclair, I have a baby,” she said in a strange robotic fashion.
“Where’s the father? Are you with him?” What a stupid question, I was so off-center.
“No…” Her lip started trembling as she continued to cry.
“Okay. It’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” I pulled her into me and stroked her knee. “I’m here. We can talk about this if you want or don’t it’s okay.” Even though I should have been angry and jealous, all I wanted to do was offer her love and support.
So, she’d fucked a few guys. I was no less guilty of enjoying carnal pleasure. It’s strange she seemed so timid with me on Halloween. I was under the impression she was relatively innocent in bed. Guess I wasn’t as good a judge of character as I thought I was.
“I’m not a slut,” she blurted out her sobs seizing her. “I don’t just… I don’t usually…” She was starting to heave and buck, crying harshly.
“Hey, it’s okay. We make mistakes.” I thought I was being helpful.
“She’s not a mistake,” she said through her tears.
“Of course not. I didn’t mean your daughter. Clearly, I’m not helping.” I sighed as I swirled my hand on her thigh, hoping I was giving her comfort.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she whimpered so softly, I barely heard her.
My hand on her knee swirled with sensual strokes, sending her the message I still wanted her very much, despite this new revelation. “So, it’s a little girl?” I thought talking about her daughter might help.
“Arianna,” she cried softly as tears dripped out of her eyes.
“It’s a beautiful name. Does the father know?” I know the question was probably indelicate given her state of mind, but she was so broken I couldn’t go on without getting us through this.
“No,” she whispered.
“Don’t you think you should tell him? Perhaps he wants to know he has a baby.” It wasn’t very romantic, and I should have been happy to have him out of the picture, but suddenly I felt bad for this father who had a child in the world he may never meet.
“I don’t think he wants her.” She turned her tear-stain face and looked directly at me.
There was something in the look, something that said it all. Of course, she wasn’t a slut or a drug addict. She was still that timid, sexy woman who gave herself over to a night of pleasure. One night where she stopped caring and lived the fantasy. One night with me in a mask.
“Have you asked him if he wants her?” I looked at her with that same wide-eyed earnestness.
She took a deep breath and trembled. Her eyes lowered, and she fumbled with her dress as she spoke. “He was the most beautiful man I’d ever met. He was sexy and kind. I thought I was someone else that night, someone magical.” Her eyes drifted back up to mine. “We created a miracle. She’s so beautiful.” She looked like she wanted to say more, but words choked in her as she stared at me and trembled.
“Is she mine?” I felt the electricity spike between us.
She nodded her head and quietly affirmed, “Yes.”
My hand continued to caress her, but my mind bottomed out… I was a father.
“I can take care of her. You don’t have to do anything, and if you don’t want this …it’s fine I can get an Uber home… I can get another job. It’s okay, it’s okay.” The tears were racing down her cheeks again. “I’m sorry.”
“Woah… Woah. Reyna. It’s okay.” I held her tighter. “I’m a little shocked, but I’m not surprised. This doesn’t change anything. I mean it changes a lot, but we can handle this. We’re grownups.” I think I was counseling myself more than I was her.
I was a father. It was almost too much for me to process. For the rest of the ride, we just held one another and didn’t say more. I was actually relieved when we drove up to the Chateau Marmot to have the distraction of a party to ease the tension that had built between us.
I took her hand before we got out of the car and looked her in the face. “I still want you, Reyna. I’m not going anywhere. You can stop crying.” I wiped the tears from her eyes. “There’s no crisis. We didn’t use any protection. I came in you, and we tempted fate. Fate brought us a little girl. I’m sure she’s just as beautiful as her mother and th
e rest… well, we’ll work out the rest.” I meant every word.
We were already in dangerous territory, which just got a little more harrowing. I could do this, and if I couldn’t, well, we’d break up, and I’d offer child support.
“You’re not angry with me for not telling you?” she said through her sniffles.
“I wish you felt like you could’ve told me. I guess I’m upset you didn’t trust me enough to say something. I understand though; we don’t really know each other. I hope you’re more honest with me going forward.” I smiled as I tucked a tear dampened strand of wayward hair that always was in her face, behind her ear. Even though she’d been crying and was in distress, she was still so beautiful. Her tears only highlighted her humanity and vulnerability.
“I promise, Sinclair, no more secrets,” she whispered.
“I may not be comfortable with commitment, and we might not last, but I promise to honor my role as a father. I hope you begin to feel free to talk to me about anything. Despite what happens, I’ll always be here.” I was stepping way out of my comfort zone, making this promise. It was the right thing to do, and I knew it. I hadn’t worked out the logistics, but it was responsible.
“Thank you.” Her smile had returned… finally.
“I still want to be with you tonight. Nothing changes my desire to wine and dine you and fuck you silly. Let’s not ruin something that might be amazing before it even begins.” I stepped out of the car and offered her my hand.
“Okay. I’ll trust you.” Her deep brown eyes penetrated me as I held her. I wiped the tears from her face one more time before we went in.
She took a compact out of her purse and patted the red spots on her nose and cheeks. “I look a mess,” she lamented.
“You don’t. You’re beautiful, with or without makeup.”
She reapplied her lipstick, smacked her lips, and gave me a playful grin. “But I feel better with it,” she said as she put her lipstick away.
“We’re going to have to work on that.” I smacked her beautiful round ass and walked her into the party. “Let’s get in and out of here so I can see what your mom bod looks like without clothes…” I whispered in her ear as her eyes went wide.
Oh, tonight was going to be so much fun.
The party was a bit of a blur. I must have still been in shock from discovering I was a father. As I’d promised Reyna, we made an appearance, spoke to key players, and listened to heartfelt words of congratulations. After about an hour, I snuck her out the back door where a driver was waiting for us. We opened a bottle of champagne in the car and started our evening together.
I had several cars; one was a vintage Volkswagen Westfalia. I loved to drive to the beach and camp by the ocean on occasion. Sometimes being near the sound of waves crashing all day and night was just what I needed to get my mind off things. The Westie had a bed that popped out of the roof and the most basic kitchen set up. It was a perfect rebellion against my over-privileged life.
I also had a Land Rover I drove to work, and this car, the town car, was as luxurious as cars got. It had a small bar and snack table inside. Everything was automated, and if I wanted to fuck her on the back seat, they reclined all the way back. This car was actually my father’s, but he was never in the country long enough to drive it. As soon as I got Reyna into the car, I pulled her to me and kissed her. I’d been waiting a year and change to kiss that amazing mouth, and I didn’t have the patience to wait any longer.
She opened her mouth for me, our tongues tasting one another as if we were starving for each other. Her fingers twisted into my hair and pulled me in. It took all my willpower not to fuck her in the back of my dad’s town car. I had a beautiful evening planned for us. We weren’t two teens at the prom; I could hold my cock back for a few more hours.
I never brought women home; this was going to be a first for me. I’m not sure why I wanted to be so intimate with her at first, but after what she revealed, I’m glad I took the risk. Usually, I took women to a hotel.
“Thank you again for understanding about Arianna,” she said when our lips parted, and the car started winding up the Hollywood hills.
“Thank you for finally telling me I had a daughter.” I offered a sincere smile, so she wasn’t intimidated. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m starving.” She made a goofy face, and I got to see the fun and silly side of her had returned. Thank God.
“Fantastic. Salvatore is one of the best chef’s in the world. I’m sure he’ll be happy to be cooking for more than just me.” That was a bit of a painful confession, but it was true.
My mom and dad hired me a chef, knowing I’d never cook on my own. All three of their sons have a maid, chef, and butler. They were raised with money and couldn’t think of their children not having these basic conveniences. My parents choose to live in various places around the world. They made their money in Los Angeles but prefer to live abroad. The house I lived in was their house, but they never came home to it. They gave it to me, sort of. I redecorated it and managed their affairs, should they ever want to return. They always assured me they didn’t. Sage lived in their weekend house in the mountains, which was basically a complex and Shelton had their loft downtown. They also gave me a small bungalow on the beach in Malibu, which was my secret man lair.
“Wow Fallen Angel films must be doing amazingly well if you can afford your own chef,” she said, impressed.
“I have a little confession to make of my own.”
She took a deep breath as she waited for me to reveal my secret.
“My mom and dad are billionaires a few times over. We’ve always had money. My grandfather had an oil company. Currently, my dad is running a real estate development business from an office in London, and my mom is an online self-help guru. They have more money than they know what to do with. My brothers and I just had to pick what we wanted to do with our lives, and my parents funded it. I didn’t have to be much of a success, just happy. One of my brothers is in a rock band, and the other is a nasty lawyer who rips people off. I love films, and I got to see my dream come true. Now, I’m pretty much independent, but they do insist on my paying for my chef because they know I probably won’t ever attempt to cook. If I did, I’d burn their beautiful house down… and speaking of the beautiful house… we’re here.”
The car pulled up to the drive, and the driver exited to open Reyna’s door.
Her mouth opened wide. “Holy guacamole,” she exclaimed with awe.
I laughed, “Did you just say that?”
“I think so,” she laughed too.
I adored her.
Chapter 14
Reyna
His house was incredible. It was the kind of place you drove by and fantasized about who lived there. It was massive. I couldn’t imagine living there by myself; I’d be so scared and lonely. I thought of the tiny apartment I shared with the girls in Hollywood. I’d switched rooms with Melody, who had the master bedroom when I was pregnant. I wanted the ensuite bathroom for my nightly pee, and it had a small changing area I made into a nursery with a crib, dresser, and changing table. It was perfect for Arianna and me.
Melody used my old room to record her music and actually lived in our dining room. Our house was built in the 1920s and had a dining area offset from the living room and kitchen. We just put doors on it, and she had an incredible bedroom. I only ended up paying a little more for the master bedroom, and Melody continued to pay her share, and Charlynn was happy her rent decreased. It was a win for everyone.
We were cozy in our crazy little apartment overlooking the hills. He, however, lived in this mansion mostly by himself. The place was overwhelming. I knew my mouth was hanging open, but who lived as he did? It was insane.
“It’s just you and the chef living here?” I asked, probably sounding dumb.
“There are a housekeeper and butler too,” he mumbled.
“All for little ol’ you?” I know I was being an asshole, but it was too much… he was like a li
ttle rich boy bouncing around his massive estate all alone. It was sort of classic.
“I have friends over.” He smiled. “But yes, I’m a little high maintenance.”
“A little?” I teased.
We walked to the front of the house, and he opened the door. The house was even more gorgeous inside. Deep mahogany wood, black and white checkered tiles, fixtures, and details preserved to perfection. This house was as old as our apartment but lacked the chipping paint and cracked tiles. It was pristine and perfectly kept.
“It’s like a museum,” I blurted out in wonder.
“Yeah… it’s in some historical catalog somewhere. Do you want a glass of wine?” He was diverting my attention from the extravagance of his wealth, and I welcomed it.
“I’d love a glass,” I said as he ushered me inside.
“We have everything, what would you like?” I couldn’t imagine a man who had every kind of wine on hand. I guess my imagination wasn’t very good.
“A glass of chardonnay would be nice.” I tried not to sound awestruck.
This night was nothing like I thought it would be. His house was massive and crazy grandiose, and I just felt lost in it, and I couldn’t believe I told him about Arianna. He handled it so much better than I expected he would. I was happy about that. Ariana didn’t deserve to be hidden. I wasn’t ashamed of her, and neither should he be. No matter what happened between us, parenthood was forever, and I’m glad he understood. The more I learned about Sinclair, the more I began to like him.
“I redesigned most of this myself,” he boasted as he walked me past the foyer to the living room with a picture window and an incredible view of the Hollywood hills. “I’d love to show you all I’ve done to the place, but I don’t want to scare you off.”
I laughed at him. “I tell you you’re a father and you’re afraid that showing me a few light fixtures is going to scare me off?”
He immediately saw the humor. “Well, there’s three hundred of them, it might be a bit daunting.”
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