“They were involved in a hit and run, only there was a bit more to it than that. When they realised they’d hit someone they did stop, only to find that the person they’d hit was dead, and they made the very stupid decision to hide the body. At the time it happened I was spending the evening with my grandmother, so I wasn’t in the car at the time, but if I had been I would have called the police. I knew the difference between right and wrong. My entire family made the decision to stand by my parents, apart from me. It was a ‘mistake’. To me it stopped being a mistake when they decided to hide the body. That’s what I’m never going to forgive them for. They pretended for weeks nothing had happened.”
“How did they get caught?”
“Pure luck. The body was found a couple of weeks after the accident, and they were stupid enough to take the car to be fixed after the accident. Luckily the cops put two and two together, realised my parents were involved, and started looking for more proof. It wasn’t hard to find. My parents weren’t smart, and my father had been arrested a couple of times before. Around the same time someone said they’d seen both of them in the car, driving in that general direction, and in the end my mother was the one who confessed. It was a young girl they’d hit, not much older than me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It was a long time ago and I’ve let go of most of the anger I felt. I don’t hate them, but I’m never going to be able to see them the same way. In the end it’s best for me to keep my distance, because it’s my extended family that’s the biggest issue, as they can’t understand why I made the decision I did.” Tiana sighed, wishing she could drink, because alcohol would make it easier to relive one of the most difficult things she’d ever lived through. “I know I made the right choice. I couldn’t forgive them for lying about it.”
“My parents have never done anything that stupid, but we don’t have a good relationship either. When I earned my first million they came to me, asking for money, and that was when I learnt the truth. They’ve never been any good with money. Every cent they had they’ve spent, so they don’t have any savings, they don’t have a retirement fund, they’re in debt, and they thought I was going to fix everything. It was something I knew I couldn’t do. If I helped them once I knew they’d just keep coming back for more, so I told them I wasn’t going to give them anything. For a long time they tried to guilt me into it. We had long conversations about how it would be best for the family if I gave them the money they needed. In the end I went no contact.”
“Are you still no contact?”
“We’ve built some bridges, but my relationship with them will never be the same. I don’t trust them.” Dylan studied Tiana. “What are you going to do if we do have a child together?”
“Keep working. I’m not going to stop for any reason, although I know I’m going to have to cut down to look after the baby. My job is one of the things that kept me going when life’s been at its very worst, and I’m not going to walk away, because I need to work.”
***
They were on opposite sides of the table, and Tiana was doing her best not to stare too much at Dylan. Every time she looked at him she knew, if things were different, she wouldn’t have been so wary of having a relationship with him. Due to the situation they’d found themselves in it was different. Waking up next to him… there were times when she did dream of what it had been like to end up in bed with him, about what his kisses felt like, and what it had been like to feel his body against hers. The sex had been good. Sex, though, wasn’t a reason to have a relationship with anyone. As she ate her lasagna she realised one of the main issues was Dylan’s money.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Us.” She knew being honest with him was the best thing she could be. “I don’t know how it can work.”
“You’re talking about the money.”
“I am.” She nibbled her lip as she looked at him. “I’ve always worked for my money.”
“So have I. I didn’t inherit it, Tia, but I worked hard for every penny I have. I can understand why it’s an issue, because it means we’ll have an unbalanced financial relationship. However I promise you, if things do work out between us the way I hope they will, everything I have we’ll share.”
“No.” Tiana shook her head. “I couldn’t do that.”
“You’re going to be having my child. At the very least you’re going to be getting child support, and I’ll make certain you have enough to be able to move into your own place with the baby. I want the two of you to be comfortable, and happy, and I don’t think it’s going to be possible when you have roommates.”
“That’s something I have thought about.” Sighing, she looked down at the table, and then back at him. “I could still have an abortion. I have no connection to the thing that’s growing inside me right now. There are still days when I forget it’s happening, at least until the morning sickness hits, and then I can’t possibly forget that I’m growing a child within my body.” She sipped her juice, thinking about how she was going to word what she wanted to say. “I don’t want to have a baby. I’m not ready for one. At the same time this has happened and I need to accept that.”
“If you really think having an abortion is the best thing for you I’ll be there.” Dylan reached out and took hold of her hand. “No matter what I want the two of us to have a relationship, even if you do make that decision, and I wish you could understand why.”
Smiling, she glanced down at their hands. “I wish I could understand why, but when I look at myself I can’t see anything special, and I don’t get why you’d want me more than another woman.”
***
Tiana stared at her naked body in the mirror. She’d never thought of herself as beautiful, or even pretty. Dylan, for some reason, seemed to find her beautiful, and fascinating. It didn’t make sense. He had the pick of women, thanks to his money, and he’d chosen her. Could it be the baby that was making him so insistent? As she studied her abdomen, which was still flat, she still had trouble believing there really was a baby growing inside her, but soon enough it would begin changing her body… and her life. Did she want to have a baby? Before Dylan it wasn’t something that would have crossed her mind. There’d been no one in her life she could even imagine sleeping with. Having a baby with them wouldn’t have happened. He’d changed her life in multiple ways, and she still wasn’t certain what she wanted to do.
No matter what he wanted to have a relationship with her. Tiana ran the words through her head multiple times, hearing him say them, and she could tell he’d meant it. Dylan wanted to be a part of her life. He wanted to be a part of her life even after learning about her parents. She shook her head. Maybe she could give him a chance, but giving him a chance was how she’d end up getting hurt. It was how she’d been hurt in the past. Sighing, she stepped away from the mirror, going over to the bed. As she picked up her pyjamas she tried to work out if it was worth it. If she gave him a chance while she was pregnant it seemed likely she would end up keeping the baby, and she needed to know what would happen if the two of them split up at a later date. A baby. Could she have a baby? Would she be any good as a parent? Until she had the child there was no way of knowing, but the one thing she was certain of was the fact she wouldn’t screw them up the way her parents had screwed her up.
She pulled her pyjamas on, grateful they were comfortably normal, and slipped into bed. Pushing her thoughts away wasn’t going to be simple, but Tiana knew she needed to get some sleep. She had work early, and then she was going to have to talk to Dylan again. If she was going to make a decision she needed to be certain she was making the right one, although she wasn’t certain there was a right one. As she turned off the light she thought about what he’d told her. Obviously he didn’t like gold diggers, which explained why he’d go for someone like her in the first place, and yet he still had no way of knowing she wasn’t one. It would be easy enough for her to by lying about the baby, so why hadn’t he asked her for pro
of. Was he really willing to trust her without it?
***
“I could be lying.”
“Yes, you could, but I don’t think you are.” Dylan smiled. “Someone who was lying wouldn’t have acted the way you did when you had to tell me about the child. It was difficult for you.”
“To be honest I thought you’d tell me the best thing I could do was have an abortion.”
“The thought did cross my mind, Tia, but then I realised this could be the beginning of something wonderful.”
“We have no way of knowing this is going to last.”
“No one does. People don’t get into relationships with any certainty that it will be for the rest of their lives, but that’s still what they hope for. I think the two of us will work together well enough for us to be a long term couple. If we don’t I still want to be a part of my child’s life, and I will be there for you.”
“Having an abortion would mean you wouldn’t have to be there, or think about this.”
“Do you think that’s the best option?”
As Tiana brushed a hand through her hair she realised she had no idea what he wanted from her. Did he really want her to tell him the truth? Was there a chance he truly wanted the child, no matter who he’d ended up getting pregnant? “I honestly don’t know, Dylan. I’ve been thinking about this ever since I found out I was pregnant, and I still have no idea what I think the best thing I could do is, even after talking to you.”
“What can I do to help?”
“I’m not certain there is anything you can do. You can say the right words, but that’s not going to be enough to put my worries at rest. It would be easy enough for you to be lying to me, for whatever reason, and I hate that I have no way of knowing one way or another.”
“You could be lying to me about being pregnant, but I don’t think someone who was lying would be acting the way you are.” Their eyes met, just for a moment, before she looked down at the table. “I never once thought about having a child. Until you came to me to tell me you were pregnant it was simply something that hadn’t crossed my mind. Now I know you are carrying my baby I can’t help thinking what they might look like. Will it be a girl or a boy? What colour will it be? Will they have my eyes or your eyes?” He sounded like he was smiling, but Tiana didn’t dare to look up at him. “You can have an abortion if you think it’s for the best, and I won’t stop you, but that doesn’t mean I won’t want you to be the mother of my children in the future. I’ve come to love the idea of having children that are yours.”
***
“Making a decision is impossible, Jen.”
“You have to make one. It’s as simple as that.” Jennifer gently put a hand on Tiana’s stomach. “Inside of you there’s a child growing. From what you’re said Dylan’s done everything he can to make you see he wants to be with you, even if you weren’t pregnant, and I think you should give him a chance.”
“I could do that, but what happens if everything goes wrong.”
“Tia, you can’t plan for everything. I know you like to be in control, but there are times, and this seems to be one of them, when you need to accept that simply isn’t possible. You didn’t control the fact you got pregnant.”
“No, that was drunken stupidity. Sleeping with him was a mistake. Sleeping with him without a condom… I don’t know why I would have done something like that.”
“Alcohol makes the best of us let go of all our inhibitions and I think it’s something neither of you thought about in advance.”
“Probably.” Tiana sighed. “Right now I could easily forget I’m pregnant. There’s nothing, apart from the morning sickness, to make it obvious, and when I wake up in the morning it feels like this is nothing more than a horrible dream. Soon enough I won’t be able to do that, which does mean I need to make a decision. It’s just one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”
“Maybe you need to let go for a little while. Stop thinking so much about the future, and do something you wouldn’t have done for any reason.”
“I already did that. That’s how I ended up pregnant.”
“As that’s something you don’t need to worry about…”
“Jen, are you suggesting that I sleep with Dylan again?”
“Maybe.” Jennifer smiled. “Last time you were very drunk, and it’s best to see if you are sexually compatible with someone before you make big decisions like this. He will be a part of your life for a long time if you do decide to keep the child.”
“Yeah, he will, and we don’t have to be in a relationship for the two of us to be able to co-parent.”
“I’ve seen the way you look at him. I know what you really want. I’m pretty certain he knows what you really want. You’re just letting your fears get in the way of doing it.”
“He’s got more money than I could make in a lifetime. Of course I’m letting my fears get the better of me. If I do make the decision to have a relationship of any kind with him we’re never going to be equals. He’s always going to have that, while I’m a hairdresser.”
“That’s what you always wanted to be.”
“I know, and I don’t have any regrets, but compared to him I make nothing. He’s going to be able to buy our child things I can’t.” Tiana bit her lip. “Having a child with someone who’s more like us would be much easier.”
“It would, but that’s not what’s happen. In the end you’re pregnant with Dylan’s child and that’s what you need to focus on.”
***
Dylan’s house was huge. As Tiana stood on the doorstep she could feel her heart beating faster than it had done before, and she wished she hadn’t made the decision to visit him. It was a reminder of how different their lives were. She did her best to prepare herself for what she was about to do, even though she didn’t think it was possible, while she waited for him to answer the door. Eventually, after what felt like hours, he opened the door, and their eyes met.
“Hi.” He stepped back to let her enter the house. “I’m glad you called.”
“There isn’t much time.” She shrugged. “The decision has to be made as soon as we can, and learning more about the life you live will help with that.” She glanced around the hallway, feeling even less certain she’d made the right choice. “How do you live here?”
“It took a little while to get used to. When I first bought the place I thought I was making a huge mistake, because it didn’t feel like home, but it does now. This is my space, and it could be yours too.”
“Why did you buy it?”
“My future.” Dylan smiled. “I was thinking about what I’d want if I was going to be sharing a house with a wife, and children. I didn’t want to buy a house and then find I had to move when I married or had children.” The smile faded. “It never once crossed my mind the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with might not be comfortable here.”
“Are you talking about me?”
“Possibly.” He took a couple of steps closer to her. “We don’t know each other well, Tia, but I think you could be her, if you want to be.”
Breathing deeply Tiana closed the distance between the two of them, doing her best not to make it obvious what she was about to do, and then kissed him. For a few seconds he didn’t respond. Kissing him was a mistake, obviously. Then he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer, and deepened the kiss, as he gently stepped backwards with her. Before she’s worked out what he was doing she was pinned to the wall, their bodies pressing hard together. When he freed her lips he was smiling.
“I didn’t think you were ever going to do that.”
“Neither did I.” Her mind felt like it didn’t exist any longer. “Maybe we can make this work. I’m not promising anything, because I don’t know what the future might hold, but I think we can try having a relationship, if that’s really what you want.”
He kissed her again. “It’s what I want.” Their eyes met. “It’s what I wanted from the moment I met you, and I never thought I’d feel
like that about anyone.”
***
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I know.” Tiana reached out and took Dylan’s hand. Getting used to the fact they were a couple wasn’t easy, but she was getting there. “I want to be there. I know how hard it’s been for you, and I think it would be best if you had my support.”
“They aren’t nice people, Tia, and I don’t know how they’re going to react to the fact you’re black.”
“Racists are something I’ve dealt with before.” Their eyes met. “I’m going to be okay.”
“Maybe it would be best for you to stay here for now.”
“Do you not want me to meet them?”
“Of course I don’t. They’re horrible people, and I wouldn’t even be going tonight if it wasn’t for the fact it’s my sister’s birthday. I don’t want you to have to go through this.”
“Sooner or later they’re going to find out. Surely it’s better that they find out when we tell them, rather than them finding out from one of the gossip mags or the Internet.”
“Why do you have to be logical about this?”
“Because it’s obvious you can’t be.” She kissed his cheek. “It’s going to be fine. I’m ready for whatever they might throw at me, Dylan, because you’ve warned me what they’re like.”
“Whenever you want to leave let me know.”
“I will.”
As they made their way out to Dylan’s car Tiana couldn’t stop herself from glancing over at him. Their three week relationship had gone so much better than she thought it could. When he looked at her he smiled. “What are you thinking about?”
“Us.” He squeezed her hand. “I didn’t realise how easy this was all going to be. Being with you has been simple, in comparison to some of the relationships I’ve had through the years, and I’m glad it’s worked out that way.”
The Alpha Billionaire's Unexpected Baby: A Billionaire BWWM Pregnancy Romance Page 11