Whatever the Price

by Jules Bennett

  Probably what most people thought when making a will—they wouldn’t die young so there was no need to worry.

  But damn, this was something he needed to know in advance, instead of being dealt another blow so soon after her death.

  Rachel’s death.

  Those two words had been bouncing around his head and his heart for days. His beautiful, vibrant sister was gone. He’d never see her smile again unless he looked at old pictures. Baby Lily would never see just how much her mother loved her. So much so that she’d been artificially inseminated because she hadn’t been looking for a relationship and had wanted a child.

  How could fate be this cruel to have his sister taken away, his wife on the verge of divorcing him and the discovery that he was the biological son of Hollywood’s most recognized star all in the span of a year? His life had taken a dramatic twist, and he honest-to-God didn’t know which way was up anymore.

  This time last year his world had upended when he’d discovered he had been given up for adoption at birth by the Hollywood icon Olivia Dane. Not only that, he’d discovered his most hated rival, Bronson Dane, was his half brother. Unfortunately, with Bronson as Hollywood’s top producer and Anthony one of the top directors, their paths crossed.

  Since the truth had come out, tabloids had exploited the family’s forty-year-old secret. The four of them—his biological mother and siblings Bronson and Victoria—had all put up a united front and issued a press release, but no public appearances had been made together. Anthony hadn’t had time to take a break between work and fielding media inquiries. His assistant deserved a raise for all the calls and emails she’d had to answer.

  Anthony’s eyes drifted back down to the document stating that he and Charlotte were guardians of Lily. A knot formed in his stomach. His knowledge of babies was very limited. All he knew, as of this moment, was that Charlotte had no problem putting Lily to sleep and all his niece did when he held her was scream and cry.

  He had no clue how to make a bottle, though he’d winged it the past couple days when no one else had been around. The diaper thing was still very iffy, and he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to use that half container of wipes when her diaper had nearly exploded, but he wanted to be safe. He had a master’s degree, for crying out loud, and had worked on multimillion-dollar movie sets, so why did some powder formula and moist wipes terrify him?

  Because this was his sister’s kid. Because he would do everything in his power to honor his sister’s memory and love and care for this child like his own. And because he wanted to prove to Charlotte he could do family and a career.

  Family was starting to mean more and more to him. He and his sister had really banded together after their parents had passed away—his father from a heart attack and his mother after a long battle with thyroid cancer.

  And when he’d discovered who his birth mother was, Rachel had urged him to contact her, to make a relationship and try to put the differences with Bronson aside. With the unsettled atmosphere surrounding his marriage, he’d found it easier to open up to his sister. Just one more of the communication mistakes he’d made.

  And even though Rachel had been his best friend, he never told her about his marital problems. She’d read the tabloids, seen the damning headlines, but he’d always been able to convince her the media was just fishing for a story. No way would he admit defeat to anyone, even to himself. Especially to himself.

  The marriage was not over. He’d do everything in his power to show Charlotte he was the husband, the father she wanted him to be.

  No, children weren’t something he’d been willing to negotiate before while working, but now everything had changed. Fate had handed him a second chance at a family and he was grabbing hold with both hands, never letting go.

  Anthony calculated the time in his head. Ninety days to convince Charlotte they were meant to be, now more than ever. Ninety days to stay by her side and bond with his niece.

  Ninety days to have her fall in love with him all over again and win her back, using every means necessary.

  And he knew just where to start.

  Three

  “What are you doing?”

  Anthony cringed at the tone in Charlotte’s voice. “Packing.”

  Without turning to look at her, he continued gathering his things and folding them into his suitcase. He knew this would get ugly, but there was no way to avoid the confrontation. He hadn’t told her he needed to be away on business. Had he mentioned it before he got her to move back in, she never would’ve come.

  All he had to do was get through these next two days and he’d be back home where he could prove to her just how willing he was to win her over. Their time together would be rough, but he was more than ready to face this obstacle. After all, he’d been the root of her problem.

  “Typical.” Charlotte moved into the room, stood at the end of the bed they’d once shared and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve been back less than twenty-four hours and you’re already running off. So much for the ninety days you asked for.”

  With a sigh, Anthony fisted his boxers and turned to face her. “I’m hosting the Emmy Awards. There was no getting out of this. I’ll fly home straight after, so you’ll only be here with Lily for two days. Tops. I’ve already told the staff to get you anything you need and to make sure you’re doing okay.”

  “I don’t need to be watched over. I need my husband to make good on his promise.” She ran a hand down her sleek blond hair and sighed. “Honestly, I expected no less than for you to return to business as usual. But I’d hoped you’d make an exception with Lily here now.”

  “Charlie—”

  “No.” She held a hand up. “I’m not picking a fight. I’m here for Lily. Do what you have to, but know that if you can’t put her needs first, you will miss something beautiful in your life.”

  He didn’t get a chance to add that he’d already lost out on the beauty in his life when she’d moved out three months ago. But just as quickly as she’d come in, she was gone, leaving him feeling just as he should…unworthy. He was nearly forty years old and all he had to show for his life were some Oscars on his bookshelves, numerous blockbuster films and a broken marriage. Had all the recognition and countless awards over the years been worth everything he’d sacrificed?

  Dammit. Hindsight was hell on your conscience.

  He’d known Charlotte would be hurt by his swift departure right after she’d moved back in, and had expected her to be angry, but he hadn’t anticipated her to give up without an argument. Not that he wanted to argue, but he was ready for it, had even rehearsed his speech. But he had to admit that her thinking so little of him hurt more than he thought it would. Her harsh words and cold stares, though, were nothing less than he deserved.

  Her reaction, or lack thereof, slapped a dose of reality in his face. Obviously, he’d been a selfish bastard to her for a while and it took losing his wife and his sister, and gaining guardianship of his niece, for him to really wake up. Shame consumed him at the man he’d become, a man he barely recognized.

  And now he was left holding his boxers, staring at the spot Charlotte had just vacated. Was she really just here for Lily? Could she turn off her feelings for him so easily? Did she have no intention at all of fighting for them? After all the time she’d begged him to go to counseling, he gave in and went…once. After all the years she’d told him she needed him to be around more, to be more attentive to her needs. True, he deserved no less. He certainly didn’t deserve her dedication or love, but he still needed her more than he ever could’ve imagined.

  Well, she may be done, but he wasn’t. He refused to see that this marriage was coming to a close. This was his first attempt at juggling work and family now that he was making a conscious effort. Once he returned from his trip, he had a little surprise for his girls.

  His
girls.

  Anthony smiled as he tossed in the last of his items and zipped his suitcase. He had two amazing females in his life and there was no way he was going to screw that up. Yes, Charlotte may be angry and hurt with him now, but once he arrived back home, she’d see just how committed he was to their new family.

  New family seemed to be the theme for his life lately. Between the Danes and Lily, he’d taken on a whole new set of loved ones. He hoped Charlotte would go with him on this journey that was taking him from the only family he’d known into uncharted territory. Charlotte was his rock, the strongest point in his life. She was familiar and he needed her to hold on to during this life-altering time. She mattered more than anyone and he had to make her see that. He’d failed miserably in the past, but she was worth fighting for, and he wouldn’t stop now, just because things were getting difficult.

  He’d turned his back on her during their marriage and just when she’d laid down the ultimatum of her or his career, he’d discovered his biological mother and siblings, ignoring her once again in favor of others.

  With Rachel’s death so fresh, he needed Charlotte now more than ever to understand that he wasn’t pushing her aside, he needed her to stand by his.

  He’d never, ever meant to hurt her and he knew this was only the beginning of a very long, very emotional process for both of them. And, yes, he was going down this path to fight for the marriage he was so desperately clinging to and he was going to drag her along with him. Because he was not giving up. It may have taken a year of life-altering changes and Charlotte leaving to open his eyes, but now that he saw exactly what he stood to lose, he couldn’t move forward happily in his life without her.

  If he didn’t have Charlotte, no amount of family he connected with or films he made could fill that void.

  She’d counted on his leaving, counted on his turning back to his old ways. But one thing she may not be counting on, the one thing that would keep this marriage together, was the fact he loved her more than anything. He would fight for her with everything in him. And it was time to stand up and be the man, husband and now father she needed and expected him to be.

  * * *

  With a warm bedtime bottle, Charlotte settled onto the damask sofa in her bedroom, cradling Lily in her arms. All the while keeping her eyes on the television, which just so happened to be tuned to the channel where the Emmy Awards were being telecast. Could she help it if that’s what popped up when she switched on the TV? She’d barely spoken to Anthony since he’d left yesterday morning, but she’d watched him since he’d come onto the screen.

  “I’m not watching for me,” she told Lily as she slid the bottle between her puckered lips. “I wanted you to see your uncle Anthony on TV. It’s so rare for him to be in front of the camera.”

  When he walked across the lighted stage wearing a black suit with a charcoal-gray shirt and matching silk tie, Charlotte’s heart clenched. The sight of him never failed to take her breath away. His designer suit stretched across his broad shoulders and that hint of a smile he always seemed to possess gave the impression that he was plotting something and only he knew the secret. He had that same smile in bed.

  Perhaps that subtle charm was the appeal that first drew her to him. That aura of mystery, those dark gray eyes that penetrated deep into her soul and left her tingling down to her toes.

  As he looked into the camera and began to speak from the teleprompter, it seemed as if he was looking right at her.

  She wanted something miraculous to come from these ninety days. Wanted the marriage repaired, legal guardianship of Lily and the perfect family life she’d always dreamed about. Even though she told Anthony they weren’t getting back together, she couldn’t lie to herself. She wanted him back, desperately. But not if he couldn’t change. She dreamed of the day he became the husband and father she needed him to be.

  Unfortunately, dreams and reality were so far apart, they were in separate hemispheres.

  And this reality—the one with the man she loved so close, yet so far—was crushing her soul and shattering her heart. But unless Anthony made a huge turnaround, she would be gone at the end of the three months.

  “He really is a good man,” Charlotte told Lily, trying to force back the tears. “His priorities are just in the wrong order for this marriage to work.”

  She glanced from the television to Lily, who had one pudgy hand wrapped around the bottle and another clutching her silky pink blanket. Her lids fluttered down as her little lips pulled against the nipple of the bottle.

  “Don’t worry, little one,” Charlotte whispered. “He knows how important you are. He won’t let you down.”

  Of that Charlotte would see to herself. Neglecting a wife was one thing, but an innocent child…simply intolerable. Though she seriously doubted Anthony would do that to Lily. He had dropped everything when Rachel had passed and gone to retrieve the baby before she could spend another minute in the hands of social workers.

  He’d also nearly begged her to give him ninety days so they could make Lily a comfortable, stable home. That said a lot for a man who allowed his work to rule every part of his life. She knew there was good in him. Knew how much family meant to him. So why had he taken her for granted the past few years?

  Did he have any idea how that made her feel? That constant brushing aside, as if he just assumed she’d always be around at the end of the day. Obviously, in his mind, she was no better than a faithful golden retriever.

  He’d taken her loyalty for granted and she’d allowed it. By not speaking up for herself, she had to take part of the blame for this broken marriage.

  Charlotte swore she’d only watch a minute of the awards, but that minute turned into an hour. The bottle had long since been drained and Lily rested peacefully snuggled against Charlotte’s chest.

  As the awards drew to a close, Anthony stood in front of the camera once again and began to speak. Charlotte turned the TV up just a notch, so as not to wake Lily.

  “Another great year of winners and nominees,” he said with that heart-stopping smile. “With all the thanks going out, I have to take a moment and thank my beautiful wife, Charlotte, for staying home to be with our niece. Love you both.”

  He went on to announce the final presenters, but Charlotte didn’t hear the rest. She stared at the screen, mouth open and a bit teary-eyed at how he’d publicly acknowledged her and Lily. He’d obviously been thinking of her, hoping she’d be watching.

  This was the way things should have been. A house filled with babies running around—the proof of their love—and him combining his personal and professional lives.

  Was fate dangling this second chance in front of her only to mock her dreams? She’d have loved it if he’d come to her door and asked her to give him another chance. A blossom of hope had bloomed when she’d seen him, but he hadn’t been there just for her. She’d have given anything had he dropped everything for their marriage.

  Well, he had sent flowers, a rather impressive bouquet of her favorite lilies and roses, but he’d been away on business when they’d arrived. Had he brought them himself, made a little more of an attempt to gain her attention, he might have actually gotten that attention. Throwing money around was too easy…especially because he had so much of it to throw.

  But he’d only needed her for the baby. His desperation had been fueled by fear, not love.

  She’d been disappointed when he’d been packing yesterday, but at the same time she wasn’t surprised. He was always needed somewhere that wasn’t their home and always willing to jump to meet everyone else’s demands.

  Yesterday she’d walked into their master bedroom—his master bedroom—to have a serious talk, but once she’d seen the suitcase, her heart had fallen and the words on her lips had died. Evidently his trip hadn’t warranted a heads-up and he just expected her to go along with his plans, as usual.
His work was more important than anything outside the film industry.

  But he’d mentioned her on TV as if they were a happily married couple. She knew Anthony well enough to know he would pull out all the stops to fight for what he wanted. But would his actions be sincere or simply because he didn’t like rejection or loss? Perhaps he only mentioned them to throw off all the tabloids discussing their separation.

  So much swirled through her mind. With all the problems of their marriage, having a crisis in private was nearly impossible. There was just so much worry and fear filling her.

  And just because her period was five days late, didn’t mean she needed to jump to conclusions. She’d been stressed lately and had a lot going on in her life. There was no reason to panic. Didn’t she have enough on her plate without borrowing trouble?

  In the morning, if there was still no sign, she’d go get a home test. Then when Anthony returned, she’d know whether or not they’d need to talk about more than Lily and their separation.

  Wouldn’t that just be the icing on the cake? Another baby.

  * * *

  Make that icing, sprinkles and a cherry on top.

  Charlotte jostled a fussy Lily, replaying the life-changing events of her morning.

  What a way to start off her day.

  She’d woken after a fitful night of sleep and asked Monique to keep an eye on the baby while she ran a quick errand. No way was she going to ask anyone else to get the over-the-counter test. This was Hollywood. The last thing she needed was reporters getting wind of this.

  This being the pregnancy test she’d taken in the drugstore restroom, because she couldn’t wait until she was home. It was positive.

  Who knew your life could change in the bathroom of a drugstore? It had taken some deep breathing and a shaky hand supporting her against the sink for several minutes before she could pull her gaze away from the two pink lines that had stared back at her.