Dare Me Tonight

by Phillips, Carly

  Her sibling narrowed his gaze. “This discussion isn’t over but your role in the stadium is.” He stormed out of the room, Olivia rushing after him, clearly hoping to calm him down.

  Good luck, he thought to himself. If Ethan sent his sister to Miami and some older asshole had knocked her up, Ethan would be beyond furious. So yeah, he’d cut Dare some slack. But not too much, because as Sienna had said, this was none of his business.

  This being a baby.

  Holy fucking shit.

  Ethan’s jaw stung and his head pounded, his mind reeling at the truth now staring him in the face. Sienna was pregnant with his baby.

  He turned to her. She looked very frail and extremely anxious as she faced him.

  “That’s why you fainted?” he asked.

  She nodded, guiltily.

  “And you didn’t tell me because…? Are you not planning on keeping it?” Nausea filled him at the thought.

  “Oh my God, no.” She sounded horrified at the suggestion that she might abort their child. “I mean, everyone has to make their own choices, but that never entered my mind.”

  The knot that had formed in his gut suddenly eased. He might not have planned for this, he might not have wanted it, but she was carrying a part of him. He was relieved she hadn’t thought about not keeping it.

  “Then why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, pulling out a chair and easing her into it.

  She narrowed her gaze, clearly not liking him fussing over her. “Because of what just happened! I knew Ian would have a fit and I knew the stadium contract was important to you both. You made it pretty damned clear the other night just how you prioritized things. I didn’t want to get in the way.”

  It was his turn to wince because he’d done just that. Told her the stadium was more important than any kind of relationship they could have. He’d devalued her, something he was coming to see more and more as time went on and things around him unraveled.

  But she’d known about the baby for almost a week. “So you were never going to tell me? Just let me go home and not know I had a kid?” He ground his teeth together, harder when she rolled her eyes at him.

  “Of course not. I was just waiting until you’d finished your company’s work on the stadium. I wanted it to be too late for Ian to hurt your business. Which he now has.” Her brother had made it perfectly clear where things stood between the Thunder Stadium and KTT.

  Jesus. Leave it to Sienna to try and protect him despite how shitty he’d treated her.

  Pregnant. The word rattled around in his brain and he ran a hand through his hair and groaned. “I don’t fucking believe this.”

  Although he really could. He vividly remembered waking up that morning in New York, his body wrapped around Sienna’s, his mind half-asleep as he thrust his hard cock inside her wet heat. He thought he’d come to himself in enough time to pull out and keep her safe from pregnancy but clearly not. Nature had other plans.

  “It was as much a shock to me as it is to you.” Her voice grew soft. “I was told I probably would never be able to get pregnant… after the chemo and the treatment.” She rolled her shoulders, her hand coming to rest on her stomach protectively. “This is a miracle for me.”

  His gaze jerked to hers, the import of that statement settling into his bones. God, the things this woman had endured throughout her life. Childhood leukemia, vicious treatments, her family’s unraveling, thinking she’d never have children of her own if she wanted them. She was stronger than anyone he’d ever met, himself included, and he admired the hell out of her.

  “We’ll figure things out,” he said, unsure of what else to say at the moment. He was still coming to terms with something she’d had a week to accept.

  She nodded. “I don’t expect anything from you … when it comes to me, I mean. Because I think deep down you’re a good man, I’m assuming you’ll want to have a role in this baby’s life and I want that, too.”

  Her eyes grew damp but she stood up straight, remaining strong in front of him. “But you’ve been perfectly up-front with me about where we stand. I don’t want you worrying you’re going to have some clingy woman demanding you step up and marry her.” Her self-deprecating smile tugged at his heart.

  Dammit, he was coming to hate himself more and more.

  “Sienna–”

  She shook her head. “I have to go. I have work to do.” She stood up and walked out, leaving him alone in his assigned office, reeling.

  Chapter Seven

  Sienna sat on her sofa, legs crossed, sipping a decaffeinated iced tea, the book What to Expect When You’re Expecting open on her coffee table, on her laptop, articles on cancer patients carrying babies to term on her browser. She had an appointment with an ob-gyn next week, one who specialized in high-risk pregnancies. Just in case.

  And she tried to focus on the tiny nugget inside her belly and not the state of her life since Ian had found out and taken a swing at Ethan. Because Olivia had called and told her that Ethan was gone. He’d taken a late flight out of Miami, back to New York. Upset didn’t begin to describe how she felt, but she had no choice but to accept his decision to leave.

  And blame Ian.

  Which was why she jumped up from her sitting position, pulled on a summer dress and flip-flops, and headed in her car to see Ian at his home with his wife and kids. Sienna loved Ian and Riley’s kids. Rainey was an adorable four-year-old with brown wavy hair like her mother and a handful, which, as far as Sienna was concerned, served Ian right. Of course he smothered and doted on his daughter, who had no problem telling her daddy what she wanted. Jack was almost a year old and the spitting image of his father. Another male Dare to dominate the world, Sienna thought wryly.

  And since she loved Ian’s wife and knew Riley would take her side when it came to Ian’s interference in Sienna’s life, she had no problem tackling the problem in his home. After all, this was Sienna’s personal life she was dealing with.

  She drove the twenty minutes outside of Miami to the house Ian had bought after moving out of his downtown condo in the Ritz and pulled up to her brother’s close to eight p.m. She’d expected the kids would be asleep, although she was both surprised and thrilled to find them awake.

  No sooner had Riley let her into the house than Rainey, in her nightgown and wild hair, came bursting into the room. “Aunt Sienna! Let’s play dolls!”

  Riley, looking tired, glanced at her daughter and sighed. “She napped after four p.m. Needless to say, sleep is not on the agenda.”

  “Go get your American Girl,” Sienna said of Rainey’s favorite toy, and the little girl disappeared, running for her room.

  Riley ushered her inside. “I don’t know why you’re here but you’re a godsend. I need help.”

  Sienna laughed. “I came to yell at my brother, but hanging out with my niece is always a treat.”

  “I’m back!” Rainey yelled her words. She grasped Sienna’s hand and pulled her into the family room, placing the doll in Sienna’s lap. The doll was intended to look just like Rainey and it did, from the nightgown to her currently unbrushed hair.

  “Uh-oh. What did Ian do now?” Riley joined her in the room with the large sofa and glanced at Sienna.

  She gave Ian’s wife a quick explanation that included whispers so Rainey didn’t overhear. “Long story short, it’s none of his business what goes on between Ethan and me.”

  “You’re right about that!” Riley’s eyes had opened wide, an annoyed expression on her face. “And you’re pregnant!” Riley exclaimed, pulling her into a hug. “No wonder Ian was in such an ornery mood tonight. He said we’d talk after the kids went to bed. I bet he knew I’d be furious and he was delaying the inevitable showdown.”

  Sienna shrugged. “Wouldn’t surprise me. But I need to make things clear to him about boundaries, you know?”

  Riley nodded. “I certainly do.”

  Ian and Riley had had their own issues getting together, ones that involved Ian’s domineering ways.

&
nbsp; “He’s putting Jack to bed. He’ll be back down in a few minutes,” she said.

  Sienna sat down next to Rainey and accepted the doll. “Now, what can we do with … what’s your doll’s name?” Sienna knew Rainey changed the doll’s name on a whim.

  “Gracie!” the little girl exclaimed and Riley’s eyes opened wide.

  “Rainey, have you been sneaking around, listening when Mommy and Daddy are talking again?” Riley asked her daughter, trying to keep a stern voice.

  She looked up with big violet eyes that resembled her father’s. The rest of her was all Riley. “Maybe, Mommy.”

  Sienna choked on the answer. “Maybe?”

  “Rainey Noelle, what does that mean?” Riley placed a hand under her daughter’s chin and forced her to meet her gaze.

  “You told me not to lie, so I’m not, Mommy.”

  “Are you sure she’s only four?” Sienna grinned at the little girl.

  Riley leaned back against the sofa cushion. “She’s a Dare. She’s her father’s daughter. And she’s smarter than she should be.”

  “So you heard that Daddy and I want to name your new baby sister Gracie?” Riley asked through a half smile.

  Sienna whipped her head around to Riley. “You’re having another girl?”

  Riley nodded. “It was supposed to be a secret.” She shook her head and sighed.

  “Just like my baby was supposed to be a secret. Then Ian found out and ran right to the father.”

  “Of course I did. The man had to know that he violated my trust.” Ian strode into the room.

  He’d changed from the suit he wore to the office and had on a pair of black track pants and a tee shirt with what looked like marinara stains. Nobody would believe this was the same formidable Ian Dare people ran away from in fear.

  Riley rose to her feet. “I’m going to take Rainey for a bath. Maybe that will calm her down and make her want to go to sleep. Honey, say good night to your Aunt Sienna.”

  “Night, Aunt Sienna!” Rainey hugged Sienna tight, and at the feel of her little arms squeezing her, a lump formed in Sienna’s throat.

  She was having a baby, something she’d never, ever thought was possible. She hadn’t even let herself contemplate alternatives to normal childbirth. She hadn’t been at the right stage of her life for that. But now that she was pregnant, the reality was hitting her. This would be her life but she’d be doing it alone. She squared her shoulders, knowing she would handle anything life threw her way. She already had.

  “Night, honey.” Sienna kissed the top of Rainey’s head.

  Riley took her daughter’s hand. “Ian, you should know I agree with Sienna and we’re going to have a long talk tonight.”

  He winced, something Ian would only do when his wife was angry with him.

  Riley walked out with Rainey, the little girl chatting about her bath and her toys.

  Ian waited until they were alone before turning to her. “You’re furious.”

  Sienna stood. “That’s putting it mildly, Ian. You told Ethan he was the father before I was ready. Then you sent him away, firing him from a job that means the world to you both. And you hit him!”

  Ian ran a hand over his face and groaned. “I can guarantee you if I’d done to his sister what he did to you, Ethan would have reacted exactly the same way.”

  “That doesn’t make it right!” She paced the floor in Ian’s family room. “You need to understand that this is my life. I’m the one who hooked up with Ethan and got pregnant, and I have to deal with the consequences, including the father of my baby! You can’t run him off. Where does that leave me?”

  She imagined Ethan was taking the weekend to come to terms with the news she’d already had time to digest. What would happen after that was anybody’s guess, but she knew he wouldn’t be returning to the stadium.

  “It was disrespectful of him to take advantage of you, but you’re right. It’s your life. Your choices. I’m sorry.”

  Ignoring the it was disrespectful comment, because she had no intention of telling Ian she had propositioned Ethan, she focused on the more important part of Ian’s statement. And nearly reeled in shock. “Excuse me, what did you say?”

  An amused smile pulled at his mouth. “I said I’m sorry. It’s one of those things Riley has taught me. To apologize when I’m wrong.”

  She placed her hands on her hips and eyed him warily. “What’s the catch?”

  “I’m sorry I screwed things up for you. I’m not sorry I told Ethan how I felt and I’m sure he respects me for it.” Ian grinned unrepentantly.

  “Fat lot of good that does me with him gone,” Sienna muttered.

  Ian placed his hand on her back and pulled her into him. “If he’s half the man I think he is, he’ll be back.”

  She rolled her eyes. Ian Dare was so frustratingly dense. Then again, maybe he was right. She wouldn’t know until she heard from Ethan and they talked again.

  “You’re going to be okay,” Ian said. “You have the best support system there is and more aunts and uncles than your baby will know what to do with.”

  She smiled. That much, at least, she knew to be true. She stepped back and looked up at her half brother. “Do we have an understanding, though? You’ll stay out of my personal life?”

  “You’re going to want me around when the baby is born,” he said smugly.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” It was the best she was going to get from him, she knew.

  * * *

  Standing in his apartment in Manhattan, Ethan felt like he’d been gone a month instead of the week he’d been in Miami. In fact, if he didn’t know better, he’d say he’d become an entirely different man. Sure as fuck, he was going to be a father.

  He ran his hand through his hair, shocked when a knock sounded on his door. Nobody knew he was back in town. He purposely hadn’t told anyone, wanting time alone to process what had gone down and decide how he was going to handle things going forward. He walked over and opened the door to find Sebastian on the other side.

  “John told me you were back,” Sebastian said of the doorman as he strode past Ethan without waiting to be invited in. “Any reason I didn’t know?”

  “Because I needed time alone,” Ethan said pointedly.

  Sebastian sat down on the sofa in the family room, deliberately not taking the hint. “Talk to me, Ethan. Last time I saw you, I found out you’d slept with Ian’s sister. Now you’re home out of the blue. Why?”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” He settled into his favorite club chair across from his brother.

  “You fucked her again?”

  An unwilling smile tipped Ethan’s mouth. “I tried.”

  Sebastian raised his eyebrows. “She turned you down?”

  “And threw a salt shaker at me.”

  His brother burst out laughing. “I think I like this woman. At the very least, she challenges you.”

  “That’s putting it mildly.” Ethan clasped his hands together and met his brother’s gaze. “I asked her to have an affair and keep it a secret.”

  Sebastian shook his head. “Oh, brother. You are a piece of work.”

  “How the hell was I supposed to know her father kept her mother a dirty secret for years?”

  Leaning forward, Sebastian rested on his elbows. “And you think that’s the only reason that was the wrong move?”

  Ethan rose to his feet, unable to sit still. “No. It was a shitty thing to do. In my defense, I was trying to protect the stadium contract.” Which, he still had to tell his brother, was in jeopardy.

  He walked over to the window and glanced out at the nighttime sky, feeling small in comparison, which was ironic because his problems felt huge.

  “What’s really going on?” Sebastian’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

  Ethan drew a deep breath and turned to face him. “Sienna is pregnant.”

  Sebastian’s eyes opened wide. “And you’re sure you’re the father?”

  “Yes.” No
need to share that Sienna had been a virgin. Some things ought to stay private, and the fact that she’d chosen him to give herself to first was one of them.

  “Christ, you don’t do things halfway, do you?”

  Might as well give him the rest of it, Ethan thought. “Ian found out and threw me out.” Shoving his hands into his front pants pockets, Ethan kicked at the floor.

  Ian’s punch still grated but he wasn’t about to go after Sienna’s brother. Not when Ethan had deserved at least one solid shot.

  “You do realize we have a binding contract with the Thunder? That he can’t terminate the contract because you knocked up his sister?” Sebastian asked.

  Ethan nodded. “Yeah. I know.” Once he’d calmed down, it was one of the first things he’d realized. “I just wanted to give everyone a chance to chill before I pushed my way back in there.”

  “And the baby? What are your plans there? Because when I told you that Ashley wanted a family, your exact words were, better you than me.”

  Ethan winced. “I felt that way. I still sort of feel that way. I mean, I barely have my head out of my ass when it comes to what Mandy did to me. Now I’m going to have a baby?” Panic rushed through him at the thought, but at the same time, so did a flicker of excitement he couldn’t contain.

  “Hey.” Sebastian put a hand on Ethan’s shoulder. “Let’s back up, okay? First, can I get you a drink?”

  Ethan nodded.

  After walking over to the bar, Sebastian poured them both tumblers of whiskey, handing one to Ethan.

  He took a long sip and groaned at the burn as the liquid went down.

  Sebastian did the same. “Aaah,” he said, shaking his head after the drink. “How do you feel about Sienna? Why don’t we start there?”

  How did he feel about Sienna? He’d been trying to avoid that very question since the moment he’d laid eyes on her. Something about her had drawn him from the beginning and not just her looks, although there was her innocent beauty that called to him. But her outgoing personality, her pure joy in any situation, and the way she rolled with the punches, taking what life threw at her with seeming ease. Even when it hadn’t been fair.