Devour Me, Baby(49)

“What? No!” I shouted, jumping out of my seat. I shoved Marcus in my attempt to get around him. I almost made it to the door, too, until he grabbed my arm and yanked me around.

“Where do you think you’re going? We aren’t done!”

“Out of here,” I cried. “You’re a lunatic if you think I’m going to believe a word you’ve told me. I might have fallen for it for a minute, but only because I haven’t had the chance to get to know my father well enough yet.”

“It won’t matter how well you get to know him. Facts are facts.”

“Yeah, and the fact is that Ethan loves me. He’s going to marry me. And he’s going to be an amazing dad to our baby.” My free hand dropped protectively over my belly. “If you’d kept Ethan out of it, I might have believed you about my father. But there’s nothing you can do or say that will convince me that Ethan is a bad guy.”

“It’s like déjà vu all over again,” he growled. “You and your mother. You’re two of a kind.”

“My mother?” I gasped.

“Bonnie?” my father asked from behind me.

I swiveled around and found him standing in the doorway. I tugged on my arm, trying to get the lawyer to let me go.

“You’re the reason Bonnie disappeared all those years ago?” His eyes darted between us and lit with rage. “And you’re trying to do it again, but with my daughter this time?”

Marcus sputtered, and I used his distraction to pull away from him, taking a couple steps backwards. It was good timing since Ethan barged in right behind my father. He took one look at my tear-streaked face and charged towards Marcus. “Nobody makes Lilah cry and gets away with it!” he roared, punching him square in the jaw.

Marcus fell to the floor, knocked unconscious. I rushed towards Ethan and threw myself into his arms. They wrapped around me tightly, and I felt safe once more.

“Marcus was behind it all,” my father rumbled. “Scared Bonnie off, convinced her I was going to try to take Lilah away from her.”

“Fuck, Samuel. I’m so sorry.” Ethan turned me in his arms so we were both facing my dad. “But we’ll make sure he pays for what he’s done.”

“It wasn’t illegal, so he won’t go to jail like he should. But I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure he loses everything that matters to him.” My dad paused and shifted his gaze to me. “Just like he tried to do to me again, by scaring you off, the same way he did your mom. He would have succeeded, too, if it weren’t for your complete faith in Ethan’s love for you.”

Ethan gave me a gentle squeeze and kissed the top of my head.

“I only wish your mom’s faith in me had been as strong, but I didn’t manage to give her the same confidence in our relationship that Ethan has done with you,” my dad sighed, flashing me a smile before looking Ethan in the eyes. “You’re a good man. My best friend. A better man than me. You’ve proven it time and time again, but it’s something I forgot in my anger.”

“It’s okay, Samuel.”

“No, it’s not, Ethan,” my dad disagreed. “I didn’t react to the news of you and Lilah well, and for that I owe you an apology. You were right. She’s not the little girl I missed growing up. She’s a woman who makes me so damn proud. A woman in love with my best friend, and I’m damn lucky for it because I know you’ll treasure her the way she deserves.”





Epilogue





Ethan



“I’m pregnant.”

I stared at Lola in shock as she gripped Samuel’s hand tightly in her both of hers. Her cheeks were bright pink and she ducked her head before whispering, “I didn’t think I could—um, so we didn’t—” she broke off, burying her red face in Samuel’s shoulder.

My best friend, on the other hand, was puffed up like a peacock and grinning smugly. We had just finished dinner, barbecuing on the back patio Lilah had recently re-decorated when they’d asked us to sit so they could share some news.

I bit my lip to keep from snickering, but Lilah started giggling, leaning into my side as she began to shake. “I didn’t think we needed to have the protection talk with you two. Aren’t you old enough to know better?” The last word was snorted out as she threw her head back and laughed hysterically. Her large, round belly bounced with the force of her laughter and I frowned, placing my hand on the hard surface.

“Calm down, Lilah. You’ll put yourself in labor.”

“Good,” she chuckled with a roll of her eyes. “I’m a week late, Ethan. It’s about time your son made an appearance, don’t you think?”