The Blackstone Heir. Dani Wade

doubt on display.

      “Jacob, I understand your anger,” she said, trying to slow her panic with a deep breath. “I made a horrible miscalculation. So I want to do my part to make this work. But no lawyers. No fighting. You want Carter to be a part of your life? Prove it to me.” Please, please, let this work.

      “What do I need to prove? We knew each other for over a year. You know everything you need to know about me.”

      “I know everything about certain parts of you.” If he wanted the truth, she could comply. “I know you’re halfway decent in bed.” That whopper of an understatement almost choked her. “How good you are at picking up girls on planes. That you enjoy being with me at home but don’t want to be seen in public with me. That I’m good enough for sex but not allowed into any other part of your life. None of that tells me a damn thing about what kind of father you are.”

      “So you want me to prove I can change diapers?” His shocked expression would be a thing to savor later when she stopped being so afraid of him that she might wet her pants.

      “I want to know that you’re more than a sexual being, Jacob. Show me what kind of man you truly are. Can I trust your word? Can I believe you when you say you aren’t bad-mouthing me to my child behind my back? Can I trust you to teach him morals and work ethic and decency? Because I won’t let my child become a chip off James Blackstone’s block.”

      Jacob stepped closer, literally towering over her. “What the hell are you talking about?”

      Arching her neck to stare at him wasn’t comfortable, but she wasn’t going to concede with even a single step backward. “Since you didn’t know about Carter, I’m going to guess and say you didn’t know your grandfather came to see me right before he died.”

      “Aiden would have told me.”

      “Did Aiden know? He wasn’t there.”

      “Who was?”

      “That lawyer guy.”

      “Canton?”

      “That’s the one. They came to the house one morning. I’d only known I was pregnant for a week.”

      “How could he possibly know about that?”

      KC shook her head. “I’m not sure. But he did know how long we’d been seeing each other. I wouldn’t put it past either of them to spy on me somehow.”

      Jacob’s Adam’s apple shifted in his throat. KC was sorry to have to deliver her news.

      “James knew you were pregnant with my child.” The deadness in his voice reverberated through her. She’d often wondered how a man like his grandfather could have had a child. What kind of family did you create with manipulation and fear? No wonder Aiden Blackstone had run far, far away when he was younger.

      Though Jacob had always seemed quite normal, she’d sensed a dark sadness underneath that excellent control of his. What games had James Blackstone played with his grandsons? What terror had he wreaked in their family before he died? Jacob had never even come close to sharing something that personal.

      “That’s the only reason I could think of that he would demand I leave town. And never come back.”

      Jacob seemed frozen; not a muscle moved. He gripped the crib rail with one hand. The knuckles turned white...and stayed white.

      “But you didn’t stay away.”

      “No. Once I found out he was dead, I thought the coast would be clear to come home.” That might have been a mistake, too. “But he threatened my family’s business—”

      “How?” he asked, his eyes narrowing as if he suspected a lie.

      “Jacob,” she said, shaking her head at him, “your grandfather owned half the town. He’d rented us the land Lola’s is on for my entire life but never would allow my mother or grandmother to buy it. I suspect it was so he could use it to his advantage if the opportunity arose.”

      She tried to breathe around the anger that rose at the memory. “He threatened to shut down the business. Everything my mother and grandmother own is tied up in Lola’s. Not to mention that their house is on that land, too. So I agreed, and the men left. Then I cashed out some savings and used it to move away.”

      Jacob smirked. “Serves him right.”

      “When I heard about his death, I thought—well, we all thought—he couldn’t hurt us anymore. I just hadn’t figured out what to do about you yet.”

      “And you think this is the answer?”

      “It’s the only one I’ve got.” Might as well be honest about that. “Let’s face it, Jacob. You have money and a damn good lawyer. But James didn’t own me, and neither do you. If you want to be part of Carter’s life, stop throwing your weight around and work with me.”

      “Who put you in charge? You haven’t exactly proved yourself trustworthy.”

      Unease rippled through her body. She knew she’d had good reasons for her choices, but when she looked at it from his point of view... “I’m not denying you access to Carter out of anger or revenge, Jacob. I simply want to know that he’s in good hands. That you’re willing to make a place for a baby in your life. Not hand him over to a well-paid nanny.”

      His eyes searched hers. “How can I be sure he’s in good hands with you?”

      “I— Well—” Words failed her for a moment.

      “Face it, KC. You ran halfway across the country to hide my child from me. I’m not the only one with something to prove. The question is, how?”