Their mother had passed just months ago, taking the secret of who fathered them to her grave. Graham had no idea why she didn’t tell them. At first, he’d thought for sure Sutton was their father and she’d been afraid, ashamed. But the DNA test had come back, proving Sutton had only fathered Carson, leaving Brooks and Graham confused and hurt.
While they yearned to know who their father was, Graham was elated that old bastard wasn’t his. Not to mention the fact that it had left the path wide open to seduce Eve the night of the charity ball for the children’s hospital. He’d gotten the results right before the gala. Eve had shown up wearing a body-hugging gold gown. That honey-brown hair she’d piled perfectly on top of her head came tumbling down all around him when he’d finally gotten her to his penthouse. They’d barely survived the cab ride.
“I’ll go with you,” Graham stated, pulling himself back into the moment. He needed to be strong for his brothers, needed them to know they were a team. “Sutton isn’t as strong as he used to be.”
Brooks sent a malevolent grin. “That’s what I’m counting on.”
* * *
After a long day, exhaustion finally won. Eve nearly wept as she submerged herself in the soaker tub in her master suite. All the symptoms of her first pregnancy had come back full force: the need to rest at all times, the nausea that slammed into her with no warning, the emotions that were all over the place. Just trying to keep herself in check at work today had been trying. When someone from a newly acquired company in Barcelona offered condolences for Eve’s father, she nearly lost it. Thankfully they had only been chatting on the phone and not via video conference because the tears welled up in her eyes and flowed, but Eve managed to clear her throat, offer thanks and keep her tone neutral.
Why were people acting like he was already gone? That was the part that completely gutted her. He was very much alive, though his health was failing.
Her hand slid down through the lavender-scented bubbles to rest on her flat stomach. Babies were a blessing. The innocence they injected into your life couldn’t be matched. Eve wanted to tell her father, wanted to be excited about this new life, but first she had to talk to Graham.
Keeping their child from being a victim in this family war was going to be a struggle, but she refused to believe it was impossible. She knew Graham was loyal to his family—that much was obvious. But how would he react to this child? How would he treat her?
She didn’t want him to hover, didn’t want him to assume she wanted him as a permanent fixture in her life. She had a plan, goals, a career that was taking off better than she’d ever anticipated.
Tears pricked her eyes. She didn’t want this career at the expense of her father’s health, his life. She’d taken over as president when he could no longer run Elite Industries.
When her cell chimed, Eve jumped. She should’ve left the thing in her purse, but she’d been carrying it around like a pacifier lately...because one day she’d get the inevitable call about her father.
The cell lay on the edge of the tub surround. Eve glanced at the screen and saw Nora’s name. Worried this might have something to do with her dad, Eve dried her hands off on her towel and quickly read the text.
Relief slid through her when she saw it was just a Halloween party invitation. Sounded fun. In terms of costumes, Eve could go as an overworked, worn down, emotional mess. Maybe she could go in her pajamas with bed hair to really play up the part.
Eve shot back a quick reply to tell her sister she’d be there. Asking if Graham could come as her date probably wasn’t the smart thing to do.
Wait. Why was she thinking of taking him anywhere as her date? They weren’t dating, they were...
Eve dropped her head against her bath pillow and groaned. She didn’t know what they were exactly and that’s what annoyed her. She had her life all mapped out with color-coded tabs to tell her when and where to do everything. She prided herself on being efficient, planning everything and knowing exactly what was coming her way.
What she hadn’t planned on was the onslaught of desire associated with Graham Newport. One look led to another, then to flirting, which was put on hold when they both realized her father had been involved with his mother. The second they knew Sutton wasn’t Graham’s father, all bets had been off, all warnings from family ignored.
Eve hadn’t been able to get Graham alone fast enough that first night after the children’s hospital gala, and from the way he practically tore her dress off her, the feeling was mutual.
That had to have been when she got pregnant. She’d only switched her birth control a week before, thinking it was a safe time since she wasn’t seeing anyone. They’d been all over each other before condoms were mentioned, but she’d assured him she was on the pill and they’d quickly had the “I’m clean” conversation.
Thinking back now, Eve realized he would blame her for this pregnancy. She’d assured him she was covered, that they were safe. Well, he could blame her all he wanted, so long as this child remained unaffected by any wrath from the Newports.
When her cell chimed again, Eve jerked from her relaxed position. Even though her body was calm and resting, her mind never shut off. She zeroed in on the screen and saw Graham’s name this time. Once again, she dried her hands and checked his message, cursing herself for acting like a teenager.
Meet me at my penthouse. 30 min.
Eve gritted her teeth. While some may go for the demanding attitude, she did not. Besides, she was exhausted. If she could sleep in this warm bubble bath and not drown, she would.
Because she didn’t want him to think she jumped when he texted, though she did, Eve set her phone back down without replying. There was no reason to pretend that the thought of Graham didn’t have her body humming, but now she had to be realistic. She was expecting his child, and she was entering into a battle over her father... Sex couldn’t be the main thread that held them together at this point.
Eve closed her eyes for just a moment, needing to push aside all the fears, all the questions, and just relax. Her doctor told her to try to take as much downtime as possible. Even if she could grab five minutes here and there, she would have to for the sake of the baby and her own health.
All too easily she could let her mind drift into the worry of whether she was carrying a healthy baby, but she wanted to focus on the positive. Would she have a boy or a girl? Would her baby have Graham’s striking aqua eyes and her honey hair? One thing was for sure—this child would be strong-willed, determined and take charge, all qualities she and Graham possessed.
Eve’s mind went to the nursery, and she instantly envisioned Nora and Grace helping her decorate. She could hire a decorator, but this wasn’t a kitchen or bathroom job. No, Eve would take a hands-on approach to her baby’s room.
The water had cooled, but Eve was still content to just lie there and relax. The quiet of her home was a welcome reprieve. She’d been in meetings all day, had made numerous decisions regarding offices in several different countries. She wasn’t one to have idle time, but she had to admit this felt amazing.
She definitely had to listen to her body, and her body was tired and in need of some downtime.
“Eve.”
Water sloshed as she jerked and opened her eyes to see Graham standing in the door separating her bedroom from the bath. Her heart beat out of control in her chest. He’d scared the hell out of her.
She blinked, realizing she’d fallen asleep. The water chilled her now and she shivered as she started to get up.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, stepping from the tub to reach for the towel from the heated bar. “How did you get in?”
His eyes raked over her, causing her chills to multiply for a totally different reason. “You