Eve’s mind spun. He’d been to see her father and hadn’t said a word. The betrayals kept on coming. He’d been sleeping with her, telling her everything she wanted to know, but sneaking to see her father behind her back.
“Was he pressuring you?” Eve demanded as she eased a hip onto the side of the bed.
“I actually invited Carson here,” he stated. “I wanted a chance to tell him I’m sorry, to see if there was a possibility of connecting now that I know for sure he’s my son. I didn’t want to die without him knowing that I loved his mother, that I would’ve fought had I known he existed.”
Eve listened as her father exposed his emotions. She’d never heard him this passionate about anything other than business. Sutton Winchester was one of the most prominent, powerful men in Chicago and he’d been deprived of raising his own child.
Was that truly what Graham had thought she’d do? Had she ever indicated she’d be so heartless? He’d been determined to marry her, so much so he’d swept her away on a trip away from everything she knew. She’d been easily swayed because she honestly thought he cared about her, when in reality he was softening her, getting her to fall for him, all so he could convince her to marry him.
“Wait, has he pushed you away?” Grace asked.
“No.” Eve took her father’s other hand. “He...it’s complicated. I don’t want to go into the details, but—”
“Complicated? You two were on the same page when I saw you the other morning.”
Eve glanced at Nora, who had pulled up a chair by their father’s bed. Grace and Sutton both turned to Nora.
“She knew?” Grace asked.
Nora shrugged, sending Eve an apologetic glance. “I happened to stop by her house when Graham was there making breakfast for her.”
“Things have changed since then,” Eve explained. “All I need right now is for you guys to know I won’t let Elite down. I’m 100 percent committed to the company and—”
“This baby comes before any company.”
Eve stilled at her father’s words. He’d never said anything like that. He was loyal to his family, yes, but he always put business first. Always.
“I can handle both,” she assured him.
“I’m sure you can.” He turned his hand over and held on to hers. “But I want a healthy grandbaby. I want you to take care of yourself. We have enough staff that can assist you, so put some of the burden on them. That’s my greatest regret—not having been there more for my kids.”
Eve glanced to her sisters, who had both started tearing up.
“When you’re faced with the end, you start thinking about the beginning,” he went on. “And if I could go back, I’d definitely put some work off onto my assistants so I could be with you all more. Learn from my mistakes, Eve. Take care of yourself.”
“That’s what I’ve been telling her.”
Eve jerked at the familiar voice behind her. Graham stood in the doorway with the butler right behind him.
“I tried to stop him, Mr. Winchester,” the poor man explained.
“It’s fine,” Sutton replied. “Close the door and leave us.”
Eve continued to stare at Graham, who hadn’t taken his eyes off her. “What are you doing here?” she demanded, coming to her feet. “You can’t just barge in here—”
“I can. And I did.”
Eve didn’t risk looking behind her to her sisters or father. The tension in the room had multiplied, threatening to take over.
“I don’t want you here,” she told him, pulling her cardigan tighter around her. As if such a simple gesture could keep any more pain from seeping in.
“I realize that.” His tone softened as he inched closer. “I know I hurt you, but the moment you left I knew I wasn’t finished.”
Eve didn’t have much energy for a battle. The past forty-eight hours had been hellacious at best.
“Then say what you want to say and get out.”
He’d reached her now, but didn’t touch her. “I meant I wasn’t finished with us.”
Eve stared into those striking eyes that had first drawn her in. “There is no us. If that’s all, then leave.”
“Do you two want to go outside for privacy?” Grace asked from behind Eve.
“No,” both Eve and Graham said at the same time.
“I don’t care who hears me,” he went on, keeping his eyes locked on hers. “When you left yesterday I knew I had to take drastic measures to get you back. So, if I have to make a fool of myself in front of your family, then so be it.”
Eve didn’t want to hear it, though she wouldn’t mind him looking like a fool considering she’d been played for one.
“I’m not discussing the baby’s last name. I know that’s all you care about.” Eve stepped back because being this close, knowing she still loved him but couldn’t touch him was agonizing. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m visiting my father.”
Eve had just turned away when Graham’s soft, “I love you,” hit her hard.
Frozen in her steps, she looked to her sisters, her father, to see if she’d heard correctly. And saw three pairs of eyes wide with shock staring back at her. Yeah, he’d said that.
Eve looked back over her shoulder, her heart aching more than she’d ever known possible. “That was cruel,” she whispered as tears clogged her throat. “Throwing those words around won’t make me marry you.”
Graham reached for her, turning her to face him fully. “I’m not proposing. I love you, Eve. I want to be with you. Not for the baby, for you.”
If he’d said those words two days ago she’d have believed him. “Revelation has certainly come at a convenient time.”
His hands curled around her shoulders as he stepped in closer. Her entire body brushed against his, as if she needed the physical reminder of how much she’d missed his touch.
“Nothing about us has been convenient,” he told her. “I didn’t want a child, a relationship, but now I can’t live without either. I don’t want to try. I know I hurt you, I know I destroyed everything we’d started building, but I’m asking for another chance.”
Eve couldn’t say anything. What was there to say at this point? He was a shark in the courtroom because he knew the exact thing to say at precisely the right time.
If she even thought he was serious, she’d wrap her arms around him and start fresh. But she knew better. Graham was only looking out for his best interests where the baby was concerned.
“You need to go,” she whispered.
The muscle in his jaw clenched as he nodded, dropping his hands from her shoulders. “I’m not giving up, Eve. I love you. I’ve only had two women in my life who heard those words from me.”
His mother and Gerty.
Eve turned away from him and went back to her father’s bedside. She listened to Graham’s footsteps as he left the room. Once the door was closed behind him, Eve couldn’t stop the emotions from washing over her.
“I hate him,” she sniffed. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Her father reached for her, tipping her chin up so she could look him in the eyes. “I’m not sorry at all. I saw a man who loves a woman. I saw a man who stood in the same room as his sworn enemy and didn’t give a damn what anyone else thought.”