Drawing in a shattered breath, he turned to face her, his rioting emotions under control.
"That might be the case, and I won't apologize for who I was in the past. Yes, I'm no longer that person and I don't give a damn if you believe it or not. You've obviously made your mind up about me."
"Here's what's going to happen Ms. Blake. You're going to tell our daughter that her daddy is here. I don't know what you told her before, but she's going to know I'm her father."
"I will inform my family of the terrific news that I have a daughter. Naturally, they will want to meet her, get to know her. I intend to be part of her life, something you're just going to have to accept."
"I'm giving you two days to get her used to the fact that she has another set of family. Forty-eight hours and nothing over that. Is that clear?"
His words had fear blooming inside her chest, so much so she could scarcely breathe. He was a Tyrell which meant they had tons of money and resources at their fingertips. She could lose her daughter.
"Zoe is mine." She whispered huskily. "You have no right to be making demands..."
"I'm her goddamned father!" he hissed and whirled to face her. "I've lost four years of her life and nothing I will ever do will allow me to get those years back. Don't stand there and tell me about rights." He sucked in a breath and fought for control. "I don't want to make this ugly, but if you don't allow me to have a part in her life, it will be. Your choice."
Abigail was determined to hide the fact that she was afraid. Oh, it was so unfair! She had spent the entire nine months being as sick as ten dogs and spent fourteen grueling hours giving birth.He had done nothing except planting the seed and turning his back on her.
"You don't deserve to be in her life. You were careless and heartless. You took my virginity and just left. Now you come here making demands..."
"That might be the case." His face was flint hard. He had thought the incident in Italy had carved a chunk out of him and it had, but it was nothing compared to this. "But I intend to be a part of Zoe's life, whether you want me to or not."
"Is that all?" She asked frostily. "Because it's getting cold and I need to go and tuck my little girl in for the night."
He grabbed her arm as she marched past him. "Forty-eight hours Abigail. No more."
Wrenching her arm away, she marched towards her vehicle and hopped in. Even after her taillights had disappeared, he stood there. Even when the rain started, he did not move, not for another few minutes.
*****
Tears blurred her vision on the ride home.
She gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles whitened, struggling to keep her composure. The words he'd hurled at her echoed in her mind, mixing with her own doubts and fears.
Every mile that brought her closer to home also brought a fresh wave of anxiety. How would she explain this sudden storm ruffling the life she'd fought so hard to protect?
The threat was implied and lay between them like a drawn sword.
She knew there would be questions she couldn't easily answer, and the weight of responsibility pressed down harder with each passing second. Images of Zoe's trusting face flashed before her eyes, reminding her what was truly at stake. Abigail had built their small world on truths she could control, but now, everything threatened to unravel with the force of a single confrontation.
Pulling into the driveway of the graceful Victorian-type home, she sat there studying the familiar lines and curves. She had grown up here and it was a happy home. She could have gone to live elsewhere, find herself a small apartment to call her own.
That had been the original plan after she left college. When she discovered she was pregnant, that had been shelved. Her parents had insisted on her staying at home, and she did not regret the decision.
They had gone out of their way to make space for her and Zoe. They were a family. And he had no right to want to change that.
Shoving the door open, she wrapped her jacket around her. It had started raining, the icy needle of it cutting through to her skin in minutes. Reaching the front porch, she came to a stop before opening the front door. Her mother wasn't back yet, which would give her some time to settle and compose herself.
Heaving out a breath, she pushed the door open and was happy Helen, their longtime housekeeper was obviously retired for the night. Her relief was short lived, however. As soon as she reached the curve of the staircase, her father came out of the study, brown eyes quietly studying her face.
"You're wet."
"And cold." She forced a smile, wondered if she could escape that all-knowing gaze.
"Some tea." Smiling slightly, he crossed over to tuck her arm though his.
"I believe I know how to make a cup of tea."
"Dad, really it's..."
