“What doctor?” I frown.
“Her OB-GYN. Didn’t you know?Iwas the one who held her hand when she went in for her appointment.Iheard the baby’s heartbeat for the first time with her, shared that special moment with her. Not you, Mister Woman-Owner.”
Grace tenses next to me. It’s all the confirmation I need.
“Tell him, GG,” Adam says, his insolent eyes on mine.
GG?The nickname is like gas on the fire.
“Adam, you need to go,” Grace says. “Now.”
I add nothing, since he doesn’t belong in our discussion.
“Why? Because you still cling to the hope that he can be good to you?”
“You’re going to be embarrassed tomorrow when you sober up. Just go,” she says, her voice tight.
He gives her sad puppy-dog eyes. He must use that expression to his advantage to get what he wants. “Fine. But only because you’re upset.” He turns around.
“Show your face around my wife again, and I’ll break it.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’d make a better father for that baby than you’ll ever be,” he says over his shoulder, then stumbles down the long driveway toward the main gates.
I slam the door shut and pull Grace into the living room. She expels a frustrated breath. Is she upset I found out how little she thinks of me? I was working my ass off and setting up the trust for her mother’s care, while she was seeing her doctor andsharing one of the most important moments of the pregnancy with another man.
What else did she share with him? Not her body—he would’ve thrown that in my face. But just because she didn’t let him get between her legs doesn’t mean she hasn’t cheated on me emotionally.
I never understood crimes of passion. But right at the moment I’d happily strangle both of them.
“I can’t believe you took that asshole with you to hear the baby’s heartbeat!” My finger shakes with rage as I point in the direction of the gates.
“You were in London.”
“Buthim? You couldn’t have asked someone else?”
“He offered because you weren’t here. How is that my fault? Or his?” she says.
“Because you’re my wife. The baby in your womb is my baby.”
Her chin sets in a stubborn line. I liked her feistiness before, but not right now. She has no idea how close I am to the breaking point. “I wasn’t your wife back then.”
“We had an agreement! And you were wearing my damn ring.”
“You said you were too busy!”
I feel like my head will explode at her accusatory tone. “You never gave me a chance!” She never told me. Never said a word about what happened at the appointment. If it hadn’t been for Adam, I might’ve never found out my baby has heartbeat now. “I would’ve made time!”
“How? Would you have flown back home just for the appointment and then flown back to London?” Her tone says what I’m saying is nonsensical absurdity.
Except… That’s exactly what I would’ve done, I realize. “Meetings can be rearranged. I can lose a few hours’ sleep if Ihave to. But a milestone like the one that asshole got to witness only happens once. I want to be present for every big moment. The child won’t just grow up in material comfort. It will grow up knowing it’s important. That Daddy—me—has its back.”
“Then why did you say you were busy?”
Are we back to this, really?“Because Iwasbusy. I’m always busy. I have to make an effort to free up time. It isyourresponsibility to tell me these things as my wife and the mother of my child.”
“You’re impossible!” she shouts.
“And you keep forgetting that every inch of you ismine, and mine alone.”
