And he was gone. But he would never be forgotten. He was the love of my life. The only man I’d ever given myself to. The only man I ever would.
“Tell them I won’t come back. I promise.”
“Maddie, wait.”
I hurried out of the park; I had to get away from him. Away from the feelings that shouldn’t be there. Not for him. Not for anyone, ever again.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Caity
“You fuckin’ lied to me!” he shouted the moment the elevator doors closed with our daughter behind them.
I crossed my arms over my chest, a futile attempt at protection my heart knew I didn’t need.
“And what exactly did I lie about?”
I knew this was about Maddie, but I needed to know where he was coming from before I could attempt to make him understand.
“You knew she was mine. From the moment you found out you were pregnant, you knew she was fuckin’ mine.” He slammed his fist against his chest, and I closed my eyes.
“I couldn’t tell you,” I whispered, my voice so soft I wasn’t sure he heard me.
“Why the fuck not, Caity? Why did you keep my daughter from me?”
“I never kept her from you!” I shouted back. “I never told you no. You were in her life more than he was. And do you know what that did to me? Every fuckin’ day, knowing her father loved her but couldn’t claim her, while the man on her birth certificate wanted nothing to do with her? She didn’t deserve that!”
“NO, SHE FUCKIN’ DIDN’T!” he yelled.
He turned away and stomped toward the kitchen. I knew I needed to tell him the truth. Tell him everything. But I knew how he’d react. I knew it would sever something between us. Something that could never be put back together.
“How long did he know?”
I licked my lips; my throat was dry as I opened my mouth to answer.
“When did he find out?”
“I don’t know,” I said. And I didn’t. What I told Maddie was the truth. If he’d known before he disappeared, he would have beaten me so badly I would have ended up in the hospital, or I would have been dead.
I wasn’t foolish enough to think that he had any sentiment left for me by the end. He’d never loved me, that was clear. But in the beginning, he’d been nice. It was all a rouse. A part he thought he had to play to get my father’s approval.
“Did he know Maddie wasn’t his when he handed over Valentinetti?”
I shrugged. “I don’t think so. I don’t think he knew until he disappeared. If he did, I would have known,” I scoffed.
Cian turned toward me, his eyes sharp and assessing. “What does that mean?”
“He would have said something.” I shrugged, hoping he’d let it go.
Instead, he stalked toward me. His hand went to my throat. I looked him in the eye, letting him see how much he affected me, but not with fear.
“What did you mean, Caity?”
“Nothing, I...”
His hand squeezed, and I felt the moisture pool between my legs. His eyes darkened at my reaction, as if he could read my thoughts.
“Don’t bullshit me, Caity. Tell me,” he growled.
