“Much better. Now, is someone going to tell me who the father is, or do I have to book us all a spot on one of those trashy TV shows?”
“No need for that, Lottie darling.” Rising from his seat, Killian smoothed out the imaginary wrinkles in his perfect suit. “It’s me.”
“I know that. I’m asking who… oh.” Lottie’s eyes went wide as she whipped her head back and forth between Killian and Aria. “You? But when? How?”
“Ah.” Looking almost as pained as Braden had earlier, Killian cleared his throat. “I’m not sure we really need to get into the nitty-gritty details.”
“Right. Sure.” A dozen emotions flickered over Lottie’s face before she seemed to settle on pure, unadulterated joy. “Oh, Killian. You’re gonna be the best dad!”
Flinging herself forward, Lottie threw her arms around Killian’s neck. An ugly, twisting sort of emotion wrapped itself around Aria, tying her stomach into knots.
Was that… jealousy?
No. Impossible. She’d have to actually want Killian to feel jealous of him hugging another woman.
Right?
“Thank you, Lottie.” The simple gratitude in his tone tightened those annoying knots in Aria’s stomach. “I appreciate your faith in me.”
“Well, of course I have faith in you. I love you.” Pulling away, Lottie waved at Braden and rolled her eyes. “Ignore him. He’ll come around.”
“Like hell I will. This is completely inappropriate.”
Hand on her hip, Lottie smirked. “Oh? Are you upset that your best friend is sleeping with your daughter? Gee, I wonder if you know anyone who might be able to sympathize.”
It was a dig at her husband, considering Lottie’s father was, indeed, one of Braden’s best friends. And judging by the thunderous look on Braden’s face, he didn’t appreciate the reminder. “That was entirely different, Charlotte.”
“It was,” Killian agreed breezily. “Braden here is an upstanding member of society. Where I am certainly not.”
“Oh, Killian, I’m sure that’s not?—”
Killian held up a hand, cutting her off. “It’s fine. I understand your husband’s position.” His gaze shifted, locking onto Aria. “But I will do whatever it takes to protect my child. The sooner everyone in this room comes to terms with that, the happier we all will certainly be.”
And with that, he turned and swept from the room. Leaving Aria behind to wonder exactly what the fuck he was planning to do.
Chapter Twenty
Aria
“Charlotte, could you give Aria and I a moment alone?”
Folding her arms, Lottie jerked her chin up. “So you can bully her into doing what you want her to do instead of what she wants? Absolutely not.”
A muscle jumped in her father’s cheek, a sure sign he was reaching the end of his patience. “You can either go back upstairs and wait for me, or I can carry you up there. Do I need to explain what will happen if I have to force your obedience, Charlotte Ann?”
Again, color blossomed on Lottie’s cheeks. “Ah… No, Sir.”
“I didn’t think so.” Softening somewhat, Braden moved out from behind the desk to cup his wife’s face in his hands. “I am asking you to trust me to do the right thing, Lottie-bug. Can you do that for me?”
Aria saw the moment Lottie caved. Her shoulders drooped and her expression lost its defiant edge. “Yes, Sir.”
“Good girl. I’ll be upstairs in a bit so we can talk.”
The color in Lottie’s cheeks darkened, leaving Aria to wonder if ‘talk’ was code for something else. Something she did not want the details of, no matter how curious she might be.
Braden brushed a kiss over Lottie’s lips and she turned, but she didn’t immediately leave the room. Worry flickered across her face as she reached for Aria’s hand to grip it tightly. “You’ll be okay without me?”
“It’s just my dad, Lottie. I’ll be fine.”
