“Jada,” Bryce whispered.
I looked at him, tears gathering in my eyes. “Yes?” The word came out shaky as my legs were starting to fail. The fact that I was still standing was a small miracle.
“I’m sorry.”
Those were the last two words I expected to hear from Bryce’s lips.
“Sorry?” I echoed, swaying. I was too weak to stand and have this conversation at the same time.
All I wanted was to be enveloped in his arms again, protected from the rest of the world.
“Jude isn’t the man I thought he was,” Bryce said, scrubbing his hand over his chin. “My best friend never would walk away from his child.”
A bitter laugh escaped my lips because that’s exactly what Jude had done. Both by text message and in person. He left no room for doubt, no glimmer of possibility that he could turn things around and stand by his child. At least he’d promised financial help—but it felt more like paying for a problem to go away than true support.
The queasy feeling built, and I slid into a chair to keep from throwing up or passing out. Both seemed equally likely at this point. Because now the father would be around, no matter what. Jude wouldn’t leave the company he partially owned, and I’d never ask Bryce to do that either.
Bryce crossed the room, kneeling in front of me. “Can we talk about what comes next?”
Somehow, looking into his light-blue eyes, I felt safe enough to nod and whisper, “Okay.”
“If you were marrying me for my money, you’re off the hook. Jude will get you the money, and if he doesn’t, I will.”
I stared at him. “You think I’m marrying you for your money?”
“No,” he said. “But if it was a factor at all, I want you to know you’re free to withdraw from this engagement.”
“Do you want me to?”
His eyebrows creased. “Of course not. I love you, Jada. And your child. Babies, children, they deserve to be taken care of no matter how they came into the world.”
The dam broke, and a tear spilled over my cheek, then another, and I reached to wipe them away.
“But Jude is right,” Bryce continued. “We need to decide before we leave this room. Is the child mine or not?” His eyes were red, but he hadn’t shed a tear yet. “I’m realizing that Idon’t want to be a bystander in my home. I want to be part of a family,” he said. “If we do this, we’re all in. I will be her father in everything but blood. I’ll be committing to her as much as I commit to you.”
My heart opened up at the words, more liquid emotion spilling from my eyes. Bryce didn’t see my daughter as an inconvenience. He wanted her. He was choosing her as well as me.
“I’d love that,” I admitted. It was scary to say out loud. I’d only known Bryce such a short time, but I trusted him more than almost anyone else.
I saw the joy in his eyes for a second before he leaned in and kissed me passionately. His kiss was consuming, breathtaking, energizing me so much that I had to stand and meet him with passion of my own.
And yet, a kiss wasn’t enough to capture the feelings racing through me. I needed more from Bryce. He must have needed more too.
He backed me to the wall of books, dragging his hands under my dress, kneeing my legs apart so he could rub the base of his palm over my sensitive parts.
I moaned out against his kiss, whimpered for more. Shoving my underwear aside, his fingers roved through my folds, warming me up, building sensation. I held his face in my hands, kissing him through the tears falling down my cheeks.
It was like every chance he had to turn away from me, he only drew me closer. He healed parts of me I hadn’t even known were broken and gave me hope for a future like nothing I dared imagine for myself before. Bryce Madigan had it all—emotional safety, breathtakingly good looks, a family who supported him through it all, and a successful career.
And he wanted… me.
The thought had pleasure building within me as I ground my hips to get more friction, more pressure from his hand.
“Bryce,” I gasped against his lips. “Please.”
Wordlessly, he reached for his pants, undoing the belt and freeing his cock. When he pressed it against my sex, I could feel how hard he was. My pussy ached to be filled with him, and yet, when he pressed into me, I cried out from how thoroughly he stretched me, leaving room for nothing buthim.
“That’s it, baby,” he told me, looking in my eyes with a hooded gaze.
