His Baby Secret - A Second Chance SEAL Romance (Once a SEAL, Always a SEAL Book 1)

by Layla Valentine

  “What, and you can? We just fundamentally disagree on this, Dominic. The sooner you accept it, the sooner you can go ahead and move on with your life.”

  “I don’t want to move on. I want to understand why you had our kid and never told me.”

  “Goodbye, Dominic.”

  Hannah meant to stalk out. She really did. Instead, she ran, more than a little shakily, hailing a taxi at the front of the lobby to take her home.

  She felt like hell. She hadn’t wanted Dominic to know. It was just that it had been so many years, and now he was back. And maybe Hannah was feeling the strain in particular lately of being a single mother of a young child. Her subconscious had tried to reach out to rope in Dominic to help her.

  But here was the thing: Hannah didn’t want any help from anyone else with her daughter. She could do it just fine by herself.

  It was a long, expensive ride back home from the hotel, but Hannah didn’t care. Getting away from Dominic had been her primary objective. When she got home and sent the babysitter away, Hannah didn’t pause as she strode down the hall and into Kira’s bedroom.

  Her daughter breathed softly, fast asleep, and Hannah curled around her, vowing to protect her from anything and everything.

  Even Dominic.

  Chapter 20

  Dominic

  There was a buzzing, jangling tone that Dominic wished he could find so he could smash it with his fist. He was exhausted, didn’t anyone realize that? He was protective of his sleep, especially when he wasn’t on missions. When he was deployed, he could wake up, instantly alert, at the slightest provocation. But when he wasn’t, he needed his sleep.

  He answered his cellphone with his eyes still closed, aware of the small throb of a headache. “Hello?” Hell, had he gotten drunk at the reception after all?

  “What, are you still asleep?” Harvey demanded loudly. “No. No way. If I have to be awake and at brunch with a hangover this size, I’m demanding that you do, too. Get your ass to the restaurant. You’re late. Everyone’s already here.”

  Dominic groaned into the phone and ended the call. When he pushed himself up to a sitting position in the bed, everything came rushing back.

  Hannah.

  Kira.

  The fact that he was a father.

  Also, that he had a plane to catch in just a couple of hours.

  “Shit, shit, shit,” he chanted under his breath, running to the shower, speeding through his morning routine while packing at the same time, throwing clothes on his naked body. He remembered then having turned to the minibar in his hotel room for comfort after Hannah had stormed out in anger. Dominic couldn’t wait to see the bill for that one.

  He checked out and was walking into the restaurant within fifteen minutes of getting Harvey’s call, which wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. Had Dominic even set his alarm before going to bed? He sincerely doubted it.

  “There’s my best man!” Harvey hollered, looking like death warmed over. “What, did you hook up with someone from the wedding last night? Is that why you’re late?”

  “Harvey, for God’s sake,” Hannah said, looking furious as she pressed her hands over Kira’s ears. “Can you learn to control yourself around impressionable individuals?”

  “Come on,” Harvey cajoled. “I’m just kidding around.”

  “It’s still inappropriate.”

  “It’ll give her plenty of material to cover with her therapist in the future,” Harvey reasoned. “Have a seat, Dom. Get some of this greasy food in your belly and you’ll feel right as rain.”

  “Or you could try to correct the imbalance in your body by adding bottomless mimosas to it, like my wonderful and charming husband here,” Josie said, whacking Harvey on the back of the head. “Dummy. How do you think it’s going to feel going back to work after you’ve basically been on a weekend bender?”

  “That’s a problem for the Harvey of tomorrow,” Harvey said graciously. “Dom, seriously. You’re making everyone nervous by just standing there.”

  “You can sit by me,” Kira said, pointing helpfully to an empty chair.

  “There are other empty spots in at the table,” Hannah said, glaring at him. “He can sit somewhere else, sweetie. Focus on your food, please.”

  Dominic staggered to the chair next to her, unable to take his eyes off Kira. His daughter. Now that he knew, Dominic understood why she’d looked so familiar to him. It was like looking in a damn mirror. How had Hannah been able to keep it a secret for this long?

  “What’s your favorite subject in school?” he asked Kira, desperate to know more about the tiny human being he’d had a hand in creating.

  Kira thought for a while. “Gym class is the best, but Mom says that doesn’t count as a real class.”

  “I don’t know if I agree with that,” Dominic said, smiling. “Gym’s a pretty valuable subject. It teaches you how to use your body and get big muscles and run fast. Gym was my favorite in school, too.”

  “Kira, those hands are sticky and icky,” Hannah said. “Please take a quick trip to the bathroom to get them cleaned up.”

  “Wait, you let her go to the bathroom by herself?” Dominic asked. “I could walk her over there.”

  Hannah gave him a strained look. “Kira, mind me, please. Your hands.”

  “I could—look, Kira. Check it out. I’ll just pour a little water on this napkin and we’ll get you cleaned up, right as rain. Right here at the table. No need to walk alone through a restaurant of strange adults.”

  Kira giggled. “I don’t think you’re supposed to pour water out of your glass,” she pointed out, even as Dominic attempted to wipe off the syrup making her tiny fingers stick together.

  Jesus, these hands were half his. Was it the shape of the fingers? The size of them? No, they were dainty, like Hannah’s. He wanted to just study Kira and figure out how the pieces of the puzzle that he and Hannah had supplied worked together to make her.

  “You’re right, Kira,” Hannah said, sounding like she was gritting her teeth. “It’s not polite to pour water out of your glass, even if it’s an adult doing it.”

  Dominic glanced up at her just as she mouthed “stop” at him, her eyes desperate.

  “Say whatever you think you need to say,” he said. “Hannah, I’m tired.”

  “You didn’t get any sleep last night?” Kira chirped. “The babysitter let me stay up, too.”

  Hannah again ignored Dominic in favor of addressing Kira. “Uh-oh. Just how late is late?”

  “Late enough,” Kira said, evasive, and Dominic laughed before looking around.

  Besides Kira, who was happily chattering away, nearly everyone was silent. Harvey and Josie were watching him intently, like hawks. Like police detectives picking up a scent on a trail.

  And when he looked back at Hannah, she looked as furious as she had back before he’d left for training.

  Dominic stood up abruptly. He felt like he wanted to shout and put his fist through something, but he knew he was just exhausted and overwrought. He’d been through a lot this weekend. Technically, he was still jet-lagged, even.

  “Where are you going?” Kira demanded, looking up at him. “I was in the middle of a story.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “But I have to leave.”

  “Why?” she asked. “I don’t want you to go. You haven’t eaten anything!”

  “Hey, no worries,” Dominic said, plastering a grin on his face. “I’ll see you soon.”

  “Really?” Kira asked, delighted. “When?”

  Hannah stared daggers at him, her lips pressed together in a thin line.

  “Don’t you dare make a promise that you can’t keep,” she said, her voice low and dangerous.

  “Soon,” Dominic said, feeling a surge of panic. How was he going to make that happen? What was happening? “I just have to get some things straightened out first.”

  He fled, nearly running, pointing his key fob at the rental car, when he felt a hand grip his shoulder. Dominic
turned. He’d been wrong. It wasn’t Hannah who’d been furious. It was Harvey, his face a mask of anger.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Harvey demanded. “Why are you leaving without even saying goodbye? What was all that bullshit in there?”

  Dominic had wanted to remain calm. He really, really had. But it was tiredness and stress that made him blow up at Harvey in the middle of that damn parking lot.

  “How could you not tell me that I had a daughter?” he exclaimed. “What, has this entire weekend been some kind of exercise in voyeurism for you, seeing what I would do? How I would react?”

  Harvey’s face was so pale that Dominic was afraid, for a moment, that he would collapse. And behind Harvey was Hannah, both her hands clasped over her mouth in total shock.

  Chapter 21

  Hannah

  Hannah barely bit back the curse that wanted to rip its way out of her mouth, clamping her hands over her lips just in case any of it tried to get through.

  Seven years of careful secrecy, all thrown down the drain thanks to one careless moment.

  Everything was so complicated now that Hannah wasn’t sure what could be done. All her plans wasted. All because Dominic hadn't been able to hold his tongue for even 24 hours. She’d done it for the past seven years. How did he think she felt?

  It was simple, however, for Hannah to tamp down her anger. Especially when she saw how furious Harvey was, his chest heaving, bloodshot blue eyes blazing.

  “What the hell is going on?” Harvey demanded. “Did I just hear what I think I heard?”

  “Well, Dom, the cat’s out of the bag,” Hannah said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her tone. “Do you remember the part where I told you Harvey didn’t know?”

  Dominic looked like he very badly wished he had the ability to swallow his own tongue. “Well, shit.”

  “Is that all you have to say for yourself?” Harvey demanded. “Seriously? Hannah, tell me the goddamn truth. Is Dominic Kira’s father?”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes,” Hannah said, holding her head up high. She refused to be shamed for this. It had been her choice to have Kira. Her life. And no one else’s decision. Harvey was capable of passing such harsh judgment on her, and Hannah wasn’t about to roll over and accept it, now. Not when it was about her life, her daughter. “Dominic is the father,” she confirmed.

  “Son of a bitch,” Harvey snarled. “You just stood there and let me talk about what I would do if I ever found out who’d knocked up my sister and left her to raise her daughter by herself! You agreed with me!”

  “Dom didn’t know either, idiot,” Hannah said before she could help herself. “You know what? I’m not going to do this. This is nobody’s business but mine.”

  “Hannah, it’s my business, too,” Dominic said quietly. “I want it to be my business. She’s my daughter, too.”

  Hannah gasped as Harvey shoved at Dominic’s chest, sending Dominic stumbling backward.

  “You had a chance to do things the right way!” Harvey shouted. “You fucking deadbeat! You can’t just swoop in here and decide what you want after being away for so many years!”

  “Harvey, I didn’t know,” Dominic said, refusing to meet Harvey’s challenging glare, circling carefully and backing up when he had to, to avoid Harvey’s swing.

  Hannah recognized it for what it was—Dominic didn’t want to get into a fistfight with her twin. And Harvey wanted nothing more than to use his fists to figure everything out. Or, at least, to make himself feel better for being lied to all these years.

  “Harvey, stop it,” Hannah pleaded, trying to keep her voice from shaking with emotion.

  If he should be throwing punches at anyone, it should be her. She was the one who’d lied by omitting. Dominic had been blindsided.

  “He doesn’t have any fucking right,” Harvey roared, lashing out again.

  He’d gotten close enough that time to force Dominic to slap his hand away, with Dominic swaying back to continue his wary circling.

  “Harvey, enough,” Josie said, bolting out of the restaurant, heels in her hands. “People are walking into the restaurant telling everyone about the two guys who are about to kick each other’s asses in the parking lot. You need to cool down.”

  God, what a mess. Hannah’s heart went out to Josie, who was getting swept up in a drama she didn’t have a clue about.

  Hannah’s heart leapt up into her throat. “Where’s Kira?”

  “With my parents,” Josie said quickly. “Inside.”

  Hannah whooshed out a breath she hadn’t been aware she’d been holding.

  “Yeah, she definitely doesn’t need to see her Uncle Harvey making a complete fool of himself in public,” Josie said, louder, looking to reach Harvey’s ears over what had to be the roar of rage rushing through them right now.

  “Motherfucker,” Harvey growled, rushing at Dominic and grabbing hold of his arms as Dominic tried to spin away, out of range.

  Dominic might’ve been a Navy SEAL, but Harvey knew what he was doing, too, when it came to hand-to-hand combat. His police academy training had seen to that.

  “Ah, hell,” Josie swore. “Come on, Hannah. We have to get in there.”

  Hannah wasn’t a physical fighter. Not like Dominic and Harvey and Josie. But she was a fighter in the sense that she didn’t give up. That she’d do anything for Kira. All she had to do, as Josie yanked backward on Harvey, was insert herself in the middle of her twin brother and the father of her child to stop the fight.

  As simple and as complicated as that.

  “I’m not done with him,” Harvey said, out of breath and disheveled but no worse for wear.

  “You’re done,” Josie informed him. “Seriously, Harvey. You’re done.”

  “I’m sorry,” Dominic said, his eyes wild as they locked on Hannah’s. “I didn’t mean to just come out and say it. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

  “What’s done is done,” she said. “I only came out here because you were leaving again. Without saying goodbye. Again.”

  Dominic looked anguished, his jaw tight. “I have to go. I’m late, and I can’t miss my flight. I can’t be late getting back.”

  “Of course,” Harvey spat out. “Do whatever you need to do. No one else here depending on you.”

  “Shut up,” Josie said. “This isn’t about you anymore.”

  Dominic drew Hannah close, pulling her into his arms. “I’m going to make this right. I swear to you.”

  Hannah laughed shortly. “And how, exactly, do you plan on doing that?”

  “I don’t know yet.” His voice was hoarse and earnest, and he hugged her tightly enough to make her lose her breath. “I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to step up to the plate.”

  “I’ve managed this long without you,” Hannah said, backing out from his embrace. “I don’t need your help.”

  Dominic flinched like that simple statement hit its mark much more painfully than any of the punches Harvey could’ve landed. He drew himself up and took Hannah by the chin, lifting her face up to lock eyes with her.

  “You may not need me, Hannah, but I need you.” He kissed her suddenly and deeply, and Hannah let him, looking to eke out just a little bit more comfort, whatever she could glean from his lips.

  Even as she threw up walls around her fragile heart.

  He’d left before. He’d leave again. She couldn’t let it break her. She had Kira to think of, now. Hannah had to be strong.

  “I have to go,” Dominic said, breaking the kiss, “but I will be back. I would move heaven and earth for you and Kira, do you understand me?”

  Hannah couldn’t speak around the lump in her throat. She wanted to believe him. She really did. She just wasn’t sure she could.

  “I’ll be in contact,” he promised, jogging to his rental car, not glancing back or attempting to engage with Harvey again. The tires squealed as he peeled out of the parking lot, roaring down the road.

  Hannah turned
away, trying to keep it together, intent on escaping, too.

  “Hannah, stop,” Harvey said, snagging at her elbow. “Do you want to explain what the hell just happened?”

  “She doesn’t have to do or say anything she doesn’t want to,” Josie told him. “Hannah, you don’t have to answer that. It’s not anybody’s business but yours.”

  “It is our business,” Harvey argued. “Everything we’ve tried to do for Kira. Staying up late, wondering what kind of asshole would have a kid with my sister and not lift a finger. Fuck! And it was Dominic this whole time. He was my friend.”

  “He’s still your friend,” Hannah said, giving her twin a sharp look. “I don’t know why you’re being so dramatic.”

  “He fucked you over!” Harvey shouted.

  “Harvey, come on,” Josie warned. “Really? I could arrest you right now for disturbing the peace.”

  “I never asked for anything,” Hannah said, realizing belatedly that tears were streaking down her cheeks. She wiped them away immediately. She had a daughter. She couldn’t just lose her composure like this. “But I’m going to ask you to do something for me right now, Harvey. You ready?”

  “You know I’d do anything for you,” he said quietly. “Just name it.”

  “Forgive Dominic.” Hannah paused for a moment, waiting for that request to sink in. “I only kept it from you because I knew you’d fly off the handle like this. And I only kept it from Dominic because I was angry at him for leaving.”

  “He shouldn’t have left you,” Harvey said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “That was wrong.”

  “He didn’t know, Harvey. I didn’t tell him.” She leveled a look at him. “Now. Are you going to forgive the only friend who can put up with you besides your wife? Or are you going to hold a stupid grudge like I did?”

  Having Harvey so angry at Dominic had functioned as a strange sort of catharsis for Hannah. She’d been upset for seven years. Now, she was done with that. It was time to move forward.