by C. M. Steele
Unexpected
C.M. Steele
Liam and Renee
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Epilogue
Copyright © 2018 by C.M. Steele
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover: C.M. Steele
Image: Shutterstock
Liam and Renee
Liam Hart can’t believe that someone would come to his office and make him look like a fool. Unable to let it go, he must learn more. The second he lays eyes on the woman being held by his security…an unexpected feeling of possession comes over him.
Renee needs the money. All she has to do is give the man his baby, and she can find a new apartment. She’s instantly met with hostility and denial. Heck, she’s not even allowed to see the man to show him his son.
Before she’s escorted out, the elusive baby daddy enters the lobby. Their eyes lock, and she knows the boy is his. What hits her unexpectedly is that she wants the jerk.
Can two people whose lives are unexpectedly tied together make it work?
Chapter 1
Liam
I tap my pen on the blue legal pad on my desk, waiting for them to all absorb the information I gave them. “So…on page three you’ll see that if we buy the lumber from Mac’s we can save about twenty percent on the supply…” A knock on my office door interrupts my conference call. “Hold on,” I say into the speaker before muting my end.
Danielle enters my office apprehensively. She’s never this skittish even when I’m in a bad mood which I’m quickly becoming. I give her a scowl because she knows this call is important. “Sorry to intrude, sir, but we have a situation.”
“What’s the situation?” I question, arching my brows impatiently. She’s been working for me for three years and has been a perfect employee. I’ve never been even harsh with her, but she looks like she’s ready to bolt. That has me on edge.
“A little boy has been dropped off for you,” she mutters out, bracing herself like I’m going to snap off on her.
“A little boy? What?” I’m on my feet with my hands pressed on my desk, leaning in to hear her better. It’s not that I didn’t understand her; it’s that I know what she’s implying, and that fucking shit isn’t even possible.
“Yes, the woman said she was yours.”
I start laughing, maniacally. “Danielle, whoever that broad is she’s lying. It’s not my kid that I’m sure of. Have them escorted out. I don’t have time for this bullshit.” I shooed her out of my office. “Don’t let them back in again. Call the cops if necessary.” No broad was going to try and pin her brat on me. I do my best to contain the vile things I’m thinking. I walk over to the window and overlook the Chicago skyline. The day is perfect to view it all despite the weatherman saying it would rain. Spring seems to have passed the city by and brought the summer heat in. Then I remember, I have a call to finish.
For the next twenty minutes, I try to forget about the incident, and I deal with my meeting and get the team of investors to agree with the purchase of my latest property choice. Truthfully, by the end of the conversation, I wasn’t even sure what was finalized. Luckily, notes were being taken by one of the investor’s assistants. I should have the notes by tomorrow morning. My plan for the meeting had been foolproof, so even though I couldn’t concentrate, I know what was put on the table.
I stand up and brush my hand through my dark, thick hair. My standard crew cut has grown a bit long. I should get it trimmed, but I don’t have the time. My day is only half over at the office and yet, I’m itching to leave. Something is nagging me about this woman claiming that she had my kid. I don’t know why, but I want to know more. I need to ask Danielle. I call her phone on her desk, but she doesn’t answer.
I step out of my office and into the hallway to get some answers. I’m about to ask Danielle what happened to the woman when I see a commotion going on near the entrance. Danielle is standing in the middle of the room looking on while my security surrounds a petite woman. They’re slightly in the way of my view, but I can see that she’s the woman who was trying to pass off the child as mine. I don’t see what she thought she’d achieve lying about it because I didn’t know her. The more I looked at her, the more I knew that I could never forget that face. Soft pink, luscious lips, large light-colored eyes. I’m not close enough to see the actual color, but I will be. Seconds into my staring, I realized that even though she was trying to scam me, I wanted to know her. I want to touch her, feel her lips on mine. I’m fucking nuts. A lifetime of celibacy has caused pure insanity. That must be it, but I have to know her.
“Let her go,” I snarl. All eyes dart directly at me. A look of defiance crosses her as she stares at me. I tilt my head, then shake it. She’s playing with fire and doesn’t even understand how burned she’s going to be.
Chapter 2
Renee
Why? Why did I take the money? Oh, that’s right because I needed to eat. Damn, life plays some serious jokes on you. I had no idea that this was going to be harder than expected. I didn’t know this guy from anyone else. I had no inkling that he owned the place and was having me set out on my ass with this baby. Fuck. What am I supposed to do? It’s not like that woman gave me a legitimate number. I feel like the biggest fool on the earth, but I need to pay my rent, and my jackass roommates found it hard to not use their portion on drugs.
Now I’m being held back and practically forced on the street with a one-year-old that’s not mine. I’m trying to make my case, but the boss has ordered me to be removed. He didn’t have the nerve to come out and do it himself. He sent his goons after me. No wonder the woman paid me that much. She was probably treated way worse.
Suddenly, the door opens, and the most handsome man catches my attention. Oh holy hell, this can’t be him. He looks rugged but young. I don’t know if he’s the guy I’m supposed to be contacting or not, but he’s gorgeous. At six three or so with broad shoulders, and sexy hair and scruff. His strong jaw tightens as he stares at me. Then out of nowhere, he tells them, “Let her go.”
They immediately back away as if their lives depend on it. “I’m leaving. Close up my office,” he barks out at the woman standing there with her mouth gaping open. I’m looking at him in awe then around to everyone who all have seemed to have done a one-eighty. He takes my hand and presses the button for the elevator. I feel this intense shock reverberate through me, but I maintain control of my expression. Our eyes connect then he continues to look at the baby boy in my arms then back at me. I feel his eyes appraising me in more ways than one. His intent is unclear, and I’m not sure how to read him. It’s not like I have a lot of experience. I’m nineteen with a few years of work. I’ve been taking things one day at a time after my parents were arrested on criminal drug charges in our home. Hell, I’m lucky I didn’t get caught up in that scene or the raid.
“Um…”
“Don’t say a thing. I’m not in the mood to even speak to you.” I whip my head back like he struck me or something. I’m totally pissed off, but I bite my tongue because even though the kid is a cutie, I can’t keep him. I can’t afford a baby and can’t handle him. I ignore him until he orders me into the back of his SUV which is parked right outside of the bank of elevators in the underground garage.
“I’m not going in there,” I tell him in
no uncertain terms.
He cocks his brow at me, stopping in front of the passenger door. “The fuck you aren’t. You’ve made a scene in my offices, bringing your baby to my business. If this gets out, there will be hell to pay, and you’ll be in debt through your ears. Spending a lifetime paying it back.” I want to kick him in the shins.
“You’re something else. I don’t need your shit. Excuse me. I’ll take him elsewhere,” I inform the jackass, holding the baby to my chest. Max is staring at his dad like he knows the truth.
“The hell you’re not. You have a lot to answer for, and I’m going to get them.”
“I’m not taking him in a car without a car seat,” I argue, holding him tighter to me. He should know that kids don’t go in the car without one.
“Fine. Where is your car seat?”
“It’s in my car,” I remark with no little sarcasm, rolling my eyes. I can’t understand the tension pushing me to be this rude. I instantly regret coming here for so many reasons.
“Where the fuck is that?” He’s not handling this any better than I am. I suppose it’s fair that he should be a little pissed. A woman kept this a huge secret from him. I couldn’t be that cold. Maybe she’d been a one-night stand. Thinking of them together isn’t something I can picture.
“Fuh.” We both look down at the smiling baby. The little one ducks his head into my chest, hiding from the audience.
“Way to go,” I angrily whisper. He’s turning out to be a great father already.
“Shut it. I’m not this ticked off normally. You can push a man to the brink of insanity, beautiful. You’re lucky you’re fine as hell because your character is seriously lacking.” My character lacking? Why did she keep the baby from him? What’s his character lacking?
I step away from him and hurry to my car. Before he can react, I’m in the driver’s seat and locked the doors. He’s on his phone instantly, and that worries me. He ends the call and tucks the phone into his inner pocket on his suit jacket. He knocks on the window.
“Open up, woman,” he orders me. I shake my head, then turn around stretched over to the backseat, and strap Max into his seat. He’s such a cute little boy. A pang of jealousy hits me in the chest when I think about him having a son. There’s a very stark resemblance. I ignore that strange feeling and move on. Once he’s right in his seat, I turn back and turn the key. My car is so old it doesn’t have a push start button. I hear the engine not turning over. I do it again with the same result. What the heck? This can’t be happening right now.
“Open the fucking door. I’m not going to tell your ass again.”
I tilt my head toward the bastard smirking outside the window. He thinks it’s funny, does he? I press my head to the steering wheel, then move swiftly to throw open my car door and hitting him in the gut.
“Oops,” I say with feigned concern, barely containing a smile.
He grabs my hand and pulls me from the car, closing the door and pinning me between his broad chest and the cool steel of the door. Goodness, he’s too close. My brain is shutting down.
He’s so close I can see the richness of the grey in his eyes. “You are pushing me and trust me there are only two ways this will end up. I’ll have your sexy ass arrested or tied to my bed fucking your brains out until you come to your senses.”
“Um…” I don’t know how to respond. Well, verbally at least. My body has betrayed me and is most definitely responding to his virile manliness.
“Don’t um me. What’s your name?”
It takes me a second longer than it should, but I finally get the brain to register. “Renee.” I can’t breathe with him so close. God, he smells fantastic.
“Don’t look at me like that with those hungry eyes. Renee, I’m not going to be played by a gold digger.” He pushes away with the smugness of a total bastard. I suddenly catch out of the corner of my eye, one of the overgrown security guys. He’s standing at the doorway of the garage with a metal object in his hand.
“What? Are you going to kill me?” I ask, tilting my head at the security guard.
“Kill you?” He throws his head back and starts laughing at me. What a prick. I glare at him as his eyes meet mine again. “It’s to jimmy the door unlocked.”
“Oh.”
“I would break the window, but I don’t want the kid getting hurt.”
“Whatever.” I don’t know what else to tell him. I’m in unknown territory and not prepared for this bullshit. Wow. Three thousand bucks wasn’t worth the stress or ramifications.
“Don’t whatever me. What are you like sixteen?” Asshole.
“I’m nineteen.” He backs up and slides me away from the door, opening it and hitting the unlock button. He doesn’t say a word. Instead, he goes around and takes the little boy and his seat out. He walks straight toward a large black SUV.
“Are you coming?” he questions as if he’s willing to leave me here. I don’t know if I trust him with the kid, so I make the decision to go with him. Or so that’s the excuse I’m going with.
I grab my purse and the diaper bag. He doesn’t help me into the truck even though it’s fucking massive. In fact, he does his best to not look at me. I barely have my seatbelt stretched out before he begins driving toward the exit. I click it quickly then straighten it as best I can. We don’t get out of the garage before the flash of cameras come out of nowhere.
“Did you call the press?” he snarls at me, gritting his teeth and staring straight ahead. His knuckles turn white as he tightens his grip on the wheel.
“No, I didn’t. I don’t want my face in the media,” I respond, ducking my head, pretending to look into my purse. Having my image plastered all over wouldn’t be a good thing. My parents’ dealers might still be looking for payback.
“Why? You’re beautiful. Wouldn’t you want to get noticed? Isn’t that your goal of fucking pulling this stunt?” he challenges me, but I’ve learned never to have arguments in the car with people driving.
I refuse to answer him because he’s being a dick. This kid looks like him. Mr. Hart can deny it all he wants, but I have no doubt the kid is his. I’ve seen the way he looks at the boy. He sees it, too. He’s in denial. I guess this fucks up his pretty, fancy-free life.
Chapter 3
Liam
I can’t believe I brought her ass to my place. The media is all over the story. Why am I not having her ass arrested? I can’t fathom how much I’m letting my dick guide me. For the first time in my life, I’m dying to sink my dick deep inside a woman. Fuck, she’s gorgeous, but she has too much attitude for a woman in her situation. “Here. Take him to the room over there. Until I can silence the press, you aren’t leaving this damn condo. Do you hear me?” I don’t know where that came from, but this is a mess. One giant circus and that little boy is not my monkey. That’s something I can attest to without fear.
“Are you holding me hostage?” I rub my thumb and finger between my eyes. It’s nutty how I could even be mixed up in something like this. I’m fighting between kissing her and bending her over and spanking her ass.
“Hostage? No. But you’re not leaving. End of story.” Before the damn cameras started flashing, I wanted to keep her with me. Now I have an excuse.
“I doubt you have what’s needed to take care of a baby,” she snipes. Of course, I don’t. I’ve been handed a kid that’s not mine, and I should have just dumped her at her place and left it there. Instead, I think that some things need to be brought here for the little guy.
“Fine. I’ll send my men over to your place to pick up his things.”
“That’s stupid.” I can’t believe how freaking much that baby looks like me or rather like my baby pictures. A terrible thought crosses my mind, and I know I must walk away.
“Woman, I’m not in the mood for your back talk. You walked into my life and fucked it all up. Now go in there and just do what you have to for him.”
She rolls her eyes at me and carries him into the bedroom. The boy is related to
me, but he’s not my son. I have a feeling who the father is, but that would mean she gave it up to him and is blaming it on me. Why though? I want to ask, but I’m afraid of the answer. It’s not like me to be this indecisive.
I’m pissed. I head into my home office, log into my company network, and get to work. My computer is just as I left it at work. They are connected, so that should I need to I can access either easily.
I hear her moving around in the kitchen. I look down at my watch and see that it’s been an hour. Curiosity gets me, so I make my way to the kitchen.
“Do you need any help?” I ask her, startling her into dropping the butter knife on the floor. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Are you hungry?” she says, handing me the sandwich she finished making.
“Yes, but I can make my own.”
“I don’t have cooties.” She has no idea that I want to lick her from head to toe. It’s not cooties I’m afraid of catching. It’s the fuckers called feelings. I’m not equipped to handle it.
“Okay, that’s not why. You made it for yourself. You’ve got to be hungry.”
She grabs a knife and cuts the sandwich in half. “Here.”
“Thanks.” Fuck, she’s so damn pretty. How can she have been with him? I can see it, but I hate the idea that he touched her smooth skin, tasted those soft lips and buried himself deep into her. Giving her the kid I should have given her.
I can’t stand to look at her any longer. I make quick work of my sandwich, thank her, and grab a beer. I have a mess to clean up with the press. I’m sure once my investors hear the rumors and see the media footage, I’m going to be challenged over it. At twenty-two, I took over full control of the company from my father, but he had done some massive damage to the credibility and bankroll of the business. I’ve had to take on investors during the transition, even though my father had amassed a serious retirement package. Now, after a great deal of work, I no longer need the investors, but I publicly can’t take a hit in my reputation which would reflect on the company.
