The CEO's Secret Baby

by Karen Whiddon

  Since Eli was asleep and she couldn’t exactly leave the room, Lucy had turned on her phone and checked her email. Since she was off work during the summer, she usually didn’t have a lot. However, the school district often planned some sort of teachers’ educational seminars in the last weeks of the summer and she wanted to check and see if they’d posted the dates yet. They hadn’t, but she had a few other emails to read, which she did.

  The first call came barely five minutes later, the shrill sound startling her and making her jump.

  Sean. Hastily turning the ringer off so it wouldn’t disturb Eli, she ignored the call but left the phone on vibrate, so she’d know in case Tucker tried to reach her.

  To her surprise and growing unease, Sean called again in fifteen minutes. Again, she didn’t answer.

  The time between the next call was only ten minutes. Even after she’d finished checking email and put the phone down, it continued to vibrate. Ten minutes became five. Each time, she had to check the caller ID to make sure it wasn’t Tucker.

  By the fifth call from Sean, she’d decided this was ridiculous and punched the accept button.

  “This better be an emergency,” she snapped. “What do you want, Sean?”

  “Well, hello to you, too,” Sean teased. “Why are you so grouchy? Things not working out with Tucker?”

  His lighthearted banter, such a marked difference from the way he’d been last, gave her pause. “Seriously, Sean. You’ve called five times in the last hour. What’s up?”

  “Tucker asked me to get you in a safe house,” he said, his tone becoming serious. “I made some phone calls per his instructions and it’s all set up. The FBI asked me to pick you up for them.”

  This gave her pause. “The FBI?” she asked slowly. “Don’t you mean the DEA?”

  “They’re working together on this,” he replied. “And the danger level has ratcheted up a notch or two. Apparently, things are really heating up. We don’t have too much time to get you out of there. Now tell me where you are so I can come and get you.”

  Something was off, though she wasn’t sure what. “Let me call Tucker first,” she stalled. “Is he there with you?”

  “No. He’s not here.” Sean sounded surprised that she would even think so. “He was on his way to meet someone. He didn’t say whom, just that it was urgent. He just wanted me to pick you up and take you to the FBI offices. One less thing for him to worry about, you know?”

  Though Sean had just repeated nearly the exact same phrase that Tucker had used earlier, something still felt off. Why would Tucker involve Sean in this mess? That would be like providing one more person for the cartel to target.

  “Let me get back to you,” she said, and hung up.

  Immediately, she phoned Tucker. The call went right to voice mail, indicating he’d turned off his phone again. Stomach churning, she left a quick message asking him to call her and began to pace, trying to decide what would be the right thing to do.

  While she waited for Sean to show up, Lucy hurriedly packed a bag for herself and Eli, making sure to bring a lot of diapers and changes of clothing since she had no idea how long she’d have to stay in the safe house.

  Since she still felt uneasy, she also made several attempts to reach Tucker. She got voice mail each time.

  By the time Sean knocked, she was a nervous wreck. For the space of a heartbeat, she debated pretending to be gone.

  The instant she answered the door and saw Sean standing outside, she had a flash of realization and knew she’d made a mistake. Perhaps it was the way he wouldn’t meet her eye or the too-genial way he carried on, but she knew something was majorly off. In a very bad way.

  Why? Surely Sean hadn’t come on his own, planning to take her back home rather than to a safe house because he wanted to try and get her back.

  No, that couldn’t be right. Sean clearly understood the danger involved. To all of them.

  “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he finally asked, after she stood a moment, studying him in silence.

  “Your shirt is buttoned unevenly,” she pointed out. “And it’s wrinkled.”

  He glanced down at himself. Then shrugging, he rebuttoned his shirt. “Sorry. I can’t do anything about the wrinkles. I left in a big hurry.”

  While he apparently didn’t realize how unusual this was, she did. After all, she’d known him her entire life.

  “What have you done?” she whispered.

  Cocking his head, he studied her. “I’m only trying to help. Lucy, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. What about you?”

  “Better, now that I’ve found you and Eli. I’m so glad you’re all right.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “All the tension is really getting to me.”

  Ah, a semirational explanation. But she still wanted to shut the door in his face and lock it, adding the chain for good measure.

  She was being foolish. This was Sean, after all. Chiding herself for being overly dramatic, she summoned up a smile and stepped aside. “Come on in.”

  Nodding, he stepped inside. He didn’t hug her like he normally would have, but she chalked that up to his hurt over her breaking their engagement.

  Speaking of… Crossing to her purse, she retrieved the diamond ring he’d given her. “I think you might be wanting this back,” she said, handing it to him.

  Pain flashed across his face as he accepted it. Pain and something she could have sworn was anger.

  For that, she couldn’t blame him. She deserved it. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I never should have accepted your proposal. You deserve better. I promise you, the right one will come along.”

  He took a step back, almost as if she’d slapped him. “Don’t talk down to me. I really don’t want to discuss this right now. Just hurry up and get ready.”

  Still she wavered. “But I hate that I hurt you,” she began.

  “Obviously not enough not to do it,” he shot back, glancing at his watch. “Now, we’ve got to get out of here. How quickly can you pack?”

  “I’ll need just a few minutes.” She didn’t tell him she’d already finished. Alarm bells were going off again. Claiming she had to use the bathroom, she went and checked on Eli, then went inside the restroom and locked the door before trying again to phone Tucker.

  Again the call went directly to voice mail. This time she left an urgent message, asking Tucker to call her as soon as he could.

  When she emerged, her heart skipped a beat as she saw Sean had taken Eli from his bassinette and held him in his arms.

  “He missed me, you know.” Smiling at her, Sean raised Eli up onto his shoulder. “He’s my little E.”

  Again, pain stabbed her like a knife to the heart. She really had been an idiot to think Sean would ever hurt them. “You’re a good man, Sean Morey. And yes, I believe Eli has missed you. He loves you, you know.”

  All worries gone, she took Eli from him and strapped the baby into the car seat carrier. While she did this, Sean grabbed the diaper bag and her own small overnight case.

  “We’re ready,” she said, swallowing the trepidation that kept returning. No matter how many times she told herself that she was being foolish to be afraid, no matter how often she reminded herself that this was Sean, that he’d never allow any harm to come to her or to Eli, she couldn’t shake this feeling of unease.

  Watching her closely, Sean nodded. Still smiling that too-wide smile, he opened the door with a flourish. “After you,” he said, his gaze softening as he looked at Eli.

  Outside, the world continued as normal. Cars whizzed by, birds sang and in the distance she could hear the sounds of children playing.

  “So,” Lucy asked casually once she and Sean were in the parking lot, “are we going to the FBI office in Denver or are we meeting them somewhere else?”

  Once again avoiding her gaze, Sean unlocked the car. “Neither. We’re going directly to the safe house.”

  Her vague unease returned tenfold. “They told you where
the safe house is?”

  “Yep. They’re shorthanded after losing all those agents.”

  Okay. Hands shaking, Lucy set Eli’s carrier on the ground. She unbuckled Eli and handed Sean the carrier. “Would you mind setting this up in the back? It doubles as a car seat.”

  Waiting while he secured the car seat in the back, she debated whether to go with him or simply take off on her own with Eli on foot. But where would she go? Again, she told herself that this was Sean, after all. One of her oldest and closest friends. She’d cared enough about him to agree to marry him once, even though she now knew she’d been misguided.

  But her intentions had been good, hadn’t they? Plus, Tucker had trusted him enough to tell him where she was. Why shouldn’t she?

  But still, she couldn’t shake the strong feeling of disquiet as she got in his car and buckled herself in. In the relentlessly bright sunlight, Lucy felt foolish to be so worried. Still, she’d never been one to discount her intuition. Since she believed in tackling problems head-on, she’d simply comment.

  “Sean, you’re acting weird,” she said when he’d straightened up after he’d finished getting the car seat securely fastened. Thought she kept a pleasant expression on her face, she held on tight to Eli, not wanting to hand the baby over until she was one hundred percent positive Sean was on the up-and-up.

  Meeting her eyes, he gave her a slow smile. “Weird? I’m sorry, but honestly, can you blame me?”

  His brown eyes seemed sincere. “What do you mean?”

  With a shrug, he dug his car keys from his pocket. “Really, Lucy? You break off our engagement and run off with Tucker and you wonder why I’m acting…weird?”

  He had a point. “It’s me who should be apologizing to you,” she said quietly. “I never wanted to hurt you, but even if Tucker hadn’t come back, it wouldn’t have worked out between us.”

  “I disagree. We were happy. We could have made a life together. In time, you would have come to love me more. It would have been enough.”

  Though she was wary of starting anything, there were things that had to be said. “It shouldn’t have been enough, Sean. I love you like a brother, not like a husband. You deserve more than that.”

  Pain flashed across his patrician features. “Maybe I didn’t want more than that.” He shrugged, smiling once again. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll get over this. And as for acting weird, I’m truly sorry if I seem distracted. There’s a lot going on,” he told her. “I’m worried about Tucker.”

  While Lucy was, too, she had also known Sean since the third grade. Though they’d all been the closest of friends, she’d seen him angry with Tucker before. He’d never hesitated at venting his frustration and he’d never been the type to keep things inside of him, where they festered away.

  Under any other circumstances, he’d have given her an earful on why Tucker didn’t deserve her and how she was making the biggest mistake of her life. Even if he didn’t believe it one hundred percent, that wouldn’t have kept him from saying it.

  Ergo, he was keeping something from her. “What is it that you’re not telling me?” she asked. “Come on, Sean. Level with me.”

  “This isn’t about us, Lucy. Or even about you and him.” Finally meeting her gaze, he gave her a twisted half smile. “Tucker’s in danger. Real danger. Though he claimed he doesn’t want it, I really think he needs my help. I offered, but he was more concerned about you and E. He said he couldn’t concentrate on his own safety until he knew you two were safe.”

  Hearing Tucker’s earlier words spoken now, Lucy finally relaxed. Sean was telling the truth. Tucker had asked him to help out. She was just being foolish, worrying about Sean’s intentions. Despite the broken engagement, she knew he cared about her and her son. He would never let either of them come to harm. If she couldn’t trust him, then who could she trust?

  Handing over Eli, she watched as he buckled the baby into his car seat. When he’d finished, she got in the car.

  A moment later, Sean joined her.

  “Can I use your cell phone?” he asked while fitting the keys in the ignition. “I let my battery run down and I need to make a quick call.”

  “Sure.” Pulling it from her purse, she handed it over.

  He dialed a number, listened, and then hit the off button. “It’s busy. I’ll try again in a few minutes,” he said, sliding her phone into his pocket instead of returning it.

  She had to bite the side of her cheek to keep from requesting it back.

  Starting the car, they pulled out. Heading south on Main, to her surprise Sean drove on to the Diagonal Highway. They passed Niwot and the IBM complex, going toward Boulder, which was odd.

  “The safe house is in town?” she asked. “Or are we traveling through, taking 36 into Denver?”

  “Nope, Boulder it is.” Still smiling pleasantly, he shot her a look full of cautious optimism that was so like him she found herself smiling back.

  “Where in Boulder?” she asked.

  “We’re going to my house on Table Mesa. Now, before you say anything, think about it. My house is the last place anyone will think to look for you. Especially since you and I broke up.”

  Alarm bells going off, she stared at him, not sure if she should pretend to be okay with the idea or argue. Now she knew for certain something was up, because the DEA would never send her there. Which meant Sean was acting alone on his own personal agenda. Whether that included exacting revenge for her jilting him, she wasn’t sure. Worse, now she didn’t know who to fear more—Sean or the faceless drug cartel.

  Or was she being a bit melodramatic? Again, she reminded herself that Tucker had sent him. This was Sean. One of her oldest friends. Even with the broken engagement, she knew he still cared about her and about Eli. Then what the hell?

  “Sean?” she matched her carefree tone to his smile. “Does the DEA know about this?”

  “Of course,” he said. “They couldn’t get a safe house ready in time, so they asked me if I’d mind.”

  Okaaay. Now she knew he was lying. Which meant he was up to no good. Though she had trouble believing Sean would be dangerous in any way, shape or form, she didn’t want him to accidentally get Tucker hurt because he insisted on following his own plan.

  “Does Tucker know?” she asked casually, trying to figure out how to get her phone back.

  “Of course.” More lying.

  Keeping a pleasant smile, she held out her hand for her cell. “Let me see my phone. Maybe I should call him.”

  “He’s busy right now,” Sean said, making no move to hand back the cell. “I don’t think you should bother him.”

  “You’re probably right,” she agreed. Since he had her phone, she didn’t exactly have a choice anyway.

  For a minute she stared out the window, watching the familiar scenery flash past and the Flatirons grow closer.

  “So what’s the plan?” she finally asked, trying to sound like this was all one fun adventure. Maybe if she could trick him into thinking she was okay with this, she could take him by surprise and figure out a way to make an escape if necessary. Who knew, maybe she was overthinking this. It could be that Sean was taking her to his place simply because he planned to try and talk her into reconsidering breaking off their engagement.

  “No plan.” His lighthearted reply sounded forced. “Just keeping you and E safe.”

  There was nothing else she could say to that, so she subsided into silence.

  Twenty minutes later they pulled into the driveway of Sean’s raised ranch house. Before getting out of the car, she looked around. And ordinary residential street on an ordinary summer day. “Does the DEA have undercover guards watching us? I don’t see any. There aren’t even any parked cars close to your house.”

  “Oh, yes,” Sean answered, a bit too quickly. “They’re all over the place.” Then, before she could get there, Sean got out and hurried to the backseat and began unbuckling Eli.

  “I can do that,” she protested.

 
; “I insist.” Smiling at her, he lifted Eli out of the car seat and carried him up the front steps, leaving the car seat in the car. When he turned to see if she was following, she saw a flash of triumph in his eyes and realized that he knew as long as he had Eli, she’d follow him like a sheep.

  “Let me get the carrier,” she said, more to stall for time than anything else. Hands shaking, she undid the seat buckles and finally lifted the car seat out. Every instinct on high alert, she told herself to calm down.

  This was Sean, after all. Just Sean.

  First off, she could still be wrong about the entire situation. Second, even if she wasn’t, she didn’t think he’d hurt her or the baby. Even if he was furious with her for jilting him, she knew he’d never resort to violence. Sean was about as pacifist as they came.

  But still…he’d taken her cell phone and then her son.

  Waiting for her just inside, Sean turned as she came up to him, effectively blocking her with his shoulder when she tried to take Eli from him.

  “Give me my baby,” she said, pleased to hear she sounded firm and unafraid. “Please.”

  “Not just yet, honey.” Still smiling pleasantly, Sean closed and locked the front door. “Come on upstairs. I’ve fixed up the guest room for you. It’s got its own bathroom, so you and E will have all the privacy you need.”

  When she hesitated, he shook his head. “Fine. Eli and I will go first.” He climbed the steps, pausing to smile again at her before turning left to head down the hall.

  Heart in her throat, Lucy had no choice but to follow. This was seriously creeping her out.

  Though Sean had turned on the overhead light and ceiling fan, the guest bedroom still seemed dark. A moment later, she saw the reason. He had nailed a piece of plywood on the outside of the window, as though the glass had been broken. Clearly it hadn’t been, so this was his crude method of ensuring that no one could come in or go out through that window.

  Pacifist or no, this wasn’t good.

  “Sean?” As she turned to face him, he shoved Eli at her, forcing her to drop the infant carrier to keep her son from falling.

  “I’ll explain later,” he said, no longer smiling. He took a quick step back and closed the door. She heard a click as he locked it from the outside, then the sound of his footsteps as he left.