My Surprise Secret Baby (Romance Box Set)

by Lexi Wilson

  The food was delicious, Nan getting lasagna, Jamie ordering another burger. I got a steak, and together Nan and I listened as Jamie recounted her day, going over all her favorite parts.

  But I kept thinking about Amber. Sure, there was a good chance it was innocent. But my gut was telling me otherwise.

  We finished our meal and when we were done, I checked the time. My phone buzzed in my hand – another text from Amber.

  “Give me another half-hour.”

  That was my limit. Whatever it was, innocent or not, I needed to know about it. I didn’t appreciate being kept it the dark one bit.

  Off to the side of the lobby I spotted an arcade, the colorful lights of the games flashing. I reached in my pocket, took out my wallet, and withdrew a few twenties, handing them over to Nan.

  “You mind keeping her busy for a little bit? I’m going to see what’s going on in the room.”

  Nan nodded, her expression serious. “Do it. And let me know what you find out, OK?”

  I started to leave, but caught myself. “Is there…something going on?” I asked. “Something I should know about?”

  Jamie’s eyes lit up. “Is it about the package?” she asked. “That was weird.”

  Nan let out a sigh, as if something had been blown, something had been said that shouldn’t have.

  “What package?” I asked.

  “Jamie,” said Nan in a cutting tone.

  “It was this weird package that we got the other day,” she said. “It was full of pictures of me and Mom and Dad.”

  This sounded strange as hell. Amber had never mentioned Jamie’s father before.

  “Jamie,” said Nan, her tone even sharper. “Don’t say another word.”

  “Nan,” I said. “Is there something going on that I should know about?”

  Nan sighed once more, and I could sense she’d debated lying, but thought better of it.

  “It’s…Amber was going to tell you,” she said. “She was just waiting for the right time.”

  “Tell me what?” I asked.

  Nan pursed her lips for a moment. “It’s not my place to say. But please believe me when I say she was going to tell you.”

  I wanted to push Nan further, to get all the answers. But whatever it was, it was sounding like I needed to hear it from Amber herself.

  “You got her?” I asked, nodding to Jamie.

  “Don’t you worry about us,” she said. “Go talk to Amber.”

  I didn’t waste another second before hurrying to the elevator and hitting the button for our floor.

  The package? What kind of package?

  Pictures of her and her family and her husband…it all seemed so strange. I thought it over, realizing that whatever “persona” matters she’d been concerned about, these likely were a part of them.

  I needed to find out. The doors opened and I rushed to the hotel room. Before I knocked, I heard the voices again. This time I didn’t need to put my ear to the door. The voices were raised, the conversation heated.

  Taking out my key card, I decided against knocking. I swiped the card in front of the scanner, the lock clicking open, my heart thudding in my chest.

  Then I opened the door.

  Amber was there, standing in the middle of the room, her arms crossed.

  And before her was a man, a tall, brick wall of a man with a biker beard, his arms covered in tattoos.

  He grinned at me as I entered, as if amused.

  “Who the fuck are you?” I demanded.

  “Me? I’m her husband. And who the fuck are you?”

  Chapter 29

  AMBER

  My gut sank the moment Nick stepped into the room.

  The way the two men regarded one another…it was something I’d never forget.

  Marcus was six-and-a-half feet of pure testosterone and aggressive male machismo. He was built like a truck, and at that moment, staring down Nick, his giant hands were clenched into fists, giving them the look of big bricks hanging down at the ends of his arms.

  But Nick was no wimp either. Despite being an office-working CEO, he was as strong and solid as Marcus. Nick might’ve made his living behind a desk these days, but one look at him was enough to make it clear he’d spent years on construction sites, his body as strong as a sledgehammer.

  The two men were alpha to the core, and I’d seen enough of their types in my line of work to know that when two alphas faced down, it tended to end in one way – violence.

  I had to talk them both down.

  “Your husband?” Nick snarled, his eyes still fixed on Marcus’.

  “That’s fucking right,” said Marcus. “And who the hell are you?”

  “I’m her boss.”

  “Her boss?” he asked. “You’re here at fucking Disneyland with my wife and my little girl. Sure as shit doesn’t sound like any ‘boss’ I’ve ever heard of.” He turned to me, fire in his eyes. “What the hell’s going on between you and this prick?”

  “Watch your fucking mouth,” said Nick.

  Marcus shot him a hard look before turning his attention back to me.

  “I told you,” I said. “Nick’s my boss – I’m his secretary. I went with his on a last-minute work trip to London, and to thank me he took me and Nan and Jamie to Disneyland for her birthday.”

  He continued to regard me with those narrow eyes, as if trying to scan my story for anything that sounded like bullshit.

  “Wow,” he said. “Nice boss.” There was anger and sarcasm in his voice, and it was clear he thought something was up. “You do this for all your secretaries?”

  Nick said nothing, continuing to glare at Marcus.

  “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you,” said Marcus.

  “What?” I asked. “You’ve been ‘trying to get in touch?’ Is that what you call sending me anonymous packages full of pictures of me and you and Jamie?”

  An expression of realization washed over Nick’s face. Nan must’ve told him about the package.

  “It was everything I had of you and me,” he said. “When I got out of jail all I had to my name was some shit I’d stuffed in a storage locker before I got arrested. I’m not good with words, so I figured it’d do the job.”

  “Whatever’s going on here,” said Nick. “We need to put this aside – it’s Jamie’s birthday.”

  “We don’t need to do a goddamn thing,” said Marcus. “I’m here because I want to be a part of my family’s life again, so you can fuck right off Mr. CEO.”

  “Marcus,” I said, feeling totally powerless.

  “What?” His voice was scary, booming.

  I needed to buy some time. If there was going to be a showdown, it couldn’t happen here.

  “If you want to talk about this, we can talk about it, but-“

  “What’s there to talk about? I’m your husband and Jamie’s daddy, and I’m here to take my family back.”

  “But you can’t-“

  I knew what I wanted to say, that he couldn’t just come back into our lives after walking away and expect things to be back to normal because he’d decided so.

  But those words wouldn’t do a damn bit of good.

  “I can’t what?” asked Marcus.

  I had to use a little sweetness to get what I wanted. It likely wouldn’t go over well with Nick, but between the two men at least he had the sort of head on his shoulders to get that violence here in freaking Disneyland wouldn’t be a good idea.

  I stepped over to Marcus, placing my fingers on his wrist. The moment my skin touched his I could sense the tension in his body fade, if only just a bit.

  That was the thing about men like him and Nick. They were rough and aggressive, but a woman’s touch never failed to work magic.

  But it came at a cost. Nick’s eyes flicked down to my hand on Marcus’s, and it was clear he didn’t like what he was seeing.

  I had to be done. Not a chance I was going to let these two fight over me right then and there

  “Baby,” I sai
d, forcing down the sick feeling in my gut at saying the word. “We can talk about this later.”

  “I want to talk about this now. I came all the way here from LA to find you. You think that was cheap?”

  That was another question to be answered – how the hell had he tracked me down?

  But it could wait for another time.

  “You have to know now’s not a good time. We’re here to celebrate Jamie’s birthday, and she’s having the best damn day of her life. You really want to ruin that by getting her all confused about things?”

  This appeared to carry some weight. Marcus glanced aside, as if considering the thought.

  “Then what?” he asked. “I just turn and leave?”

  I nodded. “You put Jamie over your wants and needs right now. And…my wants and needs. You know I want to talk about this as much as you do. But we can’t right now.”

  He took a slow deep breath.

  Nick said nothing, and I could sense that every word I spoke hurt him a little more. But he held back from saying anything.

  “Fine,” he said. “But only for Jamie.”

  Relief washed over me. For now, the crisis was over

  “Here’s what we do,” I said. “We finish Jamie’s birthday weekend here. Then when I’m back in town tomorrow, I’ll get in touch with you. You’re still the same number, right?”

  He let out a snort of a laugh. “Yeah, it’s the one I had before lockup. Not like I was thinking about changing it while I was in there.”

  “Good. I’ll be in touch. But for now, you have to go.”

  I knew what I had to do next. But it wasn’t going to be easy.

  Summoning up all the will I had, I stepped up on my top-toes and placed a kiss on his cheek, his thick beard bristly against my lips.

  Whatever Nick was thinking at that moment, I didn’t even want to imagine.

  “I’ll talk to you soon, OK?”

  He regarded me for a long moment, as if he was still unsure whether or not to believe what I was telling him.

  “I’m leaving,” he said. “But don’t you think this is the last you’re going to see of me. I’ll be in touch, and soon.”

  “That’s exactly what I want.”

  He nodded.

  “Bye, baby,” he said. “And tell our little girl her daddy’s back, and can’t wait to see her.”

  “You know I will.”

  He turned and left, shooting Nick a final, hard look on the way out.

  When he was gone, I knew I’d only jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

  Nick wasn’t happy.

  “Party’s starting soon,” he said, his tone bloodless. “I’m going to call the hotel and get everything double-checked.”

  “Nick…,” I said.

  But he didn’t respond. Instead, he took out his phone and strode into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

  I’d averted a total disaster, but I still had a hell of a mess on my hands.

  I needed to tell Nick that I didn’t have feelings for Marcus, that it was all a show to get him to calm down. But Nick didn’t seem to be in a listening mood. And on top of that, why would he even believe me? If I told him I’d looked the father of my child in the eye and lied to him, why would he think I’d do the same to him but speak the truth?

  A total mess, all around.

  The rest of the evening was a reprieve, however. The party with all of the costumed characters was a smash, Jamie having the time of her life as she opened up all the presents Nick had picked out for her, along with a few I’d chosen, too.

  After the party and the cake and the fireworks, Jamie was ready to crash.

  “Good day, kiddo?” asked Nick as the two of us led her to her room, Nan already out for the night.

  “Best. Birthday. Ever.” There was enthusiasm and sleepiness in her voice all at once.

  And once she was in bed, Nick and I shared a look suggesting that while there might’ve been confusion between us, we were totally on the same page when it came to this little girl’s happiness.

  But once we were back in the suite we shared, the tone changed right back to cold and tense.

  “Nick,” I said. “Thanks for everything. But-“

  He raised his palm, cutting me off. “I’m happy to be here for Jamie. But right now, I don’t want to hear a word from you until you get this…whatever the hell it is, sorted out.”

  With that, he strode into his bedroom and shut the door.

  I sighed, feeling awful, feeling miserable.

  It was a mess, through and through.

  We woke up that next morning and spent a half-day at the park before taking the helicopter back to LA. Once we landed at Horvath HQ, Nick called a private car for me and Nan and Jamie, while taking his own back to his place.

  “Thank you, Mr. McQuaid!” said Jamie before we parted company.

  “My pleasure, kiddo. And just call me Nick. We’re friends now, right?”

  “For sure!”

  They shared a hug, and for a moment it seemed like everything was right in the world. But when Nick only gave me a sharp nod to say “goodbye,” I was reminded there was still tension between us.

  The trip back home was all Jamie, telling us about her favorite parts of the trip with the kind of open enthusiasm only a kid can show.

  Marcus. I was keenly aware that I’d only bought myself some time. He wasn’t the kind of man to give up.

  Sooner or later, I was going to have to face him.

  “Mom?” asked Jamie as we pulled up to the house. “Who’s that man on the front porch?”

  “Oh my God,” said Nan. “Is that…?”

  I thought I’d bought myself some time.

  Well, I had.

  But less than a day.

  Because sitting there on the porch, a big grin on his face as he stood up, was him.

  Marcus.

  “There’s my baby girl!” he called out.

  Whatever was going to happen, it was going to happen right then.

  Chapter 30

  NICK

  I didn’t want to go home.

  As frustrated as I was, as disappointed as I might’ve been on account of Amber lying to me, all I could think about was how much I didn’t want to go back to an empty house.

  The weekend had been so damn nice. Being there with Jamie and Amber and Nan, the four of us together like a normal, happy family…it’d been like nothing I’d ever known before.

  But it wasn’t real. Her husband showing up had shattered the illusion as effectively as a sledgehammer to a pane of glass.

  And it wasn’t only that. She’d kissed him, shown affection to him was simply stunning to watch.

  I’d known there had to have been a man in her past. Hell, she had a damn daughter – you needed a mom and a dad to make a kid. But he hadn’t been mentioned, and I realized that part of me had hoped he’d simply faded to the background, a figure who was no longer a part of her life.

  Nope. He was back. And he didn’t seem happy in the slightest about Amber moving on without him.

  And she didn’t seem all the disappointed that he’d returned. For all I knew, they were back together, Amber ready to cut me out of her life and return to the man who she’d once loved.

  For all I knew, she still loved him.

  The moment I pulled up to my place and took in the sight of that massive home, knowing it’d be just me, I knew I had to think of some other way to spend my evening.

  All the lights were off, which meant Natalie was likely not at home. And sure, we’d smoothed things out a bit between the two of us, but she was still dead-set on carving out her own path in life – one that didn’t involve me.

  For now, I was alone. Nothing but a big, empty house and a feeling of longing for a woman who didn’t want me.

  Damon. It was Sunday night, but he was always up for a drink or two. Instead of sending him a text, I went ahead and started over to his place, figuring it’d surprise him with a six-pack.


  After picking up some beer at the store, I drove over to Damon’s. But like at home, all his lights were off, too. I took out my phone and called him.

  No answer.

  After skipping voicemail, I sent him a text.

  “What’s up? Wanted to see if you were up for a beer. I’m around your place now.”

  I fired off the text, but there was no response. I drove into the parking lot of a nearby bar, the purple neon lights of the sign above casting the pitch-dark black of the lot in an eerie glow.

  I didn’t even notice the name of the place as I walked in.

  Once I was seated at the bar of the dingy joint I ordered a shot of whiskey and a beer, tossing back the shot and nursing the beer as I thought about the weekend that’d passed.

  Every time I’d close my damn eyes I’d picture the moment I walked into that hotel room, Amber so small and slight seated in front of her hulking beast of a husband, his build huge and his eyes glowering with pure hate as he regarded me.

  He surely didn’t know exactly who I was, but men like him always seemed to have a sixth sense for other men moving in on their territory – and “territory” was exactly how dudes of his ilk viewed women. They were objects to them, little toys they could have their fun with and toss aside when they were bored.

  But like bratty kids, the moment someone else put their hands on a toy they’d lost interest in, all of a sudden they wanted it again with a passion.

  My phone was on the bar next to me as I drank. Not once did it light up – not from Amber, not from Damon, not from Natalie.

  A strange feeling coursed through my stomach. I had a hunch, and I wanted to confirm it.

  I picked up my phone and typed up a text to Natalie.

  “Hey. You at the house?”

  Then I set my phone back on the bar and waited.

  Minutes ticked by. Just like I’d anticipated, no response.

  The Damon situation was strange. Never once had I texted him and failed to get a response within the hour. Even when he was on a hot date he’d, at the very least, send me a reply to let me know what was up – and to brag a little.

  But this…this was strange. I thought about the matter, trying to figure out it was because of how I was feeling about how things had gone down with Amber. Maybe the incident with her husband and made me view all of my relationships in a skeptical light.