Page 118 of Merciless Desires

I consider how he dropped everything, including his daughter. “Thank you, by the way, for coming to help us.”

“I did it for my brother. I had no idea about you.” His eyes narrow to beady slits when his phone rings again. “Hello? Yes, I’ll accept the charges.”

I sit up, realizing it must be Cormac calling from jail.

“No, I’m not bailing you out. I have Anastasia Koslov sitting next to me. I found her in a fucking prison jumpsuit, eight months pregnant with your baby. She’s got no money. No phone. She’s not been to a doctor. What in fuck’s sake is wrong with you?” Darragh spews anger at his brother for me. “Do you have any idea what her father will do to our family if he finds out?” He shakes his head at the shouting I hear from the other end. “Yell all you want. I have contacts in this city, Cormac. You’re staying right where you are until I figure out what to do with Stasia.” He eyes me. “Ana, whatever. Yeah, call home. See how that works out for you. See how fast Lachlan will get on Kieran’s plane and take you to the same camp they sent him to. Oh… Oh, now you’re singing a different tune.” Darragh pinches his nose. “I’ve done so much to help you, Cor. You fucked up. You were arrested for drugs and fraud. You’re going to have to deal with that. I’ll call a law firm and get you a good attorney, but that’s it. Have a nice weekend.” He hangs up.

Our eyes meet as Darragh’s anger simmers down. “Sorry.”

We pull into a jet hanger, and he makes another call. “Hi, it’s me. We’re getting on the plane to come home. I should be there in a few hours. Did you get the cupcake mix? Thank you. Thank you so much.” He sneaks a look at me under his golden lashes, his cheeks blushing. “No, you don’t have to stay over. If you can just get her bath and do bedtime. You can leave when I get there. What? No, you don’t have to come to Sophie’s party with us tomorrow. I’ll see you in a few hours.” He ends the call and pushes a hand through his thick hair.

“Girlfriend?”

He pops me a glance. “I’m married.”

“Oh, right.” I never got that full story.

“But she’s in Africa. Red Cross. That was the nanny.”

The limo door opens, and Darragh leads me onto the plane. I feel so utterly helpless again. I’ve been pulled out of one spiderweb only to get stuck inside another one.

“We’re wheels up in ten minutes, sir.” The captain looks at me then sputters, “Sir, a woman that pregnant can’t fly.”

Darragh freezes. “That’s a myth. I’m a doctor. I’ll take responsibility.”

I grip the handrest, thinking if I stand up and protest, the captain won’t take off with me on the plane. But then what? Darragh may just rent a car and still drag me to Seattle. And he’ll be rip-roaring mad that he missed that party with his daughter.

I keep my mouth shut, and the captain tips his cap before he disappears into the cockpit. A few moments later, we’re moving down the runway.

“Is that really a myth? About flying late in a pregnancy?”

Darragh texts on his phone. “Partially. It’s more about the altitude and time. For the size of this plane, we won’t go above 20,000 feet, and we won’t be in the air for more than three hours. Tomorrow, I’m taking you to the hospital for a full workup to check the baby.”

“Tomorrow’s Sophie’s party.” I catch on quick.

“Fuck,” he mutters and tosses his phone aside.

“You can drop me off at a hospital or a walk-in center.”

He glares at me. “No, you’re not leaving my sight.”

“Don’t you work?”

“I mean, you’re not leaving my house without me. Once you crossed over 38 weeks, you can go into labor at any time.” He brushes his thumb against a set of full lips. Damn, his brother puckers the same exact way, but Darragh’s lips look lush and in need of kissing. “How old are you, again?”

“Twenty-three-ish. How old are you?”

“The same age as Cormac.”

“Right.” I roll my eyes. “It’s been so long since he and I had any kind of meaningful conversation. I forgot, to be honest.”

“Thirty-two. But that’s not important.”

“How old is Sophie?” He twitches when I say her name.

“Don’t ask about Sophie.” He leans in with a glower that sinks my heart. “I don’t know you. I know who you are. That’s it. You had drugs on you, and you were pulling cons with my brother. You’re not to go near my daughter. I have a very big house and several guest bedrooms with their own bathroom. All the locks are controlled by me.”

Everything he said about me is true. I can’t argue.

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