Page 72 of Taming the Elusive Billionaire

“How about telling us who the child’s father is?” Dad continued.

“Please tell him to stop, Mom.” I cried, burying my face deeper into Mom’s chest.

“Get your head off there and answer my freaking questions,” Dad shouted while I began to hear his steps move close to me but stopped abruptly.

“Just stop right there, brother. What has gotten over you?” Uncle Gabe said, stopping him from advancing any further.

“You don’t tell me how to speak with my child.”

“Well, not to burst your bubble, she’s no longer a child, for fucks sake. She’s what, twenty-five? And also, the only niece I got, so calm down.”

I heard Dad sigh and move away from me while I raised my head from Mom’s chest and wiped my eyes.

Dad folded his arms. “So, you are turning my people against me, Gabe?”

Gabe turned toward Mom and frowned. “When did he become so testy?”

“Honey, please calm down. We will find a solution to this.”

“How are we going to find the solution when we don’t even know who is responsible and how to contact him and ask him what he intends to do with this child?”

I held Mom’s arm and began to shake my head. “I will leave, but please don’t call him, please don’t call him.”

“Call who? You are yet to give us a name.” Dad countered.

“I will just leave, but I am not ready to tell you who the father is. I am sorry for bringing shame to our family.”

“No, you are not going anywhere.” Mom began, fixing her gaze on me. “You will stay here with us while we care for this baby together, like a family.”

“If that’s going to happen,” Gabe said, turning toward Dad, “I need a certain assurance from you that you won’t make life uncomfortable for her.”

“Who the hell are you to give me conditions?”

“Oh, unless you forgot, my wife works in child healthcare, and I think she will gladly accept Lucy in one of our unoccupied rooms at home.”

“You will do no such thing.” Dad groaned, pointing at him.

“Then I will need your word before I leave her back under your care.”

Dad turned toward Mom and me, shook his head, and scoffed. “This is unbelievable, freaking unbelievable.”

“It’s a sad world we live in, brother, but we gotta accept it for what it is.”

“All right, all right,” Dad groaned, “Enough with the stupid lectures.”

“Promise, brother.”

“You are pushing your luck, Gabe.”

“I don’t care,” Gabe replied, saying.

“You win, Gabe.”

Gabe spat on his hand and stretched out his hand. “Let’s do it the old-fashioned way. I am much more comfortable with that.”

“It baffles me that you have very little trust in me.”

Gabe shook his head and shrugged, “Desperate times, brother.”

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