she didn’t even know the half of it, a fact that killed him a little inside.
“I’m sorry, Char.”
She tore her eyes from his and looked away as he handed Amelia to Jessica, because it was the right thing to do. But again, the right thing felt so fucking wrong.
The moment Nick handed Jessica the baby, he wanted her back. His arms were empty and his breath was tight in his lungs. Next to him, Charlotte was tense and didn’t take her eyes off Jessica, who didn’t appear to notice Charlotte’s animosity, or more likely, didn’t care. Because she had her baby in her arms.
Nick watched closely as Jessica used her finger to trace Amelia’s face, touching first her cheek, then her nose and her chin.
“She’s so gorgeous,” Jessica said, more to herself than anyone else.
Charlotte made a choking, sobbing noise and Nick reached for her hand. “How could you let her…she’s your daughter, Nick.”
“I told you.” Jessica looked up, her face cold and her eyes narrow as she fixed them on Charlotte. “Nick isn’t her father.”
His breath caught in his chest.
“What?” Jessica continued. “You didn’t think I knew who my baby’s father was?”
He shook his head slowly. Of course, he’d had his suspicions that she’d figured it out. After all, he didn’t know much about it all, but he’d assumed a woman usually had a pretty good idea about who the father of their baby was. That being said, when her sister had shown up with Amelia in her arms and dropped her into his life with the announcement that she was his daughter, Nick had just thought Jessica was too messed up to know who the baby’s father really was and she’d picked the best option. And without even knowing who the other options were, he knew he was the best one. He had to be.
“I wasn’t sure,” he finally said. “And there’s a chance that…” He drifted off because they both knew the chance that Amelia was biologically his was slim, to say the least.
“I’m here to take her home.”
Next to him, Charlotte tensed. “This is her home. You have no right to take her.” Charlotte turned to him with so much hope in her eyes, something inside him died a little. “Tell her, Nick. Tell her she can’t take Amelia.”
“He can’t.” Jessica chuckled. “Because he knows that legally I can take her. And I am.”
“He doesn’t know that.” Char looked between them, the panic rising in her. “Do you, Nick? You didn’t know…”
Her eyes darkened, and Nick could see the moment she realized the truth. He had known. And he hadn’t told her. He’d never warned her about what could happen. What was happening.
“I’m so sorry, Char.”
He turned to her and tried to take her hand in his, but the damage had already been done and she pulled away.
“I didn’t want to believe it,” she said slowly.
Her voice was thick with emotion. He’d done that to her. It was his fault that she was fighting back tears. And he hated himself for it.
“She told me you knew all this was happening. But I couldn’t believe that you’d know such a thing and not tell me. That you’d let me…” She swallowed back a sob.
“Char.” He reached for her hands, taking them both in his. “I was going to fix it. I was going to—”
“Rip my heart out,” she finished for him.
He nodded because there was nothing else he could do. “I’m so sorry.”
“How could you…” Charlotte dropped her head.
Nick swallowed hard.
“After everything…I would have…” After a moment, she looked up, first to Nick and then to Jessica, who was holding Amelia, but looking straight at Charlotte with what could only be described as a smirk on her face.
“Thanks for taking care of her for me.” Jessica’s voice dripped with insincerity. “But I’ll take it from here.”
This time, Nick was positive it was a growl that came from Charlotte, and he held her fast so she didn’t jump up. He didn’t think that Char would attack the other woman, but at the same time, he had no idea what a woman backed into a corner would do.
“It’s okay,” Nick said. He didn’t even believe what he was saying. “We need to let her—”
“No.” Char tore her hands out of his and crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s not okay.”
Nick sighed. Never in his life had he longed for backup more than in that moment. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” He stood and reached a