Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
James.
My stomach dropped to my toes. “You want to leave and take the kids with you?” I inferred.
“Yes. They deserve a better life, a happier one, and not to mention, a safer life than you can ever give them. So whether it’s New Zealand or somewhere else, I intend to make something pure and wholesome for them. Far away from you, from Neal, from Allegra, and your problems,” Becca confirmed.
I scowled. “Those are my child and my grandchild. You can’t just take them away from me.”
Becca shrugged. “You’re dead, and Tally gave custody of Alessandro to me, so, it would seem I can take them away from you. And I will.”
“I don’t intend to stay dead. Everyone who wasn’t supposed to know I was alive knows I’m alive. There’s no point in hiding it anymore. Besides, I left witness protection the moment I left Japan,” I said.
“Japan…” Becca’s eyebrows drew together. Then her eyes widened. “You’re the one who sent the box!”
I inclined my head. “Guilty as charged. I wanted Dahlia to have something… of me. Even if I could never see her.”
Becca went silent. When we were hardly in the air, she handed Alessandro to her father, undid her seatbelt, and walked briskly to the back of the jet.
I quickly unhooked my seatbelt and went after her, following her. She went all the way back into the jet’s small bedroom and was just closing the door behind her when I stopped it with my hand.
“Becca?” I asked as she turned her back to me. I stepped into the bedroom and closed the door behind us. “Becca…?”
She turned to face me, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Damn it, James, why do you make it so impossible to hate you!”
My breath caught, and I pulled her to me, wrapping her in my arms.
Becca choked on a sob and beat her fists against my chest. “Damn you… DAMN you, James…”
I threaded my fingers in Becca’s hair, cupping the back of her head, pulling her face to my chest. “I’m sorry, Becca. I wanted to do the right thing.”
“The right thing would have been to tell me you’re alive,” Becca sniffled. “I mean, you told NEAL, and you don’t even like him! I thought you loved me.”
“I do,” I said fiercely. I tugged her head back so she was looking up at me. “I do love you. More than anything. I love you, and Dahlia, and Alessandro. You are my life.”
Becca frowned at me. “Did you think I couldn’t keep your secret? Why? Why Neal and not me?”
“Because it’s Neal. Because he hates me. Witness protection wouldn’t have suspected me contacting him. But they sure as hell would suspect me contacting you, as would my enemies. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to you. I didn’t want you hurt any more than you already have been,” I explained.
Becca thumped her fist against my chest again. “You did hurt me. More than you could possibly imagine.”
“I know,” I said. “I know, and I’m sorry.”
We looked at each other for a long moment. Then I couldn’t resist. I dipped my head down for a kiss.
Becca shoved me away. “Sorry doesn’t cut it. You’ve just shown me what a faithless asshole you really are. Don’t you DARE try to kiss me!”
She might as well have stabbed me in the heart. I took a deep breath and leaned back against the door so I wouldn’t pursue her across the room. “Becca, things were good between us. They can be again. Please give me another chance. A chance to make it up to you.”
“Words. Those are all just words. You. Neal. Chad—”
“Don’t you DARE compare me to that asshole!” I growled, stalking across the room to grip Becca by the upper arms.
Becca met my eyes, her own flashing with anger. “Why must every man lie and make promises they can’t keep?”
My nostrils flared. “I’m sorry for what’s happened up to this point, Becca. I’m sorry my life and Neal’s life have caused so much pain to you. But I’m not even comfortable with you lumping Chad in with Neal. We’ve tried, Becca. We’ve actually put in the effort and tried. Don’t you understand? Some things are simply beyond our control. Beyond my control. But, I’ve got a safe place for us now. You won’t have to worry about anything or ever want for anything.”
“I’m a person, not a poodle, James. You can’t keep me cooped up in a place with a fenced-in yard and throw some treats my way and expect me to be happy. All I ever wanted was my independence. A chance to prove myself. Now? I’m supposed to sit around like a houseplant. That’s not what I want, James,” Becca argued.
“How about, for five minutes, you stop thinking about what you want and think about what those children need!” I yelled, exasperated. “They need safety and a mother and father who love them. I can’t help the danger you’re in, I really can’t. I can only tell you that you are in danger, and you need to reevaluate your life based on that, not trot out shopping just because you’re feeling a little cooped up. My GOD Becca, what if you’d been kidnapped? Killed? What would have happened to the kids then?”
“I see you and Neal have been talking behind my back,” Becca seethed. “But then, Lester, I guess I always knew you had been. I just didn’t know who you were. I made a mistake. I can admit that. But at least I didn’t get in bed with criminals.”
I snorted. “Sweetheart, I hate to break it to you, but you’ve been in my bed, and Neal’s, and we’re both criminals.”
Becca’s hand flew up, and she slapped me.
I’d expected it and merely grunted. “Truth hurts.”
Becca just stood there, shaking, her palm red from slapping me.
I took her palm and put it to my lips, kissing it. “Feel better now?”
“No,” she said and kneed me in the groin.
****
Becca.
As James doubled over, I stormed towards the door.
James caught me around the waist, and I squealed as he threw me down on the bed, pinning me under his body.
“I think that was uncalled for,” James rumbled.
“I don’t,” I shot back, struggling.
James’s hands pinned my wrists, his hips against my hips, keeping me anchored to the bed.
After a while, I noted something hard poking me in the stomach.
“Really?” I asked, though my cheeks flushed with desire.
James shrugged. “I can’t get a hard-on for the woman I love?”
“Not when she’s this pissed off at you,” I grumbled, though need began to pool between my legs.
“Must be some new rules, then, because I think you’re sexy even when you’re angry,” James said. He rubbed the faint stubble of his cheek against mine. “Didn’t you miss me at all, Becca?”
I swallowed a wave of confusing emotions. “Of course, I missed you. I mourned you,” I replied, looking away from him.
James nuzzled my neck, placing featherlight kisses along my skin, causing goosebumps to rise from my head to my toes.
“James,” I whispered.
“What do you want, Becca?” James asked in my ear. “Tell me.”