Alpha CEO

“I’m getting there. There’s just no easy way to say this to you.”

“Just say it, Momma. I’m a big girl, I can handle it.”

“You are a big girl, but you’ll always be my baby.”

She smiled. “I know. Now tell me! What is it?”

“Okay, here goes nothing. So, the client I’ve been with this last week, well… he’s… I mean… it’s your dad.”

She jerked back. “I don’t get it. Your client is my daddy?”

“Mmm-hmm. It’s one of the reasons I took him on as a client.”

“You’ve been with my daddy this whole last week?”

“I have.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

My heart dropped, the last thing I wanted was for her to be upset with me. I couldn’t take it. Not after everything Julian has put me through.

“I hadn’t seen him in a very long time, sweetie.”

“How long?”

“Since before you were born.”

“Why?”

“He moved away.”

“Oh…” She considered it for a minute. “Did he know about me?”

I shook my head. “No, baby, he didn’t.”

“Why didn’t you tell him?”

“Listen, it’s a long story, and it really doesn’t matter.”

“But does he know about me now?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “And he’s very excited to meet you and get to know you too.”

She beamed. “Really? My daddy wants to be my daddy?”

My heart was breaking into a million pieces. “Yes, honey, he would love that.”

“Really, Momma? You swear? You promise?”

“Cross my heart.”

“Then when can I get to meet him? Today? Tomorrow? Oh, please, Momma! Please! Can I meet him soon? I’ll be a good girl! I’ll be the best girl!”

Talk about a kick to my stomach. “You’re always my best girl.”

“Yay! When can I meet him? Please say soon!”

“Well, babe, you can actually meet him right now.”

She jumped up off the couch. “What?! He’s here? Where?”

“He’s outside in the SU—”

She took off.

“Capri! Wait!”

She didn’t listen, not that I expected her to. This wasn’t going how I imagined. If I thought my heart was beating fast when I walked through the front door, there was no comparison to how it was pounding now. I hurried behind her, trying to catch up with her pace, but she was too fast. Too excited. Too eager. Nothing was going to hold her back, not even me.

The door swung open and I knew my whole life would never be the same. It wasn’t just Capri and me anymore. Now our lives were about to…

Forever intertwined with Julian’s.

—Julian—

When the front door opened, I never expected to see our daughter hauling ass out of it. From that point forward, I moved in autopilot. Swinging open the door, I stepped out of the SUV and rounded the back. Coming face to face with a mini Autumn. I gasped at the sight of her. She was breathtakingly beautiful, exactly like her mother. She had freckles on her nose and cheeks, green eyes and bright red hair.

She halted in front of me, smiling wide. “Hi, I’m Capri.”

I tugged on the end of her hair. “I know who you are, sweetheart.”

She giggled, sounding so much like her mother at that age. “Momma says she’s been with you all week! She said you wanted to meet me, and I’ve always wanted to meet you too. But Momma says you didn’t know about me, and I don’t know why she didn’t tell you, but she says it doesn’t matter. Will you tell me? You don’t have to tell me now! I’m so happy to finally meet you! My name is Capri Marie Troy and I’m a super cool girl. I have a lot of friends at school and I’m really smart. All my classes are advanced. My best subject is math! I love numbers. Did you know that?”

I shook my head, trying to keep up with everything she was sharing. Hearing and seeing her for the first time was almost just crippling as not knowing anything about her.

“I’m sorry. I talk really fast when I’m excited and I’m just so excited to meet you! But I can tell you everything and all about me! Is that okay? Do you want to know?”

Choked up from all the emotions, I expressed, “I’d love that more than anything.”

“Okay, good! I love to talk. It’s one of my favorite things. Momma says I can talk her ear off and my teachers nicknamed Chatty Capri, but you can call me anything you want. Momma usually calls me baby even though I’m a big girl. I’ll be ten in five months! Momma says I still can’t have a cellphone.” She rolled her eyes. “Maybe when I’m eleven.”

I swear I was thrown back to another place and time, sitting in Christian’s truck with Autumn in the backseat, asking for my cellphone.

“Do you live here? Are you close? Can I come to your house?”

“Your mom didn’t tell you?”

Autumn walked up to us, mirroring the expression on my face. “She didn’t give me a chance.”