Alpha CEO

“I’m ready, Daddy.” She posed for me. “How do I look?”

“Beautiful, exactly like you’re mother.”

She smiled, sitting on my lap. “Okay, let’s do this.”

I chuckled, I couldn’t help myself. She was fucking adorable.

Lights.

Camera.

Action.

The reporters sat in their chairs while we were behind my desk. For the next ten minutes, I made my announcement with Capri never moving from my lap. She was smiling the entire time, nodding when she thought I’d said something important, really trying to understand what I was informing the world of.

She was a CEO in the making.

“Mr. Locke, how about we address the elephant in the room?” the MSNBC reporter stated. “Who is this gorgeous little girl who has taken over your announcement?”

They didn’t know how to mind their own business on a normal day, let alone on an occasion like today. Question after question about my personal life was about to be thrown in my face. This was what Autumn wanted, and it was the least I could do after what I’d been putting her through.

“This is my baby girl, Capri,” I hugged her close to my chest.

“Hi. I’m Capri, and I’m nine-years-old, but one day, when I’m bigger, I’m going to be just like my daddy.”

I grinned, honored I’d become her hero.

“Your baby girl?” the Yahoo journalist chimed in. “Oh wow, so not only are we learning about Locke Enterprises officially going public, but you’re also telling us you’re a father?”

I nodded. “No better time than the present.”

“And who is the mother of this lovely girl?” the same journalist questioned. “Although, I don’t think you need to tell us. She looks identical to Miss Troy.”

“Then I don’t need to tell you.”

“Tell us anyway,” he added.

“Yes,” Capri replied, handling them like a pro. She must get it from her mother. “My Momma is Autumn Troy, and she’s the best publicist in all the world. My daddy is her client, and now we’re a family.”

Bringing her little hand up to my mouth, I kissed it. “I worship the ground her Momma walks on. Have for as long as I can remember.”

“That’s right!” another Fox interviewer exclaimed. “We all read The New York Times article—you two have known each other all your lives. Your relationship started when she was young, correct?”

“Something like that.”

“We know you’re a very private man, Mr. Locke, but I think we can all say we’re loving this new you. Can you tell us about your first kiss?”

“Not with my daughter present.”

Everyone laughed.

Even the loud eruption of chatter in the room didn’t steal the memory of the first time I stole her mouth.

“To follow up on that question,” Yahoo added. “In the article you said you’ve always loved Miss Troy. When did you know it was true love and she was the one?”

“I gravitated toward her without even realizing it was happening. She consumed me, I’ve always been held captive by the beauty that is Autumn Troy.”

—Autumn—

I watched from the television in the other room with tears falling out of my eyes.

“As you read in the article, I was a foster kid. Her family is all I’ve ever known. If it weren’t for them, especially her brother who used to be my best friend, she’d already be carrying my last name. I was a different man back then. If could I go back and make things right, I would.”

My heart skipped a beat the second he went on with, “She’s always been my whole world.”

“Mr. Locke,” Fox Business addressed. “Can we expect to see more children in your guys’ future?”

“If it was my choice, she’d already be pregnant.”

I can’t believe he’s sharing this. I wiped away the tears.

“How do you feel about that, Capri?”

“I’m not sure.” She shrugged. “As long as I can still have my own pony.”

Julian scoffed out a chuckle.

After all these years, all the bullshit we’d been through together, the ups and the downs. This moment seemed surreal.

Our spark.

Connection.

Love.

It was all wrapped into one.

The interview continued, and I prepared for the aftermath that was Julian Locke. Once everyone left, I walked into his office. Capri was in the farmhouse, feeding the baby chickens.

“I can’t believe you blindsided me. You couldn’t have told me that our daughter was going to be in the announcement with you?”

“She requested it. And as you know, I can’t say no to her.”

“I’ve spent years making sure the press didn’t find out I had a daughter, Julian. And you just throw her to the wolves without even discussing it with me first.”

“We both know why you didn’t want the press to know about Capri, and it has nothing to do with you protecting her from the world. You were hiding her from me.”

“It doesn’t matter. I still have the right to know what you’re planning on doing when it concerns her.”

“What do you want from me, sweetheart? You wanted the world to know the man behind the expensive suits, and I gave you exactly what you asked for. Now, you’re giving me shit for it? You need to learn how to pick and choose your battles. This is a war in which you fucking started.”