Bad Boy (Invertary 5)

“I need to speak to Flynn.” Her voice was sharp.

“Flynn?” Abby stepped back.

“Yes. I have something that belongs to him.” She pointed at the porch beside her.

Having been blinded by the lights, Abby had missed the dark shape. It was a baby carrier. A car capsule. And in it, smiling up at her, was a beautiful little baby.

“Junior wants to meet his daddy,” the woman said.

Abby blinked at the woman. At the camera. Then years of training snapped into place. Her back straightened. Her chin went up.

“Of course. Give me a moment and I’ll fetch him. Excuse me.”

She closed the door with a polite nod, leaned her head against it and closed her eyes.

Baby.

Flynn.

Cameras.

The air thickened, making it difficult to breathe.

Reality smacked her in the face. Even if Flynn was trying to change, he would still have to deal with the consequences of his past behaviour. Consequences Abby wasn’t ready to let into her life. One look at the woman and her baby was like ice water over her brain. What was she doing? An affair with Flynn could never remain secret, and there was too much at stake to gamble that it would.

It was time to stop listening to hormones.

It was time to stop playing around with Flynn.

25

“I have a number of alternatives, and each one

gives me something different.”

Glenn Hoddle, former England manager

“Are you sure the baby isn’t yours?” Matt asked again.

They were in Matt’s newly built house, which was still being decorated. Boxes filled corners of the rooms, waiting to be unpacked. Flynn couldn’t have the conversation on his own land, as he now had two film crews camped there. Crews Matt had been called in to move after Abby politely, and coldly, asked Flynn to deal with his problem.

“I’m sure it isn’t mine.” Flynn ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve never seen her before.”

“You’ve slept with a lot of women,” Matt said. “Do you remember all of them?”

Flynn clenched his jaw. No, he didn’t remember all of them. “I would recognise her. I don’t. Nothing about her is familiar. Plus, I’m not an idiot. I don’t have unprotected sex. I made that clear during the last paternity claim.”

“Accidents happen.” Matt glared at him. “Especially when you court trouble.”

“Thanks for your support.” Flynn glared back. “It means a lot. I’m touched.”

“You’re touched, all right,” Matt growled. “Touched in the bloody head.”

Matt stalked off to stand beside his wife. Flynn’s mother and Aunty Heather were making tea and sandwiches in the kitchen, even though everyone had told them they weren’t hungry. His father was furious as he stared out of the window in the direction of the lights at Flynn’s place. Harry was tapping on his laptop, Magenta beside him—unsmirking for once. The twins were sitting on the couch while Grunt stood guard behind them. And everyone was mad at Flynn.

Flynn stopped pacing and stared them down. “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.” He pointed towards his land.

Harry was the only one who laughed.