Devour Me, Baby - A Yeah, Baby Novella

“I’m fine, Sa—Dad,” she assured him with a minute smile.

Samuel’s face lit up when she called him Dad, and he carefully helped her up from the ground. I itched to push everyone out of the way and scoop Lilah into my arms. Instead, I stood back as Lola and Samuel led her out of the bathroom. I fucking hated that I had to pretend she wasn’t mine, that she didn’t mean everything to me.

“I probably just ate something bad yesterday,” she insisted. “Maybe there were carrots in the salad and I missed it somehow. I’m allergic.”

Samuel started to argue, but she placed her hand on his arm and patted it lightly. “I’ll make an appointment if I get sick again, okay?” He looked like he wasn’t going to let it go, but Lola jumped in.

“Why don’t you go lay down, Lilah,” she suggested. “If you feel like eating later, I’ll whip up some lunch.”

Lilah nodded and with a last, quick glance at me, she headed off to her suite. I practically glued my feet to the floor to keep from following.

“Ethan, let’s go into my office,” Samuel said, breaking me out of my intense focus on Lilah. “I want to talk to you about something.”

He kissed Lola’s cheek and then turned in the direction of his office. I walked slowly behind him and pulled out my phone to send a text.

Me: Make that doctor’s appointment today, Lilah.

My phone didn’t vibrate with an incoming text until I was seated on a small couch, with Samuel at his desk. He was shuffling through some papers, so I looked down to read the text.

Lilah: I’ll call Monday, after the move.

Me: Today.

Lilah: You’re so bossy. And, over-reacting.

Me: You’re begging for another spanking, baby girl.

Me: Call today.

Lilah: Fine.

“Ethan.” Samuel called my name and I put my phone away, satisfied Lilah would do as she was told. “My daughter and I haven’t really talked about what happened with her mother”—he frowned thoughtfully—“In fact, she’s done her best to avoid it. But, it’s clear that things were never as they seemed. She seems to trust you. Did she talk to you about it?”

I thought for a moment, wondering if I should be completely honest. Would it betray my feelings for Lilah? I didn’t think so, but I wasn’t sure she’d see it that way. However, I needed to get to the bottom of this, so I didn’t hedge around it. “Yes, but all she had to go on was her mother’s version of events though.”

Samuel’s lips turned down and his eyes darkened with sadness. “From the little Lilah has said, it seems Bonnie was extremely bitter. Ethan, I’ve got to know what happened. I’ll have to live with it for the rest of my life, but I won’t be able to truly move on until I know why.”

I nodded and mulled over what I’d pieced together from my talks with my girl. “Bonnie told Lilah you asked for a prenup and that the provisions were set in such a way that it looked like you were preparing to take Lilah away from her.”

Samuel sat back, a stunned look on his face. “How could she think I would do that?” he breathed. “I loved her so damn much. I would have given her everything without a second thought.”

I had no doubt what he said was true. “It had to have been convincing. From what you told me, she wouldn’t have believed it without proof.”

Samuel shook his head slowly, still seeming in a daze over the information I’d shared. “No, it had to have been concrete evidence. But, when my attorney asked me about a prenuptial agreement, I told him no. I never had one even drafted. I—” Samuel stopped suddenly, suspicion and confusion both clouding his expression. “It could only have come from Marcus. But, why?”

Marcus was the Wentworth family attorney. It made sense that he would want to protect his very wealthy clients, but not to the extreme of scaring Bonnie off like that. I didn’t see many other options that explained the situation though, and clearly, neither did Samuel.

“Call him for a meeting.” I tapped a finger against my lips for a moment, then added, “But don’t tell him what it’s about.” Samuel’s face was turning red, the anger boiling up inside. “You need to keep your cool until we know for sure, Samuel.”

He swallowed harshly and took a few deep breaths until his color began to turn to normal. “He’s been in Europe the last month, handling my estate in London. I’ll tell him to return immediately.”

He plunked his elbows down on the desk and dropped his head into his hands. “My little girl,” he sighed, his voice muffled. “I’ve missed so much of her life. I hope she’ll let me be a part of the rest of it. I want to watch her grow into a woman, graduate from college, pursue her dreams. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for her.”

“She’s already a woman,” I barked. Shit. I might have been a little too forceful with my answer. Samuel’s head lifted and he eyed me with an unreadable expression. “I mean, she’s eighteen and she’s been an adult practically since she was sixteen, when she had to start caring for her mom.”

He stared at me for another moment, but then seemed to accept my explanation. “True. Well, maybe she’ll get to have some of those carefree years back while she’s in college.” His eyes roamed over to the door, and he smiled ruefully. “I know you told me she was accepted to all of those ivy league schools, but selfishly, I can’t help hoping she chooses a Texas school.”

I was a little surprised that Lilah hadn’t told him about her decision not to continue school. However, they’d only had a couple of days together and it might not have come up. I debated what to say, it wasn’t really my place to divulge Lilah’s plans. Yet, I had to fight the desire to stake my claim, to tell him she would absolutely be staying put, that she was going to be a wife and mother. He needed to start seeing Lilah as the fully grown woman that she was. If not, it would be a whole lot harder for him when he found out about us.

“I suggest you talk to Lilah about it, Samuel. If anything, she’ll appreciate that you want her close.”

He leaned back in his chair, still staring off at some unseen thing in his mind. “I’m sure you’re right.” Finally, his head turned and he looked at me. “I better go check on Lilah. Thanks for offering to help her on Monday.”

I lifted my chin in acknowledgment and stood. “Let me know when you hear from Marcus.”

He got up from his chair and we walked into the hall. “Will do,” he said before slapping me on the back and going in the direction of Lilah’s room. I stood and watched him go, irritated that he was the one checking on her and not me.

I talked myself into going to work for a while, though my thoughts never strayed far from Lilah. At some point I started digging into local obstetricians, looking for the best. I called in a favor with a friend and got an appointment for the next morning. Then I shot off a text to Lilah, letting her know I’d taken care of it. She responded by calling me bossy again and I grinned at my phone, planning all the ways I’d show that I was the boss, both in and out of the bedroom.

Chapter 10

Delilah

Leaving my father’s home the next morning was harder than I expected. It wasn’t as though I was even going far since Ethan’s house was only a twenty-minute drive. But I’d only had a few days with Samuel and Lola, and much to my surprise, the idea of having a dad and a step-mom was quickly growing on me. I was having a hard time reconciling the man I was getting to know with the one who’d broken my mom’s heart, though. He seemed to be everything Ethan had said he was, and nothing like the man my mom had described to me before she died.