Worth More Than Money (Worth It 3)

“Your child won’t be any different,” she said.

Chapter 17

Grayson

I looked Michelle’s brother up and down as a frown etched itself into my features. Big was right. The man had the look of an ex-military hulk. One that was only a few grunts away from beating me into submission right there on his damn front porch. He and Michelle didn’t look much alike, though. The bridge of their nose was the same and they each carried the same head shape, but that was about it. His hair was a cropped blonde and Michelle’s was flowing and fiery red. Her brother had dark blue eyes that looked as if they were two seconds away from starting a damn forest fire, and Michelle’s were a dazzling green that locked onto me and never let go. It made me wonder if the two of them even had the same father.

“You know, my sister’s favorite pastime was feeding the stray cats at the old abandoned warehouse up the street.”

Nick’s stare was fixed on me and his fists kept balling tighter and tighter.

“She’d take her babysitting money and spend it all on cans of cat food, then she’d haul it down the road for two miles in order to feed them. She’s set down can after can, always worried that the cats were hungry. That no one loved them. That no one cared for them. So she took it upon herself to love and care for those strays. You’ve got the wrong idea about my sister, and I won’t have you dragging her through the mud because you’re a shit-bag.”

I grinned and shook my head before stepping up to bat.

“Look, your sister isn’t the first woman claiming to be pregnant with my child. Money has a very interesting effect on women. And there were rumors running rampant in Stillsville about your sister screwing around with her ex while she and I were doing... whatever it was we were doing.”

Nick took a step towards me as a growl fell from his lips.

“Tone it down there, Iron Man,” I said. “I’m not here to try and ruin anyone’s reputation. But her ex was my best friend in high school. This story is a lot more convoluted than you think.”

“Not for me,” he said, as he shook his head. “I don’t give a shit how it looks. I know my sister. I’ve known her my entire life. You think you know her because you got her pregnant and played with her heart for a few weeks, but I’ve known her all my fucking life. And if you ever take the chance to get to know Michelle, you’ll see she’s not some gold digger, liar or cheat.”

“Well, if she won’t come to Napa with me, then I won’t get the chance to know her. So, I suppose we’re at an impasse.”

“Why is it so important to you that she come with you? You have money. And apparently, you have the ability to work away from home. Why are you uprooting her? Why don’t you uproot yourself? You know, be a man? Take one for the team?” he asked.

I started growing uncomfortable with the topic of conversation. But if I had any shot at getting Michelle on that plane and coming back with me, I had to come clean to someone.

“Look, I didn’t have the best childhood, okay? My father was a shithead, and I suffered for it. I grew up having next to nothing. Filled my damn stomach with roadkill because my mother was too busy recuperating from the beatings my drunk-ass father gave her. And I don’t want that for my child. I don’t want my child born into a place like this, or Stillsville, or anywhere else.”

“If it’s your child, right?” Nick asked.

“Fucking hell, would you just listen? Your sister will be taken care of. Whatever she needs, I’ll give her. And once the child comes, it will want for nothing. Boy or girl, no matter what. They will have everything they need with me.”

“I can respect your desire to do better for your child than you had, and I won’t stand in the way if Michelle makes the decision to go with you willingly. But you will not force her hand and you will not keep her under your thumb. And, I reserve the right to check in on her. At any point in time, whether I show up unannounced or call on the phone.”

“Trust me, I wouldn’t expect anything less from someone that bucks the way you do,” I said.

The front door opened and I whipped my head around. Michelle stood there behind the screen door, her face a sheet of white. I furrowed my brow and took a step towards her before her brother shot his arm out and stopped me.

I had half a mind to shove him out of my way before I remembered his fun little threat from earlier. And I knew when I was physically had by a man.

Nick would take me down with his damn pinky finger.

“Could we talk?” I asked.

I watched her step out onto the porch before she eyed her brother hard. Nick gave me one last look before heading back inside, then the door closed and it was simply the two of us.

“Follow me,” Michelle said.

She walked off the porch and started down her driveway and I drew in a deep breath. We walked down a small path and into the woods. Soon the path dumped us into a corn field. Michelle kept walking as I stood at the edge, watching as the knee-high corn stalks brushed against her body. The sun beat down upon her back, shimmering her hair and adding a fire to her body that made me long for her. I thought back to our time in the fields of Stillsville. How wonderful her sounds echoed off the rafters of the forest as she called out my name against the grass. I pushed the thoughts aside and followed the path she carved out until she stopped in the middle of it.

The wind kicked up and fluttered her clothes, making her seem almost angelic.

What I wouldn’t give to sink her to the ground and make love to her one more time in the fields.

“I’m willing to come with you to Napa,” Michelle said.