Worth More Than Money (Worth It 3)

It’s probably your child.

It might be your child.

She still ran, Gray.

Have you talked to your lawyer?

You need contingencies.

You need to protect yourself.

No one else will protect you or that child but you, Gray. You know that.

Are you sure she’ll help you once the baby’s born?

The smile fell from my lips as I settled Michelle down onto her feet. I tucked myself back into my pants, taking as many steps away from her as I could. My mind began to spin with what would happen after this child was born. And this child? I still wasn’t sure if it was my child. I wouldn’t know until Michelle gave birth. What if it wasn’t my child?

The thought alone made me sick to my stomach.

What I felt was dangerous. What I felt when I looked at Michelle was dangerous. And I couldn’t be around her any more than I had to. I couldn’t travel that path again. I couldn’t get wrapped up in her only for it to come out that the child she carried really wasn’t mine.

I didn’t know if I’d survive it.

“Gray?”

Her voice ripped me from my trance and something didn’t seem right. My heart didn’t feel right. My gut didn’t feel right.

“The storm stopped,” Michelle said. “Do you want to finish the tour?”

I focused my eyes on her. On her innocent stare and her beautiful hair. On the way her forehead still glistened with sweat and the way her dress fluttered over her body. I couldn’t be near her. I couldn’t be next to her. And the voices were right. I had to protect myself.

Time to call my lawyer.

“We should let the ground dry up a bit before we go out in it. I have some things to do in my office, so I’ll come get you later to finish up,” I said.

“Oh. Okay.”

I heard the defeat in her tone, but it didn’t matter. It couldn’t. Not when it came to survival. I offered Michelle my arm and the heat alone almost sank me into the floor. I escorted her back to my home as fast as I could, then released myself of her presence and headed straight for my office. Distance. My office was on the other side of the house from her room. I needed distance from her orbit and I needed to take a damn shower.

All I could smell was her—all of her—under my nose.

I sat down at my desk and raked my hands down my face. Then, I picked up the phone and tapped the pound sign before the number five. The phone rang in my ear as I gazed out over the front of my property, watching as Michelle walked out into the driveway.

She stood there, gazing out over the small town of Napa. Just standing there. Not doing much of anything else.

I spun back around so I wouldn’t have to look at her.

“I was wondering when I’d hear from you, Mr. MacDonald.”

“Brett. I wanted to check on the status of those custody papers.”

“They were finalized this morning, actually. All I need to know is the amount of money you wish to offer Miss Danforth in exchange for the child if it is yours,” he said.

I pinched the bridge of my nose as my stomach rolled with sickness. I didn’t want to believe that Michelle wanted that check. It was simply precautionary. Just in case she pulled a one-eighty on me after she gave birth. She was so sweet and so kind, and I was beginning to find it difficult to believe that she was anything I’d accused her of being. But I had to guard myself, and I had to guard that helpless child. I knew the terrible side of women. The selfish side. The ruthless side. All my life, I’d had to survive and rely on no one but myself. The only person I ever remotely trusted was dead, and I was back at square one.

Alone in the world with no one to lean on.

“Let’s just go with the money I offered the last woman,” I said.