Admit You Love Me: A Secret Baby Romance (Irresistible Billionaires Book 2) Page 14

  Another fucking secret. Why didn’t she tell me?

  Her losing money when we were gambling when she could afford to do it. Her pushing our games so that she got the watch. She must have wanted it to sell. Why didn’t she just say something? I would have given her money if she needed it. I would have lent it to her if she felt too proud to take a gift. I couldn’t even keep count of the things that she had kept from me at this point. Why did she hide so much from me?

  “Are you in contact with her at all?” I asked Lisbeth.

  “No, definitely not,” she said. “I daresay it would shock her to see the woman her boyfriend was supposedly betrothed to seeking her out. Is all this news to you?”

  “Unfortunately, it is. She keeps a lot of things close to her chest.”

  “Ah. I hope she’s alright.”

  “Don’t worry, she will be,” I said.

  “I’m sure.” She stood. “Best of luck to the two of you,” she said.

  “Thanks.”

  She started walking out. “Oh, and just in case it doesn’t work out, you let me know. Your dad has my contacts.” That was appreciated but I wouldn’t be needing it.

  22

  Edwina

  “Madam, the watch is worth thirty thousand.”

  “It might have been when it was brought in, but now it's worth less.”

  “That is not how it works madam.”

  “These things never appreciate in value.”

  “Madam, you are mistaken.”

  “You can have twenty-five thousand for it. Not a penny more.”

  The appraiser rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation. “Madam, please. I cannot give you the watch for less than thirty. That's what it's worth. That's the only way I will part with it.”

  “Is that so? You had no problem taking it off of us for ten,” Missy said. I was watching, stunned into silence. I didn't ask Missy to come with me to the pawnbroker, but she insisted. She was appalled after I told her what had happened the last time that I had been to the pawnbroker. Yes, I had been scammed, it hurt to think about, truly but that was the truth. I appreciated that I didn’t have to face the man alone after the last time I tried to buy the watch back. Let me handle this, Missy had said when we got to the place. I was so glad she made me bring her.

  “That's your problem, you're too proud. When someone wants to help you, it's not because they feel sorry for you, it's because they love you.”

  With that, we went into the pawnbrokers and she had been terrorizing the man for the last ten minutes, trying to get him to take the watch for the twenty-five thousand that she had gotten out of the bank.

  “Buying and selling are different matters, madam,” the appraiser said to her.

  “A difference of fifteen thousand pounds is not justifiable. You didn't take the watch for its full valuation so I cannot buy it back for its full valuation either. It's twenty-five thousand or nothing.” At that point, Missy had probably just tired him out, more so than convinced him to take the lower price. He gave in and gave up the watch for twenty-five thousand. I still felt like it was a rip-off, but I got the watch back and that was what I needed. Soon this whole debacle would be over.

  “Thank you so much for your help, Missy,” I said when we were back in the car, on the way back to her townhouse.

  “The man was a bully. He probably gets off on conning people out of their money and belongings.” I looked at the slightly reflective face of the watch, seeing the arms steadily tick. This little piece of jewelry had cost me a lot in the past several days, and not just when it came to money. I thought about how it was a piece of Niall and I would have to give it back. I would feel worse about not having a piece of him in my life if I didn’t have my son.

  This watch was supposed to be my meal ticket for the next few months and now, I was back to square one. It was my ridiculous gambling that got us to this point. I needed to figure out my money situation stat. Gambling and pawnbrokers were going to be left firmly in the past from now on. When we got back to Missy's townhouse, I altered the appraisal ticket to reflect the price difference, before getting in touch with Niall. It struck me that this was going to be the last time that I saw him, but I tried to ignore the feeling. It was bittersweet. This was such a mess and I had cocked it up horribly, but resolving the issue meant never seeing him again.

  And that was what everyone, especially I, needed.

  I looked around the room. It would probably be a little while before I got to come back to London and see Missy again. Things on the estate were just too precarious right now. My number one priority was keeping a roof over Riley's head. This watch was going to be the way that I did it. I was so tired. So many games and so many lies. How would the conversation go if I did tell him the truth?

  How was he when he was upset? Would he get upset? It would be totally justified if he did. I knew that I would be in his position. Upset… more like raging mad. No man would react happily to a secret of that magnitude being kept from him. Even if his reaction was good, what then? Riley was illegitimate, and also in line for a different title. What would his family say? What would they do to me? I was nothing and nobody. They would ruin me, and they wouldn’t even break a sweat doing it.

  Unfortunately, not knowing his real dad, and believing the man was dead was probably the safest state for Riley to be in. For Niall, what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. It wasn’t disregard or disrespect that was making me do it. It was mine and my son’s safety that hung in the balance here.

  I wondered whether if he would forgive me if he did end up learning the truth. My phone dinging with a text message interrupted my thoughts. It was Niall, telling me to meet him at a restaurant not far from the townhouse. I told him that I would be there. And started getting ready. Finally, all this was coming to an end. After I returned the watch, I could probably still catch the last train back to Belshire. I could see my little boy and begin what was going to be the unpleasant process of forgetting that Niall Bridges existed.

  I ran through the conversation in my head again and again all the way to the restaurant. I didn’t trust myself when I was with him. I needed to stay strictly on script because if I didn’t, I was ending up back in a bed with him and I could not do that again. My feelings were in enough of a muddle already. When I got to the restaurant, I was directed to a private dining room. Niall was already there waiting for me, a bottle of wine on the table. Oh no, this was not a date. He got up and pulled my chair out for me.

  “Thank you,” I said, sitting. “I hope you weren't waiting for long.”

  “Not at all,” he said. He poured me a glass of wine and then signalled to the waiter. Instead of coming to take our order, he left the room. “I would have sent a car for you if you asked me.”

  “No problem at all,” I said. “I am the reason why you had to come here anyway. I'm the one who should have sent you the car.” The waiter reappeared with a tray of food and started placing plates on the table.

  “You ordered already?” I asked.

  “I hope that’s alright,” he said. The food looked amazing but honestly, I wasn’t thinking about that at all. I wasn’t even hungry. Come to think about it, I didn’t want this encounter lasting longer than it needed to. The wine and the food and pulling my chair out felt a little too much like a date. I pulled the watch and the appraisal slip out. I put them down on the table instead of placing them in his hand which I immediately regretted because of how petty it made me feel.

  “Here you go, before I forget.” He picked up the watch and then the slip.

  “Looks like it appreciated it in value since the last time I held it,” he said.

  “I took good care of it,” I said. “I know how much it means to you.” He folded the watch and slipped it into his pocket rather than put it around his wrist.

  “Will you take a check?” he asked. This was the part that I was waiting for. The point of getting the watch in the first place was money but Niall didn’t know that, and he could
n’t know that. In his mind, as far as he was concerned, I had money. I was rich. A person like me didn’t need to beg for handouts. If he still wanted to do it, then I’d take it but he couldn’t know how much I needed the money.

  I shook my head. “The money isn’t necessary,” I said. “I’ve already put you through the rigmarole of getting it back.”

  “I shouldn’t even have given it to you in the first place,” he said.

  “I can’t charge you for an heirloom,” I insisted. He leaned back, frowning as he looked at me.

  “If I remember correctly, I did lose, fair and square. The money, if not the watch belongs to you.”

  “I remember and you’re right. I just don’t think it would be proper to charge you for it when it’s so valuable to you.”

  He unearthed a checkbook and a pen. He came prepared. I sat in silence as he scratched some writing onto the check and ripped it out. He handed it to me, and I stared at the amount, confirming that it was actually what I saw. My hands started sweating and my heart slammed into my rib cage.

  “Is this some sort of joke?” I asked.

  “You need the money. You didn’t send the watch to an appraiser for fun, did you?”

  “This is a check for one hundred thousand pounds.”

  “That is how much the watch is worth to me,” he said.

  “This is far too much. I could never.”

  “You need the money, Eddy, just take it.”

  I felt my stomach drop. “W-What do you mean I need the money?”

  “I know that you need the money, Eddy. Take it.”

  I must have been quiet too long. “Eddy, I know that you’re broke. I’ve been to your house. I saw the state of your grounds. I know that your husband left you penniless and your home is at risk if you don’t come up with funds. Take the money.”

  It exploded. The manners that I had been trying to hang onto completely blew into pieces. I looked at the check in my hands. That amount of money would be all I needed. It would completely change my life. I could take care of the home and Riley and I would be sorted for years. Some smart investments and I probably wouldn’t even have to work again. I wasn’t relieved. It was embarrassing. I was humiliated. I couldn’t believe that he knew that about me. I hated that he came here ready to give me his charity.

  “Find a worthy cause to give that too. I don’t need your charity.”

  “Are you going to deny that you’re in financial trouble?”

  “Is it that gratifying to you that I might need your help?”

  I stood and tore the check into pieces. I walked out on shaky legs. I couldn’t believe it. My face was burning. I wanted the ground to swallow me up. That was one hundred thousand pounds. It was an amount of money that would secure Riley’s future as well as mine, but I couldn’t take it from him. I knew I would regret this, but I couldn’t take the look on his face giving me the money. I would figure out what to do. I always did. I needed to get out of this place. I made my way towards the exit, ignoring the looks from the staff and other patrons. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my arm, swinging me around. Niall loomed over me with a face like thunder. I tried to get away from him, but he didn’t let me go.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Me?” he spat. “Why did you tear up my check?”

  “I didn’t want it,” I said.

  “You need the money. Don’t lie to me and tell me you don’t.”

  “I don’t want it!” I said, struggling. He looked around, checking to see that we weren’t attracting attention. He led me out to the pavement, taking his phone from his pocket.

  “We have to talk.”

  “We have to do no such thing,” I said.

  “That’s why we met here, wasn’t it?

  I took some deep breaths. “Fine. What are you doing? Who are you calling?”

  “We need to talk, but not here.”

  23

  Niall

  She sat as far away from me as she could get from me while still being in the car. Any further and she’d be hanging off the outside door handle. I looked over at her. Her body language said this was the last place she wanted to be. Talking to her would likely be disastrous so I didn’t say anything.

  That certainly didn’t go as planned. Did I know the woman? Truly? Because just when I thought that I did, she did a one-eighty on me and I no longer knew which way was up. I couldn’t believe that she tore up the check. What was going on with her? I thought I had her figured out, that money was what she wanted from me but then she went and did this. Who was the stranger sitting in the car with me?

  Suddenly, I doubted my next move.

  When the car parked, she came out without a word and thankfully didn’t try and run away from me again. I wasn’t in the mood for another chase. Her running off at the restaurant was the last reaction I was expecting.

  I chose the private room so that we could be alone, just so if this was a sensitive topic for her, which it was, she didn’t have to feel awkward about people hearing her. I didn’t suggest the hotel because I didn’t think she would come if I asked her. I also didn’t want to give an impression that I was just trying to get her into my suite for sex. I was expecting some pushback, especially since she didn’t know I knew about her money problems, but she surprised me when she tore up the check. I had surprised myself by being insulted. Riding the lift up to the suite, she was still silent. We walked in and I led her to the living room.

  “Have a seat. Can I get you anything?” I asked, remembering that we were supposed to eat while we were at the restaurant.

  She sat but shook her head. I sat down next to her. I didn’t want this to feel like an interrogation, but I was getting to the bottom of this. No more lies, secrets, nothing. Eddy was an enigma that I couldn’t solve, but that was ending today.

  “Where do you want to start?”

  “What do you want to know?” she asked.

  “You’ve been keeping secrets from me,” I said.

  She shrugged. “And have you been completely upfront with me?”

  “I haven’t lied about my financial status and the reason I needed an antique watch,” I said. Her eyes widened and she looked away from me, sighing.

  “Is this what you wanted? You just wanted to hear me admit that I was broke to your face? Did you want the satisfaction?”

  “I don’t want to humiliate you. I don’t know what’s happening in your life but it’s obviously very stressful. I care about you; I want to know.”

  “Well, it sounds like you already do. I’m broke.”

  “Why did I have to find that out from someone else? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “You asked around about me?” she asked.

  “You wouldn’t tell me anything. What was I supposed to do?” I asked.

  “Asked me.”

  “Would you have told me the truth?” I asked.

  “Why are you so intent on knowing? Why does it matter so much to you?”

  “That night when you won the watch? I wouldn’t have pushed you to play if I knew that you needed the money so much.”

  “I wanted to play. You didn’t force me to do anything.”

  “But it wasn’t fair. I had no clue you were having money issues. I would have…”

  “What? You would have let me win?” she said, almost snarling.

  “No, but your husband died and left you penniless. We weren’t competing on an equal plane. Why didn’t you take the watch and sell it?”

  She laughed. “I did sell it. That was exactly what I wanted to do when I won it off of you. I only got ten thousand pounds for it but that was more money than I had seen in months. When you said it was an heirloom, I borrowed money so I could buy it back. The appraiser refused to take it back at the price he sold it to me for.”

  “So, you…?”

  “Yes. I lost money on it and acquired debt.”

  The watch wasn’t an heirloom, I felt bad for telling her that it was since she had gone through all of that. I
thought that she was a gold digger; that the money was all she was after, but she refused to take the check. She was offended that I even offered it to her. I was even more confused now than I was when we started. I knew nothing about this woman, yet she drove me crazy wanting her in my life. She was a gold digger playing the long con, trying to get an even bigger amount out of me or she was telling me the truth about her honest, yet unconventional ways to try and get her hands on some money.

  “Why didn’t you tell me that you already sold the watch?” I asked.

  “You said it was an heirloom. I had to get it back if it was precious to you.”

  “Why didn’t you take the check then? You borrowed money to buy it back and you lost money doing that.”

  “I couldn’t take that money from you. I hated the way you were looking at me. It was charity. When Russell died, he left us nothing. I am constantly two steps away from destitution and I have to take any win that I can get but for fuck’s sake, I still have some pride. I hate living like this. I don’t want to live like this, but I need to do what I can to secure my son’s inheritance. He can’t suffer because of me or because of his father.”

  She lowered her head and covered her face with her hands. Christ, she was crying. I moved closer to her, embracing her. I didn’t mean for it to get to that. I couldn’t imagine the struggle she was going through. Her pride not taking the money from me was admirable, but I wished that she would take it. She needed it.

  “I’m sorry,” I said to her. “I wouldn’t have asked for the watch back if I knew what you were going through.”

  I stroked her hair as she sniffed, pulling away from me. “Thank you. I’m just glad it’s all out in the open now. I think I had it coming at this point though. I just need to give it up and get a real job. I don’t know what I’ve been thinking.”

  “You’re just doing what you have to do,” I said.