Bedding the Billionaire (Book 3) (Legacy Collection) (10 page)

He wasn’t go
ing to debate Dominic’s loyalty–
honestly,
Dominic was dangerously unpredictable lately.
He really couldn’t say what he would be like a month from now.
Was his
transformation permanent or just an extreme and temporary reaction to his father’s death?
There was no way to know, b
ut none of that was going to get him an insight he could use. “And dragging your daughter in there to witness something she won’t remember is going to help her how?”

“It proves to me that I can do this on my own.
I didn’t need the support of her biological father, I don’t need Abby, and I certainly don’t need some New York billionaire who came here only because his boss asked him to. You want to help me? Don’t stand in my way. Let me do this.”

When Jake didn’t immediately hand her the paper she added, “Please.”

And his breath caught in his throat.
The raw emotion in her explanation far outweighed any he’d expressed in perhaps his entire life.
It made him want to protect her even though she was asking for him to do the exact opposite.

He handed her the paper.
“I’m still coming with you, but I won’t interfere.”

She studied him quietly before removing her baby from the seat behind them.
“
I can handle this
.”

He watched her stride toward the
NBN
Communications building
, shoulders set back with determination, baby balanced on one hip and he thought he’d never seen anything more beautiful.
She was a tigress going to battle for the little one in her arms.

The sight was oddly humbling–
as if he were witnessing
an event he’d
carry with
him the rest of his life.

His short reflection allowed her to reach the building before him.
One step
quickly became
a short sprint. She wasn’t going in there alone if he could help it.

Lil charged through the front door of the news station and
went directly
to the receptionist’s desk.
“I want to see the station manager.”

“Do you have
an appointment?
”
The blond
receptionist
who appeared to have
dressed for a
dance
club rather than
her
day
job dismissed Lil with little more than a glance.

Lil wasn’t sure if she should address her next request to
the woman directly
or to the abundance of cleavage
threatening to burst out of her tiny top.
“I
–
” Lil started to
say,
but the woman
stood and
flashed a huge smile at
someone behind Lil.

“Mr. Walton, I’ll tell
Mr. Coo
per
that you’re here,” the receptionist said in a suddenly sultry voice.

Oh, please.
Could she be more obvious?
It wasn’t amazing that she’d recognized him, anyone with a
tv
would have.
Lil kicked herself for not thinking of that.
But, seriously, did this bimbo have to throw herself at him?
I am not going to be happy if I have to
stand
here and watch these two
hook
up just so I can meet the manager.
“
Yo
u should have stayed in the car,
”
Lil hissed at Jake.

“You’d prefer to have to wait?” Jake asked.

At least he didn’t appear to have any interest in the woman who was practically drooling over him.
Did he meet with that kind of fawning from women wherever he went?
No wonder he looked bored
all the time.

I’m not here to analyze Jake’s dating habits.

And he’d made a valid point. What did doing this the hard way really prove?
She
was being ridiculous.
Still, she
had come this far, she might was well follow her plan through.
“Please, just let me do this my way.”

“I won’t say a word.”

He wouldn’t have to.
His mere presence had already changed the rules of engagement.

The manager rushed out of his office,
looking a bit ruffled.
He walked right past Lil and offered his hand to Jake. “Mr. Walton, what brings you to
NBN
today?”

Jake ignored his outstretched hand.
“I believe your business is with Miss
Dartley
.”

The man wasn’t smart enough to hide his sneer. “If you wanted to be compensated for your interview, Miss
Dartley
, you should have negotiated a price before giving it.”

Jake took an aggressive
step toward him, but Lil
wasn’t going to be dismissed that easily. She
handed
Jake
both
Colby and the diaper bag.
She took the folded gag order out of her pur
se and handed it to the manager.
“I didn’t give an interview.
The phone conversation you have was taped without my knowledge and under the guise of something else.
If you
or any other news station
air
s
it, I will sue you
and them
to within a penny of bankruptcy.”

The manager
almost said something, but changed his mind.
He looked back and forth
between
Lil
and
Jake
,
putting more meaning on their relationship than the paper in his hand.

When he spoke again, his intention was to appease her.
“I had no idea, Ms.
Dart
l
e
y
.
Of course the interview will be pulled.”

It was disappointingly easy.

Which shouldn’t be a problem, but it was.

Today had proven nothing.

Lil
turned and took Colby back from Jake.
Storming out, but leaving Jake standin
g there with the diaper bag hang
ing from one of
his perfectly manicured hands.

It must have provided the station manager with a sight that amused him, because the man appeared to have something he wanted to say.

Jake leaned in.
“
Say it.
G
ive me one reason to remember you
r name
when I walk out of here, and you’ll spend the rest of your life wishing you hadn’t.”

The smile wiped clean off
the older man’s
face, a fact that gave Jake a moment of satisfaction as he turned on his heel to do what he’
d never done in his entire life–
chase after a woman.

By the time Jake got back to the car, Lil
had already started the vehicle and Colby was safely strapped in the
back
.
“
I
did it.
He’s not going to air it.”

“You did it.”

She smiled.
“I really did it.
I’m sure it helped that you were here, but I think it would have worked regardless.”

“I bet you’re right.”

“You must be glad it’s over.
Now you can go back to New York and tell Dominic there is nothing to wo
rry about.”
Lil let out a
tremulous
breath. “I know it’s silly, but I was actually nervous in there.
My legs still feel a little shaky.
Adrenaline, I guess.”

Jake
put a hand on his seatbelt and asked
, “Why don’t I drive?”

Lil hesitated for a moment
then
unbuckled hers
.
“Only because I’m still a little wound up.”

“Of course.”

They quickly traded places.
As they pulled onto a main road,
Jake
asked
, “I have to make a quick stop somewhere, do you mind?”

Although Lil wanted nothing more than to get home and relax, she said, “That’s fine.”
He had, af
t
er
all, driven all the way up here just to help her.
She’d be home soon enough.
Hopefully the press would be gone. If she could settle Colby down for a nap, she might even get some studying done today after all.

Lil stared blindly at the skyscrapers they drove by. Even if she didn’t want to, there was something that needed to be said. “I don’t think I t
hanked you for coming up here
, Jake. I’m not really good at accepting help.”

“Really, I wouldn’t have guessed,” he said smoothly, with only the slightest trace of humor in his voice.

Lil smiled. “Don’t start with me. I’m trying to be nice.”

“Is it an arduous effort?”

“With some people,” Lil joked.

He seemed to want to say more, but didn’t.
Instead he pulled in front of a high end residential building
and handed the keys to her economy car to a valet, appearing unperturbed by the expression on the young man’s face when he took them.
She guessed that he didn’t park many cars that smelled of baby powder and sour milk. Lil unclipped the portable section of the car seat and swung the diaper bag over one shoulder.
Hopefully wherever they were
headed
had a spot
where
she could change
and feed
Colby
or
her daughter’s
pleasant
personality
would soon
undergo a drastic change.