Eighteen
Branwen
There was no way to stop him unless I made a scene. I had to let him walk me out to the limo. But it should be fine. Linc wasn’t jealous of Hudson because of me. He just didn’t want Stevie calling him Dad.
This was not how I had seen today going. The way he’d reacted? Yes, that was pretty spot-on. But not breaking things off with me? That had been a surprise.
I had already convinced myself that he was going to call off the wedding and I’d realized that he deserved someone who loved him. However, he was not listening to me, and if I stayed in here any longer, I feared Linc would come looking for me. Stevie was going to get hungry, and Linc also had a plane waiting on us. What harm would it do to leave here with things like they were? Hudson knew the truth for the most part—at least what I could tell him—and when this situation became too hard, he could break it off. A long-distance relationship with me living in Linc’s house was a long shot.
I waved at my fellow coworkers and told them hello as they called out to me. Hudson held my hand in his as we went outside the building. My heart was racing, but there was no need. Hudson was my fiancé after all. Linc knew that. Just like he knew I wanted to marry Hudson. He didn’t care.
“There.” I nodded toward the Bentley.
Hudson squinted against the bright sun. “The limo?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He shifted his eyes to me. “Does he always travel by limo?” There was a mocking tone and expression that came with that question.
“No. He normally drives a truck. He just didn’t want Stevie to be uncomfortable on the long drive,” I explained.
“It’s six hours. Not fifteen.”
I shrugged. “I know, but…” What was I supposed to say to that?
He was right, of course, but Linc was going to spoil his daughter, and I couldn’t seem to stop it.
Hudson slid a finger under my chin and tilted my head back, as if he were taller than he was and it was necessary. “It doesn’t matter. He can do what he wants for Stevie. I’m just worried about me and you. That’s all I care about.”
He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. Typically, I could enjoy his kisses, but the way he had once again blown off Stevie, as if she and I weren’t a package deal, bothered me. When he straightened, a smug smile touched his lips, as if he’d won something. Had that been for Linc to see?
“Come on,” he said and began walking toward the Bentley.
The driver-slash-bodyguard stepped out of the car and went to stand in front of the back door with his arms crossed over his chest.
“What’s with the Secret Service?” Hudson asked sarcastically.
He had noticed the driver wasn’t your typical chauffeur, but then it was hard not to with his towering frame and build.
“Like I told you, he is powerful,” I whispered.
“Looks pretentious to me. Besides, how dangerous can he be if he needs his own bodyguard? I’d think he could defend himself.”
I sighed. “The security is for Stevie. Not him. He’d likely take down anyone before the giant could. That’s just backup.”
Hudson snorted and looked amused. “Whatever. Call me tonight when you can. We will talk more about things.”
I hadn’t been calling him because lying to him about where I was and what I was doing felt wrong. Hearing his voice would have only made it worse. But he knew now, and talking to him might be what got me through this. At least until I adjusted to this change.
“Okay. I’m going to give it a week, then start looking for a job. So, if you get a call from a dental practice about me, make that referral a good one.” I added the last part teasingly.
I’d worried about that before, but it seemed Hudson loved me more than I’d realized.
“That won’t be hard to do. But could you stick with an old man or a female dentist? I’m already having to accept your living under another man’s roof. If you are working for a male dentist, all I will be able to think about is the hard-on he’s going to have while working for you.”
I jerked my eyes off the car and looked up at him, then let out a startled laugh. Hudson never said things like that to me. “What?”
His eyes met mine. “You heard me, Branwen. Don’t act like you didn’t know I had been salivating over you since day one.”
I mean…I had known he was attracted to me, but he’d never said it like that before.
Just before we reached the door, the driver opened it, then stood in front of Hudson, blocking him from getting closer, while he held out a hand for me to proceed. This was awkward. I should have thought of this. Of course Linc wouldn’t want him near the vehicle. Hudson backed up looking startled.
“I, uh…well, this is as far as you go,” I explained, wincing.
He raised his eyebrows. “Seriously? Stevie is going to be my stepdaughter. She doesn’t need protecting from me.”
“I know,” I replied quietly, not wanting Linc to hear us. That might cause a problem. “It’s just…” I said gently, placing a hand on his chest. “This is new. All of it. For all of us. Give it some time.”
Hudson glared at the vehicle, and the driver took a step toward him and tilted his head down to look at him. I wasn’t sure if that was meant to be a warning or a challenge, but I was going with both.
“Please just go back inside,” I pleaded.
Although he was trying to appear like he wasn’t scared of the man, his skin had paled, and his eyes were wary. This was never going to work. He’d see soon enough that it was best to end it.
Hudson barely nodded his head. “Okay. Go get your car and drive it back. You need it, and it’s yours. I want to know you have something safe to drive in.”
I was ninety-five percent sure Linc wasn’t going to let me go get that car. I needed to give him the fob back, but he did have the second one at his house. It had come with two of them. I could always mail this one to him. Arguing with him about it with the current audience we had wasn’t smart.
I opened my mouth to tell him okay when the door on the other side of the limo opened. My head snapped around, and my stomach sank as Linc stepped out. I shouldn’t have let Hudson come out here. Shit!
Linc placed his cowboy hat on his head, then pulled something from his back pocket. I moved quickly to stand between him and Hudson. But when he turned around, I realized he hadn’t reached for his gun. He stuck a cigarette between his lips and was holding a lighter up to the tip. His eyes brushed past Hudson as the flame went out, and he tucked it back into his pocket. When his eyes met mine, I let out the breath I had been holding. He didn’t look ready to kill anyone. He just appeared bored.
“She’s asleep,” he drawled. “If y’all are gonna keep talking, then I need a smoke.”
When he leaned against the limo casually, like some badass cowboy from a movie, the tension radiating off Hudson just got worse. I could feel it, and I wanted to slap my hand over his mouth to keep him from saying anything that might make Linc pull the gun he kept on him at all times. If Stevie were awake, then there was a chance he wouldn’t, but with her asleep, Hudson wasn’t safe.
“The doors are open,” Hudson said tightly. “The smoke can drift inside, and that’s not good for Stevie’s lungs.”
Oh God. Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut?
Linc’s gaze shifted to him slowly. As if it were a chore he didn’t enjoy. “Then, I reckon you oughta shut the fuck up and let Branwen inside the limo.”
I turned to look at Hudson, placing both hands on his chest to try and get his attention. He could not react to Linc.
“It’s fine,” I almost hissed. “We need to go. I’ll call you tonight.”
“Gotta admit, I didn’t think you’d keep that tiny diamond on her finger after you found out she’d be living with another man for a year.”
I closed my eyes for a moment and sucked in a breath. He was purposely trying to get a rise out of Hudson. This wasn’t a game, and if it were, he had already won. So, he had no reason to do this.
“I trust her.” Hudson’s anger was heavy in his tone.
Linc let out a deep chuckle. “Do you now?” There was a pause, but I didn’t turn to look at him. “Aren’t you a little old to let a pretty face get in your head?”
Hudson’s body was rigid. He was going to walk right into whatever Linc was doing. Defusing the situation was the only way to end this. I had no control over Linc, but it seemed I did over Hudson.
“Ignore him. He is trying to piss you off,” I whispered, pushing at his chest, but he wasn’t budging.
“Not that it’s your business, but I love Branwen. What we have is real, and this ridiculous setup you are forcing on her isn’t going to change that. She might be scared of you, but I’m not. I’ve got the best lawyers in this city at my disposal.”
Another chuckle, but this one held a threat that I wasn’t sure Hudson would pick up on. It was dark and sinister. There were no rules for Linc. Hudson hadn’t believed me when I explained that inside.
“You go right on ahead with that,” Linc replied. “Branwen.” My name came out as a demand in a sharp snap.
Having no choice, I turned to face him, letting my hands fall from Hudson’s chest.
He inhaled deeply, then took the cigarette from his lips. “Get in the limo.”
The glint in his eyes made it clear that if I didn’t do exactly as he said, then this would get ugly. But leaving Hudson alone out here with him wasn’t smart either.
Lifting my chin, I glared back at him. “Only if you do.”
A slow smile spread across his mouth, and he took another pull from the cigarette, then dropped it, covering it with his boot. “What’s wrong, Dollface? You afraid the dentist won’t be safe without you to stand in front of him?”
Dollface. That was what he’d called me in Vegas. My face heated at the reminder of the things he’d done to me while calling me that. Damn him.
“Linc, please get in,” I tried pleading. Demanding anything of him would never work.
“All right, but only because you asked so sweet,” he replied, then winked at me, reaching up to take his cowboy hat off so he could get inside.
The driver moved aside for me, and his cold expression stayed on Hudson. I moved to get in, watching Linc to make sure he did the same.
With a smirk, he lowered himself, then slid back into the vehicle. I didn’t dare glance back at Hudson as I hurried to get inside too. He would be upset that I had gotten in without saying anything more, but this was for him. I didn’t want to see how much further Linc could be pushed before he reacted.
`The door closed once I was in and seated. My eyes went to the dark tinted window, and I looked out at Hudson. He was hurt. He was also angry, but the pain in his expression was more visible. I knew he couldn’t see me, but he still stayed there as the limo began to move away. I should have ended things. He was just going to continue to get hurt by this. By us.
“He’s got small hands,” Linc said, snapping my gaze from the fading view of Hudson to him.
“They’re perfectly sized for him. He’s not as tall as you are,” I bit out, annoyed with him.
He smirked. “Small hands, small dick.”
I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t going to defend the size of Hudson’s penis. It was average in length and girth. About the same size as Bastian’s. Not everyone had monster-sized ones like Linc did. In fact, if I hadn’t been intoxicated, it would have probably been painful. No woman wanted to be stretched that much.
I dropped my eyes to my phone as it vibrated with a text. I sighed and swiped my finger over the screen.
Hudson: You went the wrong way. Are you not going to get your car? What will you drive?
I couldn’t ask, and not because Linc would just say no, but because it was one last connection to Hudson. I didn’t need to be driving something around that he had bought for me. It would make my not letting him go free worse. But he had been so adamant that we would work. That he wanted to wait. Because he loved me.
Branwen: I can’t. We are headed to an airstrip and flying back.
I wanted to add that I was sorry, but there was so much to be sorry for that I didn’t know where to begin.
“He’s a stage one clinger. No woman’s cunt is that damn magical.” Linc’s deep drawl snapped me out of my thoughts and away from watching the dots on the screen as Hudson typed.
Ignoring his remark was the smart thing to do, but I chose to be stupid.
“Not every man is led by his penis.” I whispered the last word, just in case Stevie wasn’t completely asleep.
The corner of Linc’s mouth quirked as his hooded gaze watched me, making my entire body rebel against me as it tingled.
“You’re right. I’m not. But the dentist is. You’re probably the hottest piece of ass he’s ever had.”
I opened my mouth to tell him that Hudson’s ex was gorgeous when my phone vibrated, and I looked back down at it.
Hudson: I’ve got a root canal to do. Call me tonight.
After all that typing, that was it? He must have erased whatever he was going to say.
Branwen: I will.
I turned to look out the window instead of continuing the conversation with Linc. When the limo turned onto a road I’d never been down, Stevie yawned, drawing my attention to her. Both small fists were rubbing her eyes as she stretched out her legs. The first smile I’d had since dealing with Hudson spread across my face as I watched her.
She opened her eyes slowly, and they met mine. The soft, happy grin that appeared on her face made my heart warm. She was my cure for everything.
“Hello, sunshine,” I said.
She giggled, then turned her head to look over at Linc. Watching her expression brighten at the sight of him reminded me why I could do this. I owed it to her.
My eyes shifted to Linc. He wasn’t just in awe of her; he already loved her. It made the other things he said and did less important.
“Awah we going to the stowah now?” she asked him.
He shifted in his seat, leaning forward slightly to look around her and out the window. “No need to go to the store,” he told her. “I believe everything you want might be inside there.”
He pointed to the window, and she turned her head to see the jet that sat parked out on the runway.
“A plane!” she squealed, her eyes as wide as saucers as the tip of her little finger pressed against the glass. “Mommy! It’s a plane, and my Bluey toys awah in it!”
I had known this was going to thrill her. The Bluey toys would have been forgotten when she saw it, but it wasn’t enough that Linc had a plane flying us back; he had to have the toys waiting inside it for her.
“I see that,” I replied. “You’re going to get to fly. That’s exciting.”
She nodded her head, and her curls bounced.
“Yeah! Let’s go.” She began to tug at the buckle and work to unlatch it.
The limo door opened about that time, and she kicked with glee. Linc reached over and helped her with the release button.
She looked up at the driver. “I’m gonna wide on that plane!” she told him.
His mouth almost smiled, and he nodded his head once. The man never spoke. I didn’t even know his name. He held out a hand to her as she scrambled out of her seat and started to exit the car. Without hesitation, she placed her tiny one in his and let him help her.
Linc had already exited the limo and was walking around to get her before she was completely out. I stepped onto the asphalt and thanked the driver before following Stevie, who now had her hand clasped with her father’s. She was skipping as she went beside him toward the plane. They made a sight that would melt the coldest of hearts. Rough and rugged cowboy, holding hands with a small pixie.
I held up my phone and took a picture. It was one of those things I wanted to keep. When this got too hard, it’d remind me of why I was doing it. Not just because Linc had left me with little choice, but because of Stevie too.