Page 32 of Daddy's Reckoning

Theo stared at me blankly, his jaw ticking. I knew instantly it had been the wrong thing to say, for so many reasons.

Here comes the ‘money is not an object’ hero complex.

“If ‘it’ doesn’t work out, I’ll move into my place and you can keep the house for you and the baby.”

Before I could say that was not what I meant, he continued.

“I’ll call Archer and have him draw up an agreement today.”

I heaved a sigh. “Theo… I have a place.”

“You don’t need it, and it’s not a good environment for a baby.”

He had yet another good point. I clenched my teeth, looking for something he would listen to. Who was I kidding? Theo’s mind was made up. He wasn’t going to listen to my arguments other than to shoot them down.

“What’s Ashlyn’s last name?”

“Carson.” The question caught me off guard, and I answered without thinking. “Why?”

“No reason.” He slid his phone from his pocket, punched several buttons, smiled at me, and pocketed it once more.

My phone rang seconds later and Ashlyn’s face popped up on the screen. “What did you do?” I accused, staring down at it in a panic.

Theo just grinned as he zipped his suitcases and strode from the room, pulling them behind him. “Tell her we’ll be there in an hour to pick up your stuff!” he called over his shoulder.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I missed the call and it rang again immediately.

Groaning, I answered it this time. “Hello?” My voice came out low and uncertain.

“Girl!” Ashlyn screamed into the phone. “Thank god you picked up. I was about to drive down to the police station and file a missing person report. Where have you been?”

I sighed softly, considering how to answer. While I appreciated her concern, it wasn’t like we were close. After all, I’d been gone for six days, and she was just now calling me.

“More importantly,” she continued, before I could come up with a response, “do you happen to know why Theo Montgomery just sent me a Venmo for five thousand dollars with your name in the note?”

“Shit,” I swore softly. So that's what he’d been doing on his phone.

“Uh…” I stammered. “Theo?” I played dumb.

She played along. “Yes, you know, Theo Montgomery. Co-owner of the Penthouse, whip master, playboy extraordinaire, Mr. Sexy himself. That Theo…. Girl, are you shacking up with him? Please say yes, and then tell me everything so I can live vicariously through you, but also, be careful. You know how he is. That man has quite the reputation.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “Though I’ve always wondered if even half of it was true.”

Well, she’d pretty much found me out and come to her own conclusions. Trying to deny it seemed fruitless at this point.

“I… uh… it’s a little more than that,” I whispered. Tiptoeing across the room, I pushed Theo’s bedroom door shut so there was no chance he’d overhear. Not that I was going to be saying anything he didn’t already know.

“What do you mean a little more than that?” Her voice was accusatory and suspicious. Then she laughed. “Well, obviously it’s something because I’ve never even met the man, and he just sent me five grand. So spill. And then tell me what it means.”

“I’m uh… I guess I’m moving out.” The words seemed to stick in my throat. I barely recognized my own voice.

“Holy shit. I mean, I kind of thought maybe, but like… what? Why? Are you sure?” She paused only long enough to take a breath. “You’ve fallen for him, hard, haven’t you? How long has this been going on? Are you sure you’re the only one he’s sleeping with? Are you sure he even wants you to move in?” She gave a strangled laugh. “Okay, so obviously he does, but do you? Because if I find someone else to take your room, and it doesn’t work out…”

She was talking a mile a minute, but echoing all my own thoughts.

Theo knocked on his bedroom door, and I shoved myself against it so he couldn’t come in. “If it doesn’t work out… I get to keep the house,” I admitted with a wince. It made me sound like an opportunistic gold digger, or maybe a kept woman. Maybe I was. The former, not the latter.

“The house?” Ashlyn screeched so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear. “Okay, so not a fling, and not new? Girl, you better start talking.”