Page 70 of Off Limits Daddy

I stepped back as her words finally sank in. "If you're not planning to have this baby, why are you even telling me about it?"

She pressed her hand over her belly. "I didn't say I wasn't going to have it. I'm just saying that all thisFather Knows BestandLeave it to Beaver1950s family stuff is not what I want."

"Here's a newsflash, Veronica. Life doesn't always go as planned. If it did, Aiden would be a happy child who didn't have a fucking mobster after him. But life isn't like that. We deal with what comes, doing the best we can. You don't seem to think there's anything wrong with me when I'm fucking you, so why does it seem so distasteful to you that you’ll be having my baby? We can figure out a way to make this work and be a family."

"Is that what you want, Duncan? To be a family with me? You said it yourself that I am not what you and Aiden need. You want to settle for someone like me who can't give you what you and Aiden need?"

I scraped my hand over my face. "I didn't mean that, Veronica. It came out in a moment of frustration. The truth is that I care about you a great deal." Hell, I was sure I loved her,although at that moment, I wondered how that was possible. How could I fall for a woman I barely knew, who didn’t want to be known?

I took a step toward her. "I like us being together. I want us to be together."

She stepped back, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Duncan, but I don't want this."

The words slashed across my heart even though I knew what she was saying was true. I’d known she didn’t want a commitment. "Why don't you want to be a family? What do you have against love, loving a partner, loving a child?"

"I don't have anything against it. But I already had to give up everything to take care of the family and children. I spent my childhood and teenage years making sure my siblings got to school on time, made sure their homework was done, made sure their clothes were clean, made sure their bellies were full, got them to their soccer practices… I sacrificed everything I wanted to do and be for them. And now that I am on my own and they are living their own lives, it’s my turn to live for me. I want to do what I want to do, and I know that sounds selfish, but I won't apologize for wanting to focus on my career."

I settled my hands on my hips as I studied her. I’d known she had siblings, but not that she’d been the one to raise them. Where had her parents been? I had so many questions, but clearly, now wasn’t the time. Chances were she wouldn’t tell me more, anyway. She probably hadn’t wanted to reveal so much as it was.

I focused on her point. "So what you're saying is that being with me and Aiden would be a sacrifice of your goals."

She looked down.

"Yeah, I can see that because making dinner takes so much time. Except wait a minute, I’m the one who makes dinner. But, cleaning the house and folding the laundry and homeschoolingAiden, that definitely is a sacrifice for you, except wait a minute, I'm doing all those things. I haven't asked anything from you except to share my bed. Is that a sacrifice? Because when you come, it doesn’t seem like it.”

“Duncan—”

“I haven’t asked you to stop doing your job. When you can’t be here for work, I accept it.” I liked that I finally understood where she was coming from and I was sad for the younger version of her that hadn't had a chance to be a kid. But the reality was that she was pregnant with my child. Her life was going to change.

“That’s because right now, my work involves Aiden.”

Was that true? If she was working on something else and gone a lot, would it bother me? “Veronica, I support your work, your independence. Your following your career wouldn’t be a problem. Your not giving a shit about me and Aiden would be the problem.” That was the crux of this whole thing. She liked fucking me, but she didn’t have feelings for me.

"Duncan, I know you think I'm totally devoid of emotions but I'm not. I understand that it seems selfish. But I deserve to follow my dreams, to pursue my career."

"I'm not stopping you from doing that. How do you see this playing out? You're not thinking that you're going to have this child and raise it on your own, are you? Or are you thinking you’ll place it for adoption? Because I’ll tell you right now, that's not gonna happen."

She let out a breath, leaning back against my desk looking entirely defeated. "To be honest, I really don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead."

Her phone rang, and she reached into her pocket, pulling it out. She tapped the screen and then brought it to her ear. "Agent Marsden."

I stood waiting, annoyed that she would take a call in the middle of such an important discussion. Then again, maybe it was about Aiden and his safety.

"What?" She said into the phone. She listened for another few moments and then said, "I'll be right there."

She hung up the phone and put it back in her pocket and then looked up at me. "I have to get back to work."

I nodded as I worked to control the rage that was building inside me. "Of course, because your work is more important than anything else. Certainly, more important than me and our baby."

"Duncan, don't be like this. It was Detective Riker. Jonny Walters's body has been found in the river."

I gave her a nod to let her know I understood. This involved Aiden, and so of course, I wasn't going to be petty and cruel.

I followed her out of my office as she made her way toward the door that would take her down to the garage.

"Veronica."

She stopped as she pulled on her gloves.