this baby to be accepted and loved by Bronson. If he didn’t love her, that was fine, but this baby didn’t deserve to be shunned or kept from knowing his family.
He took a seat next to her, grabbing hold of one of her hands and bringing it to his lips. “Did something happen? Yesterday you seemed fine when we discussed our dinner date.”
“That’s because yesterday I was fine.” Other than morning sickness. “And I’m fine today.” Other than the morning sickness. “It’s just my life has changed drastically since you saw me last.”
His eyes roamed over her body and back up to her face. “You look the same. What is it?”
“I’m pregnant.”
There, the words were out in the open and the world hadn’t stopped spinning. Well, hers hadn’t. She couldn’t say the same for Bronson, who had just gone a shade paler.
“Pregnant?” he repeated.
Mia nodded slowly, afraid of what he’d say or do next.
“Now I understand why you’re hesitant to be here with me.” He came to his feet, as if he were afraid to sit next to her, touch her hand as he was. “Have you told the father? I mean, you two obviously aren’t still involved or you wouldn’t have agreed to come here, right?”
Mia placed an arm around her abdomen, trying to keep the hurt from seeping in even more. He didn’t understand what she was saying. She’d never thought of that scenario when she’d rehearsed all of this in her head.
“Actually, we are still somewhat involved,” she told him, looking up because she had to say this to his face and be brave. “You’re the father, Bronson.”
Bronson heard the words, but he couldn’t believe life could be this cruel. Another woman, another baby flashed through his mind and along with that came the hurt and betrayal he’d worked so hard to bury.
“I’m not the father, Mia.”
Mia jerked, eyes wide. “Excuse me?”
Bronson shoved his hands in his pockets. “I believe you’re pregnant, but I’m not the father. We used protection.” And then he remembered and that pit in his stomach deepened. “Your condoms.”
In an instant, she was on her feet, standing mere inches from him. “Are you implying I did this on purpose? Do you remember that night? Do you remember how I said good night and it was you who kissed me? You who backed me into the room and hiked up my dress?”
Bronson remembered … all too well, in fact. He remembered the rush to get her dress off, the rush as he fumbled with the condom and the pleasure he’d experienced like no other.
All the accusations surrounding her and Anthony flashed through his mind. How she’d supposedly broken up his marriage, how their affair had lasted several years.
“I know how it went down, Mia.” Nausea threatened to overtake him, but he couldn’t back down. “We used your condoms and now you’re pregnant. Pretty coincidental, don’t you think?”
In a flash, her palm connected with his cheek. The sting didn’t even compare to the spearing pain running through him. He couldn’t handle another baby that wasn’t his. He could not, would not go down this path again. Nor would he be trapped, if somehow he really was the father, into a relationship or blackmailed for money.
“You expect me to take your word about something this serious?” he asked, rubbing his jaw.
Was that her angle? Was she trying to get money so she didn’t have to work or so she could get into some headlines?
God, either scenario was a mess and fodder for all the gossip rags. He didn’t know her angle, didn’t care. His attorney would eat her alive and hopefully they would keep this insane accusation out of the media’s hands.
How the hell had he let his guard down so fast, so easily with this woman? He’d wanted to stay close because he didn’t trust her. Damn. How had his plan so completely backfired? Now he certainly didn’t trust her.
“What is your angle, Mia?” Bronson crossed his arms over his chest, narrowing his eyes at her. He may as well be direct. “Was this your plan all along? To trap me? Does Anthony know you’re pregnant, supposedly with my child?”
Mia stepped back. “Anthony? Why would I tell him? You’re the first person I’ve told.”
He had a hard time believing that. “You two looked pretty cozy when I found you together in Cannes. How do I know the baby isn’t his?”
“How dare you? I am not a liar and I am not out to trap you into anything. I’m laying all the facts out there so we can deal with this baby who didn’t ask to be brought into this world and I will not …”
Her words ended on a very persuasive hiccup as tears filled her eyes. She spun around, dropping her head to her chest.
Wow. Maybe he should cast her in his next film. She was damn convincing, but he wasn’t falling for any of her theatrics.
“I want a DNA test as soon as possible,” he told her. “I’ve been down this road before, Mia, and it didn’t end well for me. Though I’m sure you already knew about the baby I lost.”
Mia turned back to him, wiping her damp cheeks. “I do remember hearing about your ex-fiancée who lost the baby. I’m so sorry about that, but I assure you I love this baby already and will do everything to keep it safe.”
Her soft tone made him want to believe she was truly sorry, but still, he didn’t want to revisit the past with his ex-fiancée and the baby that ended up not being his, and he sure as hell didn’t want to be living this nightmare again.
“I won’t go through this again, Mia. I won’t start a family with a woman I can’t trust.”
Mia’s face paled at his words. “I’m just as shocked and scared as you. I never intended to get pregnant. If you don’t want to be part of this child’s life, that’s your loss. But I will love this child and I will provide for it with or without your help. I’ve been alone my entire life. I’m used to it.”
A sliver of Bronson wanted to believe this baby was his. Though he wasn’t in love with Mia, he’d always wanted children to carry on the Dane dynasty, a wife to love. He wanted what his parents had had before his father’s death.
But he had to be realistic. Mia probably saw this as her way to extort money from him, even if she claimed to not want part of his fortune.
“I won’t pay you anything until I know for sure who this baby belongs to,” he told her, not caring one bit that she looked like she was on the verge of tears again.
“I would never ask for anything from you,” she said through gritted teeth. “I thought you should know, but if this is the attitude you’re going to take, I don’t even want you in my baby’s life. We deserve better.”
A psychological ploy used many times by thousands of women to trap the man into
