No Matter What (96 page)

“The dates?”

“Ethan ... he could be mine.”

Reece didn’t know what to say, but it suddenly felt as if the bottom of his world had just fallen away.
 
He’d known, in his heart of hearts, that when
India
had told him she’d wanted a baby he hadn’t been sure of her motives.
 
He’d known she’d had something else on her mind, and now it seemed as though he’d been right.
 
It was quite obvious now just what her mind had been on.
 
Or should that be, who?

“And you’re sure of that, are you?” Reece asked, trying to stay calm but he was completely floored by this piece of news.
 
Would his daughter ever learn where this man was concerned?
 
Thirteen years he’d been in her life and complicated it beyond belief, but this was the worst thing that could ever have happened.
 
What had she done?

“I’m as sure as I can be,” Kenny said, draining his beer.
 
“All I know is that we had sex around that time and she can’t be sure he isn’t mine.
 
She can’t be sure, no matter what she says.”

“Does she know about this?” Reece needed to speak to
India
.
 
He needed to speak to her now.

Kenny nodded.
 

“And Michael?”

Kenny looked at Reece, shaking his head.
 
“As far as I’m aware he has no idea.”

“Then you say nothing, do you hear me?”
 
Reece moved closer, making sure he was out of earshot of anyone else, cuddling his now sleeping grandson against him. “You say nothing to anyone about this.
 
Not one word.
 
I’ll speak to
India
, I’ll talk to her, but you ... you keep this to yourself.”
 
He turned to leave, holding Ethan against him, kissing his tiny, unsuspecting face before looking back at Kenny one more time. “For everyone’s sake.”

***

Michael closed the door of his study behind him and walked over to his desk, opening the top drawer and taking out the envelope, looking out of the window briefly at the activity going on outside before walking over and closing the blinds, turning round and going back over to his desk, sitting down behind it, turning the envelope over and over in his hands.
 
He still didn’t know if he could do it.
 
He still didn’t know if he could face whatever might be inside.
 
He loved that little boy.
 
He loved him beyond anything he could ever imagine, and if the words inside this innocent looking envelope took that away from him, he couldn’t even think about what he’d do.
 
But he wasn’t going to let that happen.
 
No matter what, he wasn’t going to let that happen.
 
And although he knew he should be blaming
India
for all of this he couldn’t, because he loved her too much and the last thing he wanted was to lose her.
 
No, he blamed Kenny for everything.
 
For every ounce of pain and every day of uncertainty that Michael had gone through he blamed Kenny.

India
was Michael’s life and he couldn’t be without her.
 
He could forgive her anything.
 
She was his weakness, his obsession, his reason for getting up in the mornings and he’d do anything to keep her.
 
Anything.
 
Which is why, even if the results weren’t what Michael wanted to see, he was going to make sure that Kenny Ross never got to know that.

“Come on!” he said to himself, throwing the envelope down on the desk and pushing a hand through his hair.
 
“Just fucking open it!
 
Jesus, what the hell is wrong with you?”

Getting up again he went over to the table in the corner and poured himself a glass of bourbon, knocking it back in one, walking back over to the desk and taking out a packet of cigarettes from the bottom drawer.
 
He hadn’t smoked in years but he always made sure there was a packet kept here just incase he had a moment of weakness.
 
Like the one he was having now.
 
He just needed that quick hit, something to make him feel less nervous.

Lighting up he took a long draw, closing his eyes.
 
It made him feel sick rather than anything else but he took another draw before stubbing it out in his empty glass, looking at the envelope again, just staring at it for a few seconds before he picked it up and turned it round, running his fingers over the seal.

Walking back round behind his desk he sat down, leaning back and taking one last look at the envelope before finally ripping it open, pulling the single sheet of paper out from inside it.
 
He closed his eyes again for a second, as if delaying looking at it would change the result, and as he opened them he quickly unfolded the white sheet of paper, scanning the words written down on it.
 
And then, slowly putting it back down on the desk, he leaned forward, put his head in his hands, and closed his eyes once more.

CHAPTER 47

Reece found
India
in the kitchen, making up a bottle for Ethan, and the second she saw them she smiled the huge smile she couldn’t help smiling whenever she saw her son.

“Hey there baby boy!”
 
She reached out and took him from Reece, kissing him quickly.
 
“Don’t you look gorgeous?
 
I knew this t-shirt would look so cute on you. You’re my tiny rock-star baby and mummy loves you so much.”

Reece leaned back against the counter, folding his arms.
 
“Did you sleep with Kenny Ross when you were trying to get pregnant?”

India
couldn’t quite believe what she’d heard and she looked up at her father. “I’m sorry?”

“Did you sleep with Kenny when you were trying to get pregnant,
India
?”

She cuddled Ethan to her, stroking his back as he closed his eyes again.
 
“How … how do you know about that?”
 
Just asking the question made her feel sick.
 
How much more complicated could this get?

“Kenny told me.
 
Just now.
 
I’m assuming this happened when you were both filming in Vegas?”

She looked at her now sleeping baby, kissing the top of his head.
 
What was Kenny doing talking to her father about that?
 
What was going on?

“
India
?”

She nodded, unable to look at Reece.
 

“He says Ethan might be his.
 
Is this true?”

India
felt her stomach turn over.
 
“No ... I don’t know.”

“Which is it?
 
This is a baby we’re talking about here,
India
.”

“Do you not think I know that?”
 
She looked up at her father, trying hard not to cry but this was all hitting home far too quickly for her.
 
“Do you not think I’ve spent months thinking about this?”

“So, you had your suspicions?
 
You knew and yet you didn’t say anything?”

“What was I
supposed
to say, dad?
 
What was I supposed to do?”

“Jesus Christ,
India
...”

“He’s Michael’s baby.
 
I can feel it.
 
He’s Michael’s.”

“Feeling it and knowing for definite are two completely different things.
 
And what
about
Michael?
 
Does he have any idea about this?”

“No.
 
And I don’t want him to know either, not yet.”

Reece turned round, looking for a drink because he sure as hell needed one.
 
Finding an open bottle of wine he poured himself a large glass.

“He might
have
to know,
India
.
 
This is one hell of a mess you’ve got yourself into here, sweetheart.
 
Why couldn’t you just leave Kenny Ross alone?
 
Why do you keep going back for more when all he ever brings you is trouble?”

India
threw Reece a look as Michael walked into the room, and Reece just picked up his glass and left them to it.
 
What could he do now?
 
This wasn’t really the time or the place to do anything, was it?

But
India
knew this wasn’t the end.
 
Until the truth was out neither Kenny nor her father were going to let it go, she was well aware of that.
 
All she could do was get through today for Charley and Vince because, after that, who knew what was going to happen?
 
She
certainly didn’t.
 
But she sure as hell wished she did.

***

Layla slid onto the stool beside Kenny at the bar and ordered herself a glass of champagne.

“What’s the matter with
you
?” she asked, throwing the bartender one of her smiles.

Kenny looked at her.
 
“Nothing’s wrong with me.
 
I’m tired, that’s all.”

She leaned forward and lightly kissed his cheek.
 
“Maybe we shouldn’t have stayed up all night last night then.”

Kenny wasn’t really in the mood for Layla right now.
 
They’d been having a very secret - Kenny’s terms rather than Layla’s on that score - on/off relationship for a good few months now.
 
Ever since the night of Ethan’s arrival.
 
And Kenny was still trying to work out exactly how they’d fallen into that in the first place, and how it had lasted as long as it had because she aggravated him more than anything else.
 
But she was wild in bed and had the ability to make him forget all the shit that was going on around him.
 
He’d needed her as a distraction and he still did.
 
For now.

Layla looked at Kenny.
 
She knew he was never going to be forever.
 
She could feel it in the vibes he gave off but she’d stick around for a while longer.
 
They had fun when they were together, even
he
couldn’t deny that.
 
And he was incredibly handsome, and that never hurt when it came to having fun.
 
Plus, what would
India
say when she found out just who’d got her perfectly manicured claws into her best friend?
 

Then there was Michael.
 
Layla couldn’t help smiling again as she sipped her champagne.
 
She hadn’t seen
India
or Michael yet.
 
She’d seen their baby.
 
Who could miss him?
 
He’d been paraded round the place by his grandma and granddad for most of the afternoon with people fawning over him left, right and centre.
 
Not Layla, though.
 
She didn’t do babies.
 
Ok, so he
was
cute, all dressed up like some mini rocker, but he was still a baby.

She’d also been quite disappointed to see that
India
hadn’t lost her figure after having the kid.
 
A photo shoot she’d done just three weeks after the birth had proved that.
 
Layla had hoped to see stretch marks and a less than flat stomach –
India
was
in her mid-30’s after all - but that hadn’t been the case.
 
Still, that minor disappointment would soon be forgotten.

“Where are you going?” Layla asked, as Kenny slid off his stool and looked at his watch.

“I’m going to find
India
.
 
I need to talk to her.”

“Why?”

He looked at her.
 
“What the hell’s that got to do with you?.
 
I’ll see you later.”

She watched him go, watched the way he walked, the way all female eyes automatically followed him.
 
He had that effect on women, and she was all too aware that he still had that effect on
India
.
 

Turning back around she crossed her legs slowly, aware the bartender was watching her, and took a slow sip of her champagne, as the moment she’d been waiting for finally arrived.
 
She smiled that Layla Boyd smile, crossing and uncrossing her legs once more.
 
This was it.
 
It was time.
 
Let the fun begin.