No Regrets: Jani Kay (Firebird Trilogy Book 2) (26 page)

With only a towel wrapped around my waist, I made my way into the bedroom, whistling an upbeat tune. I stilled in the doorway. Rebecca had turned on the television. On the screen was none other than a rerun of the interview with Natasha. Fuck.

Fuck.

Rebecca turned to me, her large eyes wider than usual. Her skin was drained of all color, the glow gone. “Maxwell, have you seen this?” Her voice had a freaked-out edge to it.

There was no point in lying. My Adam’s apple bobbed in my throat as I swallowed hard and nodded, not taking my eyes off hers.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Her voice softened to a whisper. “Natasha is
pregnant
. Oh, God, Maxwell.” She closed her eyes and dropped her head into her hands.

“
Baby
.” My head swam and my heart beat so hard in my chest I felt it thrumming in my ears. This was so fucked up.

“Don’t call me baby. You knew about this and still asked me to marry you.”

I did.

I rushed to her and took her hands in mine. “It hasn’t been confirmed yet. My people are working on it. I didn’t want to alarm you until I had all the facts. It's possible it's a scam. That she’s trying to trap me.”

She sucked in a breath. “Does that also mean that it is possible it's
your
child?”

Fuck.

I nodded. “There is a slim chance. Depends how far along she is...if she’s pregnant at all.”

“You slept with her recently?”

“Weeks ago. I’m a man, baby. That was before we had our talk—before I told you everything about the contract. She was home from work. I was horny and frustrated. It happened.”

“Max, what are we going to do?”

“First, we establish paternity. If it happens to be mine I’ll do my duty by taking financial care of her and the child.”

She sucked in a breath. “Are you serious? Are you willing to let your child grow up without a father—like you did?”

“This doesn’t change anything between us, Rebecca. The contract with Natasha is void.” Christ, everything was falling apart. Rebecca was freaking out more than I expected. I couldn’t let Natasha win and ruin this like she intended. It was fucking ridiculous.

“You said yes. You said you wouldn’t run. You promised.”

She lifted her chin, her lips quivering. “That was before this.”

I smashed my fist into the wall. Pictures rattled in protest.

If Rebecca ran again...

Fear was turning both of us into irrational lunatics. We had to stop.

“Fuck, Rebecca. You can't leave me,” I roared. “Let’s not go through that again. I'm marrying you. Natasha is bluffing. And
if
she is pregnant, chances are it isn’t mine. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

Her eyes widened. “I'm making it harder? I love you, Max, no matter what happens. But you have a few things to take care of before you are in a position to marry me.”

My stomach dropped. “Rebecca, there is something you need to understand. Even if Natasha is pregnant...even if the baby is mine...even if you leave me...there is no way in hell I can marry Natasha or be with her any longer. Only one woman has captured my heart. If I can't be with you—”

“Max, please.” Tears filled her eyes. She closed them—shutting me out.

“So your promise...it means nothing?”

I sucked in a ragged breath. My eyebrows drew together as cold sweat broke out on my skin. I clenched my teeth.
Get a grip, Max. Rebecca isn’t Marianne.
Images of a little fatherless boy—me—abandoned by his mother, flashed before me. My heart twisted, aching like hell.

She didn’t hesitate. She opened her eyes, her lashes glimmering with her tears.

“It means everything. It means I’m not going anywhere, Max. I will stand by you through this. It means we’ll find out what Natasha’s game is. Together, we’ll find a solution.”

A smile threatened to twist her lips. I stared at her mouth, letting her words sink in.

My voice choked. “Thank you. I can't risk losing you. It will break me.” I buried my head between her breasts, breathing her in.

She pulled me closer, stroking my head gently. “I know. Me, too.” Her breath hitched. “I love you so much it hurts.” She rubbed my back in large soothing circles until my breathing calmed.

“How soon will you know about the baby...if it's yours?” she asked softly.

I pulled away and straightened up. Taking her hands in mine I pressed them together. “My lawyers are talking to her about having a paternity test done. It can be performed at the end of the first trimester. As early as the twelfth week of pregnancy if the mother is willing to have in vitro testing completed.”

“Is Natasha willing to undergo the procedure?”

“It's invasive. She may refuse to have it done...but we are working on it.”

Her bottom lip quivered. “Oh, God, what does that mean?”

My heart squeezed in my chest. “In that case it means we won’t know until the child is born. There are other tests that can be performed at that time that don’t carry any risk.”

“So it's a waiting game then?” She blinked a few times, moisture gathering in her eyes.

I groaned like a wounded bull. “I can't wait that long for you to marry me, Rebecca.
Please
. I've never begged for anything in my fucking life. Not even when I was a kid, but I'm begging you, please don’t stop loving me because of this.”

A small smile twisted the corners of her beautiful mouth. “Oh Max, I‘ll never stop loving you. That’s not possible. You are everything to me. Can't you tell?”

My voice was hoarse. “I thought I could. Until this...it’s fucked up...just as we find one another. My only fear is losing you.”

She went quiet for a while, biting her bottom lip as she pondered my words. Tears brimmed in her eyes, glistening on the tips of her lashes until they became too heavy and smashed to her cheeks.

“You can't lose me, Max. I’m not going anywhere.”

This should be the happiest time in my life. Fucking Natasha. She was going to pay for this bullshit. “I never dreamed when I helped the young and innocent Natasha to fame and fortune that she’d turn on me like this.”

“She must have real feelings for you, Max. She wouldn’t fight for you if she didn’t. She wants you back, so she’s using whatever means she can to do that.”

“Fuck that,” I snarled. “All my fucking life I've done the right thing by others. Where did it get me? Tiny nearly killed me—if it wasn’t for Ryder saving my life. I helped Natasha climb to stardom. Without me, she’d be another washed up wannabe, probably doing porn movies to pay the fucking rent. And she repays me like this? Fuck no!”

T
he hurt I’d felt before paled in comparison with the possibility of giving up Maxwell. Just when I'd found the man I wanted in my life forever...this happened.

I'd run anywhere
with
him. Give up everything I owned or wanted just to be his.

This man...I loved him so completely I would sacrifice anything for him. What he didn’t understand, was that giving him up to Natasha—if that was what he chose—would kill me.

I’m willing to do it for him, if that’s what he wants
.

As a child, Maxwell grew up without knowing a father until he’d been adopted in his teenage years. He knew better than anyone how it impacted on a child. He'd spent hours telling me about those years, how heartbroken he’d been. That he never wished it on any child. Little did he know then his worst fear could come to fruition.

If the child was Maxwell’s and he chose me, chances were Natasha would try to keep Max from his child. I’d seen it happen before. What I’d learned about Natasha left no doubt in my mind she would pull every move possible—even use Max’s child against him.

I wanted him to be absolutely certain he was prepared for that.

I had to give him options. Even if it tore my heart out.

No regrets
.

That’s what I wanted for the man I loved with my whole being. He deserved that.

“Maxwell, let’s be rational about this. We’re both smart people. Let's use our heads to work this out, not our hearts. Natasha is going to screw you over. She said so publically. Are you sure you want to piss her off—knowing it’s possible she’s carrying your child?”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“I only want what’s best for you. I hate that she has this power over you. You know she’ll use the child against you—”

The stormy eyes I loved so much filled with anguish and pain. “Fuck, you’re stubborn. I hope you’re not suggesting...fuck, woman, we go one-step forward and two steps backward. I feel like putting you over my lap and spanking the shit out of you.”

He had a point. I could rationalize all I wanted—the heart could not be told what to do. Standing in front of him, I reached up to cup his face in my hands, pulling his head down until our eyes met.

“All I’m saying...is you should consider all your options. Rethink your choices. Be absolutely certain it's me you want.”

My heart ached in my chest, squeezing until only pain filled the cavity inside me.

What am I doing? This is fucking crazy. I don’t want Max to leave me—ever.

“
Like hell.
I'm yours—you are mine. Nothing is going to change that. We belong together. Just accept it.”

He ripped the towel from my body.

“Don’t, Max,” I warned, covering my breasts with my arms.

He pushed me back onto the mattress, gripped both hands in one of his, and pinned it above my head, his weight on top of me making it difficult to breath, never mind move. His eyes bored into mine. “Tell me you don’t love me,” he challenged.

Tears sprung behind my eyeballs, spilling down the sides of my temples into my hair. He leaned forward and sucked them up. “Don’t cry, baby. I know you love me. You can't hide it even if you try.”

“I do. Love you so, so much. But—”

“No buts. I want you...need you. You are the axis around which my world spins. You are my air. Without you, I am nothing.”

“Max,” I groaned. His words got to me every time.

He nudged my legs open with his knee and sank himself deep into me. The fire in his eyes consumed me as he claimed me with his cock.

“You are my fucking home. You are all I need. Nothing else.”

He started moving, his cock thickening inside me till he filled me completely. “I'm never letting you go, Rebecca. This is our destiny. You and me, baby.
Us
.”

“Yes,” I sighed, my heart doing a little flip.

His fingers laced with mine. “Together we’ll find a solution.”

“Yes, we will.”

A smile tugged my lips.

“Max?”

“Yes?”

“I'm tired of running. Never again.”

“Good girl.”

“I'm standing by your side. We’ll fight Natasha together.”

“Promise no more running.”

“I promise. There has to be a better way.”

I wanted it to be true.

I wanted it more than anything.

To Be Continued in the final Firebird Trilogy Book # 3 (Coming 2015)

The characters in The Firebird Trilogy are intertwined with the characters in the Scorpio Stinger MC Series. However, it’s not necessary to read in any particular order as events in both series are unique to those stories. If you enjoyed Maxwell Grant, you will love his biker brother, badass alpha male and foul mouthed Ryder.

P
requel: Ryder (Book # 0.5)

Currently FREE on all platforms but subject to change.

Two worlds colliding. Will it tear them apart?

All
Jade
ever wants is an intelligent, well-mannered, and highly educated man like her daddy. One who has stellar career prospects as he climbs the corporate ladder to success. A good provider who will give her a stable life and a gorgeous house in the right neighborhood. A charmed life.

Everything orderly and well balanced.

Her perfect match.

What she doesn’t want is a smartass, cocky, rough-around-the-edges biker. One who has tattoos and piercings, and looks like a sex god. One who is demanding and controlling. The ultimate alpha male who storms into her life and shakes her to the core.

Jade never saw it coming. Ryder is the one man she can’t resist. He shows her what she really needs. Him.

––––––––

A
ll
Ryder
wants is inner peace. Freedom from the hatred churning in his gut.

Since his mother deserted him, his life has turned to shit.

He’s killed a man, lost his brother and fought for his survival. All before turning twelve.

Saved by Razor and Cobra, sons of the Scorpio Stingers, he owes his life and allegiance to them. The Scorpio Stinger MC is his only family. One he will serve and protect till his dying breath.

What he doesn’t need in his life is a smart mouthed woman who thinks she’s better than him. A bitch who pushes every one of his buttons. Someone who challenges him to want to be more than a drifter. One who makes him question everything he’s ever known.

Ryder never saw it coming. He can’t get Jade out of his head. She shows him what he really wants. Her.

Ryder wants Jade beneath him. Submitting to him and only him.

“I’m addicted to the taste of you, baby. Your skin. Your mouth. Your pussy. Give it to me. All of it. I want it all.” ~ Ryder

Jade has other plans that don’t include badass biker boys.

“A perfect man is none existent. So I wasn’t waiting for a perfect man. I was just waiting for the man who was perfect for me.” ~ Jade

Can two people, so different in every way, find love? Or will their different worlds collide and tear them apart?

––––––––

Scorpio Stinger Series: Also Available

Book #1: Two Worlds Colliding

Book #2: Unchain My Heart

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