The Billionaire's Beloved (Key to My Heart Book 4) (2 page)

"She never stops crying!" I gasped through bleary, dog-tired eyes.

A sniffle ripped through me, threatening to cascade myself into tears as well. I couldn’t focus on anything, I was so tired it was as though I was looking through foggy glass at everything.

"She’s a baby, love. It's what they do." Sebastian chuckled, rocking Lydia in his arms as his handsome gaze followed my manic pacing around the room.

Finally, returning to him, I collapsed back onto the bed. We sat side by side in my husband's huge bed as Lydia finally, after hours straight of wailing, began to show signs of stilling.

In her two days at home, she'd made her preference for the billionaire's rock hard arms very well known. I couldn't blame her for that one. Every time I held her, she'd slowly begin to howl like a banshee until she was safely back in her father's arms.

Only a few weeks old and Lydia Davis was already a daddy's girl.

How Sebastian kept his spirits in such good shape while the baby cried and cried was beyond me. I wanted to weep every time she did.

This was what I'd wanted though, right?

At the core of me, even with the exhaustion and noise and never ending diapers, I was so grateful to have our infant home and nestled between us.

We'd already given a few fretful calls to our doctor about the crying, who assured us that the baby was just fine. Her patience was astounding, though I suppose she was used to it with first time parents. I couldn't help but to feel as though I was doing everything wrong, that every single action I chose was scarring her for life somehow.

Sebastian kept a much more level, positive head. I'd never been more grateful for his presence.

I leaned heavily into the side of my husband, tired head resting on his strong shoulder.

The moon hung high in the sky outside our bedroom. I didn't even know what time it was, only that it was very, very late. Or perhaps early, and we hadn't gotten any sleep whatsoever.

Lydia, though quiet for the fleeting moment, gazed upwards at her father in serene silence. She enjoyed his face as much as I did. At least we had that in common.

Her eyes were as blue as Sebastian's, cheeks just as caramel tinted. She was the very picture of him. He smiled down at her, puffing his cheeks into a silly face.

She blinked her huge, almond shaped eyes, skeptical of the sudden change.

"She has your nose." He murmured with a lopsided grin, one of his sturdy fingers tracing the soft line of her face, "She's already got freckles too."

I leaned closer, incredulous, I’d already searched her sweet face for any semblance to me.

"You think so?" I murmured, admiring the soft tuft of her light colored hair.

Sebastian hummed knowingly, winking at me in a way that sent my stomach up to my throat, "She'll be just as beautiful as her mother."

With an embarrassed blush, I slowly rolled over to rest on my side, cradling my head in the crook of a tired arm. Rocking that baby all the time was going to give me some killer muscles.

I scooted backwards slightly so my spine still pressed reassuringly against Sebastian's firm, muscled leg, I listened as he softly whispered to her, rocking her in his arms until she gave a tired yawn and gently sank back into the warmth of slumber within her father’s secure embrace.

At some point, listening to the soothing lilt of his English accent, my eyelids grew heavy as well, finally managing to doze for what felt like the first time in the two days since Lydia's homecoming.

When I finally managed to crack my tired eyes back open, the clock flash 12:30 pm at me in scolding red font.

I stared at it, rubbing my eyes roughly before shooting back up so I was sitting. I yawned, still so fatigued even after sleeping for so long. Why had anyone let me stay in bed so late? Guilt tugged at me for letting Sebastian be in charge of the baby all night.

Tiredly, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and climbed to feet.

Where were Sebastian and Lydia, anyways? I needed to go relieve him. He’d no doubt be going crazy by now with lack of sleep.

I trudged down the stairs, following the scent of grilled cheese towards the dining room. A very unusual scent to be had in this house of fine dining and my mother in law’s penchant for quail egg soup, I hadn’t had a good grilled cheese in forever.

Karina sat on one of the dining room chairs, holding a bottle to the baby's mouth with her legs propped up on another chair.

"Good morning." She said, slight sarcasm on her monotone tongue, blue eyes shooting towards me before back to the baby, “Sebastian chose lunch especially for you.” She added, before I could question the sandwich situation.

"I can't believe I slept so late." I sighed with a shake of my head, dropping heavily into one of the chairs as the chef, Tina, brought me out a steaming cup of coffee and plate of grilled cheese deliciousness. My stomach growled excitedly, mouth basically salivating at the sight.

I thanked her graciously, inhaling the scent of real, non-decaffeinated coffee. I wasn't sure how I'd made it through the pregnancy without it.

"I can't either. A baby needs her mother, you know. You can’t just laze about all day doing nothing" My mother in law reprimanded, frowning at me before shifting uncomfortably and giving a slight jerk of a nod, "…However, I can understand the tiredness." She added primly, glancing towards the living room as though she were trying to be caught in good behavior.

No doubt Sebastian had told her to be nice. I appreciated the...attempt Karina had made.

I followed her gaze towards the living room, where my husband had dozed off in the soft embrace of a cozy, padded lazy chair.

"He's really taken to fatherhood, hasn't he?" His mother said softly, turning back to face me as she set the bottle on the table and rested Lydia against her shoulder to burp.

"Do you want me to take her?" I offered, leaning towards the older woman.

Karina held up a hand, pressing a kiss into the soft cheek of the baby, "No need." She murmured, closing her eyes.

When she’d been married to her now ex-husband George, they’d only been able to conceive once before George was rendered infertile. It had always been clear to me how much Karina had wanted more children. I’d be happy to let her spend as much time as she wanted with Lydia. Though, George’s infertility made his new wife’s pregnancy all the more questionable.

With a shake of my head, I sipped on my glorious coffee.

It was moments like this where it really hit me how lucky I'd become.

It wasn't long ago that my parents' business was being foreclosed upon and I'd been so lonely and so sad and so desperately without hope of the tide turning. Then, Sebastian entered my life like a blue eyed, sexy as hell guardian angel.

If it wasn't for him I would have lost the bakery. If it wasn't for him, I never would’ve given birth to Lydia. I never would have met Karina or been accepted into their family.

Crazy, wasn't it, how quickly life changed?

Even in the short time that I'd been a part of the Davis clan, their lives had changed so much as well.

Karina had been married, and was now divorced. Her husband, George, had married Sebastian's floozy of a personal assistant.

I wanted to ask if Karina had heard anything about Alissa, George's new wife, as she'd announced a pregnancy shortly after my own.

The pair had dropped off the map, however, after Sebastian sold his corporate London branch. We had only heard tidbits about them, as they were still overseas.

"There’s nothing like a new child." Karina said softly, interrupting my thoughts as her eyes slowly opened, "So when are you two going to get back to work and give me another grandbaby?"

Sebastian snorted loudly from the couch as he abruptly jerked awake, tired eyes scoping out the living room.

"Is Lydia okay?" He grumbled, pulling himself to his feet as he stretched his lithe arms over his head.

He hadn't even bothered to dress in his usual formal attire. Instead of the finely fitted French suits he typically wore, today Sebastian was in a simple cotton polo and tailored jeans.

Even still, the man looked like a dream. I'd never seen him in anything that didn't flatter his long, toned body.

"She's just fine." Karna said as my husband approached.

"Did you get enough sleep, love?" He asked, gripping the strong wooden back of my chair as he bent down to press his lips to my temple.

My eyes closed as his warmth washed over me like water, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne.

"I did." I murmured, "You didn't have to leave me up there for so long."

"You deserved it." He replied gently, straightening up as Tina brought him out a cup of coffee as well.

Karina's eyes flitted between us, gaze ever critical and astute. I wondered what mental notes the woman was taking. She was like a viper, you never knew when or how she would strike. It paid to be on her side.

"Have either of you been to the bakery?" She asked, "Harry is dying to see the little one."

"I don't know." I replied, frowning at my mother in law, "Dr. Alvarez said not to take her into public until her two month shots. She's still got a few weeks... and she’s only been home for two days…"

I knew Harry Bircham, the Davis's previous chef who now worked at the bakery with Lewis, would love to see Lydia. The kind older gentleman had always had a soft spot for me, as well as for Karina, though she still denied they had any type of relationship. The heartfelt gazes they shared from across the room would often discredit that, however.

"The bakery isn't some public bathroom floor." Karina shot back, frowning at me, "Besides it'll be good for her immune system."

There was no arguing with this woman, it was only a matter of time before she got her way. I'd been married into this family long enough to know that.

With a groan, I nodded, rubbing a tired hand against my forehead. I still hadn't gotten enough sleep to deal with Karina yet.

"Fine." I sighed, "But only for a few minutes, and I need more coffee first."

The woman's eyes illuminated like a lightbulb, though her lips barely even twitched into a smirk. She was extremely astute on which battles she could win. Karina rarely lost when it came to a battle of wills. She was stubborn as a blue eyed mule.

"Very good then." She purred, turning her attention back to Lydia who slept peacefully on her grandmother's shoulder, "And that, my dear, is how you do it."

I hadn't visited the bakery since right before I'd gone into labor with Lydia. In fact, my water had broken there. Jolly memory, really.

Going back to the shop was like being home again as we turned the corner and saw the peaceful little store sitting before us. Business had been steady since we put Lewis and Harry in charge. The customers loved the food and enjoyed the chitchat. I was sure my parents were proud of the low key success, though I had so little to do with it these days. Sometimes I lay awake at night and miss those days when the bakery was mine to take care of.

Karina turned off the blaring classical piano as she parked the car, tossing the jingling keys into her purse as Lydia cooed from her car seat.

"I'll get the baby." She said, watching as I nodded and climbed out. My mother in law took every chance to hold and love on the baby. It was endearing, really.

Sebastian had opted to go into work rather than come check out the bakery. I couldn't blame him there, he had a lot going on at the moment. Between his vacant father and losing half of his business, not to mention the birth of his child, the billionaire had a fairly full plate. I'd already absorbed a lot of his time as it was.

I shielded my eyes from the heat of the overhead afternoon, glad that Karina had agreed to wait until the bakery was closed for the evening to head over.

"Alright, come along now." My mother in law said as she rest Lydia against her chest.

Bundled in a light green onesie and matching cap, Lydia's eyes were closed as she dozed.

"Remember this, dear." Karina said sternly, "A car ride always calms a child."

Before the dark haired woman could go into full blown lecture mode, I trotted towards the bakery as she sighed and sauntered after.

It'd been weeks now since I'd seen Harry's friendly face and Lewis’s' dimpled one. I'd missed them both more than I'd realized.

Had I missed Lewis only as a confidant, or more? I was too tired to sort my feelings right now. All that I needed in this moment was a good friend. Plus, I wasn't even sure how I felt about Sebastian either.

My husband become so reliable and much more open with his warmth. It threw me for a real loop. Was he only doing this to cut Lewis out of the picture? Or perhaps he was only acting in such a way because I'd borne him a child?

I'd spent the first months of our marriage longing for a connection, and now that he seemed keen to give it to me, I found myself suspicious of his motives. Perhaps unfairly. He was my husband after all, didn’t I owe him a real shot at my heart?

"Are you alright, Macy?" Karina asked with a frown, "You've got the most peculiar look on your face.

"Oh, I'm fine." I chuckled uneasily, brushing rebel hairs from my face as I tugged open the bakery doors.

Fresh scents of pastries and bread floated out as I gave an unexpected moan. It smelled like heaven.

Perhaps you do you always look like that..." She added as a smug afterthought, shrugging as she strode inside before me.

"Harry!" She called, "Come see the baby!"

The old chef barged through the door of the bakery's office, clapping his huge hands together.

"Oh my God!" He cried gleefully, "Lewis, come check out this little angel's cheeks!"

I glanced towards the door after him expectedly, gaze lingering for the blond manager to appear.

"Look at her, just look at her..." Harry murmured blissfully, sitting down in a chair and reaching towards Karina, who handed him the baby.

He rocked her in his large arms, whispering tidbits of French as Karina unexpectedly giggled.

"She's marvelous." The baker whispered, tears in his eyes, "I always wanted myself a daughter..."

Lewis cleared his throat as he entered the main room of the bakery, setting down a stack of books as he hesitantly wandered over.

Slowly, he smiled at me, coming to stand at my side as he peered over towards Lydia.

"She's got her grandmother's lovely eyes." Harry sighed with a click of his tongue, "A heartbreaker this one."

Karina crossed her arms smugly, gazing down at the girl who she no doubt planned one day to transform into her own little mini me.

"Not if I have anything to do with it..." I muttered with a slight shake of my head.

"Macy, I'm glad you’re here." Lewis suddenly said, picking up the books again, "There's something I need to show you. I've been waiting for things to calm down."

"Oh, sure." I said, blinking in surprise, "You didn't need to wait."

"I didn't want to add more stress." He said with gentle firmness, fingers finding their home on the small of my back as he softly nudged me towards the office, "It'll just take a moment. I want to confirm a few things."

"Okay." I said in confusion, meeting my mother in law's skeptical gaze for a second before I broke away from her knowing eyes and allowed Lewis to guide me away from Lydia.

Was it only the ledgers that my old flame wanted to speak of? For some reason, after seeing Karina's eyebrow lift, I suddenly doubted it. I shouldn’t have allowed him to lead me into seclusion, though, perhaps somewhere inside of me I wanted to be alone with him. What a selfish woman I was becoming.

Green eyes flitting over his broad shoulder, he took my arms in his broad hands, moving me carefully out of the line of sight from the other room. As he did so, he turned our bodies so that my back was pressed firmly against the wall behind me. The sudden closeness sucked the air from my lungs.

One of his arms rest against the wall beside my head, his body so near to my own that our noses just brushed.

I swallowed the thick lump formed in my throat, startled to find that my knees trembled slightly. Instinctively, I clung to his chest to keep steady. My heart began a crazy rhythm as I stared up into his emerald, soft eyes.

The hand resting beside my head moved to sweep against my cheek, curling tenderly into the hair behind the nape of my neck as his other hand pressed against my hip, fingers delving beneath my shirt to find skin.

His body leaned in, chest pressed to chest, body against to body. I wondered if he couldn't feel my heart threatening to leap from my chest.

My fingers forcefully uncurling as I struggled to breathe and process any sort of thoughts through my dizzy brain, my palms pressed against him, as though I had the strength to push him away. I was weak, though, too weak to fight the surge of desire that coiled inside of me.

I knew full well what his lips felt like, tasted like. I couldn't help my eyes as they dipped to trace the perfect curve of his pink lower lip.

"Have you thought about what I said before?" He asked, his voice low in my ear. His breath was hot against my earlobe, a sharp gasp exhaling form my lips as I melted against his touch.

What had he said before? I almost couldn't remember, especially not in the pool of emotion he had me melting into.

Had it been that he would convince me to leave my husband? That he didn't care I was married and had a child?

For the moment, it almost was possible to forget that.

Almost.

"We can't do this, Lewis." I murmured, biting my lip as he nuzzled his nose against the tender, sizzling flesh of my neck below my ear, "It's not right. This has never been right." I hated how difficult it was for those words to come from my lips. I was being so cruel to my family by putting myself in this situation.

I couldn’t do this anymore. I had to tell Sebastian what I’d done, and hope that he would forgive me.

"You don't love him." Lewis murmured, and I could feel his warm breath getting closer and closer to my skin.

He lay a delicate kiss to the flesh of my neck as I moaned softly, his knee parting my legs as one of fingers danced along the waist of my jeans above the button, tracing the metal curve.

"I've been dying to touch you." He growled, "You make it so hard to behave when you’re nearby."

His teeth grazed the sweltering flesh of my neck, red of lust almost fading my vision out.

It was only when his fingers pushed my thighs just a bit farther apart that I forcefully dragged myself down to reality.

This was not going to happen with my baby in the next room. This was not going to happen with my mother in law in the next room.

This was not going to happen.

"I'm married, Lewis." I repeated, pressing my hands more firmly to his chest though he refused to break away, "It's… it’s time that we both realized what that means. This has been wrong and cruel."

It wasn't my soul that was torn in two over the two men in my life. It wasn't my heart. It was only pure, self-centered lust.

I was married. I couldn't go gallivanting around with other men just because I was feeling a little licentious. When had I become that type of woman? Was that how I wanted my daughter to grow up? I needed to be her role model now.

"I have to think about Lydia now." I sighed, sliding beneath his grasp, "I'm a mother and a wife."

He snatched my wrist into his hand, grip just a bit too tight as he frowned at me. His green eyes swirled with hurt and careless desire.

"You know you're meant for me." He said quietly, voice more severe than I'd ever heard him speak before, "You know you want to be with me, Macy. I can see it in your eyes."

When he looked at me like that, however, with his eyes glowing like the rabid eye of a hurricane, I wasn't so positive that was true.

I snagged my wrist away, rubbing the tender flesh as I slid back around the corner.

"Is everything fine?" Karina asked, her eyes narrowing sharply on my face.

Her arms remained crossed over her chest, her eyebrow arching just a bit.

"Just fine." I responded, averting my own gaze away from her all-knowing one, "I think it's best if we leave now… for Lydia.”

Behind me, Lewis remained still and silent in the back office, fuming.