Read Online Expecting my Billionaire Stepbrother's Baby (a Stepbrother Romance Novel) by Emilia Beaumont - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Emilia Beaumont
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hands took hold of my upper arms, and he sighed.
“You’re right. You probably should go.”
My heart cracked, shattering like the porcelain of a vintage vase tumbling off a wobbly table. The fight in me that had been burning hot only moments before had withered away to a pile of grey ash. I’d wanted him to change his is mind, to choose me, desperate for him to realise his mistake. I could so easily tell him about Christine, but he needed to realise she was no good for him on his own. He needed to make that choice.
Drake nodded. “You being here will only make it harder on all of us, I see that now. I shouldn’t have asked you to stay. I’m sorry it’s come to this.”
I turned my head away. Away from his delicious cologne that drifted between us, making me feel weak at the knees. Avoiding looking at him, I pulled back out of his grasp. I didn’t want to see the face I was longing to touch or his soulful blue eyes that were breaking my heart. Increasing the gap between us, I moved away from him.
“I’ll go get a few of my things and leave now. I don’t want to be here when she gets back. The rest of my stuff I’ll ask my dad to pick up, if that’s all right?”
“That’s fine. Where will you go?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll figure something out.”
I disappeared into the room that I’d only been able to call my own for a few hours and shut the door, leaving Drake out in the hallway. It took all the willpower in the world not to fling open the barrier between us and run to him, to kiss him, to make him see goddamn sense. I clenched my fists. The need to hurt something as much as I was hurting inside was overwhelming, and I slammed them into the mattress, pummelling the covering ‘til my arms turned to jelly.
Why couldn’t anything go the way it was supposed to in my life? I’d fallen for the one person I shouldn’t have, but for a fleeting moment I found he wanted me, too, only for my happiness to be thrown into chaos once again. I could never catch a break.
After throwing a few things into a large duffel bag, I eased out of the room and peeked into the nursery for a last glimpse at Leah. Everything in my heart urged me to stay, to look after her. Christine’s track record wasn’t promising, and if today was anything to go by, she hadn’t changed. She wouldn’t be there for her daughter; Christine, whatever her motives, was not interested in raising this child, and it broke my heart. I knew how it felt to be abandoned by the one person who should be by your side from the day you were born.
Sadly, it wasn’t going to my job any longer, even though I wanted it so badly. Last night had been a silly dream, and I pushed it from my mind, kissed my fingertips and pressed them gently upon Leah’s cheek.
“Look after your Daddy, I think he’ll need it,” I whispered and then left the room, a tear slipping down my face.
The apartment was silent; I couldn’t tell where Drake was, but I knew not to go looking for him. I would leave and not look back. I’d done it once before, and I could do it again, but this time I’d be leaving pieces of my heart behind.
I passed through the living room without notice and slipped down the hallway, keeping the squeak of my trainers to a minimum.
“You weren’t going to say goodbye were you?” Drake called from the end of the corridor.
I stared at the elevator door, my back facing him, and pushed the button. If I spoke now, my voice would crack.
“Viola, at least tell me where you’re going to go. I can get my driver to take you. Or better yet, let me find you an apartment—”
I whirled on him. “What? So you can keep me as a hidden mistress, out of sight of your perfect happy family, only coming to me when you pleased?”
He shook his head. “No, that’s not what I meant; you’re twisting what I’m saying.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t need your help, Drake,” I said, tears in full flow now and my heart racing a mile a
“You’re right. You probably should go.”
My heart cracked, shattering like the porcelain of a vintage vase tumbling off a wobbly table. The fight in me that had been burning hot only moments before had withered away to a pile of grey ash. I’d wanted him to change his is mind, to choose me, desperate for him to realise his mistake. I could so easily tell him about Christine, but he needed to realise she was no good for him on his own. He needed to make that choice.
Drake nodded. “You being here will only make it harder on all of us, I see that now. I shouldn’t have asked you to stay. I’m sorry it’s come to this.”
I turned my head away. Away from his delicious cologne that drifted between us, making me feel weak at the knees. Avoiding looking at him, I pulled back out of his grasp. I didn’t want to see the face I was longing to touch or his soulful blue eyes that were breaking my heart. Increasing the gap between us, I moved away from him.
“I’ll go get a few of my things and leave now. I don’t want to be here when she gets back. The rest of my stuff I’ll ask my dad to pick up, if that’s all right?”
“That’s fine. Where will you go?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll figure something out.”
I disappeared into the room that I’d only been able to call my own for a few hours and shut the door, leaving Drake out in the hallway. It took all the willpower in the world not to fling open the barrier between us and run to him, to kiss him, to make him see goddamn sense. I clenched my fists. The need to hurt something as much as I was hurting inside was overwhelming, and I slammed them into the mattress, pummelling the covering ‘til my arms turned to jelly.
Why couldn’t anything go the way it was supposed to in my life? I’d fallen for the one person I shouldn’t have, but for a fleeting moment I found he wanted me, too, only for my happiness to be thrown into chaos once again. I could never catch a break.
After throwing a few things into a large duffel bag, I eased out of the room and peeked into the nursery for a last glimpse at Leah. Everything in my heart urged me to stay, to look after her. Christine’s track record wasn’t promising, and if today was anything to go by, she hadn’t changed. She wouldn’t be there for her daughter; Christine, whatever her motives, was not interested in raising this child, and it broke my heart. I knew how it felt to be abandoned by the one person who should be by your side from the day you were born.
Sadly, it wasn’t going to my job any longer, even though I wanted it so badly. Last night had been a silly dream, and I pushed it from my mind, kissed my fingertips and pressed them gently upon Leah’s cheek.
“Look after your Daddy, I think he’ll need it,” I whispered and then left the room, a tear slipping down my face.
The apartment was silent; I couldn’t tell where Drake was, but I knew not to go looking for him. I would leave and not look back. I’d done it once before, and I could do it again, but this time I’d be leaving pieces of my heart behind.
I passed through the living room without notice and slipped down the hallway, keeping the squeak of my trainers to a minimum.
“You weren’t going to say goodbye were you?” Drake called from the end of the corridor.
I stared at the elevator door, my back facing him, and pushed the button. If I spoke now, my voice would crack.
“Viola, at least tell me where you’re going to go. I can get my driver to take you. Or better yet, let me find you an apartment—”
I whirled on him. “What? So you can keep me as a hidden mistress, out of sight of your perfect happy family, only coming to me when you pleased?”
He shook his head. “No, that’s not what I meant; you’re twisting what I’m saying.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t need your help, Drake,” I said, tears in full flow now and my heart racing a mile a
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