Read Online Reckless by Cheryl Douglas - Free Book Online Page A

Avery. I don’t have a biological child. I wish...”
    Avery immediately felt the guilt wash over her. She couldn’t even fathom the pain of losing a child. “I’m sorry. Did she have a miscarriage?”
    Ty sank onto the sofa beneath the window and dropped his head into his hands. “No, she had the child. I just came to find out it wasn’t mine.”
    “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “That must have been difficult for you.”
    He looked up and their gazes locked. “You have no idea how much I loved that little girl. She was eighteen months before I found out she wasn’t mine.” His voice cracked. “Damn near ripped my heart out.”
    She crossed the room to claim the chair beside him. She knew how difficult it must be for him to talk about this. She felt she owed him a show of compassion, as a matter of human decency. “How did you find out?”
    “Abby finally told me. Not because she was feelin’ guilty, but because she wanted to hurt me. Seems Melanie’s father was the drummer in my band. Hell, they’d been carryin’ on for years. Guess I was too damn stupid to see the signs, huh?”
    Not sure how to respond, Avery chose to ignore his comment. “Is Melanie with her mother now?”
    Ty scowled. “Hell no, Abby never wanted to be a mother. She just wanted to trap me ‘cause she thought I was goin’ places.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    He sighed. “I got a record deal a while back. Small label, they went bankrupt before my debut album even hit stores. Anyways, she was all about getting famous. She saw me as her ticket.”
    “But what about her little girl? Where is she now?”
    “She’s livin’ with her grandparents. They’re good people; they love her a lot.”
    “Do you still see her?”
    Ty grinned. “Every chance I get. That little girl’s got me wrapped around her finger.”
    Avery felt her resolve slip. “Her dad’s not a part of her life either?”
    Ty rolled his eyes. “Are you kiddin’ me? That guy’s a deadbeat. He didn’t wanna be a parent any more than Abby did.”
    “Thank God Melanie has her grandparents,” Avery said quietly. “And you.”
    He smiled. “I may not be her biological father, but in my heart, she’s still my little girl. She always will be.”
    Avery felt her heart melt just a little. A man who wanted to take on the responsibility of fathering another man’s child couldn’t be all bad. “I don’t understand why you’re still married to Abby. You said you haven’t seen her in years?”
    He leaned back and set his hands on his thighs. “That’s where things get kind of complicated.”
    Avery leaned back, relaxing into her chair. “I’m listening.”
    “Abby was a real wild child, always gettin’ into trouble. Her parents were worried about her, especially after we split.”
    Avery allowed a small smile. “I take it they thought you were a good influence on her?”
    “Somethin’ like that. Anyways, they weren’t too keen on us getting a divorce.”
    “Why’s that?”
    “They’re very wealthy people, oil money. Abby was a spoiled brat, impulsive too. They were worried she’d run off and marry the first guy that came along, which would mean they’d have to pay a hefty settlement just to get him outta her life. She sure as hell wouldn’t have the good sense to have him sign a prenup.”
    “Did you? Sign a prenuptial agreement, I mean?”
    “Of course. I wasn’t marrying her for her family’s money. I loved her and I loved that baby she was carrying. I was young, but I was prepared to take responsibility for my family.”
    Avery found it hard not to respect him, despite his omission about being married when they slept together. She sensed he was a good man, who had tried hard to do right by his wife and child. “I still don’t understand why you decided to stay married to her.”
    Ty closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of the sofa before responding. “Her parents asked me to. If she was still married to me, she