“So,” I smile, smoothing my free hand over my thighs. “Thank you for agreeing to meet us.”
“I thought I was just meeting Killian actually,” Blair comments dryly and her cool gaze lands on me but it doesn’t cover all of her surprise.
Well, I’m here, bitch, so fucking deal with it.
“This concerns my wife,” Killian says, “so, of course, it would be all of us. You come, out of the blue, and spin some ridiculous tale that you carriedmychildand then you disappear.”
“Seems pretty suspicious,” I smirk faintly and a new surge of confidence swells in my chest, warming my body. Here, in front of Killian would be theperfectplace to call her out.
“Suspicious?” Blair’s eyes go wide and faux innocence slips onto her face. “There is noliehere. Our child is real, Killian.” Her attention shifts to him and she sets down her cup in favor of burrowing into her handbag. She pulls out a small leather wallet and flips it open, then she holds it out to Killian. “Perhaps if you weren’t so cruel to everyone you met, you would have learned this sooner.”
Killian tenses so suddenly that his grip causes my knuckles to creak and I swallow down a wince of pain.
He leans forward and takes the wallet from her. Inside, behind a plastic window, is a picture. A picture of a small child with a mop of hair as dark as Killian’s and eyes just as stormy. In truth, the child looks like a replica of Killian and my heart sinks. I’m not sure why.
“That’s your son,” Blair says softly after a moment of silence passes between us. “He’s nearly three years old. He’s happy and healthy and he’syours,Killian. As I said.” Her sly gaze flickers to me but my eyes blur faintly.
The child is real? I can’t believe it.
I hadn’t realized that I was clinging to the hope of a lie so we could rid ourselves of Blair once and for all.
“I know I hurt you,” Blair continued. “After what happened with us and Dante, I was scared. I knew you’d never believe me but Ilovedyou so I left for Italy and had our child there. Away from this dangerous world of yours.”
Killian remains silent and his grip on my hand slowly relaxes as he studies the picture in front of him. He doesn’t seem like he’ll be speaking any time soon so I lock onto the suspicion that still swirls in my heart despite the picture.
“If you were hiding a child, why were you keeping it such a secret? Spending your time partying and drinking until you heard about Killian’s engagement to me.” The light accusation rests in my tone and Blair meets my gaze once more, her eyes narrow.
“I had an affair and broke Killian’s heart,” Blair replies in a tone so icy I almost shiver. “As Isaid, I knew I wouldn’t be believed so I fled but… over time I realized that our sonneededhis father and I was struggling being a single mother, so I returned. I had no way of contacting Killian so I had to hope we would run into each other in a nightclub and wedid, he was just…” Another wave of faux sadness sweeps across her face and my brow furrows. “I was warned away so often I had no idea how to bring it up.”
Could have picked up the phone, I think bitterly. Words I cannot voice.
“What’s his name?” Killian speaks up then and his grip on my hand tightens once more.
“Samuel,” Blair replied easily. I glance at Killian and the ghost of a smile dances on his lips.
Oh no. He’s invested.
“Oh. Samuel,” Killian repeats and his gaze falls back to the picture. “What… what sort of things does he like?”
I look back at Blair and sheradiatespride as she begins to detail Samuel.
“He likes pasta, although that changes almost weekly. And drawing, a little artist,” Blair coos gently. “His favorite color is green and he’s such a smart little kid.”
Every word out of Blair’s mouth drives the needles of doubt a little further into my gut. I can’t explain it, but something about the way she talks about this child unsettles me. The details are generic and I can’t quite place my finger on exactly what bothers me, but it seems it’s just me as Killian is positively enamored at the thought of his child.
His grip is relaxing the more Blair talks and his face softens. His desire for a child must be overruling any doubts in his mind.
That’s okay. I’ve got this.
“He is just the sweetest thing. He has an infectious laugh and it’s too hard not to give in to him,” Blair continues, weaving a story of a darling child. How can anyone resist? “But when he gets into a temper tantrum I swear that boy could split mountains with a look.”
Killian chuckles then, taking me by surprise. “I dare say he gets that from me.”
“Oh, no doubt!” Blair agrees, “he gets his charm from you too.”
Ugh, gross.
“Does he have a nanny?” I ask, needing more details. He must have someone, Blair can’t have left him home alone right now, surely?