Reese Ryan - The Billionaire's Legacy

“I’m not nine, Sloane.” His voice was softer, though it still vibrated with controlled anger. “I don’t need you to cover for me like you did when I broke Mom’s favorite vase.” A faint smile momentarily curled the edges of his mouth. “You don’t need to shield me from the consequences of my actions. And money, obviously, isn’t an issue. I can take care of you and the babies.”

“That’s just it...” The pain rising in her gut had nothing to do with the Braxton Hicks contractions and everything to do with the rumors that had swirled around Magnolia Lake her entire life. “Everyone back home will swear I got knocked up on purpose. That this was all some grand plan to secure my family’s future by having a billionaire’s baby.”

“I know Magnolia Lake still feels like a little backwoods town.” He practically snorted. “But even they understand how babies are made.”

“I’m not joking, Benj.” She rubbed her belly. “You don’t understand because...” Sloane shook her head and lay back on the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. “Never mind.”

“No, tell me.” He sat on the edge of his chair. “You say I don’t understand, so school me on why rational adults would completely ignore my role in this and blame you.”

“They’ll say, like mother like daughter.” Tears burned her eyes. Her life in Magnolia Lake seemed like a lifetime ago. Yet, the pain of that phrase uttered underneath folks’ breath still hurt.

Benji was quiet, as if he suddenly remembered the cruel things folks in town had said about her and her mother. He cleared his throat. “You’re not your mom, Sloane. No matter what they say—”

“What they say about her isn’t true.”

Sloane met his gaze. She didn’t always get along with Abigail Sutton. Nor had she completely gotten over her resentment of her mother. But no one else got to talk shit about her. Especially when what they were saying was a bald-faced lie.

Sloane sat up in the bed and adjusted her pillows. “She didn’t ‘trick’ my father into marrying her. She was young and stupid enough to believe he actually loved her. She was too naive to understand that the Suttons would never approve of a poor girl from the wrong side of town.”

“Look, Sloane, I’m sorry for what a few busybodies might’ve said to make you feel that you were somehow inferior. But we both know that isn’t true. I’ve never believed it. Nor does my family.”

She wanted to tell him she knew his mother had never liked her. It was obvious from the coldness in her voice and in her eyes, despite the fake smile she always managed for Sloane’s benefit. Constance Bennett had merely tolerated her, preferring that she and Delia spend time at their home, under her careful supervision.

But there was no point in reopening old wounds when there were fresh ones gushing bright red blood that needed tending.

“You have to admit, it’ll seem odd that you returned to Magnolia Lake a billionaire and suddenly I’m having your babies. Then there’s our age difference.” She pressed a palm to her suddenly throbbing right eye. “Your sister is going to kill me.”

“Forget everyone else for a minute. This isn’t about any of them. It’s about me and you and...” His gaze was drawn to her belly before he raised it to hers again. “Our babies.” He swallowed hard, leaning closer. “Do you mind if... I mean, would it be all right if—”

Her heart swelled with affection for this man. The sheepish look on his face as he struggled to ask for permission to touch her after the intimacy they’d shared that night was utterly adorable.

“Give me your hand.” She reached out for his, guiding it to her belly between the two straps from the electronic fetal monitor that crossed her midsection. “Put your hand here.”

“I don’t feel any—”

“Shh...” She closed her eyes, her voice lowered. “Just wait.”

They sat still, his hand on her stomach. The only sound in the room was the intermittent beeping of the IV pump.

Suddenly one of the babies kicked. Sloane smiled when she opened her eyes and saw the look of amazement on Benji’s face.

“I can’t believe it. I could really feel that. That’s incredible.” His voice broke slightly. “That’s my... our baby.”

Her chest tightened at his use of the phrase. She’d only ever thought of the babies as hers .

“That was your son.” Sloane adjusted her position as the baby kicked again. “I don’t know what my ribs ever did to him, but he’s got it out for them.”

No longer tentative, Benji pressed more firmly on the area where he’d felt the kick. He jumped, startled as the skin high on her belly shifted. Their baby girl started to roll.

“It’s okay. The first time I saw that, I was pretty weirded out, too.” She smiled so much her cheeks hurt. “Looked like something straight out of one of your favorite sci-fi movies.”

That seemed to relax him a little. Benji glided his hand to where her skin stretched and moved. He touched what looked like a tiny little shoulder. It protruded slightly from her belly, then disappeared from sight again.

He stood, staring at her stomach in awe for a few moments before he met her eyes again.

“I wasn’t around during most of my sister’s pregnancy, so I didn’t see any of that.” He indicated her belly. “It really is remarkable.”

“Speaking of remarkable—” she pointed a thumb over her shoulder at the electronic fetal monitor “—I asked Dr. Carroll to turn the sound off before you came in the room. Turn that dial up.”

Benji went to the machine and turned up the volume. His eyes sparked with recognition as he turned to meet her gaze again. “That’s a heartbeat.” He listened carefully, turning the volume up a little more. “No, it’s two heartbeats.”

She rubbed her stomach again. “That’s right.”

Benji dragged a hand over his head and sat beside the bed. His brows furrowed as the pain and disappointment returned to his face, forming hardened lines that weren’t there before. “How could you not tell me?”

Sloane’s phone rang. She swiped it from the table beside her bed, thankful for a respite from the withering heat of Benji’s stare.

Mama.

Sloane hadn’t thought to call her mother. But the last thing she wanted was to give her mom an excuse to come to Nashville and set up camp at her place. With her growing belly and all of the baby things she was collecting in duplicate, the place already felt too small.

She silenced the phone and turned it facedown. She’d return the call once she was settled in back at her place. No need to worry her mother unnecessarily.

There was nothing to tell.

Except that the man her mother still referred to as “little Benji Bennett” was the father of her babies. And that wasn’t a conversation she was prepared to have.

“Everything okay?” Deep worry lines creased his forehead.

“Everything’s fine.” She pulled the sheet around her and asked him to turn down the monitor again. “Now, about what you said when Dr. Carroll was in here.”

“About me not returning to Seattle?” He raised a brow and narrowed his gaze.

“Yes, that.” She refused to repeat the words that both terrified her and made her hopeful. “That isn’t necessary. As Dr. Carroll explained, there’s nothing wrong with me or the babies.”

“I missed the first six months of your pregnancy. I’m not missing another minute.”

It wasn’t a question or even a suggestion.

“You’ve pretty much gotten the highlights. The first two months, I had no idea I was pregnant. Then there was four months of barfing my brains out before the morning sickness finally subsided.” She settled back against the pillow.