Rachel Bailey - Return of the Secret Heir

“I’m having JT’s baby and I know he’ll do everything in his power to ensure our child has a good life-the same way that you’ll both do for your children. You’re good men. The three of you. You’re not like your father. Warner spent his whole life keeping you all isolated in different ways.”

As she watched them, tears in her eyes, Pia felt a tightness across her belly. She waited, holding her breath, but there was no other sensation, so she relaxed again.

She gathered her thoughts and looked back to them. “Please don’t let his death compound that wrong. I want my baby to know its family. All of its family.”

“So do I.” Macy ran a hand over her belly as she stood. She crossed to Pia and hugged her.

“Me too, Pia,” April said, joining them. Then she whispered in Pia’s ear, “Thank you.”

Pia felt a tear run down her cheek. These strong, loving women would make sure her baby would know its cousins. And hopefully one day that would pave the way for JT to have a relationship with his brothers. He didn’t want her love, but she could give him this.

They turned to look at the two men still seated who eyed each other warily, like two lions circling. Pia held her breath and had the sense that Macy and April were doing the same. Then the men nodded almost infinitesimally, in some male code.

“We’re outnumbered,” Seth murmured, a wry smile on his lips.

“And outgunned,” Ryder said. “But they’re right. Maybe it is time to bury the hatchet.”

Seth sighed and nodded. “Maybe it’s past time.” He stood and held out his hand. “To be frank, it was never our hatchet.”

Ryder took the offered hand and shook once before sitting back down. “Besides, I’ve a hankering to meet our brother. I’m suddenly more of a family man than I realized.”

Macy smiled broadly, her arm still around Pia. “And JT must be someone very special-Pia loves him.”

A spasm flashed across Pia’s belly again and she gasped. April touched her arm and looked into her eyes. “Are you okay?”

Pia shrugged one shoulder, telling herself that it wasn’t a problem, wasn’t like fourteen years ago, but her heart was racing. “I’m fine. I’ve just been having some twinges.”

“It’s probably Braxton-Hicks contractions,” Macy said, reassuringly.

“I think you’re right.” She hoped she was right.

They moved back to their chairs, then another twinge hit and panic flared in every nerve and cell of her body. Her hands went to her stomach, terrified that she knew what it meant. This couldn’t be happening. It was too early. Too early. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps. Darkness and memories of that night fourteen years ago threatened to engulf her, but she struggled to keep her head above them, to keep control of her mind so she could protect her baby.

Macy put an arm around her shoulders.

Pia didn’t even try to hide her fear. “I lost JT’s baby once before. It was at the same point, and there’s a risk it’ll happen again.” No, she wanted to scream. Don’t let this happen.

Ryder was on his feet and behind his desk. “I’ll get an ambulance.”

Seth reached for Pia’s cell, where it lay beside her bag. “I’ll call Hartley.”

Two hours later, Pia was in a hospital bed, undergoing tests, more terrified than she’d been since she was sixteen. They hadn’t been able to reach JT-his cell was switched off, and his secretary had refused to disclose his whereabouts to his half brothers. Her gaze darted around the stark room, her heart fluttering against her ribs. She’d been trying to hold her fears in check, but it was only the flimsiest of barricades that prevented them from flooding her. Seth and Ryder were out in the waiting room, and April and Macy had stayed with her, but she wanted only JT. His voice would soothe her more than the doctors’ calm smiles, his presence would lend her more strength than Macy and April’s carefully chosen words.

JT, where are you?

There was a sharp knock at the door and Seth’s head appeared. April slipped over to him for a whispered conversation, then came rushing back and turned on the small television.

A reporter’s face filled the screen. “As I said before the break, we’ve managed to secure an exclusive interview with the elusive JT Hartley, the man who staked a claim to the biggest will of the year, only to lose the case within days. Welcome, Mr. Hartley.”

Pia’s jaw dropped open. This had to be wrong-JT hated the media. He’d never grant a television interview…would he?

The screen flicked to the guest and JT appeared, looking calm and charming, but she could see the steel in his eyes. She blinked once, then again, but he was still there on the screen. What was he doing?

“Good evening,” JT said, his voice sexy-low and smooth.

“Can we start with your rumored relationship with the executor of Warner Bramson’s estate? Is it true she’s pregnant with your baby?”

Pia’s skin chilled-why had JT opened himself, them, to this?

But JT seemed unruffled by the hardball question. “It’s true she’s pregnant,” he said, gaze solemn and trustworthy, “but Pia Baxter is no longer the executor of the estate. In fact, she was fired in a case of trial by media.”

The journalist’s eyes became even brighter at this unexpected development. “She was fired?”

“People were concerned she may have acted unethically because of her relationship to me, but I have to tell you, Jimmy,” the camera came in for a close-up on JT’s unwavering eyes, “I’ve never met anyone in my life as principled as Pia Baxter.”

“But she’s pregnant, isn’t she? With your baby. And you were a claimant to the will.”

JT eased back in his chair, all effortless grace, seemingly in his element, but she knew this would be torture for him. “Let me give you an example. Despite our situation, when Pia found paperwork that proved Warner Bramson knew I was his son, she took that information straight to his heirs.”

The journalist’s eyes lit with glee. “She’s the one who ended your claim? Robbed her own baby’s father of-potentially-millions of dollars?”

JT tilted his head in assent. “It was the right thing to do. I’ve come to realize that Pia always does what’s right, even if it’s difficult, or if other people can’t understand at the time.”

Pia felt tears sliding down her face and absently brushed at them.

“So why are you speaking out now?” Jimmy asked. “After you’ve lost the claim.”

JT leaned forward, as if letting Jimmy and the audience in on a secret. “To set the record straight. Pia Baxter has done the right thing, in tough circumstances, and she deserves recognition for that.”

Understanding dawned and her body went limp. He was doing this for her. Publicly exposing himself for her career. That sweet, gorgeous fool.

The hospital room door burst open and JT strode through-tall, solid and everything she’d ever wanted. She blinked. “JT,” she said, looking back to him on the screen. “But-”

Macy and April discreetly left the room. “I only just got the messages,” he said as he reached her bed and grasped her hand. His hair wasn’t as neat as the screen JT’s, as if he’d been ploughing fingers through it, and his eyes were surrounded by tension lines. “What happened? Did you faint?”

“Cramps,” she said, unable to prevent her voice from wavering. She looked down at her trembling hand as it rested on her belly. Come on, little one, you can make it.

JT placed a large, warm palm over her hand. “Have you seen a doctor?”

She nodded. “I haven’t heard any results, though. Dr. Crosby is on her way.” His voice coming from the television drew her eyes back. “How-”