The Cowboy's Baby: A BWWM Billionaire Cowboy Pregnancy Romance (18 page)

Then why was she so goddamn miserable?

Within a month, she’d be rid of the child growing within her – a child she had done her utmost to try and forget – in so much as one in her situation could. Now, his parenting would fall to Daniel and Alyssa, and she could only pray that the latter’s carelessness didn’t put the baby in danger.

Esme squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head.

It wasn’t her problem. Absolutely not her problem.

She’d caught glimpses of the man, now and then. He popped into Pierre’s about once a week to eat, and she tried her damnedest not to peek from the kitchen – to catch a glimpse of his swarthy face and long, muscular form.

Every time, she gave in – and every time, Alyssa was there to give her a triumphant, snarky little wave.

She wondered if Daniel even cared that she was working well into her eighth month of pregnancy. As much as she cared for the safety of the child, Esme couldn’t simply sit at home, idle. Her apartment felt empty in the wake of all the time she’d spent with Daniel. There, there were no horseback riding lessons. No outings on the ranch and no warm body sliding against hers at night. There were only her crazy hormones, sleepless nights, and a kitchen that was now much too small for her immense belly and the child inside it.

She was alone.

She couldn’t tell her parents, or anyone she knew about the true source or her pregnancy because of all the disclosures she’d signed. She had to face the impending birth of a baby which Daniel probably wouldn’t even attend if Alyssa had her way, and then, she would know that the child she had once ventured to treasure would only be ignored by the mother who was supposed to love him.

Cursing, Esme leapt back from the stove as her sauce boiled over, her back hitting the opposite counter painfully so she cried out. Immediately, there was a collection of sous chefs by her side, and she tried to wave them away, struggling to right herself.

“I’m fine.” She tried firmly. “Really, I’m fine.”

But she wasn’t. She didn’t know if she would ever be fine. She’d given her heart to the one man she’d thought would never break it and then he’d gone and done exactly that. God, was there any greater fool in the world?

All at once, she went lightheaded and clutched at the counter for purchase as a gush of moisture spilled from between her legs, wetting her pants down the front. Gasping in surprise, Esme looked over herself a moment before a cramp sliced through her womb, making her groan.

Jesus. Not now.
Not now
.

Pierre was at her side in minutes, easing her down onto the floor as he directed the other sous chefs in a mixture of French and English. But Esme heard nothing he said. It was all she could do to breathe, fear for the baby within her tightening her chest to the point of hyperventilation. Daniel had to see that Alyssa would destroy any chance of family he might have – he
had
to.

But whether he did or he didn’t, now, it was too late.

**

It was Alyssa’s birthday.

As always, she’d planned an extravagant party using his money – though Daniel would give her that at least this time she’d asked.

He stood on the balcony of
Venicia
, her favorite Italian restaurant, watching her flit around the party below in a five thousand dollar dress that molded to every contour of her body perfectly.

And yet, he could drum up no desire for her.

It was true, she had changed – but not in the way Daniel might have hoped. Now, instead of blowing up at the slightest problem, Alyssa had other methods for getting her way. She would bring the baby into everything, citing that a mother’s happiness was paramount to a child’s happiness.

In truth, Daniel didn’t know what more he could do to make her happy. He’d given her tens of thousands of dollars. Let her completely redecorate the nursery in god awful hues of pink and purple. He’d stopped going to doctor’s appointments with Esme at her insistence that it would only cause him undue “emotional stress”.

And now, he stood in the center of Alyssa’s lavish party, wondering if Esme was happy. Alyssa might be the baby’s biological mother, but Esme was the one giving birth. While Esme's belly was swelled with child, Alyssa flitted around with a bevvy of socialites, gossiping about the latest high society scandal.

Where was Esme, he wondered? At her apartment, living off his stipend, as she merely waited for her pregnancy to run its course? He knew they had agreed that she’d stop working at Pierre’s the closer her delivery date drew, and Alyssa assured him she had, but Esme was miserable without access to a decent kitchen.

He couldn’t help but think she must be in her apartment, alone and sullen, suffering through the last stages of one of the most difficult biological processes known to man – alone. Sighing, he took a sip of his champagne.

Esme wasn’t supposed to be his concern anymore. He himself had dismissed her, hadn’t he? And yet here he sat, pining after her like a school boy.

All at once, his phone buzzed. Reaching into his pocket automatically, he retrieved it to answer.

“This is Hartsford.”

“Daniel, It’s Amos.” The doctor sounded rushed, worry tingling his deep tenor. “Esme’s gone into labor. An ambulance just picked her up from Pierre’s. I’m on my way to the hospital now.”

For a moment, the rancher forgot how to speak.

Esme was in labor…now? And why had an ambulance picked her up from Pierre’s? Christ, had she been
working?
Eight months into her pregnancy.

His protective instincts immediately kicked into overdrive. “Has the ambulance reached the hospital yet?”

“Only just.” Amos returned curtly. “Supposedly, she’s only a few centimeters dilated, but they say she’s progressing fast. You and Alyssa need to get down there as soon as you can.”

“Of course. Immediately.” Immediately, a mixture of excitement and apprehension welled in his stomach. This was it. His child would make its way into the world tonight. Turning from the balcony, he hurried down the stairs to make his way through the crowd to Alyssa. Taking her arm in a firm grip, he caught his breath before he addressed her. “Alyssa, we have to go.”

The dark-haired beauty’s eyes flashed briefly in annoyance before she put up an understanding front. “Honey, I know you don’t like parties like this, but it’s just for a little while. And it’s my birthday. Enjoy yourself!”

“Esme’s in labor right now.” He lowered his voice beneath the din of the crowd. “They’ve just taken her to the hospital. We need to be there.”

For a moment, Alyssa’s eyes widened in what was very clearly panic before she settled herself, smoothing the lush fabric of her dress slowly. “Well, Daniel, that’s what the doctors are for, aren’t they? Why do we need to be there? We can just visit after the baby’s been born. We won’t even have to deal with Esme that way.”

In that instant, all Daniel could do was stare at her in utter disbelief? Not go to the hospital for the birth? Was she utterly out of her
mind
? “You don’t want to be there when your baby is born, Alyssa?” His voice was hoarse with shock. “Your only child?”

“It’s my
birthday
, Daniel.” The dark-haired woman’s voice took on a sudden, dangerous edge. “And no, forgive me if I don’t want to spend it in a shitty hospital, watching some screaming woman piss herself. The baby isn’t going anywhere.”

At last.

Her true colors showed. Daniel felt guilt, shame and sorrow consume him as he realized what an idiot he’d been to even give Alyssa a second chance. It was clear that she cared nothing about the baby now, and that wouldn’t change when she held it in her arms – if, indeed, she even thought herself capable of such a thing.

“Why did you lie to me?” He demanded suddenly. “You told me Esme stopped working at Pierre’s a month ago. She went into labor in the goddamn kitchen. Why, Alyssa?”

“Oh, honey.” Now, she was sweet again – saccharine sweet. Like the bad taste left in your mouth after bitter chocolate. “I just didn’t want to worry you…” She reached for him, only to have him take her wrists in his grip to lower them firmly.

“What worries me is your complete and utter disregard for Esme’s safety. Or the baby’s. Now that I think about it, Alyssa, I don’t know how I ever imagined you could have changed.” By this point, a hush had fallen over the crowd as they took in the spectacle beginning before them. “It’s very clear what you want – and what you want has nothing to do with anything but yourself.”

Alyssa’s eyes narrowed into irate slits, and in that moment, she dropped all pretense of sweetness. “You know, coming from a man who bullied me into having a baby, Daniel, that’s a fucking riot.”

“Bullied you?” A harsh bark of laughter escaped him. “You could have walked away from me at any time. From us. But no, you were used to a standard of living that you couldn’t maintain, weren’t you? You needed me as your own private piggy bank? You’re standing here, bitching to me about me
forcing
you to have a baby when you aren’t! Esme’s in labor right now, and no one’s there to help her!”

“Fine. Then go. Go to your precious little whore. Just know that I’m not going to make things easy on you, Daniel. That baby’s half mine, and I’m going to make your life a living hell for what you’ve done to me!”

What
he
had done to her?

Oh that was just rich.

Leaning down so that his nose was inches from hers, Daniel made himself clear in a low growl. “The baby is mine, Alyssa. And I’m going to make sure any paperwork claim you have to it is rendered null and void. If you want to fight me, go ahead. But you’ll lose. I can personally guarantee that you will never see me or a cent of my money ever again.” With that, he straightened to grace her with a stiff smile. “Enjoy your party.”

Daniel strode through the restaurant to hop into the waiting car at the curb; the moment he was inside, they raced towards the hospital at breakneck speed. He could only hope he wasn’t too late to apologize to Esme – the
true
mother of his child. He needed her, he now realized, like he needed his next breath, and he only prayed that she didn’t scorn him after his faithlessness.

**

Christ
, it hurt.

It didn’t matter how many books she’d read, nothing had prepared her for this. Her womb felt like it was waging war against the rest of her body, and every contraction sent pain spiraling through her. She tried to focus on Doctor Snell’s words, slowing her breathing as she gripped the bed rails for purpose, but she was afraid.

She’d never thought she’d be alone for this – the final part of her surrogacy.

As another contraction ripped through her, she cried out, her toes curling into the bed. The pain was followed by an incredible pressure between her legs, and she fought the urge to bear down and push. She wasn’t ready yet.

According to her attending physician, she was only eight centimeters dilated, which could mean another two to four hours of agony. She’d been offered an epidural, but hadn’t accepted, not knowing how Daniel felt on the matter. He might have turned her from his house, but the baby was still his.

She couldn’t make any decisions without his consent – even if they might ease her personal pain.

“Are you alright, Esme?” Gritting her teeth, the young woman looked over at Doctor Snell, praying for deliverance.

“No,” She panted, wiping away the thin sheen of sweat from her brow. “I am
not
ok. I am in pain.”

He chuckled softly, nervously. “Well, that’s par for the course. Are you sure you don’t want that epidural?”

“Not without Daniel’s consent.” She managed, moaning as yet another contraction threatened to unhinge her. Jesus, she just wanted someone –
anyone
to hold her hand - to reassure her that everything was going to be alright.

No doubt that relief would never come. She’d have to get through this by herself, and when it was all said and done, she’d have to recover by herself. It would be one of the hardest things she’d ever done – but she’d make it. She always did. Then, later, when the moment was passed, she’d allow herself to mourn for what she had lost.

At that moment, a commotion came from the hospital room door. There were several protests from nurses and orderlies before the door was yanked open and Esme’s eyes widened as they were met by concerned cerulean gaze. “Esme!” Without hesitation, the man was across the room in an instant, kneeling by her bedside as he took her hand in his. “Esme, are you OK?”

The young woman was so shocked that she couldn’t speak – at least not until another contraction drew a groan from between her clenched teeth. “I’m…I’m fine. In a amazing amount of pain, but this is par for the course, really.” It was hard to remain cool and detached when her body was rebelling against her – and when she remembered the knife Daniel had driven into her heart the last time they’d properly spoken. “Your baby will be here soon.” She mustered a small smile, tugging her hand from his grip gently when all she wanted to was cling to it. “Where’s Alyssa?”

Daniel’s eyes darkened in a thunderous anger she’d never seen the likes of before. Slowly, deliberately, he took her hand in his once more. “She won’t be here, Esme. She’ll never be here again, I’ve made sure of that.”