Page 13 of Forgotten Desires

He shakes his head. “You didn’t ask for her number?”

This is what I regret most. Sure, I could have my security team find it for me, but that’s not the route I’m going. She needs to come to me this time.

“I put the ball in her court.”

He laughs. “Pussy.”

“Fuck off. I didn’t want to be too pushy. I hurt her and if she never wants to see me again, I get it. My life isn’t exactly one that many women want to jump into. I have a crazy ex-wife, a kid, and I’m a workaholic who never seems to be satisfied no matter what my bank account says.” I’m not exactly a catch outside of my net worth.

Ford tilts his head and smirks. “That’s true. You also aren’t much fun anymore. However, you know you’ve never stopped thinking of Brynn. Even after you married Digger.”

My ex-wife, also known as Digger—short for gold digger—could never compare to what I felt when I met Brynlee. It was . . . indescribable and definitely not normal. But we were kids. I was a rich, asshole kid who was about to inherit my family’s company and my grandfather’s fortune when I graduated college.

I knew all we’d have was that week.

I couldn’t have a future with some random hookup on spring break. My family never would’ve permitted it.

However, my heart didn’t give two shits about any of that. It wanted her. She made me feel like a normal person for the first time in my life.

She cared about me, not the money, my family’s last name, or what I could give her. Not like Jacqueline, where that was literally all she cared about.

“No, and Jacqueline never let me forget that. She hated the girl she could never be, even though she didn’t even know Brynn’s name.”

“She hated humans with hearts too, but that’s not the point.”

“Whatisthe point, Ford?” I ask.

“The point is that you found her after all these years. And she happens to be the sibling of the new contract you signed? Dude, that’s like . . . fate or some shit.”

I pick up my fork, taking a bite so I don’t have to say anything back. I don’t know that fate would be so goddamn cruel as to bring her into my life at a time when everything is falling apart.

“It would’ve been better if I went on with my fucked-up life never seeing her again. I never should’ve gone to that wedding, but I just couldn’t stay away.”

Ford shakes his head. “I’ve known you my whole life, Crew. Since we were what? Six? I’ve never seen you walk away from something you want.”

“This isn’t a fight I can win. I’m getting ready to start a goddamn custody battle. The last thing I can do is bring another woman into the mix, not while Jacqueline hired a bunch of fucking photographers so she can make me out to be a man-whore who cheated on her. Not when Layla is where my focus needs to be. I want my daughter to be away from her toxic, manipulative mother, and with me. That’s what I can’t walk away from.”

My daughter needs me. Layla can’t fight this fight, I have to. As her father, it’s my job to protect her, even if it’s from her own mother.

“And your companies,” Ford tacks on.

“Always that.”

Work has been the only thing I’ve excelled at since I graduated from college. My father is still a part of the daily running of the company, but I hold the control. When Dad was off doing whatever model he was doing, I took this company from being a middle-of-the-road distribution company to being at the top. After that, I started four companies that feed the needs of this company and many others, which only further increased my wealth.

It’s been what drives me. At least, until I had Layla.

Ford groans and raises his arms over his head. “Well, the lawyer you hired seems to be a shark. She’ll get you more time with Layla.”

“It’s not about time, it’s about protecting her. Layla is . . .” I don’t have to explain it, everyone knows how Layla is. She’s perfect.

No matter how she came into this world, I wouldn’t change the fact that she’s here and she’s mine.

“I know, Crew. I know. She’s the cutest freaking kid I’ve ever seen, even though the poor thing looks exactly like you.”

I laugh at that. “It’s the eyes.”

“Yeah, your whole family has those freakishly light blue eyes. Everyone hates them.”

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