Page 23 of Mr. Almost

I rub her back softly. “Sorry, honey. We are going to get you home.”

“You’ll stay?”

“I’ll never leave your side again,” I promise the girl.

Olivia looks pissed, but good. She should be. I’m pissed too. How could she keep this from me? How many firsts have I already missed? I am beyond angry.

Olivia moves to lead the way out the front door. She stops at the curb as if she’s not sure what to do.

I pull out my phone and dial my driver.

“Pick me up out front,” I say as soon as the call connects before hanging up.

I don’t have a car seat, but the little one can ride in my arms until I can get her one. I won’t let her go right now.

When the car finally pulls up, I open the door, motioning for Olivia to get in. Once she’s in, I slide in next to her, our child fast asleep on my shoulder. Olivia gives the driver her address.

After several minutes of silence, I finally ask, “What’s her name?”

“Arianna Rose.”

“When is her birthday?”

“September sixteenth,” she says softly.

I clear my throat, suddenly thick with emotion.

“I want to know why. We’re going to get her home and get her in bed, then you are going to tell me.”

“I don’t have the answer you want. I can promise that.”

“There’s no excuse for what you did.”

“I’m sure you feel that way.”

The rest of the ride is silent. Once at her apartment, I frown at the area we are in. It’s not the best. Then we get inside, and I see what Olivia and my daughter have been living in. This apartment is barely a one-bedroom. More like a studio that happens to have a door to another room.

Taking Arianna into her room, I lay her in bed. Olivia comes inbehind me, coaxing our daughter to take some medicine before tucking her in. Once she is settled, we move to the living room.

My anger comes back in full force. All I can think about is what I have missed.

“I’m going to be part of her life. Don’t fight me on this. If you do, I will take full custody,” I say, my temper getting the better of me.

She snorts. “Full custody? You didn’t want her to begin with. Why would you want her now? Just so I can’t have her?”

What the fuck is she talking about? Why would I not want her?

I take a deep breath, not wanting to wake up the little girl in the other room. I need to keep my cool.

“You will never know what I wanted because you never asked.”

Olivia scoffs. “You’re wrong. I came to you. I showed up at the hotel begging for your information. They called you and said you were on your way. Then your mother showed up and made all kinds of threats. She said you didn’t want the baby and tried to give me a huge check to get rid of it. I refused the money, by the way.” She points back at the bedroom and hisses. “That little girl is my miracle. I don’t care what you say, I was never going to get rid of her.”

My heart stops. “My mother?”

“Yes, I recognized her as the woman you talked to the night of the gala. I never planned to work at your hotel, but it was the only job available. I’m sorry I came back into your life and that I didn’t do what you asked, but whether you wanted her or not, I was keeping her. She’s mine. Not yours, so don’t act like you care now.”

My heart is hammering in my chest. My mother did this? She kept my daughter from me?

---