Page 41 of Her Dark Melody
The dayof the hearing was less than a week later. Ebony, hampered by morning sickness, held Atlas’s hand as Cormac’s lawyer outlined his request for Ebony to take a paternity test. Ebony was cheered by the skeptical look on the judge’s face, and when he stopped the lawyer, her heart soared.He’s going to shut thisdown…
“If I might ask Mr. Duggan directly,” the judge said, his tone even, “Mr. Duggan, why on Earth would Mrs. Tigri’s child have any bearing on this case? It seems to be a left-field attempt by you to embarrass a young mother-to-be for no other reason than spite. Could you clarify yourreasons?”
Cormac stood. “Of course, Your Honor. I can assure you there is no malice on my part. I’m just seeking to find out the paternity of thechild.”
“For whatreason?”
Atlas made a disgusted noise, but as Cormac turned to face them, Ebony saw something else in Cormac’s eyes.Triumph.
“Because, Your Honor, I have very,verygood reason to believe that the child Mrs. Tigri is carrying…ismine.”
Ebony gasped, and Cormac smiled. “That’s right, Ebony. Don’t you remember our little tryst, almost two months ago now? In New Orleans? In that…specialist club, for want of a better description? You and I made love, and now I believe that is my child growing in yourbelly.”
“You’re lying,” Ebony managed to gasp out as Atlas got to his feet,enraged.
“Oh, I think you know I’m telling the truth, Ebony. Atlas, you have to come to terms with the fact…you married awhore.”
Cormac smiled, knowing exactly what Atlas would do next…and Atlas didn’t disappoint him, throwing himself at Cormac. The court was in an uproar, the security teams dragging Atlas off of Cormac. Ebony reached out for Atlas, but he wrenched himself from hergrip.
“Don’t touch me,” he spat at her. “Don’t ever come near me again…you just lost me, my nephew…I never want to see you again…” His eyes were wild, his face contorted withrage.
The shock was so powerful that she stopped still for a moment. Then Ebony reeled away and walked out of the court room, too numb to run, walked blindly through the halls, past curious onlookers, out of the building into the pouring rain. Deranged with grief and guilt, she kept walking through the downpour. And through it all, the realization replayed itself over and over in hermind.
Cormac Duggan was the father of her child, she knew it in her bones, and Atlas would never forgive her. She had losteverything…
Stanley Duggan kissedhis step-daughter as he strode back into the mansion. “Where ishe?”
“Upstairs. He’s…broken, Dad. That’s the only way I can describe it.” Bella sighed and hugged her arms around her slender body. “We can’t find Ebony anywhere. She gave her protection the slip and disappeared into the city. Juno and Obe are out looking forher.”
“What about Fino? Is hehere?”
“He is, but he knows something is wrong. He keeps asking for Ebony…I don’t know what to tellhim.”
Stanley sighed. “Maybe you should take him out, distracthim.”
“I thought of that too. We could go to the Aquarium, I know he likes itthere.”
Stanley smiled at her. “Your mother decided to stay in New York for a while,Bella.”
“Thankgod.”
Stan chuckled, hugging her. “Families are rarely, if ever, uncomplicated, Bella dear. Your mother loves you in the only way she knows howto.”
Bella rolled her eyes. “Go see Atlas, Dad. I’ll take Finoout.”
“Goodgirl.”
Atlas was staringout of the window in his bedroom as Stanley entered his room. “If you’re here to lecture me about responsibilities, I wouldn’t,” Atlas warned as he sawStanley.
Stanley sighed. “I’m not here to lecture anyone about anything, son.” He sat on the end of Atlas’s bed and ran a hand over his balding head. “But there’s a young woman out there, scared, distressed, andpregnant.”
“It’s not mychild.”
“I understood you knew that from the beginning. So why does it make a difference that it’s possibly Cormac’schild?”
Atlas looked at Stanley for a long moment. “For the life of me, I will never understand how you could have produced a son like Cormac. He’s petty, vindictive…and he’s taken everything away from me. Do you think the courts will grant me custody now? He knew exactly what he was doing, he knew I’d attackhim.”
“I’ll ask again…so it’s his child. I take it Ebony didn’tknow?”
