“I don’t think I broke your heart. You always used to call me little rich bitch.”
“Don’t tell me you were that sensitive.”
“I’m joking.” She pulled from his grasp and sat up while covering herself with the covers. “Look, this is going to be hard for me to say
… ”
“Just say it. It’s been two years. I think I can handle the truth.”
“I stood you up because… I was pregnant with your son… Kelvin.”
The only sound in the room was that of the classic rock now playing on Tyler’s Bose. Tension filled the room and neither one of them spoke. For several minutes they sat staring at each other.
“I’m sorry. Say that again?” Tyler frowned and glared at her in disbelief as he sat up in bed. “Did you just say you were pregnant with my child?” He rose from the bed and paced back and forth in front of her.
Shame washed over Alexia as he continued shooting daggers at her with his eyes. She wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole so she wouldn’t have to face him. But that was exactly how her troubles had started in the first place.
“Dammit, Alexia! Answer me! We have a two-year-old son together?”
“Please hear me out.” She swallowed hard several times, afraid he would fly off the handle. He stood in front of her with folded arms. “Please… don’t hate me.”
“Finish it!” he demanded.
“I made the mistake of telling Mom, and she told Dad. This was after I didn’t show for our wedding. They wanted me to give him up-you know, get an abortion.”
“My child wasn’t good enough, right?” He smirked.
She looked at him for a few seconds. “I’m sorry. You know how they are. They wanted me to marry someone from our background. A self-made millionaire they’d already hand-picked for me.” She watched with grief when Tyler punched the wall and cursed.
He set his angry gaze on her. “It was supposed to have been me and you against the world back then.” He lowered his voice and plopped down on the bed beside her. “How could your parents have been such assholes?”
“They disowned me because I kept Kelvin.” She placed her hand on top of his. “He’s my world and so are you.”
“Apparently I wasn’t enough back then,” Tyler lamented.
“Back then I was confused and scared. I’ve known for a long time the mistake I made, and I’m so sorry.” She squeezed his hand. “If you hate me, I understand it, but please… Kelvin is your son. Don’t make him pay for my mistakes.”
He glanced at her sideways. “So. Had I never made the effort to seek you out, I wouldn’t have known, would I?”
“Honestly?”
He nodded. “Honestly.”
“Probably not. You were gone, your brother wouldn’t tell me where you were. I did try to find you. He was so mad at me. I don’t blame him, though.”
Tyler shook his head. “Yeah, that’s my fault, I suppose. He was honoring my wishes.” He clasped her hand between his and kissed it. “We’ve both made mistakes.” He lowered his head. “So. That’s why you’re dancing.”
Alexia nodded. “Yep. It’s only a temporary fix, at least until I can get in with Stallzheimer, Schmidt amp; MacKenzie. If you noticed, I don’t look directly at the crowd when I’m dancing. I’m looking over them. I have several drinks beforehand to loosen up.”
Tyler grinned. “Yeah. I saw that. I wasn’t just looking at that kick-ass bod of yours.” He winked at her and pulled her against him. “Time to get dressed and get our son.”