don’t tell your father I’m coming.”
Her eyes darkened with worry, but she gave a short nod, and he left before he dragged her into his arms and reminded her that she was his wife.
But he couldn’t push her.
Because he was afraid of what he mightfind—that she’d moved on without him.
He couldn’t tell her that he was investigating her father, either. Not until he was sure about his facts.
He climbed into his Range Rover and started the engine. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Melvin Landry’s face when he realized he’d been caught in his lies.
And when he discovered that Mack was back in their lives.
* * *
T HE NEXT MORNING Lily was ready to go by seven. She hadn’t slept a wink for thinking about Mack. She opened her jewelry drawer, removed her wedding ring and rubbed her fingers over the silver band.
Mack had apologized for not giving her diamonds, but she hadn’t cared. She’d been so in love with him she could barely breathe. She’d had diamonds from her father; she’d wanted romance and excitementfrom Mack. She’d thought his undercover work risky but had thrived on living on the wild side.
Now that she had a child, Lily wasn’t sure she wanted to take those risks again. Or to worry about whether Mack would come home at night. Or if some dangerous criminal might attack her or Winston to get revenge against him.
For eight years, she’d grieved for him, had told Winston stories abouthow tough his father had been. That he’d saved lives and protected innocents.
Even though she’d wondered about the charges against him.
And now here he was alive, claiming he’d been framed, and he wanted to meet his son.
Why had her father lied to her? And why had he told Mack she was dead?
Because Mack was right. Her father had never wanted them to be together.
Freshtears blurred her eyes, but she blinked them away. She had to rely on her anger this morning to face her father.
A knock sounded on the door, and she checked the peephole. Just as she’d expected, Mack stood on the stoop. A sight she’d craved for so long that her knees nearly buckled.
Last night he’d looked like a renegade, his hair shaggy, his beard a few days old and his clothes wrinkled,as if he’d slept in them for days.
Today he looked freshly shaven, his hair trimmed, and he wore clean jeans and a white collared shirt.
Her body hummed with arousal. Part of her wanted to haul him to bed and remind him how much she’d loved him.
But she had to think of her son. Technically Mack still needed to clear his name.
Her palms were sweating as she opened the door.Mack shifted, looking nervous. That small display made her heart throb with affection.
And anger at her dad for keeping them apart. Winston deserved to know his father.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
She nodded. “I’ll drive my car, though. I’ll need it later.”
Mack frowned but agreed, and he followed her to her father’s estate. They walked to the door together, the mood tense asLily rang the doorbell.
Anita answered. “Why, Miss Lily, what are you doing knocking?”
Lily gestured toward Mack. “I brought someone with me. I thought it might be best. Would you tell Daddy to meet me in the study?”
Anita nodded. “Of course, dear.” Anita escorted them to her father’s office and gestured toward the coffeepot. “Help yourselves.”
“Where’s Winston?” Lily asked.
“At the batting cage. Do you want me to get him?”
“Not yet. Just tell Daddy I’m here.”
Anita nodded then disappeared, and Mack released a pent-up breath.
Lily wondered how she would feel if she was in his shoes. Eight long years of thinking his son had died and Mack was about to meet him.
Mack drummed his fingers on her father’s desk. “A batting cage?”
“Dad had onebuilt for Winston last year when he joined the school baseball team.”
Another event Mack had missed.
She wanted to hear her father’s reason for lying.
And she didn’t intend to let him off
Her eyes darkened with worry, but she gave a short nod, and he left before he dragged her into his arms and reminded her that she was his wife.
But he couldn’t push her.
Because he was afraid of what he mightfind—that she’d moved on without him.
He couldn’t tell her that he was investigating her father, either. Not until he was sure about his facts.
He climbed into his Range Rover and started the engine. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Melvin Landry’s face when he realized he’d been caught in his lies.
And when he discovered that Mack was back in their lives.
* * *
T HE NEXT MORNING Lily was ready to go by seven. She hadn’t slept a wink for thinking about Mack. She opened her jewelry drawer, removed her wedding ring and rubbed her fingers over the silver band.
Mack had apologized for not giving her diamonds, but she hadn’t cared. She’d been so in love with him she could barely breathe. She’d had diamonds from her father; she’d wanted romance and excitementfrom Mack. She’d thought his undercover work risky but had thrived on living on the wild side.
Now that she had a child, Lily wasn’t sure she wanted to take those risks again. Or to worry about whether Mack would come home at night. Or if some dangerous criminal might attack her or Winston to get revenge against him.
For eight years, she’d grieved for him, had told Winston stories abouthow tough his father had been. That he’d saved lives and protected innocents.
Even though she’d wondered about the charges against him.
And now here he was alive, claiming he’d been framed, and he wanted to meet his son.
Why had her father lied to her? And why had he told Mack she was dead?
Because Mack was right. Her father had never wanted them to be together.
Freshtears blurred her eyes, but she blinked them away. She had to rely on her anger this morning to face her father.
A knock sounded on the door, and she checked the peephole. Just as she’d expected, Mack stood on the stoop. A sight she’d craved for so long that her knees nearly buckled.
Last night he’d looked like a renegade, his hair shaggy, his beard a few days old and his clothes wrinkled,as if he’d slept in them for days.
Today he looked freshly shaven, his hair trimmed, and he wore clean jeans and a white collared shirt.
Her body hummed with arousal. Part of her wanted to haul him to bed and remind him how much she’d loved him.
But she had to think of her son. Technically Mack still needed to clear his name.
Her palms were sweating as she opened the door.Mack shifted, looking nervous. That small display made her heart throb with affection.
And anger at her dad for keeping them apart. Winston deserved to know his father.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
She nodded. “I’ll drive my car, though. I’ll need it later.”
Mack frowned but agreed, and he followed her to her father’s estate. They walked to the door together, the mood tense asLily rang the doorbell.
Anita answered. “Why, Miss Lily, what are you doing knocking?”
Lily gestured toward Mack. “I brought someone with me. I thought it might be best. Would you tell Daddy to meet me in the study?”
Anita nodded. “Of course, dear.” Anita escorted them to her father’s office and gestured toward the coffeepot. “Help yourselves.”
“Where’s Winston?” Lily asked.
“At the batting cage. Do you want me to get him?”
“Not yet. Just tell Daddy I’m here.”
Anita nodded then disappeared, and Mack released a pent-up breath.
Lily wondered how she would feel if she was in his shoes. Eight long years of thinking his son had died and Mack was about to meet him.
Mack drummed his fingers on her father’s desk. “A batting cage?”
“Dad had onebuilt for Winston last year when he joined the school baseball team.”
Another event Mack had missed.
She wanted to hear her father’s reason for lying.
And she didn’t intend to let him off
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