Whatever The Price. Jules Bennett
I’ve worked so hard to see this wing built. The dedication is in a few months and I plan on seeing this through.”
“And once it’s done, then what?” he asked, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “I know this is important to you, but—”
“But nothing.” A helpless laugh escaped her. “I will take care of Lily just fine. I want her to grow up learning to help others and that not everything needs to be done in order to get a paycheck.”
“That paycheck has given you a home, a life that you never would’ve had otherwise.”
Charlotte turned her back, unable to look him in the eye. “I never asked for any of this, Anthony. Never. All I wanted was a happy marriage, a family.”
“I’m giving you a family now,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently. His familiar crisp scent surrounded her. “I know how much children mean to you. I know I wasn’t putting you first. But I’m ready now.”
How many times had she longed to hear him say that? To know that her needs and wants matched his. If only they’d discussed these big milestones before saying “I do,” but they’d been young and in love and at the time, that’s all that mattered. He was offering security and a home of love … two things she’d never had.
She turned back to face him. Years of heartache and lack of communication settled between them. “I don’t want a family out of guilt or obligation. I wanted a family out of love. I will take care of Lily like she’s my own, but know that we won’t be raising her together.”
“Don’t shut me out,” he whispered. “Don’t. You supported me once, even enjoyed my work. I know we’ve changed over the years, but I never stopped loving you. Surely the lies from the tabloids …”
Charlotte shook her head. “No, I know you’d never cheat on me. You never could find time for me, let alone someone else. That was the problem, Anthony. You’re so self-absorbed, you can’t see I would’ve done anything for you. And for years … I did.”
His eyes bored into her, the muscle in his jaw clenched. “I won’t lose you. I won’t.”
His mouth came down on hers, and the force of his hold trapped her hands between their bodies. Charlotte clutched his shirt, whether to shove him back or hold on for stability she had no clue. No one could make her nerves and hormones spike like Anthony. No one could match his passion and intensity.
And no one else could elicit both love and hate in her at the exact same time.
But she couldn’t afford to let sex cloud her view of reality, and the reality was that Anthony would never put anything or anyone above his star-studded career.
Charlotte pulled back, staring into his mesmerizing eyes, knowing how fast and easy she could lose herself in them. “Don’t. Don’t touch me like you have the right. I’ve said it before, but obviously it bears repeating. Nothing’s changed.”
Anthony’s hand cupped her cheek. “Everything’s changed, Charlie, and the sooner you realize I’m not giving up, the easier this transition will go.”
Anthony sat in his study looking over his sister’s will. What in the hell had she been thinking not telling him about the guardianship in the event of her death?
Probably what most people thought when making a will—they wouldn’t die young so there was no need to worry.
But damn, this was something he needed to know in advance, instead of being dealt another blow so soon after her death.
Rachel’s death.
Those two words had been bouncing around his head and his heart for days. His beautiful, vibrant sister was gone. He’d never see her smile again unless he looked at old pictures. Baby Lily would never see just how much her mother loved her. So much so that she’d been artificially inseminated because she hadn’t been looking for a relationship and had wanted a child.
How could fate be this cruel to have his sister taken away, his wife on the verge of divorcing him and the discovery that he was the biological son of Hollywood’s most recognized star all in the span of a year? His life had taken a dramatic twist, and he honest-to-God didn’t know which way was up anymore.
This time last year his world had upended when he’d discovered he had been given up for adoption at birth by the Hollywood icon Olivia Dane. Not only that, he’d discovered his most hated rival, Bronson Dane, was his half brother. Unfortunately, with Bronson as Hollywood’s top producer and Anthony one of the top directors, their paths crossed.
Since the truth had come out, tabloids had exploited the family’s forty-year-old secret. The four of them—his biological mother and siblings Bronson and Victoria—had all put up a united front and issued a press release, but no public appearances had been made together. Anthony hadn’t had time to take a break between work and fielding media inquiries. His assistant deserved a raise for all the calls and emails she’d had to answer.
Anthony’s eyes drifted back down to the document stating that he and Charlotte were guardians of Lily. A knot formed in his stomach. His knowledge of babies was very limited. All he knew, as of this moment, was that Charlotte had no problem putting Lily to sleep and all his niece did when he held her was scream and cry.
He had no clue how to make a bottle, though he’d winged it the past couple days when no one else had been around. The diaper thing was still very iffy, and he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to use that half container of wipes when her diaper had nearly exploded, but he wanted to be safe. He had a master’s degree, for crying out loud, and had worked on multimillion-dollar movie sets, so why did some powder formula and moist wipes terrify him?
Because this was his sister’s kid. Because he would do everything in his power to honor his sister’s memory and love and care for this child like his own. And because he wanted to prove to Charlotte he could do family and a career.
Family was starting to mean more and more to him. He and his sister had really banded together after their parents had passed away—his father from a heart attack and his mother after a long battle with thyroid cancer.
And when he’d discovered who his birth mother was, Rachel had urged him to contact her, to make a relationship and try to put the differences with Bronson aside. With the unsettled atmosphere surrounding his marriage, he’d found it easier to open up to his sister. Just one more of the communication mistakes he’d made.
And even though Rachel had been his best friend, he never told her about his marital problems. She’d read the tabloids, seen the damning headlines, but he’d always been able to convince her the media was just fishing for a story. No way would he admit defeat to anyone, even to himself. Especially to himself.
The marriage was not over. He’d do everything in his power to show Charlotte he was the husband, the father she wanted him to be.
No, children weren’t something he’d been willing to negotiate before while working, but now everything had changed. Fate had handed him a second chance at a family and he was grabbing hold with both hands, never letting go.
Anthony calculated the time in his head. Ninety days to convince Charlotte they were meant to be, now more than ever. Ninety days to stay by her side and bond with his niece.
Ninety days to have her fall in love with him all over again and win her back, using every means necessary.
And he knew just where to start.
Three
“What are you doing?”
Anthony cringed at the tone in Charlotte’s voice. “Packing.”
Without turning to look at her, he continued gathering his things and folding them into his suitcase. He knew this would get ugly, but there was no way to avoid the confrontation. He hadn’t told her he needed to be away on business. Had he mentioned it before he got her to move back in, she never