The Road to Rose Bend by Naima Simone (best book club books of all time txt) 📕

reply to you and your attorney. As a matter of fact, send me his email address, since that is where I will be sending any further communication between us.”

Daniel stared at her, his expression stony, implacable. Dipping his head in a rigid nod, he stalked across the room, but paused on the threshold.

“It doesn’t have to be this way, Sydney,” he said, quietly.

“I don’t know what other way you expected it to be, Daniel,” she returned, just as softly.

She closed the door behind him.

And then slid down the wood until her behind hit the floor.

Only then, did she allow the fear to roll over her, swamping her. Tears stung her eyes, and she squeezed them closed. Now wasn’t the time to break down. She had to be strong not just for herself, but for her baby. But God... Did Daniel really hate her that much? Would he actually replace her in her baby’s life?

She wasn’t certain about the answer to the first question, but “yes” boomed in her head in reply to the second. Yes, he would. Because one thing she knew about her ex-husband. When he believed he was right, nothing could change his opinion or his course of action.

No. Sydney pushed herself to her feet, wiping away the few tears that had managed to escape. She definitely could not afford to break down, because she had a fight to prepare for.

And win.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“I NEED YOU.”

Cole stared, lips parted in surprise, as Sydney blew past him into his living room.

Slowly shutting his front door, he couldn’t decide what concerned him more—the iron fist of lust that plowed into him at those three words or the tiny pink shorts and oversize hoodie she wore that simultaneously clung to her voluptuous curves and dwarfed them.

He briefly closed his eyes, his fingers curling around the doorknob. Maybe if he still couldn’t taste her kiss... Maybe if he still couldn’t feel the soft imprint of those lush lips on his mouth... Maybe if he hadn’t fisted himself to her memory last night...

Maybe if those damn shorts didn’t reveal so much...

Then, maybe he could turn around and look at her, find out what she was doing here at eight thirty in the morning, obviously upset. But then he did face her, and his gaze dipped to her blue-painted toes in flip-flops, up her deliciously bare, thick legs, over the hooded sweatshirt that didn’t hide the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra.

“I need you.”

Those repeated three words were imbued with a desperation he’d missed when she’d pushed into his home. He jerked his scrutiny to her face. His worry surged, shoving the desire down to a manageable simmer. His dick didn’t matter as much as whatever caused her eyes to darken to nearly black, or what incited those faint tear tracks on her cheeks.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded, his voice rough with concern and rage at whoever had placed those haunted shadows in her eyes. She didn’t immediately answer. She inhaled a breath, her arms crossing over her chest and her chin dipping in a self-protective pose.

“Sydney?” he prompted, trying—and failing—to keep the edge out of his tone.

“Daniel,” she replied, voice hoarse. Then, clearing her throat, she lifted her head, and said, louder, “Daniel was here.”

“Your ex?” Cole stalked forward, erasing the distance between them. His fingers itched like fire, needing to touch her, to soothe away the pain, the fear. “He called you?”

“No,” she said with a vehemence that was a little alarming. “He was here. In Rose Bend. At my cottage.” Her lips trembled, and she bit down into the full lower one.

He couldn’t have stopped himself from reaching for her if he’d wanted to—and right now, he didn’t want to. He cupped her jaw and absorbed her flinch. Murmuring soothing nonsense, he pressed his thumb to the middle of her lip and gently tugged, releasing the abused flesh. He rubbed the pad of his thumb back and forth over the small imprints left behind by her teeth. Because that hungry beast inside of him demanded he not let go, he dropped his arm. Took a step back.

“Go ahead,” he ordered, needing her to continue so he could help in any way he could—and so he didn’t surrender to the need that insisted he slip that thumb inside her mouth. Feel her tongue again. “Finish.”

“He showed up unannounced this morning. He...” She faltered, her arms tightening. “He intends to sue me for custody of the baby after she’s born. He’s engaged and believes he can give her a two-parent home with more financial stability. His lawyer assures him he can win. Cole—” Her voice cracked, and she abruptly stopped. Closed her eyes. Visibly gathered herself. But when she lifted her lashes and met his eyes again, panic glittered in the brown depths. “Cole, I can’t lose her. I can’t...”

“And you won’t,” he snapped, claiming the space between them again and cradling her elbows. “We talked about this before, Sydney. He has to establish paternity first, and he can’t do that until after the baby is born so the pregnancy isn’t endangered. Once that’s done, he can petition the court for custody, but if his lawyer is assuring him this is a slam dunk because he’s married and has more money, then that attorney is overconfident or lying. The burden to prove that a mother is unfit enough to remove a child—particularly an infant who needs her—is heavy. And it’s all on him to prove it.”

But she was already shaking her head. “That might’ve been true before, but with the way this country and the laws have been changing—especially laws and opinions toward women and their control over their own damn bodies—what you’re saying isn’t a given. A return to traditional values. Traditional families. With the right judge, the right connections, the right argument... Daniel has those connections. And knowing him, he’ll expend any amount of money to get what he wants. No, Cole. I’m scared. And I have a right to be.”

“I’m