Alpha Billionaire Series
Just Another Chance Chapter 14

TANNER

comes up with every excuse in the world why we can't.

It's been a couple of weeks since Addie and I have been sleeping together again and everything is going so well. At least I thought so until I began to notice a pattern- we only spend the afternoons making love at my loft. When I mention staying at her place, she It's not clean. My sister is there. I have to run to the South Grove house. I like your place better.

And then there's the whole strange afternoon thing. She absolutely will not spend the night with me. Once the clock hits 6pm, she's out of here like Cinderella racing away before her carriage turns into a pumpkin again.

I don't understand it and I'm beginning to get suspicious. Why does she refuse to invite me up to her apartment? Why does she leave so early? And why are her excuses sounding more and more hollow as the days pass. After all we've been through, I don't want secrets between us, and I'm scared she's hiding something from me. My gut tells me she is, and I hate that.

But what?

Last night, after doing everything in my power to get her to stay at the loft and spend the night in my arms- short of tying her to my bed- she got dressed and was on her way out the door when I brought my concerns up. "Is there something I should know?" I asked her.

She abruptly stopped, turned and I couldn't miss the fleeting look of guilt that crossed her face. "What do you mean?"

"You're always running out on me after s*x. I'm starting to feel used."

I was joking, of course, but she didn't laugh. Neither did I.

"Tanner, I'm sorry. I have to get home because, um..."

And, for the first time, she didn't have an excuse all prepared. I'm fairly good at detecting bullshit and last night, Addie was full of it. So, all day, I've been driving myself insane with curiosity and wondering what in the world is she hiding? Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on Jo bn ib.com. Visit J obn I b.com to read the complete chapters for free. The more I think about it, the crazier things my imagination conjures up. It's to the point now where I'm picturing a husband or some significant other and I know that's ridiculous. Even so, I want answers and if Addie refuses to give them to me then I'm determined to replace out myself.

I lost two years with this woman and I'm not about to let anything else come between us. Especially some stupid secret.

So, I do the only thing I can do; I get in my car and drive over. She's not expecting me and I'm going to take her by complete surprise which may not be a good thing. But, at this point, I don't care. I need to know the truth. I'm desperate for it.

I park my Mercedes down the street and walk up to her building, feet slightly dragging. This is it. I'm going to replace out what she's hiding and that could be a very bad thing. It could break the fragile trust between us.

The building's front door just happens to open as a tenant walks out. Perfect timing. I grab the door before it can close and lock, then walk up the stairs to the second floor.If you are not reading this novel on Jobni b.com, some sentences are incomplete. She did mention being upstairs, but I'm not sure what apartment is hers.

Pulling my phone out, I call her. A faint ringing comes from the apartment at the end of the hallway, and I walk toward it, heart in my throat. I'm not doing anything wrong, but suddenly I feel like I'm being sneaky- trying to catch her in the act of something bad. "Hi," she says, sounding a little breathless.

"Hey. What're you doing?" I ask. I stop in front of her door and can hear her voice through the thin walls.

"Oh, um, nothing. Just cleaning up. What're you doing?"

"Thinking about you."

"Oh, really?" she says in a flirty voice.

"Yep. After you left earlier, I couldn't stop thinking about you. So, I hope you don't mind that I'm standing outside your door right now."

Silence. Then I hear a swift intake of breath.

"Addie?"

"You're here? Right now?" she whispers.

I can hear her moving around inside of her apartment. What's she doing? Hiding something from me before she lets me inside? God, I hate the suspicion filling me and it's driving me absolutely bonkers.

"Yeah, I hope that's okay," I say, trying to keep my voice neutral. "Come let me in."

"Okay. Hang on. Be there in a sec."

She hangs up and I wait for another minute for her to finish whatever she's doing and then the door slowly opens. Her dark eyes meet mine and she looks...nervous. Hell, more than that. She looks scared out of her mind. What the hell is going on?I wonder.

"C'mon in," she says and pushes the door open all the way.

I walk in, not exactly sure what to expect, but it's a cozy, little place. A lot like her last apartment, actually. It's also filled with flowers- literally on every surface- and that makes me smile. I'm never going to stop buying them for her.

My gaze drops and I see what looks like a child's toy car on the carpet. And that's when I notice the baby swing in the corner and the highchair in the kitchen that's just within my view.

Why does she have all these things? Is she babysitting?

"Tanner, come sit down," she says, and I follow her over to the couch.

I slowly sit down beside her, and my gaze drops to the coffee table where a pacifier sits. On the edge of the table, I see a juice box.

Confusion fills me and I turn to study Addie. She looks like a deer caught in headlights and when she reaches for my hand, I instantly lace my fingers through hers.

"There's something that I've been meaning to tell you."

"Okaaay," I say slowly.

"I...have a son."

My mouth drops and all I can do is blink stupidly. It takes a moment for her words to register. I can't speak and it hits me hard that she slept with someone else after we broke up and I never did. I can't be upset about it, though. We weren't together and she thought I didn't want to be with her.

"Is he here?" I ask, looking around.

She nods. "He's in his crib. Would you like to meet him?"

"Yeah, sure." What the hell am I supposed to say? I am in absolute shock right now.

"Hang on. I'll go get him."

Addie disappears down the hallway and I'm at a loss. I can't believe she has a child. Who the hell is the father? I wonder. And where the hell is he? Is she raising this baby on her own? Anger surges up inside of me and then she reappears, carrying a little boy. When she sits down on the couch next to me, the little boy turns and smiles at me and my heart expands. The first thing I notice is he has big hazel eyes and he's a very happy little guy. My mouth edges up. "Tanner, this is Owen."

"Hi, Owen," I say and reach out to hold his chubby, little hand in a little shake. My gaze lifts and pins Addie. "Where is Owen's father?" I ask, failing miserably when I try to sound casual.

"He isn't in the picture," she answers carefully.

I don't want to think about another man ever being in Addie's life, much less in her bed, and the less I know right now, the better probably. I'm feeling far too possessive over her. I want to kill the man who got her pregnant and left her, though.

I'm honestly not sure how to act right now. It's hard for me to process this and I'm feeling extremely overwhelmed. I rake a hand through my hair and suddenly it feels like the walls are closing in on me.

"Are you okay?" Addie asks quietly.

I'm staring down at Owen's pudgy fingers, wrapped around my index finger, and what am I supposed to say? I have to be okay with this, right? "I guess I'm a little shocked. I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

She takes a deep breath. "Tanner, after what happened two years ago, I think it's best we take things really slowly right now. Assuming you want to pursue this. Pursue us, I mean."

"Are you serious right now?" How can she question the way I feel about her?

"Yes, I am. A child changes everything," she says emphatically. "And I don't want to rope you into something you're not prepared for or wanting to deal with."

She's studying me closely and I let go of Owen's hand. "Addie, I want you in my life again. And if Owen is your son that means he's going to be a part of my life, too. I'm assuming you kind of come as a package deal." She chuckles and she sounds so nervous. "Yes, we do."

Reaching for her hand, I frown. "Did you really think I'd ditch out after I found out about him?"

Tears brighten her eyes. "Honestly, I didn't know, Tanner."

Jesus. I'd like to think I'm a little bit better of a person than that. If she believes I would've left, she sure as hell doesn't think very highly of my character. "That stings," I admit, pinning her with a hurt look.

She frowns and squeezes my hand. "I'm sorry, this is coming out all wrong. I never meant to insult you. It's not that I thought you'd leave; it's that I hated the idea of forcing you into something you might not want or be ready for. I guess what I'm trying to say is I want to give you an option." "You're the only option I want."

She nods and gives me a half smile, but she doesn't look convinced. In fact, she seems very uneasy, and I can't quite figure out why. Cat's out of the bag, right? Now that I know she has a child, what the hell else could she possibly be hiding? Fuck. Nothing, I hope.

"Does Owen like ice cream?" I ask carefully.

"He loves it," she answers, face brightening.

"Then let's go out and get him some." I stand up. "C'mon. I'd like to get to know him better."

Addie looks up at me, eyes shining again with unshed tears. "Really?" she asks softly.

It hurts that she seems so unsure of me and my intentions now that I know she has a son. I stifle a sigh and nod. "Well, yeah. Let's go."

The dynamics have changed slightly now that we're carrying a toddler around with us, but for some reason, it feels right. And while we're eating ice cream and talking at the little cafe down the street, I am enjoying our little dynamic immensely. The kid's a riot. He's smart as a whip and always smiling and laughing. Addie tells me he's almost two years old which instantly sends bells ringing in my head. That means she would've slept with someone else right after leaving me. Apparently, Owen is the result of her rebound.

I don't like thinking about that for too long. So, instead, I concentrate on getting to know Owen better. There's just something about him that tugs on my heart strings. Hard. I can't stop staring at him and, for some odd reason, I feel a connection to the little man. I don't know if it's because he isn't going to have a relationship with his father and neither did I. Or because the more I look at him, the more similarities I see...to myself.

Straight up, the kid looks like me. He has brown hair and hazel eyes. And I know everyone says all babies look the same, but his mannerisms are starting to freak me out. He tugs on his ear and my mom used to always scold me for doing the same thing when I was younger. He also does this squinty-eye thing that I do when I'm thinking something through and weighing my options.

And then it hits me like a bolt out of the blue.

Could Owen be mine?

Addie and I were always pretty careful, but accidents happen. And, truthfully, there were a couple times that she could've easily gotten pregnant because we got sloppy. Sometimes the heat got too intense, and our passion overruled everything else including common sense and condoms.

But if Owen is mine, why wouldn't she have said so? I'm so confused by the time our evening is over and Addie tucks Owen into bed. It's a little after 7pm and I'm not sure if she wants me to leave or stay. God knows, I want to spend the night.

We walk out of Owen's room and my mind is buzzing. Addie must sense it because she turns to me and eyes me closely. "I know this was a lot tonight. What're you thinking?" she asks softly.

"It was a heavy evening," I admit, "but in a good way. Owen is a really good little man."

A smile lights up her face. "You think so?"

"He's great. You've done an amazing job raising him."

"Thank you. That means a lot. It wasn't always easy."

"I'm sure it wasn't." I clench my jaw, wanting to ask her questions about the father, but I'd rather take her to bed.

"Will you stay the night?" she asks quietly as though reading my mind.

"I thought you'd never ask," I say and sweep her up into my arms. As I walk back to her bedroom, she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me hard. There's a passion burning between us that warns me things are about to get intense.

I toss her on the bed and quickly undress. I'm not playing games tonight. Especially since we might get interrupted by the little one at any point. Addie is on the exact same page and sheds her clothes even quicker than I do.

"Is he a good sleeper?" I ask, dropping kisses along her neck.

"If we're lucky, he'll sleep until six or seven."

I let out a low groan as she wraps her hand around my raging erection and starts caressing and squeezing. "Perfect," I utter, moving my hips. I was referring to Owen sleeping in, but now it's the way her hands are teasing, slowly driving me into a frenzy. Then she moves down my body and when her warm, wet mouth wraps around my c**k, I nearly lose my mind.

"Holy hell, Addie..." I moan when she sucks me to the back of her throat. My fingers thread through her hair and my hips buck up off the mattress.

That tongue of hers swirls and licks from my tip all the way down to the base and my eyes roll back in my head. But no. Not yet. I refuse to come until I'm deep inside her sweet, wet warmth. I grab her shoulders and pull her up, flipping her over onto her stomach. I lick up her spine then roll back on my heels and hoist her ass up into the air, my fingers digging into her hips. I'm feeling incredibly feral and possessive right now. Like a fucking caveman and I'm about to mark my woman. Brand her hard with my c**k from behind. My throbbing tip replaces her wet slit and rubs teasingly until she's moaning and pressing back against my hips. "You like that?" I ask, grinding against her.

She mumbles something incoherent, and I reach around and start rubbing her clit.

"What did you say?" I ask, pressing hard.

"Tanner..." She's panting wildly, fingers clawing into the bedspread. "Please..."

"Please what? Tell me exactly what you want."

"You," she gasps. "Inside me."

That's all the invitation I need. I look down, watching as I enter her in one powerful stroke, and she cries out, shoving back against me. I begin to thrust hard, watching where our bodies connect, sliding and gliding in and out of her. Licking my lips, I pump harder, filling her and, at the same time, driving her to the edge with my fingers. Her body clenches around me and I can feel the internal spasms move through her like tiny electrical pulses.

"Oh, God!"

"Fuck!" My orgasm slams into me and I drive into her with one last powerful stroke. Everything tightens then explodes in release and I fall over her. We drop forward on the bed with an oomph, and I don't mean to land on her, but fucking hell, every muscle in my body is shuddering and shaking.

Easing out of her, I turn and I'm laying across her body, breathing hard, trying to catch my breath.

Just in case she doubted what was happening between us, that ought to have cleared it up.

Addie Hayes is mine. She always has been, and she always will be.

The next day, I'm sitting in my loft, remembering how hot of a night I had over at Addie's when my younger brother Sawyer texts me and asks if I want to grab a beer. We're three years apart, but we all know Sawyer was an "oops" baby. My mom admitted it and we always teased Sawyer about it. He's the rebel of the Beckett clan and ran off and joined the military to spite our father the moment Thomas tried to start making decisions for Sawyer.

I agree and meet Sawyer at a small pub not far away. With a head of shaggy brown hair and dark brown eyes, I spot my brother over in the corner nursing a beer. "Hey," I say and sit down next to him. We greet each other with a hand slide and knuckle bump. "What's up, Tan?"

I arch a brow and realize he's had quite a few drinks already. "You okay?" I ask.

"Peachy fucking keen," Sawyer answers. "How're you?"

Sawyer has always been the sarcastic asshole of the family, but I love him dearly and we've always understood each other. Sawyer and Nash used to butt heads constantly and Crew was never around to bond with anyone. By default, he and Sierra are close, but I chalk it up to the fact that they're twins.

I give him a dark laugh. "Oh, man, you don't even want to hear what's going on with me."

Sawyer sits up straighter. "Okay, now I'm curious. Fill me in, bro."

I really have no idea where to start. "You remember Addie, right?"

"We all remember Addie. She fucked you up and, if I'm going to be honest, you've never been the same."

"Well, she's back."

"Oh, hell," Sawyer murmurs and takes a swig of beer. "Have you talked to her?"

"Oh, we've done a little more than that."

Sawyer frowns. "Don't tell me you're sleeping with her."

I nod. "We've been together nearly every day since I ran into her over a month ago."

"Tanner, she broke your heart. Hell, she shattered it. Do you really think this is a good idea?"

I know he's right, but things are different this time around. "We're good together. Like matching pieces of a puzzle."

He smirks and tosses me a sardonic look.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand since you've never been in love."

"You say it as though it's a bad thing," Sawyer comments. "I'll have you know that I'm damn proud of that fact. Sometimes I think I'm the only smart one. First Nash falls head over heels for his nemesis and now you're back with the heartbreaker. You guys are gluttons for punishment. Love is for suckers."

"Maybe I should be talking to Nash about this," I say.

"Fuck Nash. You talk to me."

"Then I'm going to need you to set aside your hostility toward love."

"Done," Sawyer says with a wave of his beer bottle. "So, what's the problem?"

"I don't know if I'd say it's a problem so much as there is a small complication."

Sawyer arches a dark brow.

"Addie has a son," I say.

"Really?" He taps a finger on the tabletop, eyeing me closely. "And how do you feel about that?"

I'm not sure how to answer that question yet, so I don't. "His name is Owen and he's almost two."

"Where's the father? Is he in the picture at all?"

"That's where things get weird. She claims he's not around, yet she won't go into any detail. Here's the thing that's bothering me- Addie was never the type to sleep around. She didn't have hook-ups or one-night stands. And, Sawyer, the kid..." My voice catches. "What?" he presses.

"He looks like me."

"Holy shit," Sawyer murmurs. "You think he's yours? Is that even possible?"

"Yeah, it is. The timing is right. So, either he's mine or she had a rebound right after leaving here. And I just can't see that happening."

"She must've already been pregnant," Sawyer muses and scratches his chest.

"The age and timing make sense."

"And you don't think she would've hopped into bed with someone else just to spite you?"

I shake my head. "I don't. And, like I said, that was never her style. She's got too much class."

"So why the hell wouldn't she tell you if the kid is yours?"

"I don't know. Maybe she's scared we're going to break up again. Or that I don't want to be a father." I shove a hand through my hair, trying to understand her logic for keeping such an enormous, life-altering fact hidden from me. "Maybe she thinks I'll be a bad father."

I hate that thought, but what if it's true?

"Please," Sawyer scoffs. "You would be Father of the Year- despite having a terrible role model yourself."

He has a point. If I had a child, I'd do everything in my power to give him the best life possible. "If Owen is mine, apparently Addie doesn't think very highly of me when it comes to being a father if she won't even tell me I am one." And that hurts me on a visceral level. "Maybe you should just flat-out ask her."

"Maybe." I sigh and take a drink of my beer. "After all we've been through, I can't imagine that she'd lie to me."

"Bro, if she's already lying, especially about having your baby, that's not a good sign."

Fuck.Sawyer is right. How're we supposed to move forward and build a foundation if she doesn't trust me? And why doesn't she trust me? Because of what happened with Chella? Would she really punish me like that and withhold this kind of life-altering information?

"So, what're you going to do about it?" he asks.

"I'm going to confront her," I decide. "Ask her point-blank and see what she says. Maybe I'm being crazy, and Owen really is someone else's."

"What does your gut tell you"

"That he's mine," I say in a low voice.

And I don't know if that's better or worse than if Owen belongs to another man. It hurts my feelings to think Addie would've slept with someone else right after leaving me and was careless enough to get pregnant.

But it rips my soul out if she's keeping our child a secret from me because she doesn't think I'd be a good dad.

Either way, it's time to replace out the truth once and for all.