Sinclair (Bad Boys of WildeSide Book 2) Read online

  I stuffed them in my pocket and moved towards the stairs. He waited for me at the top and walked down beside me, opening the front door for me. Always the gentleman.

  I set the alarm and quickly followed him out.

  “Keys?” He held out his hand, and I handed them over without a word of protest. He locked my door, and we headed towards his car.

  About twenty minutes later, we pulled up outside a large, three-story house in one of the most expensive suburbs in Boston. The house itself was sided with beautiful redwood and had a wrap-around porch, giving it an old-world charm.

  I waited for Sinclair to open my door this time and climbed out slowly, looking up at the house. Now that I was here, I wasn’t entirely certain I’d made the best decision.

  Me. Sinclair. A house to ourselves.

  Resisting temptation was going to be difficult.

  As we made our way up to the front door, it opened, and an attractive, older woman stepped out, a big smile on her face.

  “Alec, I thought you were staying in the city tonight.”

  Sinclair leaned down and kissed the woman on the cheek. Petite, her dark hair was peppered with silver, and she was dressed beautifully in white pants and a rich red, silken top.

  “Hi, Mama, I was going to stay at my apartment, but I thought Darcy would be more comfortable here with you and Alice to look after her.”

  Mama? Was this his mother’s house? And who was Alice?

  He turned to me. “Darcy, meet my mother, Elise. Mama, this is Darcy. She’s a good friend of Ian and Cassie’s, and she’s not feeling well. I thought you might be able to look after her until her housekeeper returns tomorrow. I didn’t like the idea of her alone and ill.”

  I glanced up at him. Why hadn’t he told her I was pregnant? To protect me? Guilt mixed with irritation as I realized he was basically pawning me off on his mother. But I forced a smile on my face.

  “Hello, Mrs. Sinclair.”

  She waved her hand gracefully. “Please, my dear, call me Elise. Why don’t you come in, and I’ll have Alice get your bedroom ready?”

  “I don’t want to be any trouble.” I wished I’d told Sinclair that my fictional housekeeper would return tonight.

  “I’ll talk to Alice and take Darcy’s bag upstairs,” Sinclair offered, striding into the house.

  Elise clasped hold of my hand and pulled me inside. “Come, have a seat. Can I get you anything? Alec said you’re not feeling well?” There was no sign of any curiosity about who I was and why Sinclair had brought me home. I wondered how often he brought strange women home.

  “I’m fine, thanks. I’m really sorry to impose like this.”

  “Nonsense, you’re not imposing at all. In truth, I’m glad for the company. I actually live in Manhattan, but I come up here a lot. Otherwise, I’d never see my son. He’s a very busy man.”

  Busy running his criminal empire. I bit my lip to hold back my reply.

  “I think Alec would prefer I live in Boston full-time, where he could keep an eye on me, but my daughter, Carys is in college at NYU, so it suits me to live in Manhattan with her at the moment. Maybe later, I’ll move here.”

  “So this is Sinclair’s house?”

  “Yes, although he spends a lot of time in his apartment in the city. Are you sure I can’t get you something to drink or eat? You look a little pale to me.”

  I shook my head. I wasn’t certain what to say. What I should tell her. Awkward. The door opened, and Sinclair strode in. He moved to where a decanter and glasses rested on a silver tray. Everything looked expensive and classy. Completely different from my own house. All of the things my mother chose for the house cost a lot of money, but that was the only theme running through the house. The more it cost, the classier she thought something was.

  “Mama? Darcy? Drink?” He poured himself a drink.

  Darcy shook her head. “No thanks.”

  “No, thank you, dear. How was the wedding?”

  “Good.” He nodded.

  She turned to me, an exasperated look on her face. “Men. They are so terrible with details.”

  “It was beautiful,” I told her. “Cassie looked radiant, and Wilde seemed . . .”

  “Satisfied,” Sinclair offered. “He looked pleased with himself. And who could blame him?”

  “I’m so happy. Ian always seemed a bit lost to me.”

  Lost? That wasn’t the word I’d use to describe Wilde.

  “Alice is getting your room ready. She also said dinner would be ready in twenty minutes,” Sinclair said.

  His phone rang, and he frowned, leaving the room. Elise turned to me with a smile. “Would you like to freshen up, my dear?”

  “Thanks.” It all seemed a little surreal, but I couldn’t see any way to back out now.

  Elise showed me to a beautiful guest suite that was larger than my own bedroom, then left me alone. A big, four-poster bed dominated one end of the room, while at the other end there was a small seating area. I looked around for my bag, frowning when I didn’t see it. I finally opened the closet door to find my clothes hung up neatly, and my underwear and T-shirts folded in drawers.

  Wow. Okay, that was efficient. I moved into the attached bathroom and splashed some water on my face before studying myself in the mirror. What am I doing? Why am I here? It was madness. I should have insisted on taking that taxi home or on staying at my place. Instead, now I was at Sinclair’s house—about to have dinner with his mother.

  What must she think? She had to be wondering why Sinclair had brought me to his home.

  There was a knock on my door, and I moved back into the bedroom to open it. Sinclair stared down at me. “Sorry to interrupt. I have to leave. I just wanted to talk to you first.”

  Leave? He was leaving me alone with his mom? Betrayal and disappointment filled me. Of course, he wasn’t going to stick around, he had more important things to do than babysit me.

  “Maybe I should just go,” I said, truly regretting coming here now. “I could take a taxi home.”

  “No, definitely not.” He frowned down at me. “Stay here. I don’t like the idea of you on your own while you’re ill.”

  “But I’m not ill,” I hissed. “Why does your mom think I’m here? Does she think I’m your mistress?”

  He smiled. “My mistress? Now that would be interesting. No. If that were the case, I’d never introduce you to my mother.”

  I didn’t know how to take that. Did that mean he had a mistress? At his mysterious apartment in the city? Did it mean he didn’t view me in any sort of sexual way? Surprisingly, I was a bit put out by that thought.

  “I wanted to see you before I leave to make certain you have everything you need. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. I want you to stay here until I return.”

  “But my housekeeper will be back tomorrow.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “You can call her. Tell her you’re staying here.”

  “Ah, yes, of course. But then there’s no reason for me to stay if she’s back.”

  “Uh-huh. Except there is no housekeeper, is there?”

  I bit my lip, unable to continue the lie. He tapped my nose. “I don’t like to be lied to, little one. You get a pass because you’re not feeling well. But remember my rule in the future. I’d like you to stay. For my peace of mind. I’ll be awake nights worrying about you otherwise.”

  Yeah right.

  “My mother could use the company while I’m out of town.”

  Because she seemed very lonely. I wasn’t buying any of it. But I was already there, and I really didn’t want to return to my house. What would it hurt to stay a few days?

  Part of me wanted to ask what he was doing but, then again, I really didn’t want to.

  “The father. Who is he?”

  Father? What father? Oh. The father of my baby. I placed my hand on my stomach then drew it away. “Why?”

  “Doesn’t he deserve to know?”

  “Yes, of course.” Although I wasn’t actuall
y certain, I wanted him to know. Thinking about the future right now sent me into panic mode. I took a deep breath. One thing at a time. Right now, I had to deal with Sinclair. That was enough for any woman to handle. “I don’t know how to find him.”

  “But I can. Give me his name. I’ll find him for you.”

  I guess I should really call Nick. It was his baby, after all, and he should at least know I was pregnant, even if he didn’t want anything to do with our child.

  God, I didn’t even know what I was going to do with the baby.

  “I have no idea how to raise a baby.” Shoot. I hadn’t meant to say that aloud.

  “You can’t do it alone. You’re going to need help. Tell me his name.”

  “All right. If you think you can find his phone number or address, I guess I can take it from there. His name is Nicholas James Bellows. He’s twenty-four. We went to the same high school. His family still lives two blocks over from my place, although I never see them. They had a falling out with my parents a few years back.”

  Sinclair nodded. “I’ll find him for you. Just promise me you’ll stay here until I return. Rest. Let my mother and Alice look after you.”

  It didn’t seem such a bad idea, especially with Cassie and Wilde leaving for their honeymoon tomorrow. I hadn’t been looking forward to being all alone.

  “All right. I promise.”

  Chapter Three

  Darcy

  I smiled at Alice as she walked out with a tray of iced tea and ginger biscuits. Two things I’d grown rather fond of recently. I’d been here four days, and I felt better than I had in weeks. Nausea still plagued me, but overall I was feeling much more relaxed.

  And that was due to Alice and Elise, two of the nicest people I’d ever met. Still, it was always in the back of my mind I would have to leave soon. I was actually dreading Sinclair returning. I was kind of surprised he’d been gone this long and that I hadn’t heard from him. Maybe he was having trouble tracking Nick down.

  I laid back on the lounger, the sun beating down on me, thoughts scattered through my mind. I’d finished all my exams. I’d been accepted to Columbia, but I didn’t know how I could attend now. Law school was supposed to be challenging and tough, how could I study and look after a baby? What should I do? I still hadn’t called my parents. Would they return if they learned they were going to be grandparents?

  “Ah, here you are, my dear.” Elise walked towards me.

  I started to sit, but she waved me down. “Don’t get up. You rest.”

  “That’s all I’ve been doing. Resting and eating. Soon, I won’t be able to fit into this bathing suit. I can’t believe Sinclair ordered this for me and got it sent here so quickly.”

  “My son is a force to be reckoned with. He can achieve anything he puts his mind to.”

  “I know. I intended to take a taxi home the day of the wedding and instead I found myself here, promising to stay until he returned.”

  “Yes, he has a way of getting what he wants. His father was the same. It takes a strong woman to be with a man like my son. Someone who won’t let him walk over her, but also understands his need to be in control.”

  My stomach tightened. Not a woman like me, she meant.

  Elise smiled. “I must admit, when he first brought you home, I wondered if he was introducing me to his girlfriend. I’ve been hoping Alec would find a nice girl. Someone who’d see past what he does. Everyone comes to Alec with their problems, their issues. He looks after everyone else—it would be nice if he had someone special to look after him. He’s never brought a girlfriend back here, you know. Not to meet me.”

  “Never?”

  “Well, he introduced me to a few girlfriends in high school. But Alec is very protective of his sister and me and he is a very private man. He would never bring someone back here unless he was serious about them.”

  “We don’t have that sort of relationship, though,” I told her. “We’re not together or anything.”

  She smiled gently. “No? Perhaps not. But you never know what might happen in the future.”

  I stared down at my hands. “There is something you don’t know.”

  “That you’re pregnant?”

  She knew? “Sinclair told you?”

  “No, my dear. My son wouldn’t break your confidence. Alice heard you vomiting the day after you arrived, then you ate a large breakfast after. I figured you were either pregnant or had an eating disorder.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “No, I’m pregnant.”

  “I remember my first few months pregnant with Alec; I was so ill I couldn’t keep anything down. Ended up in the hospital a few times, to my husband’s horror. He never could stand it when I was ill. My pregnancy with Carys was a breeze in comparison, even though I was quite a few years older. She was a bit of a surprise child. After Alec played such havoc on my health, my husband put his foot down and said we weren’t having any more children.” She laughed. “He was very much like Alec. Very commanding. Somewhat gruff and intimidating. But he loved me, loved his family. And I soon learned how to get my own way.”

  “When did he die?” I asked.

  “Five years ago. I miss him every day.”

  I reached over and squeezed her hand. My awkwardness had soon disappeared under Elise’s gentle care. I wished my mother were more like Elise. It was obvious how much she loved her family.

  “I take it the father isn’t around?” Elise asked.

  I looked out across the glistening pool. “He doesn’t know. Sinclair’s trying to find him.”

  “My son is good at finding people. Do you want him to be found?”

  That was the crux. I didn’t really know Nick anymore. I didn’t think we’d have anything in common. Which made it even sadder that we’d created this baby together.

  “I don’t know. Part of me thinks it would be easier if he didn’t know. I don’t know him that well, and I don’t know if I like him. I know that sounds terrible. I created this little person with him, and I don’t even know where he is.”

  “Things happen that we don’t always expect or anticipate. It’s how we react that shapes our lives. I understand you’re most likely scared and nervous. I know I was. That little baby will turn your life upside down. Things will never be the same. But you’ll also never love anyone like you do that baby. That I can promise you.”

  I nodded. “I haven’t even thought about it that much. I’ve just been trying to get through each day.”

  “I understand. At some point, though, you do need to think about the future. You’ll need to think about what you’re going to do. You haven’t mentioned your family.”

  “They’re overseas. My parents that is. I don’t really have anything to do with my extended family.” My parents had alienated them years ago, along with pretty much everyone else we knew here in Boston.

  “Have you called them?”

  “No. I know I need to.” Tomorrow. I’d do it tomorrow.

  Sinclair

  I didn’t want to do this. Didn’t want to bring this man into my house. Back into her life. He wasn’t good enough for her. He wouldn’t treat her like I would. Or maybe that was just my prejudice talking.

  Because I wanted to be the father of her baby. I wanted to be the man looking after her. I wanted her to be mine. But that couldn’t be. And that was a hard, bitter pill to swallow. I’d planned it all out. A long, slow courtship, because she was young and innocent. Followed by marriage, kids, and growing old together.

  A week ago I’d had a reality check. She wasn’t mine. Couldn’t be. Because this child deserved a mother and a father. I had some old-fashioned beliefs when it came to marriage and children. I didn’t believe in divorce.

  I also knew what it was like to have someone hide something important from me.

  So I’d had my cousin down that-that, well, him. I didn’t have to like him. And I’d never think he was good enough for her. But it wasn’t about me. It was about that baby. I had to put my feelings aside and do w
hat was best for the child.

  “This is where you live?” He looked out the window. “Kind of reminds me of my grandma’s place.”

  I ground my teeth together, the urge to teach him some manners goading me. But he was young. He’d been raised differently than I had. He would learn, grow, mature.

  “And the money will be in my bank account tomorrow?”

  My stomach tightened. My instincts screamed at me. This was a mistake, but wasn’t this the way it should be? Family should be with family. It’s what my father taught me. It’s what I was raised to believe. People might look at me and see a man without morals, but I had them. I had rules I lived by.

  Women and children came first. Always. They were to be protected—no matter what.

  Would this young kid look after Darcy and the child? Perhaps I wasn’t giving him enough credit. Maybe the baby would mature him. Would settle him. Would make him cut his hair and bathe more regularly.

  I’d also promised him enough money to ensure they were well taken care of.

  “Yes. But that money is for Darcy and the baby.” I didn’t want him smoking or drinking it away. “You’ll clean yourself up. Stay sober. Look after them. No drugs.”

  “Hey, I’ve done a little bit for recreation, but who hasn’t? Of course, I’m gonna look after them, man. They’re my family, right?” He smiled. “I’ll take her back to her parents’ house. They have a big mansion, plenty of money. We’ll be all good.”

  I hoped so. I’d be keeping watch, to make sure. I’d looked into Darcy’s parents. They’d won their money in the lottery when Darcy was a child. They spent more time overseas partying than they did at home. I knew Darcy was an adult. Technically, she didn’t need her parents. But she was also quite sensitive, and I sensed her hurt over their absence.

  Maybe once they knew of their grandchild, they’d return home.