Part 11 (2/2)

couldn't leave Emma there, Bev. I couldn't have left a stranger's child

there.”

”No.” She took her hands from his to lift them to his face. Her Brian,

she thought. Her sweet, caring Brian. ”You couldn't have. How did you

get her away from Jane?”

”She agreed,” Brian said shortly. ”Pete's having doc.u.ments drawn up so

it will all be legal.”

”Bri.” Her hands firmed on his cheeks. She was in love, but she wasn't

blind. ”How?”

”I wrote her a check for a hundred thousand pounds. In the agreement

she'll get twenty-five thousand a year every year until Emma reaches

twenty-one.”

Bev let her hands drop away. ”Christ, Brian. You bought that baby?”

”You can't buy what's already yours.” He bit off the words because it

made him feel dirty. ”I gave Jane enough to be sure she would stay away

from Emma, from us.” He laid a hand on her stomach. ”From ours. Listen

to me. There's going to be press, some of it will be ugly. I'm asking

you to stick with me, ride it out. And to give Emma a chance.”

”Where would I go?”

”Bev-”

She shook her head. She would stick with him, but she needed a little

time yet. ”I've been reading a lot of books lately. I'm pretty sure

you shouldn't leave a toddler alone for this long.”

”Right. I'll go take a look.”

<script>