Billionaire's Island Bride (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) (19 page)

Nearly eight weeks
passed before Erin and Dare were allowed to take Soleil Denise DeSouza home
from the hospital.  By that time she weighed four pounds and had grown another
inch.  The nurses warned them she was a feisty one, kicking up a windstorm when
she was ready to be fed and demanding to be held when it was naptime.

“You have to put
your foot down,” one of the nurses warned Erin, “or else she’ll walk all over
you.  You need to show her who’s in charge.”

Erin smiled and
thanked the nurse for her advice but when she looked into her daughter’s big
brown eyes how could she refuse her?  She’d already been through so much in her
little life that Erin could be excused for spoiling her a little bit, couldn’t
she?

And Daddy was even
worse, jumping up at every cry, checking on the baby every hour of the night. 
Within a week he’d begun to look so ragged with exhaustion that Erin had to
banish him from the nursery for an entire night just so he could get some
sleep.

Through it all
Francine was a savior.  She knew all about babies, having raised three of her
own plus a handful of grandkids.  She guided Erin every step of the way through
the feedings, burpings, bouts of colic and a brief period of jaundice.  Finally
the whole family settled into a comfortable rhythm - daddy, mommy, baby and
adopted grandma - and finally Erin felt that her world was at peace.

Her love for Dare
blossomed and she felt she could not love him more than she did right then. 
Each time she watched him holding Soleil, singing softly to her as she stared
up at him with those adorable brown eyes, her heart swelled with pride and she
couldn’t help smiling.  She’d come a long way but so had he.  Who would have
thought that bad boy billionaire Dare DeSouza could abandon his big shot image
to play peek-a-boo and do goo-goo-gaa-gaa speak?  She loved it, and in her eyes
he was a bigger man for taking the time to amuse his baby.

And on top of all
that he’d shown her nothing but love and respect, catering to her every need
and going out of his way to make her feel loved.  When he wasn’t holding Soleil
he was holding her, making her feel like the center of his world.

When Dare returned
to work after Soleil had completed her second month it took Erin a while to
adjust.  She’d gotten so used to having him there that she couldn’t help
missing him.  Still, she knew Dare’s work was a big part of who he was.  He
loved what he did and she knew his work made him feel fulfilled.  Besides, he
had a lot to do on the last resort he’d bought so she needed to give him some
space.

One evening as she
sat feeding Soleil Dare walked into the sitting room looking handsome as usual
in his business wear.  He gave her a peck on the cheek then kissed Soleil on
the forehead.

“Guess what?” he
said as he loosened his tie.  “I got a call from your friend.  She said she’s
been trying to reach you on your cell phone but all she keeps getting is your
voice mail.”

Erin’s heart
jerked.  “My friend?”

“Yes, the one who
came to visit.  She’s been trying to get in touch with you for the longest
time.  Did you disconnect your cell phone?”

“Ahh, no,"
she said, which was the truth.  But it wasn’t the whole truth.  The fact was,
she’d turned off her cell phone the day Soleil was born and had refused to turn
it back on since then.  She’d been living in a bubble of her own making.  She’d
done everything she could to insulate herself from the poison darts that Robyn
could throw.  But now she could see that her efforts had all been in vain.  Robyn
was determined to burst her bubble and send her reeling back to reality.

“Did she say what
she was calling about?”  Erin asked.  It took all her effort to keep her face
calm and her voice steady.

Dare shook his
head.  “No, but she left a number where you can reach her.”  He dug into his
pocket and pulled out a slip of paper.  He rested it on the table nearby and
shifted the vase onto the edge of it to keep it from blowing away.  “Give her a
call as soon as you can,” he said.  "It sounds as if it's pretty
important.”

Erin pursed her
lips.  She knew exactly what was so important for Robyn.  She was intent on
ruining her life.  But she would not give her the satisfaction of being the one
to reveal her secret.  She’d run away from her truth long enough and now she
was tired of running.

“Dare,” she said
as she put the baby on her shoulder and gently rubbed her back, “we need to
talk.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Dare looked at
her, curious.  “About what?”  he asked.  “Something to do with Soleil?”  Then
he grinned.  “Has she been a naughty princess?  I know she loves to boss her mommy
around.”

“No,” Erin said,
her voice solemn.  “It’s about me.”

Dare frowned. 
“About you?  Is everything alright?”

She shook her
head.  “No, but let me set the baby down for her nap and then we’ll talk.” 
Still rubbing Soleil’s back she got up and headed for the nursery.

Dare stood there
in the sitting room, confused.  Erin had seemed so peaceful when he’d come in
but now he could sense her agitation and it bothered him.  It had something to
do with this Robyn woman, he was sure.  Her whole demeanor had changed at the
mention of Robyn’s name.

He threw off his
jacket and dropped on to the sofa to await her return.  He didn’t have to wait
long.  Erin approached and her face was serious.  Whatever she wanted to talk
about was not going to be fun.

She sat in the
chair across from him and folded her hands in her lap.  She was so beautiful,
with her dark hair curling around her face and onto her shoulders, and those
hazel eyes that were so expressive.  Now, though, they were clouded over with
what looked like heartfelt pain.  He sat up and reached for her hand but she
pulled it back. 

“What’s going on,
Erin?  Is something wrong with you?”  At her nod his heart jerked inside his
chest.  “Are you sick?”

She shook her
head.

“Then what is it?”
he demanded, beginning to lose patience.  She had him on pins and needles and
was taking her own sweet time in clearing up the mystery.  “Just spill it.”

She sighed.  “All
right, I will.”  She plucked at the fabric of her yellow sundress and then
began to twist it with her fingers.  Clearly, what she had to say was not easy
for her.  “I’ve not been honest with you, Dare.  I’m not who you think I am.”

His eyes narrowed
as he stared at her.  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She sucked in a
deep breath then let it out slowly.  “It means, when I tell you who I really am
you’ll probably want me out of your life.  For good.”

That gave him
pause.  What in the world could Erin have done to let her say something like
that?  He loved her.  Couldn’t she see that?  There was nothing that could make
him want her out of his life.

“Tell me,” he
said.  “Let me be the judge.” 

She caught her
bottom lip between her teeth and for several seconds she worried the lip until
finally she opened her mouth to speak.  And when she did, her voice was a
hoarse whisper.  “I know how important honesty is to you,” she said.  “You said
it yourself.  You said it was the most important thing to you in a friendship. 
And that’s why I know you’ll hate me for this.”

“What are you
talking about, Erin?” 

"My parents
died when I was twelve and I grew up in foster care.”  She’d begun wringing her
sundress again.  “I was moved from home to home and some of them were…awful.” 
She gave a hiccup up at the last word.  She seemed on the verge of tears.  “At
one of the homes, I had to struggle to survive.  I often went without meals. 
Once, at school, I was so hungry I  passed out."

Dare held his
breath.  He could already guess what she was about to say.

"One day I
just cracked.  I walked into a convenience store and...I stole three candy bars,”
she whispered then put her fists to her mouth as a sob escaped her lips.  “The
owner, he was watching the security camera and he saw what I did.  He shouted
at me and I ran.  And then...and then he chased me out the door and into the
street.”  She dropped her face in her hands and began to cry in earnest. 
"He grabbed me and I couldn't get away.  And then the police came."

Dare went over to
kneel in front of her then he pulled her into his arms.  “Hush, it’s okay, honey. 
It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not
okay,” she said, wrenching herself out of his arms.  “I’ve lived with the guilt
all these years.  Before I married you I should have told you but I didn't have
the courage.  How could I tell you that you were marrying a criminal?”

“It wasn’t your fault,
Erin.  You were a victim of your circumstances..”

She shook her head
violently.  “No, it was all my fault.  I should  never have done that. 
I...don't know what came over me."

"It's okay,
honey.  I don't hate you for what you did.  We all make mistakes.  It's
okay."  For a long while Dare was silent, just holding Erin, rocking her
in his arms.  Gradually her trembling ceased and her breathing calmed.  Only
then did he speak.  “Robyn knew about this, didn’t she?  She used this
information against you.”

Her head still
resting against his shoulder, Erin nodded.  “She threatened to tell you
everything.  I’m guessing that’s what today’s call was about.”

Dare put a finger
under Erin’s chin and lifted her face to his.  “Know this, Erin DeSouza.  I love
you and there is nothing about you or your past that will make me stop.”

Her eyes widened
as she stared up at him.  “Dare, what are you saying?  You’ve never told me you
loved me.”

“I know.  I was a
fool.  It was a secret I kept to myself but I’m telling you now.  I love you,
Erin.  You and Soleil are my life.  I want you with me forever.” 

Her face crumpled
and he could see she was struggling to hold back the tears .  “Do you mean it,
Dare?  Don’t play with me.”

“Do I look like
I’m joking?”  His grip tightened round her.  “You’re mine and you can keep
digging up all the skeletons you want.  You’ll never scare me off.  You’re
never going to get away from me, Erin.  You’re trapped with me on this island. 
I’ll hide your passport if I have to.”

To his relief that
got him his first smile from her.  “You won’t have to,” she said, smiling
through her tears.  “You have me for life.”

And when Dare
pulled her close and kissed her she responded with a passion that told him,
without a doubt, that every word she said was true.

 EPILOGUE

“Thank you so much
for coming, Dare.”  Robyn clasped his hand for a second and her eyes brimmed
with tears. 

Then she turned to
Erin.  “And Erin how can I ever thank you?”  She took a step forward and
wrapped her arms around Erin in a fierce hug.  Then she stepped back and dabbed
daintily at her eyes with a handkerchief.

“I’m so glad you
were able to make it for the funeral.  Mom had a special place in her heart for
you, Erin.  You know that, don’t you?”  She dabbed at her nose then tucked her
hankie into her purse.  “That’s why I was so distressed when I couldn’t reach
you.  Mom would never have forgiven me.”  She looked over at Dare.  “Did Erin
tell you I was always jealous of her?”  She gave a little laugh.  “Mom was
always comparing the two of us.  Erin was the angel and I was the devil.” She
shrugged.  “It took me a long time to realize what Mom wanted me to learn from
Erin - her strength, her determination.”  Her eyes took on a faraway look. 
“During those last days in her battle with cancer we talked…more than we talked
all my years growing up in the house.  And that’s when I began to understand
her and how much she wanted the best for me.”

She took a deep
breath then pasted a brave smile on her lips.  “I guess it’s time for me to
grow up now.”  She touched Erin on the shoulder then turned and walked across
the churchyard to the limousine where the rest of her family waited patiently
for her.

After she climbed
into the car and they drove off Erin turned to her husband.  “Thanks for coming
with me,” she said.

"I wouldn’t
have let you come alone,” he said with a smile.  “Now let's get back to the
hotel before Princess Soleil drives poor Francine crazy.”

With a chuckle he
put his arms around her shoulder and Erin put her arm around his waist knowing
that she had the greatest blessing in the world.  She was loved.

THE END

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