Carrying the Rancher's Heir (9 page)

She nodded, not saying a word. He glanced at her stomach, then met her eyes again. There was no need to ask about the pregnancy. Though her flat belly showed no signs yet, her guilty expression gave her away. She was carrying his child.

He didn't want Hawkins Sullivan anywhere near his kid. There was no way he'd allow his child to be influenced by
him, much less grow up in his household. And there was only one way to ensure that. Callie had to agree. He wouldn't take no for an answer.

 

“Don't say anything, Callie. Not one word. Not until we're off this damn ranch.”

He wouldn't look at her. He stared straight ahead, peering out the Jeep's windshield, shifted into gear and hit the gas pedal.

Callie's stomach churned at Tagg's tone. She didn't want it to be like this. She didn't want Tagg to find out about his child until she was sure he had feelings for her.

He does have feelings for you. He hates you.

Callie closed her eyes. She'd had a rough few days. The doctor said the morning sickness would subside but there was no telling when. She'd been sick for three days straight, almost from the minute the plane had landed back from Las Vegas. Initially, she had thought she'd picked up a virus, but her doctor confirmed what she was experiencing was first trimester morning sickness. For some women, it lasted only days, others weeks, and the really lucky ones were blessed with emptying their stomach contents for the majority of their gestation.

Please, no.

She laid a hand to her belly.

Tagg noticed. He turned his head and peered at her stomach. The hard glare in his eyes softened for a millisecond before his jaw set tight and his lips pursed again.

Callie leaned against the side of the cab and drew oxygen into her lungs. She felt better being out of the house and off the ranch. And crazy as it seemed, she felt better being with Tagg, even with him being as angry as he was.

She should have told him about the baby right away. She
should have been honest and let the chips fall where they may. She'd experienced enough guilt over this to last her a lifetime. It had all been so clear in her head when she made the decision to wait before telling Tagg about the baby. She'd wanted time. She'd wanted a courtship, to have a real relationship with him. She'd wanted a chance.

Instead, her father had witnessed her morning sickness and had instantly known that she was with child. He'd demanded to know whose child she carried and Callie hadn't any more deception left in her. Her body physically ached and she had little strength. In a weak moment, she'd confessed everything to her father, including blaming him for making her so darn angry that she felt she needed to defy him with Tagg.

But she never expected that Tagg would come over, and when she'd heard him arguing with her father from her bedroom upstairs, she was shocked. Then she'd taken one look at Tagg racing up the steps like it was an Olympic sport and knew he'd learned the truth and was furious with her.

After a ten-minute drive at seventy miles an hour on the open highway, Tagg slowed down and turned down a long winding road. They drove through a cropping of tall cottonwoods and farther on to where green meadows filled the panorama with colorful wildflowers nurtured by spring rain. Elizabeth Lake came into view, and as they approached Callie saw the reflection of dark blue waters glistening under diminishing sunlight.

Tagg parked by a shallow embankment. His mood seemed calmer now, the planes of his face more relaxed. She hoped her optimism wasn't merely wishful thinking. He bounded out of the cab and strode around the front of the vehicle to open the passenger side door. “Take a walk with me.” She slipped her hand in his and he helped her climb down.

Her fingers tingled from his touch. But Tagg dropped her
hand as soon as she was on solid ground. She'd been wrong. His anger hadn't subsided—he'd just masked it better now. A tic worked in his jaw. His eyes on her were cold and hard. A bad sign.

He led her to where long grass cushioned the lake bank. “Let's sit.”

Tagg waited for her to drop onto the grass, then he lowered himself down beside her. He stared out across the lake. “The baby's mine?”

Callie might have expected this. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, hurt that he'd even asked. “Yes. You're the only man I've been with since Boston.”

“What about that carpenter? The one you'd been seeing?”

Callie winced. It seemed her father had told him everything. She shook her head. “The relationship never got that far. I…Troy was…it never got physical,” she said quietly.

Tagg inhaled sharply. “You were ticked at your father and you what? Seduced me in order to defy him?” He turned to her then, his eyes black with fury. “He never let you near a Worth. You weren't allowed to talk to any of us. So, you saw me that night, looking…lonely and vulnerable, and you thought to yourself, if I hook up with Tagg, I'll finally get payback. Even if your father never found out, you'd know. You'd have that satisfaction. You settled the score by screwing my brains out. It was a hell of a ride, Callie.”

“No! It wasn't like that.”

“Defying your father must have been so damn sweet.”

“Tagg, listen. You're wrong. I can explain.”

“I don't think so. It all makes sense now.” He spoke firmly, with conviction, as if nothing in the world could change his mind.

“I mean that was only part of the reason.” What could
she say now, explain that she'd come face-to-face with her fantasy man? That she'd seen an opportunity to finally take something she wanted, to go for broke, to do something wild and so out of character for her? How could she tell him that? How could she tell him she loved him?

It wouldn't matter. He wouldn't believe her.

The darkness in his eyes went deeper. “You got pregnant on purpose, Callie. The ultimate revenge. To have a Worth bastard. When were you going to tell me?”

“No! Tagg, I didn't. You can't believe that.”

“Hell, I don't know what to believe.” He turned away from her, his face contorted with disgust.

“Please. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I was waiting for the right moment. I never thought I'd get pregnant. Never. You have to believe me. I'm not…ruthless.”

Tagg shot her a look. “You're a Sullivan.”

And that said it all. Callie's eyes filled with tears. “I'm not my father, Tagg.”

“Then why didn't you tell me? Vegas would have been a good time. We were alone together, going at it all night long. You might have slipped in, ‘oh, by the way, Tagg, I'm carrying your baby.'”

“I…couldn't.” She felt drained and exhausted. As if she'd been in a fistfight and had gotten worked over pretty good. Her body sagged in defeat. She had no energy for this battle. Not tonight. “I should have. I'm sorry.”

“You deceived me. I've got to admit you sure had me fooled. I've never been this blindsided by anyone. Not even by your unprincipled father. But you,” he said, jabbing his finger toward her, “you didn't feel any compunction about lying to me. You played me, Callie.”

“Tagg, please—”

“Doesn't matter. None of it. Because I don't want my child
anywhere near Hawkins Sullivan. That man will have no influence over our baby. None.”

“Why are you so angry at my father?”

“He's truly a bastard, Callie. I never knew how much until today.”

Tagg picked up a large pebble and hurled it into the lake. The stone slid over the smooth water, dimpling the surface several times before making its descent. Both of them watched until the last wrinkle in the water smoothed out.

“He offered me the Bender contract, a multimillion-dollar deal he'd stolen right out from under me, if I'd give up all rights to the baby. He tried to bribe me to stay away from you and my child. Claimed he'd find you a suitable husband to marry.”

Callie's mouth dropped open. A tiny moan of mortification slipped out. “Oh, no.”

“Oh, yeah. It turns my stomach that he used an innocent child as a bargaining chip. My child. Did he really think I'd give up my own flesh and blood for a contract? He made it clear he doesn't want you to have anything to do with me.”

Callie's stomach, already going through a war zone this week, turned over again. “Tagg, I didn't know he'd react this way.”

“Like I said, it doesn't much matter, Callie. Because you're gonna marry me and I'm going to raise my child at Worth Ranch. The old man is out of luck.”

He glared at her, defying her to refuse him.

Callie's heart took a tumble. As far as proposals went, it was just shy of horrible, but it was all she was going to get.

He rose up then and reached for her hands. He helped her to her feet, but when he let her go, her knees buckled and her head spun. “Oh, I'm not…”

Tagg scooped her up in his arms. She felt small and fragile…and safe. “Hold on to me, Callie.”

That's what she intended to do.

He strode to the Jeep and gently lowered her into the cab. Once her seat belt was fastened, he leaned against the passenger door and met with her eyes. “What's your answer?”

Callie blinked, clearing her mind. Her answer? Did he think his demand of marriage warranted an answer? What were her choices? She loved him, but ultimately, this was about the baby and what was best for him or her. Tagg would be a loving father. The baby would have his name and his protection and after what her father proposed, Callie would never raise her child in the Sullivan household. Even if she wanted to, which she didn't, Tagg would never allow it. She had other options, she knew, but only one felt right. She made the decision that would change her life forever.

His lips tightened. “I'm waiting for your answer.”

“Yes, Tagg. I'll marry you.”

He nodded an acknowledgment. And shut her door.

It was hardly the way she'd imagined in her fantasy.

And maybe this time, the end didn't justify the means.

 

Tagg watched his brother Jackson get out of his sleek black car and stride over to the corral fence, dressed as if he'd just finished a photo shoot for some trendy magazine. The only thing that spelled cowboy on Jackson was his black felt hat and jewel-studded bolo tie. “You just come from a funeral or something?”

Jackson grinned wide, showing off a perfect smile that melted female hearts. “Just a regular workday, bro. I just finished up a meeting in town. Drove all this way because you needed to see me in person. So what's up?”

“Clay will be here shortly. It'll keep a few more minutes.”

“Suit yourself.” Jackson glanced in the pen and watched the mares. “You gonna breed them?”

“I'm hoping to.” Tagg knew cattle ranching, but he loved horses. He'd like to breed a string of purebreds someday, but that was the furthest thing from his mind now. Last night, he'd mulled over different ways to tell his brothers about Callie, but in the end decided they needed to hear nothing but the truth.

A part of him didn't want them to judge Callie too harshly. He felt an uncanny need to protect her. She carried his child. And whether or not he liked it, Callie would become part of the family. After their talk last night, he'd driven her back to Big Hawk Ranch and told her that wasn't her home anymore. She'd be living on Worth Ranch as soon as they tied the knot. He wanted that wedding, sooner rather than later. Just to protect his child from Hawkins Sullivan. No telling what extremes her father would go to in order to win. This time, the old man wasn't getting what he wanted. Tagg would make sure of that.

Clay pulled his truck up to the house and parked. Tagg and Jackson strode in his direction, heading toward the house.

“Let's take this party inside.” Tagg walked past Clay and opened the door for his brothers.

Tagg caught Clay and Jackson exchanging curious looks before entering. All three took their hats off and hooked them on a ledge Tagg had made special for the Worth boys, reminiscent of his father's hat rack back at the main house. Three hats, three brothers. Tagg wondered if another hook would have to be added soon, for his son.

Or maybe his daughter.

The thought made him smile for a brief second.

Until he thought about how his wife died. How he'd failed as a husband.

“Okay, I wasn't going to say it,” Jackson stated, once he settled in a wing chair, “but you look like
you've
just come from a funeral. You got bad news, just say it. We lose another cattle deal or something?”

Clay took a seat as well and left Tagg standing over them. “Something.”

His brothers glanced up and waited for more.

Tagg paced back and forth. He took a deep calming breath. “I'm getting married.”

Both brothers rose from their seats.

“What?” Jackson and Clay said in unison.

“You heard me.” Tagg glanced from one brother to another.

“I didn't know you were seeing anyone,” Jackson said.

“I wasn't. I mean…it's Callie Sullivan. She's…we're having a baby.”

Jackson smiled. “You don't say? You're gonna be a papa?” He walked over and shook his hand. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

Clay appeared confused. “You went away with Callie last weekend. How did she get…uh, this is real quick, Tagg. And you weren't thrilled when she volunteered for Penny's Song. I recall you bawling me out.”

“I know. Believe me, none of this was planned.” Tagg explained the situation to his brothers, giving them the truth but leaving the details out. They didn't need to know specifics. But he made sure they knew about Hawkins Sullivan's proposition to buy him out of his child's life. He made sure his brothers knew that Sullivan was not to be trusted and why he felt he needed to rush into marriage with Callie.

“Congratulations, Tagg,” Clay finally said, once he under
stood. “It's not ideal, but you're doing what's right. I'm behind you all the way. We'll make Callie feel welcome. She's having the first Worth heir. That's something to celebrate.”