The Tycoon's Revenge (Baby for the Billionaire - Book One) (11 page)

“You promise you won’t leave?” Jacob asked, looking on the verge of tears.

Derek grabbed him close again. “I promise you I will never leave again,” he said and then glared at Jasmine over Jacob’s shoulder. A shiver ran down her spine from the look. He wasn’t happy with her. She stiffened up her back and glared back. She wasn’t the one who walked out on him. How dare he look at her that way!

“Okay, I’ll be right out here,” Jacob said, almost like a threat, in case Derek decided to disappear on him.

He slowly left the room, closing the door behind him. As soon as he left, Jasmine grabbed the sheet and jumped from the bed. She ran into the bathroom and locked the door. She needed a few minutes to gather herself before she had to face him. She leaned against the sink and took some deep breaths. A few seconds later Derek was on the outside of the door.

“You can either open this door, or I will break it down, it’s your choice,” he said, in a deadly calm voice. She decided not to test him.

He was standing there in nothing but his pants and the man looked far too sexy after just climbing out of bed. She said nothing to him for a few moments, not knowing how to begin this conversation. She decided to go on the offensive.

“You didn’t have to blurt that out to him. What if you’re not his father?” she said and then took a step back at the fury in his eyes.

“Don’t even try and play games with me, Jasmine. It’s more than obvious he’s mine and you have already robbed nine years of his life from me. You won’t take anything else, do I make myself clear?” he growled at her, as he backed her into the corner.

She went from offensive to defensive in a matter of seconds. “I didn’t say he wasn’t yours, I just said you should have asked me first, instead of blurting it out like that,” she said, a bit shakily.

“So you could come up with some more lies? I don’t think so, Jasmine. Get yourself together. I’m going to spend the day with my son and I don’t want him to know I want to hurt his mother,” he snapped at her, before turning to leave.

Derek walked out of the bedroom and had to fight the tears from stinging his eyes, as he saw his son sitting by the front door. His son was so afraid he’d leave him again, he was guarding the door. He’d prove to the boy he’d never leave again. They wouldn’t spend one more night apart. He’d figure out what he was going to do about Jasmine later.

He took Jacob into the kitchen and fixed him breakfast. Father and son sat, eating their first meal together and getting to know one another.

Jasmine slid down to the floor after Derek stormed out. She sat there, sobbing into her hands and feeling sorry for herself. How had her life changed so much in only a week’s time? She finally got up and climbed into the shower. She stood there until the water turned cold and then reluctantly climbed out, shivering. She had goose bumps all over her body.

She pulled on thick sweat pants and a sweatshirt, threw her hair in a ponytail and didn’t bother with make-up. She had little energy to even care about her looks, even though she was going out in public. She was simply too frightened about what would happen next.

She stepped into the kitchen to the sound of her son’s laughter. She smiled at him and then kissed him on the head. “Oh Mom,” he grumbled and then rolled his eyes at Derek. Jasmine held her breath, because if Derek said that his mom kissing him was gross, her son would never let her do it again. He was already hero worshiping the man.

Derek surprised her, by grabbing her around the waist, which knocked her off balance, so she tumbled into his lap. He kissed her squarely on the lips and then released her just as quickly. She was feeling light headed as she stood back up. Even angry with the man, he still made her feel things no one else ever had.

“Jacob, we never complain when a beautiful lady wants to kiss us,” he said to her son and then wiggled his eye brows at him. Jacob giggled and Jasmine’s heart swelled. Derek had said exactly the right thing.

“Yuck, Dad,” Jacob said with more giggles and then went back to scarfing down his breakfast. He looked up every few seconds to stare at Derek, as if to make sure he wasn’t going to disappear on him.

“I need to make lunch for the boys,” Jasmine murmured and then set to work making a large pot of homemade soup and fresh bread. The smells coming from the kitchen were making Derek’s stomach growl. Whatever she was making smelled delicious.

“Coach says mom makes the best lunches ever and that’s why they always want her to make the food for our tournaments,” Jacob said with pride.

“If it tastes as good as it smells, I can understand why your coach says that,” Derek agreed. Jasmine felt a little bit of pride role through her. She enjoyed cooking for her son, heck she enjoyed cooking for anyone who appreciated it.

“Hurry up, Mom, or we’re going to be late,” Jacob called to her an hour later. She was getting the soup put into the insulated bag. She had several things to drag out to the car and was feeling flustered, since she’d overslept and was officially running late.

“Let me grab those for you,” Derek said, making her jump. She wasn’t used to having someone there to help her.

“Thank you,” she muttered, relinquishing a few of the bags.

“We can take my car,” Derek commanded.

“Yeah,” Jacob said and then gasped as he saw the shiny black car sitting at the curb. “Is that your car?” he asked in awe.

“Yep,” Derek answered smugly. Jasmine just rolled her eyes at the rapture the two boys were sharing as they both admired the far too expensive Porsche.

“My friends are going to think I’m so cool,” Jacob said, as he was bouncing in place at just the thought of riding in the fancy sports car.

“Want to take the top down?” Derek asked.

“Yeah,” Jacob shouted and then giggled as Derek pressed a button and the top started slowly moving back. Jasmine wasn’t thrilled to climb into the small vehicle. She much preferred her sturdy mini-van.

Jacob climbed in the back seat and buckled up. It was a good thing he was still small because he barely fit back there. No way could an adult squeeze in the back. She reluctantly climbed into the passenger side and when Derek soon sat down in the driver’s seat, she was grateful the top was down. The little car was making her feel claustrophobic and Derek was way too close for her already frayed nerves to handle.

Derek threw the car into gear and then gunned down the street, picking up speed quickly. “We aren’t in that big of a hurry,” she gasped in fear, as she held on tightly to the dashboard.

“Oh, Mom,” Jacob groaned. “Go faster,” he egged Derek on. Derek gave him a huge smile in the rearview mirror and then jumped on the freeway gunning the engine. They shot past cars like they were standing still. Jacob was full of laughter, as his hair blew back in the wind and they flew down the freeway.

Jasmine would never admit it to either of the guys but she was getting a thrill out of the ride herself, after her initial fear fell away. He was a skilled driver and whipped around the lanes of traffic smoothly, making it seem like they were flying.

They reached their exit and had to slow down. “We have to do this again,” Jacob shouted from the back seat. Jasmine silently agreed.

“We’ll go on a long ride after the wrestling meet and then go have dinner,” Derek promised him. Jasmine didn’t appreciate how he was just assuming they didn’t already have plans. She would’ve said something but didn’t want to fight in front of her son.

They pulled up to the school and Jacob grabbed ahold of Derek’s hand. “Come on, Dad, I want you to meet my coach,” he said excitedly.

“Let me help your mom carry the food in and then I can meet him,” he answered with never-ending patience. She was impressed how well he was doing with her hyper nine year old son. A lot of parent’s couldn’t handle their children, after having years to adjust and he seemed to be falling right into parenthood. She’d see how he acted in a week, or even a month. That would be the true test.

They walked into the gym, like a million other families. Jacob had his small hand clasped in Derek’s and she walked on his other side. To the rest of the world they would seem like the perfect, suburban family. She knew the truth though. She knew the confrontation was coming and she was trying to prepare herself for it.

Derek barely had time to set the food down at the concession area, before Jacob dragged him off. He was so proud to show his father off to his coach and all his friends. She watched as he proudly crossed the room and ran to Chuck.

Chuck looked up at them with surprise and then she watched as his brow wrinkled, before he quickly managed to paste a smile on his face and shake Derek’s hand. She knew he had to be wondering what was going on between them, as she’d never mentioned Jacob’s father before.

Jacob must’ve insisted Derek sit with him in the players section, not willing to let his dad leave his side, because she saw Derek, businessman tycoon, kneel down and sit on the Matts. She would've caught flies if they were around - her mouth was so wide open. She quickly shut it and got the food all ready for the boys.

“Who is that complete hunk of man meat with your son?” one of the very single mothers said, as she edged up. “Please tell me he’s your long lost brother and single,” the woman continued. Jasmine felt instant jealousy, as she stared at the gorgeous woman, who unlike her, was dressed in a skin tight outfit, with her hair and make-up done to perfection.

She didn’t know how to describe Derek. They weren’t a couple and hadn’t been for ten years. He was the father of her child and he’d made love to her so hotly she was surprised her sheets hadn’t gone up in flames but she didn’t have any rights to him.

“He’s Jacob’s father,” she simply said. She didn’t know what else to add to that.

“Yummy, you haven’t mentioned Jacob’s father before. Does he live out of town?” the woman asked, with too much interest.

“We just lost touch for some years but I don’t think he’s going to want to be away from Jacob anymore,” she said.

“I see,” the woman said and then snaked over to her son, who just happened to be close to Derek. Jasmine watched as the woman had the nerve to actually pretend to trip and fall into Derek. She couldn’t believe he fell for that, as he held his arms out to catch her. Then to top it off, she sat inappropriately close to him.

Jasmine could feel her anger escalating as the two of them sat and chatted like long lost friends. She wondered what the heck they found so amusing, as they laughed together. She told herself it was none of her business if he flirted with some trampy soccer mom. Hell, he could marry her and be one big happy family for all she cared, as long as the man left her and Jacob alone.

She knew she sounded like a jealous ex-spouse, even in her own head but he wasn’t even trying to hide his flirting with another woman when she was standing in the same room. It was worse, considering he had ravished her body only a few short hours ago. The man was a cad and she was better off without him.

“So, that’s Jacob’s father, huh?” Chuck, said as he came up to the table. Jasmine was hurt and angry and needed to feel good about herself, so she poured it on a little too thickly, with poor Chuck.

“Yeah, he’s been gone a long time and wants to reconnect with Jacob,” she said. She didn’t want everyone there to know all her business and that Derek had only found out he was a father that day.

“Jacob seems pretty happy about it,” he said, as they both glanced over at Jacob. Derek was looking directly at her and he didn’t seem to be laughing anymore. Maybe it bothered him a bit to have to sit and watch her flirt, she thought a bit cattily.

“Yeah, Jacob is really excited about it,” she said and then found herself giggling, as she touched his arm. What was wrong with her? She was now acting like the vixen mother, who had her hands all over Derek. She needed to get a grip on herself.

Chuck’s eyes widened at her touch and he moved a bit closer. He really was a good looking guy. He was about the same height and weight as Derek, though not quite as muscled. She knew a lot of the moms had crushes on him and had been flirting with him, in hopes of a date but he had seemed fixated on her for a while. She had simply not been interested.

“What are you doing later tonight?” he asked and she could see the wheels turning in his head. He was asking her out again, encouraged by her flirting. Damn, she really hadn’t thought about that. Before she could answer him, not knowing what she was going to say, Derek appeared and cut the conversation short.

“Sorry Chuck we are going to be in the city tonight,” Derek said, as he wrapped an arm around her, letting Chuck and every other man in the room know she wasn’t available. She didn’t get what he was doing, as they weren’t a couple and he’d been practically drooling in the other woman’s lap, not two seconds ago.

“Oh, I was just thinking about having a pizza party for the boys to celebrate the end of their season,” he said, quickly covering up. She was impressed with him; he must’ve planned a back-up in case she turned him down again. She really felt badly. She shouldn’t have let her temper get away from her and used him to appease her own feelings.

“We should think about that next weekend, I can order trophies for the boys, if you give me a list of their names,” Derek said smoothly.

“That would be very generous of you,” Chuck said with sincerity, if not a bit of jealousy.