Return to Me: #1 Love Gone Rogue Series Read online

  He looked just perfect. Furthermore, he looked exactly like his father, with those blue eyes staring up at me as if in wonder, and his tiny patch of dark hair. Just perfect.

  From that moment I laid my eyes on him, I never I would do anything to protect him. No matter the cost. In that moment, that one moment, my family was complete. I had the love of my life beside me, and this bundle of joy in my arms. I couldn’t ask for more. What could have been better than that? But it was only in that one moment.

  The nurses had to take him away to perform some tests and also to leave me to rest. The exhaustion suddenly got to me and my eyes got droopy. I really needed – no, wanted, to rest. And so my last waking words were to the man whose hand I now held in mine.

  “Please, don’t leave.”

  Damien

  She looked so peaceful, so calm in her bed. I didn’t want anyone to disturb her from this moment of serenity. Instead I took a moment to admire her. She really was absolutely stunning.

  Somehow, to him, having given birth just made her seem all the more beautiful. She would have looked even better if she had been giving birth to my child though, the thought suddenly occurred in his head.

  But I had to admit that when in that delivery room, when I had first held that beautiful innocent boy in my arms, when I had first stared into those big blue eyes that coincidentally were the same color as mine, in my mind, the boy was mine. My flesh and blood.

  And when Nikki had held the boy wrapped up in the blanket, they had been my family. The family that deep down I’d always longed to have. In that moment, my heart had felt complete.

  It was only logical that after that, when Nikki asked me to stay, I had done just that.

  What surprised me was how Nikki had asked for me to be beside her in the delivery room. I’d been utterly shocked. Why would she ask me, the man who’d treated her so badly, to be next to her in one of the most important moments in her life?

  There really were only to answers to that; either she really was afraid of being alone and was willing to tolerate even the man whom she claimed to hate, or she’d seen a meal ticket for her and her child when I’d shown up outside of her building and she was taking advantage. Based on past occurrences, the latter seemed more accurate.

  However, just that thought left a sour taste in my mouth. It seemed that after all this time, I still hadn’t fully accepted that she was just another greedy whore.

  I thought about the boy, that innocent boy who had played no part in his mother’s games, and who deserved a proper life with a proper family.

  Then I thought about Nikki’s lies and deception. She had hurt him badly, but the pain he had gone through was not a reason to deny the child joy and love.

  I had to think of a way to get Nikki back where she belonged, back with me, in my bed. Because even as I watched her sleep, I felt that tingling sensation that I hadn’t felt in a while. That feeling I always got whenever my manhood stood to attention whenever Nikki was around. I saw the way her lips seemed so full and ripe, so appealing, almost as if they were calling to me to kiss them. The way her hair, now unbraided, fanned out on the pillow, called to me to wrap it silkiness in my hands.

  At that moment, I yearned to feel her in my arms. To feel her naked smooth skin against mine. To see her face filled with pleasure as she called out my name and lost herself in my arms. To feel her give herself completely to me with no regrets and no worries. To see her eyes, look at me in wonder after she comes. I really did need to see it all.

  It didn’t matter that all she wanted from me was material. I was willing to give her everything she asked for. As long as she remained in my house and in my bed, I didn’t care about anything else. I was going to have her, no matter the cost.

  In the process, I would also gain a son, one who I would treasure and love like I would my own blood. He would want for nothing. He would be my son in everyone’s eyes. My heir. My legacy. Yes, everything would be right again. No one would come in the way of his plans this time. No one.

  But even as I came up with plans for the future, as if trying to prove me wrong, my phone came to life. I had had my executive assistant deal with all my meetings and any other urgent matters, so I was surprised that someone was still calling.

  It was my mother. Probably about to throw another hissy fit again. She’d been quite adamant lately, with her quest for me to marry not just anyone, but Brittney. Disgusting!! That would be exactly like marrying my mother. I was not up for another tantrum at the moment, so I let the call go to voicemail. Then I put my phone on silent mode and put it back into my pocket.

  But that call had awoken me to another possible issue. My mother would never stand for me to be together with Nikki, let alone take in her son as my own. That would definitely be a war. But one thing she would have to understand was that it was never going to be Brittney.

  This time I wasn’t going to take any of her crap. I knew, I had always known that she despised and loathed Nikki despised Nikki’s best efforts to try and get along. She always claimed that Nikki was trying to take me away from her. A lot of drama and tears had followed.

  But this time will be different. I will ensure it.

  And as I watched Nikki’s eyes flicker as she finally opened her eyes, I knew I had made the best decision.

  All that was left was to get Nikki to return to me.

  Nikki

  The light was intruding into my sleep and pulling me from the darkness I had fallen into. I felt tired. I both physically and emotionally ached. I tried to lift my arms but they felt limp. I only managed a slight movement of my fingers.

  I slowly opened my eyes, even though my eyelids were so heavy, almost as if I was tracking sandbags. The room was unfamiliar. All I remembered was passing out right after I… Tears came to my eyes as I remembered the miracle that I had given birth to. He was just perfect, in every way. He had to be, seeing as he was a replica of his father; his blue eyes, his hair, even his nose.

  Speaking of his father, I was surprised at my insistence that Damien be in the delivery room with me. I doubt the doctor was surprised, he must see a lot of drama every single day. But Damien…

  I’m sure he wasn’t counting on an ex-girlfriend including him in child birth. He must be thinking that it was a ploy to get him back into my life! Oh Hell! I shouldn’t have asked for him, and I definitely should not have asked him to stay. It’s no wonder he didn’t stay. I must have seemed like a really desperate needy girl. Arrrghh! What am I going to say the next time I see him? I hope I don’t have to see him again, I’ll die of shame.

  I was distracted from my guilt trip by voices outside my door. Then the door was opened. As if I was a thief caught pants down, I quickly closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. I had no idea why I did that. I guess I wanted to be left alone with my guilt and embarrassment.

  “You know, you are the cutest baby I have ever seen. And you aren’t even as noisy as other new-borns; not that I’ve been around them a lot. But it’s like I feel a connection with you.”

  Oh My God! Wonders never cease! It was Damien, and he was talking to who I assumed was my baby. Damien Knight, talking to a baby! I swallowed a giggle that had come up in my throat. How I wished that I could just open my eyes and witness that scene.

  “You know, you’re gonna see a lot more of me than what your mother expects. I have a proposal for her, which I know she’ll accept and I would tell her about it instead of you, if only she’d stop pretending she was asleep and talk to me.”

  Huh! Shit, I’ve been caught. I opened my eyes slowly and turned to face him.

  “How?” I asked.

  “I can always tell when you’re asleep and when you’re not. Always.”

  I remembered those times when we were still together when I faked being asleep. Especially that one time at his beach house…

  I’d wanted to entice him from his seemingly endless work and to me. I knew that his office had a direct view of the pool area. So I sat on a lounge c
hair by the pool in my bikini. Then facing away from him, I took the bikini top off and lay down on the chair on my stomach, and closed my eyes.

  A few minutes later, pretending to be deep in slumber, I turned and lay on my back, giving him, if he was looking a nice view of my now topless front. It didn’t take long for me to feel a shadow on me. My inner goddess did somersaults in glee.

  His deep resounding voice resonated all the way to my now soaking pulsing core, “I think you need a lesson on decency.” Then starting with the kisses he trailed down my neck and body and the feasting he did on my nipples, he proceeded to show me, for the next three hours, exactly what he thought of my ‘lapse in decency’.

  I shuddered when I realized that he also must have known then, exactly what I was doing. My cheeks flamed up. I must have been red all over. God! He must have thought I was so needy.

  As if reading my mind, “As much as I would love to rehash and relive whatever’s made you turn red, we have something to discuss, and it can’t wait.”

  Oh that! What must be this urgent? It’s probably about those sins he thinks I committed and he wants me to confess. But something about his expression made me doubt that. He actually seemed…nervous. What could make a man like him seem nervous? Did Damien Knight even get nervous? Apparently so.

  I watched him as he walked to a bassinet that had been placed beside my bed and laid the now sleeping baby in it. I had even forgotten about my own baby! All because of Damien! This is definitely not a good start to motherhood form me. How fast could I forget my own blood just because of the man standing before me? The man who tore my life to pieces just because he had no heart. That thought sobered me and I sat up in the hospital bed, seeing as I had gotten a little of my strength back.

  Then I waited.

  I watched Damien as he pulled up a chair closer to the bed and sat his lithe body down. Then giving all his attention to me, he spoke.

  “I’ll get straight to the point. I want to be your baby’s father.”

  My heart skipped a beat and my jaw dropped. This wasn’t real. Damien could not be seated next to me claiming that he wanted to be my baby’s father. I was horrified. Who the hell did he think fathered my baby? And how the hell could he be seated there looking like he was Prince Charming, here to save me from my dragons, when he was the reason why we were in this position in the first place? And what did he even mean by being my baby’s father? Did he want to adopt him? Take him away from me? I may be the mother, but with his money and connections, there was nothing out of reach from him.

  The conclusion I came to, was that he must be joking.

  “Very funny.”

  “No one’s joking here, Kay. Why would you even think that?” He actually had the gall to look offended.

  “What exactly are you saying?”

  “I want to take in your son as my own. To be recognized legally as his father. To give him my name and make him my heir. He will have the best of the best and most of all he will be safe and happy in a stable home. Of course, we will have to be married to ensure that….”

  “Stop right there. I went down that road once with you, and I am not going back. Second of all, my son will have everything he needs with me. He doesn’t require luxuries to be happy. So the answer to your so-called proposal is no.”

  “Why so quick to refute it? You didn’t even properly consider it. If you had, you would realize that this was an excellent opportunity for your son. As a mother you should be concerned about what’s best for your son. And a child needs to be brought up in a loving home with two available parents. And correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t see the son of a bitch who got you pregnant around here. I’m assuming he’s abandoned you. So I don’t see why you’re not even giving thought to my proposal.”

  I was fuming and I swear I could feel smoke coming out of my ears. How dare he! “Don’t you dare to tell me what’s best for my son. I am his mother and I know what’s best for him.”

  “Apparently not…”

  “Let me finish. You have no moral ground on this occasion to be speaking to me like this. You have no right to talk to me like that when you’re the son of a bitch who abandoned me. And I am not implying, I am stating that you are the father of my baby. Now please, take those ideas and egoistic notions and leave my room. I’m tired and I’d like to rest before he wakes up. Oh! And my son’s name is Dylan.”

  Then I turned and lay back in the bed and closed my eyes.

  A few minutes later, I heard the door open and close. He was gone. How large can one’s ego get? Just because I let him in the delivery room he thinks that he can now judge and control mine and my son’s life. Did he really think I would agree to that? I would basically selling my soul to the devil and damning my son to a life of sorrow.

  He may have thought that I was like a dog that would just a keel over at his master’s instruction and maybe that was how I had been, but now I was different. I wasn’t that loyal dog anymore. I was going to fight for what was right and what would make me happy. I wasn’t just going to place my happiness in someone else’s lap ever again.

  He would never again get the chance to throw me away like trash. And marriage, no! No, not ever again.

  I would never return to him.

  Damien

  This elevator is taking so damn long. Why is it so slow? And this cheesy music, I thought I told them to turn it off. This isn’t a God-damn halfway house!

  The doors finally opened and I walked towards my office. My Executive Assistant, Cindy, hurried towards me from her post, possibly to inform me of my schedule and calls.

  “Sir, Mr. Bernard from the Daily Post called. He said you should watch out for the paper today. I have placed today’s papers and coffee on your desk and have forwarded priority emails to your inbox.”

  “Fine. I do not want to be disturbed today, Cindy.”

  I walked into my office and shut the door behind me. I was pool buddies with Mr. Bernard, the Chief Editor of the Daily Post. I’d helped him out with a favor once, and in return, he tended to warn me of potential headlines or other news-related issues. Whatever was on the Post, must definitely be serious.

  I sat down and turned to the paper. I didn’t have turn the pages further than page 7. The photo staring at me was enough to send me reeling. I stared at the photo of me carrying Nikki into the hospital when she was in labor. The story read:

  Knight heir born?

  Mr. Damien Knight, our all-time sexiest wealthiest billionaire, was spotted a week ago carrying his ex-girlfriend Nikki Snow into the Mercy Grace Hospital. Ms Snow was at the time undergoing labor pains in light of her state of pregnancy………………………………..

  …….What everyone wants to know, is the baby boy that Ms Snow gave birth to our heartthrob’s heir? Was Mr. Knight just being courteous to a woman who was once by his side? Or is this boy a product of the reason why our once favorite couple is now no more?......

  ………………………..

  I couldn’t read anymore. I crumpled up the paper and threw it across the room. Those stupid scoundrels had no right to print this. It was an insult to the boy who had just been welcomed into this world, but whose birth was now being tarnished by slander.

  Nikki’s name was also being dragged through the mud. She may not be innocent, and they have gotten some things right in that article, but still, a new-born mother had other more time-consuming concerns than having to attend to slander.

  I immediately grabbed by phone and dialed Nikki’s number. She didn’t pick up. I called again and waited. She still didn’t pick up. I knew she’d been released from the hospital because I had her doctor on speed-dial. I’d instructed him to inform me on any and all issues or progress with Nikki. I’d even provided my car to take her home when she was released.

  She was home, so why wasn’t she picking up? Could it be that something was wrong? I felt a flutter of panic immediately that thought crossed my mind. I grabbed my phone and walked out of my office. />
  “Cindy, have my driver bring up the car immediately. And cancel all my meetings for the rest of the day.”

  I rushed into the elevator and began another rant in my head about how irritating the music was. My ever efficient driver was already at the curb, waiting for me.

  By the time we got to Nikki’s apartment building, I was almost in full-panic mode. She still wasn’t picking up her phone. I rushed into the building and took the stairs, three steps at a time.

  I reached her apartment ready for the worst. Her door was unlocked and slightly open. I pushed it open with my heart in my mouth. “Nikki,” I called out. There was no answer. “Nikki.” Still no answer. I walked around the tiny apartment and tried not to be disturbed by her living arrangements.

  I heard faint gurgling noises. I followed them into what appeared to be the bedroom. The sight that greeted me immediately made me forget what had brought me there.

  Nikki lay on the bed, her hair covering her face, deep asleep. Her arm was wrapped around Dylan. It appeared that while laying Dylan to sleep, she had fallen asleep as well. I had heard that in the first few months, taking care of a new-born baby could be quite hectic. There were even dark lines starting to appear around her eyes.

  Dylan however, was wide awake. When his round blue eyes locked themselves onto my face, he gave what appeared to be a grin I had ever seen. I didn’t even know babies could grin. Not wanting to wake Nikki up because she was tired and needed the rest, I slowly unwrapped her arm from around the boy, and lifted him into my arms.

  “Let’s get out of here so that we don’t wake up your mom,” I whispered to the baby. I carried him into what I assumed was the living room-cum-dining room and sat down on the most decent couch there.

  “Now, tell me. What do days-old babies love to do with their time.” In answer, Dylan started wailing. And I’d thought we were getting along so well. What was worse was the fact that I didn’t know how to handle babies at all. I tried to rock him, but that just made him wail louder. So I did what any sane normal person would do in my situation. I called my driver.