Chapter four: Mommy, who is that man

Maverick

I had just stepped out of the restroom when my cell phone buzzed. Taking it in my hand, I answered the call. “Yes, what's the update?” I asked Alex, my assistant.

“Sir, I’ve made contact, and there are already submissions coming in. He’d like you to see them yourself,” Alex said.

“Good. I’ll check them right away. And arrange my flight; I’ll be heading back today.”

I hung up and turned to leave, but that was when I noticed a little boy, no more than three years old, with curly black hair and golden eyes, staring up at me and hugging my leg with his tiny arms. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Hey there, little guy,” I said, planning to ask if he was lost. I felt a strange sense of familiarity with him.

Before I could say anything more, a woman rushed into the hallway, her eyes frantically scanning until they found the child—then, they found me.

Her expression shifted from worry to shock as she froze, her beautiful dark eyes locked on mine.

My heart skipped a beat in that moment, memories flooding back. She was the woman from that night. I didn’t know her name, but I remembered her face, her body, and the way she’d made me feel.

That night was etched into my memory—the way she moved, the way she felt, the way she tasted. I’d never felt anything like it before.

But the next morning, she was gone. I searched everywhere, but it was as if she’d never existed. No phone number, no address, no name. She was like a ghost.

Yet now, here she was, standing before me, looking just as beautiful as that night. And with a child who, at a glance, I could tell was hers.

After searching for her to no avail, I convinced myself that our encounter was nothing more than a chance meeting.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get her off my mind. I even tried to recreate that night, but nothing came close. I could only remember her—though she’d been a drunken mess, she’d captivated me.

And now, seeing her again, I knew I couldn’t let her go. Fate had brought us together twice, and I wasn’t going to ignore the signs.

In that moment, I made a decision. I would do everything in my power to take her back, to make her mine. I didn’t care if she resisted, even if she didn’t remember me. I would claim her and make her mine.

---

Ember

His words caught me off guard, and heat rose to my cheeks. Did he remember me? I hadn’t thought he’d recall that night, but he clearly hadn’t forgotten.

“Bunny,” he called out again, his voice hoarse.

“I don’t appreciate the nickname, sir,” I said, firm but polite. “That’s not my name.”

He smirked and released my arm, but before I could put any distance between us, his arms wrapped around my waist from behind, pulling me close to his chest. “Running away again?”

His breath whispered against my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

I stiffened, trying to break free, but he held me firm. This isn’t good; I had to get out of here as soon as possible. “Respect my boundaries, sir. This isn’t appropriate,” I said through gritted teeth.

I tried to pull away, but he spun me to face him, his eyes locking onto mine as he leaned in closer. I lifted my leg, ready to kick. “I mean it—I’ll kick you if you don’t let me go.”

Even with my threat, he held me tighter, pressing me against him in a way that left me feeling powerless.

Before I could react, his lips brushed past my nose. “Remember this? You remember it, don’t you?”

For some reason, I felt heat radiating from his body, and his fingers brushed against my ear, tucking my hair back.

My face flushed red. I shut my eyes and bit my lip, turning my face away, but he released one hand to bring my face back, his fingers brushing against my nose.

I could feel him leaning even closer, but just then, he let go and laughed. “You didn’t think I was actually going to kiss you, did you?”

“You bastar—” A hand covered my mouth, stopping me from finishing the word. “It’s not nice to cuss in front of a child, don’t you think?”

My embarrassment intensified when I turned to see my son, watching us with a confused, innocent expression. I glared at him, quickly moving to Kai’s side.

“Kai, let’s go,” I whispered, ushering him away.

But before we could leave, his voice called after us. “Don’t go just yet—tell me your name.”

I didn’t want to share my name, especially not with someone who didn’t understand boundaries. But he was already striding towards me. I held my ground and replied with a straight face.

“I’d prefer not to share my name. And for the record, what you just did was disrespectful. I appreciate seeing my son, but that doesn’t give you the right to touch me.”

“Don’t come any closer,” I warned, scooping Kai up and clutching him tightly to my chest.

I started walking quickly, desperate to escape the uncomfortable encounter.

“Mommy, who is that man?” Kai asked as I continued to walk even faster.

“You didn’t know who he was when you hugged his leg? What do I always tell you about strangers?”

“I’m sorry, Mommy… I couldn’t find you, and I wanted to go back to you.”

I was about to respond to Kai, but his voice followed us. “Your child is very cute, and he has beautiful eyes, don’t you think?” The comment sent a shiver down my spine. I’d been hoping he wouldn’t notice Kai’s eyes—they were the same color as his. After all, he was his father.

And that was exactly why I was worried. The last thing I wanted was for someone to claim my son and separate us. I didn’t even truly know who this man was.

I could only blame myself for seeking comfort in the arms of another man after the one I thought was mine had let me down.