12

Maddie rushed in now, brows creased in worry. "Are you alright? What's happening?"

His lips wobbled as he tried to get the words out. "It's him…oh God, he found me!"

"I don't understand. Who found you?"

"Daniel. The Alpha I knotted with!"

Her mouth flew open. "Shit."

"Oh God, oh God," Sawyer was pacing the kitchen floors now, trying to keep it all together. There was an urgent knock on the door now. Maddie turned and craned her head to look. "What am I going to do? How did he find me here? How does he know I'm back home from the ban? What the freaking hell does he want from me?!"

Maddie plopped down quietly on a chair. "First, you need to calm down, honey. It's not the end of the world…we'll figure out something."

The knock stopped now, plunging the entire building into silence. They peeked at the door and looked back at each other.

"Do you think he's gone?"

Maddie shrugged, standing up and tiptoeing towards the front room. Everything was just as it was. "I think he's gone."

Sawyer let out a relieved breath, striding out to join her, a hand on his chest. "That was close. He'll be – "

Daniel's face came into view now, a sly smirk forming at the corner of his lips as he hollered. "There you are! Open the – "

Sawyer turned abruptly, running into the kitchen with cautious steps.

"Hey! I saw you! Open up, Sawyer. Please. I need to speak to you. It's urgent." He heard Daniel say from the other side of the door, his knuckles rasping forcefully on the brand new glass doors Sawyer had changed last week. He shut his eyes and sat on the kitchen floor, drawing his legs to his chest and hugging them. His palms were sweaty and his stomach felt a lot heavier.

The kitchen door slammed shut now and he jerked upright as Maddie turned the lock. Now that he thought about it, he should've told her to leave and deal with Daniel alone. He knew how overwhelming Maddie could be when she was in Momma mode. She'd already regretted not being on hand to guide Sawyer over his impulsive decision to knot with Daniel and the result of that was the pregnancy. She wasn't going to let Daniel wreck him emotionally, even though she didn't feel right with Sawyer's decision to keep Daniel in the dark about his baby.

He walked over to the door, pressing his ear against the polished wood to listen closely. Daniel's scent wafted through the little space below the door – strong, alluring, and addicting as it was when they'd first met. Sawyer's legs buckled and he held onto the doorknob, intoxicated. The night of their steamy night flashed through his mind like a movie – a part of him almost compelling enough to have him push open the door and run into the Alpha's embrace, then fall on his knees, draw down the metal zipper and take Daniel's cock into his mouth.

But Maddie would find that embarrassing, and Daniel…would have no problem with it, honestly. However, his attention would be drawn instead to Sawyer's protruding stomach, and he'd feel pity even when Sawyer insists he could handle things alone.

No, no. Sawyer didn't want such a situation. Jesus, he didn't want an Alpha that much. He didn't want Daniel that much. It'd only been him for as long as he could remember. He didn't want to be thought vulnerable because of love, but oh, how he ached when he was alone in his cold bed at night, arms itching to hold a man. To hold Daniel.

A sharp bang on the door made him jump. "Open the door, Sawyer. I know you're there, I saw you. Come on, sweetheart," Daniel cooed through the closed door.

Sawyer's heart fluttered at that endearment. Hearing Daniel's voice again was like cool water running down his sweaty back – refreshing, energizing. He felt the intense kicking in his stomach stop as though the baby was listening as Daniel tried to talk him to come out.

I'm so sorry, child. Your father…doesn't know what he's doing. He doesn't belong in our lives. It's always going to be you and me.

Sawyer bit his bottom lip at how selfish his thoughts were. God, had it really come down to this?

"I'm so sorry, Dan but I'm not who you think I am. You don't deserve an idiot like me. Please, go home. We have nothing to talk about."

"See? You're disturbing us. He doesn't want to talk to you. Let him be," He heard Maddie say. Sawyer exhaled at the silence that followed, thinking that Daniel had deeded his words and left.

But Daniel spoke again, a slight edge of command in his voice. "No, Sawyer. You're not a fool. Listen, can you at least open up so we could sort things out, just the two of us."

"Say whatever you want to say from the other side. You don't need to see me," Sawyer slid himself down, kneeling like a heap on the floor. He had the tempting option to leave through the back door and let Daniel talk himself to death. Maybe Maddie would finally be forced to call the police and tell them that there was a trespasser in the building. Sawyer would be left alone as Daniel could get a restraining order. "I am a fool. I used you when I needed you. I'm selfish and conceited," he laughed bitterly. "What would you ever want to do with me?"

"Shut up, baby," Daniel said sharply. "Don't say such vile things about yourself. You're not selfish, you're golden. Please, just open the door, and let's talk face to face and not through this piece of wood. I want to look in your eyes as I talk. To feel the warmth of your hands against mine." Daniel emphasized this with a violent bang on the door. The loud vibration made Sawyer's heart leap. His breaths were shallow now as he feared that Daniel might break open the door if he kept on refusing to open up.

"There's nothing important for us to say, Dan. Please leave or I'll have Maddie call security. You're hurting me."

"It's not my intention, baby," Daniel said in a whisper, but loud enough for Sawyer's ears. "We were supposed to be a one-time thing. I was never looking forward to falling in love with you but ever since you left the penthouse that day, I've been finding it hard to stop thinking about you. Hell, from the first moment I set my eyes on you, you unlocked something, I don't know what it is but something in me. I believe we're fated, Sawyer. I want to get to know you better. To live with you and have big, beautiful babies," at the mention of babies, Sawyer felt a small kick in his stomach. It brought tears to his eyes that Daniel even had a connection with the unborn child. Why couldn't he believe that Daniel was feeling the same way he did? Why was this whole thing so hard to believe? Daniel was not an Alpha that'd star even in his wildest dreams. He didn't know what he was saying.

"Daniel," Sawyer breathed, shutting his eyes to keep himself from yelling. "You're confused. You must've had so many drinks before coming here. Trust me, just go home. You'll feel better in the morning."

"You're getting on my nerves," Daniel huffed in annoyance. "I'm not drunk but being realistic. I love you."

Sawyer's eyes widened at those words. Impossible. "No…you don't, Daniel. That's silly," he tried to laugh it off. "I'm just a little omega who's lucky enough to keep you interested for long, probably till you have a second taste. Maybe then your eyes would clear out and you'll realize that you never really wanted me from the start and it was just your lust talking."

"You're not being fair to yourself."

"But I'm telling the truth. I know who you are, I've read about you in the papers ever since we parted ways that morning. You're Manhattan's most eligible bachelor. A well-known playboy. You've had a taste of the finest omegas in the city. Why settle for me?"

"Because this time around I'm sure you're the one meant for me. My lifetime partner," there was a soft bump against the door. "Come on, Sawyer. The Moon Goddess wills this. You can only get as far away from me as your dream."

This wasn't adding up. The Moon Goddess wouldn't make him end up with someone out of his league entirely. How could such an important Alpha who could get any omega he wanted – the prettiest in the world, settle for a loser like him? It was such a big deal for him to wrap his head around. "You're mistaken, Alpha Daniel. Leave now before I call the police."

There was silence and the sound of the front door opening. Sawyer's heart tore to pieces as he staggered over to the kitchen table to sit. "It's for the best," he whispered to himself over and over again. But why did he feel so hurt and miserable?

Suddenly there was a shout – undeniably Maddie's – and a loud crash as the kitchen door swung out its hinges, splinters of wood sprayed from the doorjamb as they sheared away. By reflex, he held his arm up to shield himself when the doorknob pattered past on the white-tiled floor.

Maddie ran in first, grabbing Sawyer and pushing him behind her tall frame. "Stay away from him, else you're gonna regret coming here."

"Move aside, human," Daniel snarled, stepping into the small kitchen. His aura was intimidating as he appeared to fill the small space with his bulk. "I'm not leaving until I get a chance to see my beloved."

Even as he said those words, Sawyer could feel the sizzling anger lurking underneath. Hell, Daniel looked just about as pissed as a raging bull. The timbre of his voice was low, growling deep in his chest and bouncing off the walls like thunder. Sawyer's body was in fiery excitement at how hot and lethal Daniel could get.

Overcome by a quiet boldness, Sawyer moved away from Maddie's back, planting his heavy form in front of the Alpha. Daniel's body froze as his eyes focused on Sawyer's stomach now, his mouth hanging open in shock.

Sawyer crossed his arms, feeling self-conscious. His shirt was stubbornly hiked up a bit, unable to cover the bump carefully.

"Is that," Daniel's bottom lip wobbled as he struggled to find the words. "Is that…mine?"

Tears escaped Sawyer's eyes as he nodded. "Yes. It's our child."