THE BILLIONAIRE’S SECRET BABY

Chapter 8 : The Kiss

It was raining hard that night. Thunder.

Leo was scared of thunder. He ran to Ava's room crying, "Mommy!"

Ava hugged him. "It's okay, baby."

But Leo said, "I want daddy too."

So Ava, carrying Leo, knocked on Ethan's door.

Ethan opened, wearing only pajama pants, his chest bare and muscular. Ava blushed and looked away.

"Leo is scared," she whispered.

Ethan immediately took Leo. "Hey, champ. Daddy is here. Thunder can't hurt you when daddy is here."

They all ended up on Ethan's huge bed. Leo in the middle, Ava on one side, Ethan on the other. Leo fell asleep quickly holding both their hands.

Ava and Ethan were awake, looking at each other over their sleeping son.

"Thank you," Ethan whispered. "For giving me a son. I didn't know what I was missing."

Ava's eyes filled with tears. "I was so scared to tell you. You left money... I thought you thought I was just..."

"I was stupid," Ethan admitted. "Three years ago I was broken. My parents died, I became CEO at 24, I trusted no one. Then you... you were kind to me that night. You listened. You made me feel human. Then I got scared and ran. I left money because I didn't know how to stay."

He reached out and gently wiped Ava's tear with his thumb. His touch was soft.

"Ava, these past weeks... seeing you with Leo, seeing you in my house... you make this cold mansion warm. You make me want to be a better man."

Ava's heart was pounding. "Ethan..."

"Can I...?" He leaned closer, his blue eyes looking at her lips.

Ava didn't pull away. She nodded slightly.

Ethan kissed her. Softly at first, then deeper. It was not like three years ago, desperate and drunk. This was slow, tender, full of longing and regret.

Ava kissed him back, her hands in his hair. All the anger, all the pain of three years melted.

When they parted, both breathing hard, Ethan rested his forehead against hers.

"Stay," he whispered. "Not for contract. Stay because... because I think I'm falling for you."

Ava wanted to say yes. She had loved him since that first night. But fear held her.

"What about Victoria? What about your world? I'm just a cleaner," she whispered.

"You are Leo's mother. You are my wife. You are everything," Ethan said.

Just then, a loud CRASH downstairs. Glass breaking.

Ethan jumped up. "Someone is in the house!"

He grabbed his phone. The security camera showed Victoria and two men breaking into the living room.

"She came back," Ethan growled. "And she brought help."

Ava held Leo tight as Ethan ran downstairs to protect them. But Victoria was screaming, "If I can't have Ethan, no one can! Find the child!”