Love Beyond Reason(42)

"Knowing how Jace loves the family image and all, how could he not volunteer to rear poor, dear Peter's little baby girl? However, it's just like Jace to sacrifice everything for a noble cause."

"Shut up, Lacey." Jace turned toward the woman and impaled her with blue eyes that were sparking with anger. Naturally he was angry. Lacey was pointing out the unfortunate details of his marriage, and they rankled him, especially since he was obviously still in love with his ex-wife.

"Well, leave it to you, darling, to make the best of a bad situation." Lacey studied her manicured fingertips with absorbing concentration. "I mean getting Katherine that little job of hers was so generous of you. Of course, the busier you keep her, the less time you'll have to spend with her."

Lacey's last words pierced Katherine like a spear, involuntarily her muscles twitched, and she turned to Jace in fury. "You!" she cried. "What did you do to get me my job?"

"Oh, my dear, if only you could have heard him selling Daddy on the idea," Lacey drawled. "I listened on the other phone. Why Jace was practically begging Daddy to go along with the idea of these silly commercials."

Katherine listened to every word, aghast at their implication. She searched Jace's face for some sign of denial, but his only reaction was a clenching jaw and hardening blue diamond eyes.

"Is that true, Jace?" She strangled on her words. "Is it true that you contrived an unnecessary job for me?"

"Katherine, please listen—" he took a step toward her.

"Answer me, damn you," she fairly screamed. "Did Mr. Newton come up with the idea or did you?"

"You don't understand—"

"Tell me. Now!"

"Godammit!" he exploded. "I would explain if you'd let me finish a sentence."

"I don't want any of your glib explanations," she said succinctly. "Whose idea were the commercials?" When he stilt didn't reply, she shouted, "Whose?"

"Mine!" he roared.

His volume matched hers and the word ricocheted off the walls of the trailer, echoing in the small confines of the interior.

Katherine and Jace faced each other like wild, raging bulls. Their chests heaved, their nostrils flared, their anger consumed them.

Finally Katherine forced the pent-up tension out of her body. She straightened her shoulders and turned to leave the trailer. She swung open the door and stepped out onto the low step.

It surprised her when Jace followed close on her heels. He grabbed her upper arm in a viselike grip.

"Let go of me," she snarled, trying to pull her arm free.

"Not a chance. You aren't about to go running out of here like a she-devil out for revenge. That would start tongues wagging for sure."

He walked close to her. She stumbled to keep pace with his long, angry strides. "Well, we sure wouldn't want any adverse gossip about the boss's love life, would we?" she asked sweetly. "I think your caution is a trifle ludicrous when your ex-wife has already arrived in a mobile bedroom."

His grip on her arm was painful, but he tightened it even more. He ignored her sarcasm and asked, "Where in the hell is your car?"

"Over there," she indicated the station wagon parked under an oak tree at the edge of the woods.

He practically dragged her the rest of the way over the stony ground. Did he think he was fooling his men with this display of husbandly chivalry? Couldn't they tell by his rigid face and ramrod straight back that he was furious?

When he reached the car and was out of earshot from anyone who might be able to hear over the noisy equipment, he leaned down and said, "Nothing that was said or done back there has any relevance to us. Do you hear me, Katherine?" He shook her slightly.

"You're hurting my arm. Will you please let go?" She looked at him levelly, revealing none of the torment she was feeling inside.

He released her immediately, and she rubbed her arm, trying to restore circulation. "Should I expect rougher treatment when you get home? Or are you coming home?"

"Katherine," he ground out in exasperation. He looked away from her, out across the landscape that was incongruously peaceful. He sighed deeply and returned his gaze to her. "When I got you the job—"

"Thanks for nothing," she said bitterly.

"I was doing it for you!" he flared.

She laughed harshly. "Oh, sure you were." Her green eyes hardened as she said, "That was the only area of my life where you weren't in control. My career. You took over my life, my house, my..." She broke off before she made an admission that would confirm her absolute humiliation. "You had to have it all, didn't you? You wouldn't let me retain even a fragment of my pride or self-respect. God! You Mannings are greedy. Now I'm in your debt and under your supervision completely, aren't I?"

She recognized the symptoms. His temper was rising to the surface. Her words penetrated the armor. So, Katherine thought as she watched the lines around his mouth become more deeply etched, I was right. The truth always hurts, and he can't fake it.

"Okay," he said menacingly. "Believe what you will, Katherine." He took one step closer to her. "But there's one other thing I control that you failed to mention."

"W-what?" she asked tremulously, instinctively afraid of the predatory gleam in his azure eyes.