The Tycoon's Secret Affair (The Anetakis Tycoons #3)(26)

“Is that what we’re doing? Fighting? It’s a little soon for our first marital spat, wouldn’t you say?”

“Go to hell.”

With that, she turned and stomped up the stairs. A few seconds later, the door to her bedroom slammed with enough force to shake the house.

So she had a temper. He’d purposely baited her for no other reason than his anger over his apparent jealousy. The woman had him tied in knots, and he didn’t like that one little bit.

If this Kirk was so hot to trot to come to Jewel’s aid, where had he been when she really needed him? If he was the father of her child, had he deserted them both and was now only back because he had competition? Or was this an elaborate hoax for them both to con him out of a fortune? He must have played right into Jewel’s hands when he offered her a generous settlement if the child turned out not to be his and they divorced. It was probably her plan all along.

But then the entire scheme hinged on him granting her a divorce. He smiled coldly. He couldn’t wait to inform her that there would be no divorce.

Dinner was quiet and strained. Jewel was still furious over the way Piers had acted toward Kirk, and Piers’s face was cast in stone. He ate as though nothing had occurred between them at all, and that made her even angrier. How were they supposed to have an argument when he didn’t cooperate?

Dessert was served, and as much as she wanted to enjoy the decadent chocolate tart, it tasted like sawdust.

“I’ve been thinking,” Piers said. He spoke coldly, with no warmth or inflection in his voice.

She didn’t answer and continued to concentrate on dissecting her dessert.

“I no longer feel that divorce is an option.”

Shocked, she dropped her fork, and winced at the loud clatter. “What? You believe that the baby is yours now? Before we get the results?”

He raised an eyebrow in a manner meant to make her feel inferior and at a disadvantage. It was mocking, almost as if he were laughing at her.

“I’m not a fool, Jewel. You’d do well to remember that.”

“Then why this nonsense about a divorce? The child is yours, but you’ve never been inclined to believe that. Why on earth would you suggest there be no divorce until you’re sure?”

“Maybe I’m just letting you know that your plan won’t work. I won’t grant a divorce, regardless of whether the child is mine.”

He seemed to be studying her, waiting for a reaction. What kind of reaction? What was he thinking now?

And then it hit her like a ton of bricks. Her mouth fell open in disgust.

“You think this is a scheme to extort money from you. You think that Kirk is the father, and that I’m some whore sleeping with both of you.”

She hadn’t imagined that anyone had the power to hurt her anymore. Long ago, she’d developed impenetrable armor against the kind of pain other humans inflicted. Despite it all, hurt overwhelmed her. She felt betrayed even though she never imagined she had his loyalty.

With shaking legs, she clumsily got out of her chair, shoving it backward with more force than was necessary. She was determined not to break down in front of him. Before she escaped the room, she turned one last time to him.

“Who did this to you, Piers? Who made you into a bastard who won’t trust anyone, and how long will it take you to figure out that I’m not her?”

She hurried away, no longer able to stand his brooding gaze.

Instead of retreating upstairs, she let herself out the French doors and ventured into the gardens. A chill chased away the flush of anger, and she gathered her arms close to her as she walked down a spiraling pathway deeper into the heart of the greenery.

Old-fashioned street lamps lit most of the paths. Finally she found a round, stone table with a circular bench. It was the perfect place to sit and enjoy the night air.

What had she done? She rubbed her stomach absently, thinking about her daughter and the future. A future that didn’t seem quite as bright as it had before. Piers was being vengeful over a perceived wrong she hadn’t dealt him, and so he’d decided, as if she had no choice or say in the matter, that there wouldn’t be a divorce.

Oh, she knew according to his stipulations that there would never be a divorce because she knew the child was his. Only he seemed convinced otherwise.

What kind of life had she consigned herself and her child to? Would Piers’s attitude soften toward their daughter when he learned the truth? And what about Jewel? Would she forever be relegated to just being the woman who gave birth to his daughter or would he soften toward her as well?

“You shouldn’t be out here alone.”

She whirled around, her anger surging back when she saw Piers standing there, hands shoved insolently into his pockets.

“I’m hardly alone, am I? No doubt there are countless security men surrounding me.”

He nodded as he walked closer. “Yes, but you shouldn’t take such a risk just because I have a security detail.”

“Tell me, Piers, will your security detail protect me from you?” she asked mockingly.

“Interesting choice of words. I feel as though I’m the one in need of protecting.”

She turned away, her shoulders shaking. “I want out, Piers. Immediately.”

She heard his swift intake of breath and his hiss of anger.

“I’ve just told you I won’t grant you a divorce.”