Maid for the Billionaire(37)

Jake looked visibly shaken. His said urgently, "Dominic, you've got this all wrong. Yes, I asked Scott to keep me apprised of your actions, but it was because you weren't acting like yourself..."

Dominic wasn't listening to Jake's excuses. His face tightened as he finally addressed Abby, his words barely audible through his clenched teeth. "What I can't understand is what you got out of this. Was it money?" He looked across to Zhang, the only unrepentant participant to the event. He half bowed his head in a mockery of deference. "I underestimated your creative problem solving, Zhang. Bravo. I certainly didn't see this one coming. Whatever you paid Abby, if that's even her name...she earned every penny of it."

Abby's eyes filled with tears, but she didn‘t look away. He was hurting and it was her fault.

None of this would have happened if she had been less selfish the night before. If she had been willing to deny herself that last fantasy interlude, she could have spared him this humiliation.

She deserved his condemnation, even if not for the reason he thought. "Dominic, I wanted to tell you this morning, but you had gone. I should have told you last night…‖

Dominic took Abby's chin in his grip and for once his touch was not gentle. "How much did she pay you, Abby? Whatever it was you were a fool to take it. I was so taken in by you back in the states...you could have told me of your deception then and I probably would have forgiven you. The irony is that if you had chosen me over whatever they paid you, you could have become one of the richest women in the world."

Jake said, "Dominic..."

Dominic released Abby's chin with disgust and said, "Get out, Jake. I‘ll deal with you after I wring the truth out of Scott. Don‘t bother to try to warn him. By now, my men have him detained."

Jake paled, but did not miss a beat. "Don‘t do anything rash, Dom.‖

"Oh, that‘s right, I‘m not above anything, am I? I had almost forgotten what a low opinion you have of me. I guess that made it easier for you to justify your own actions.‖ Dominic‘s voice grew calmer and cooler with each word.

A side door opened and a throng of American male voices burst into the foyer, interrupting whatever Jake would have responded. A blond man in a dark suit, tall and sharing the same formidable muscular build as Dominic, separated himself from the group and headed toward them. His blue eyes shone with fascination at the scene he had stumbled upon. The deep timbre of his voice held irony laced with malice. ―I don‘t know how you always seem to squeak a win out in the end, Corisi. I thought I had you this time.‖

Dominic‘s muscles bunched and twitched beneath the tailored suit. ―Are you behind this, Stephan?‖

Dominic‘s rival quickly assessed the tension of everyone in the room. He studied Jake‘s defensive stance, Zhang‘s defiant tilt of the head, and the tears running down Abby‘s cheeks. A slow, wickedly satisfied smile spread across his face and amusement lit his striking blue eyes.

―I wish I could take credit for whatever is going on here, but unfortunately, this mess is entirely of your own making. For a man who just won, you look pretty miserable. That alone makes my trip here worth it.‖

Another man would have turned tail and run from the expression on Dominic‘s face. The primal sound Dominic made deep in his throat sounded suspiciously like what a warrior would make before he swung his sword.

He took a threatening step toward Stephan, but Jake interceded smoothly, ―We wondered who was knocking on the back door. I should have known it was you.‖

Abby impatiently wiped away the tears beneath her eyes. Who was this man that everyone seemed to know and who found so much enjoyment in Dominic‘s suffering? ―It wasn‘t easy staying off your radar, Walton,‖ Stephan said. His casual, blatant humor didn‘t quite disguise the intent in his eyes. Like a predator in the wild, he‘d sensed a weakness in the group before him and was thoroughly enjoying toying with them. ―You know if you ever decide to leave Corisi Enterprises, I could use a man like you on my team.‖

―I‘m not going anywhere,‖ Jake said and moved to stand shoulder to shoulder beside Dominic. Jake and Dominic shared the kind of quick, silent exchange that spoke of a brotherly bond that would survive this calamity. They might fight with each other, but an enemy to either was an enemy to both.

Dominic nodded in grudging agreement.

―How touching,‖ Stephan mocked.

As if losing interest in the two men who now stood unified against him, Stephan turned his attention to the women in the room. ―I can‘t believe you pulled it off, Zhang. This is the kind of coup they write about in the history books. Consider yourself welcome for dinner anytime. I‘d love to hear the details behind today.‖

Zhang responded harshly, leaving little doubt in the room as to her opinion of the man addressing her. "Careful, Stephan. Water has been known to flood even the dragon-king's temple." Abby recognized the reference to one of four mystical underwater creatures she had seen in a temple for at the Summer Palace. These divine creatures used the sea and the weather to wreck destruction on anyone who dared stand against them.

Stephan turned his amused attention to Abby and said, as if speaking in confidence, ―That‘s Zhang‘s way of saying – Go to Hell.‖

He walked closer until he was practically standing over Abby and smiled down at her with practiced charm. ―Is this the little teacher who brought the great Dominic to his knees?‖