Maid for the Billionaire(41)

If she‘d thought that her explanation would sway him, she was quickly disappointed when she raised her eyes hopefully. There wasn‘t a trace of forgiveness surfacing. ―So, manipulating the final deal in a way that forced me to agree to your terms or lose the contract was your solution?‖

Put that way, it did sound damning.

She had to make him understand. ―Zhang said it was the only way. She said the deal was falling through and if you stepped out for even a moment you‘d lose the contract to a competitor.

That‘s what Stephan was there for, wasn‘t it? He was trying to undercut your deal. Zhang was right.‖

―What makes you think you were anything more than a pawn to Zhang? Do you really think that someone like you, a teacher for God‘s sake, can understand the politics of international commerce?‖ His cutting words hung heavily between them.

Shame descended on Abby like a cold cloak, but her pride kicked in. She met his eyes and parried, ―Why don‘t you tell me how you really feel, Dominic?‖

He stood, scattering some papers on the floor around him as he did. His face was pinched with anger. ―You were supposed to be a distraction. I brought you with me to keep my mind off how shitty this past week has been. But you couldn‘t stay out of my business. No, you had to get involved.‖

He‘d used her and the confirmation hurt Abby deeply. She had known from the beginning that a woman like her had no place in his life, but she had let herself begin to believe that she was more than a convenient sex partner for him. How could she have been so stupid? Abby put a cold hand to her mouth. ―I thought I was helping. I thought you needed me.‖

His sarcastic tone was a dagger to her heart. ―And that was your real mistake.‖

Abby lashed out, ―I understand now why your mother left your father. If he was anything like you, she was right to leave. He probably looked down at her and kept her separate from his business. Not to protect her, but because he thought he was better than her.‖ Abby straightened her shoulders and fought back the tears that were welling in her eyes. ―You both treated Nicole the same way, so why should I be surprised that I‘m no different? Oh, my God, I thought all your tough talk was sexy, but I see it for what it is now. You‘re afraid of letting anyone close so you treat everyone equally badly.‖

She turned away in disgust, but one more thought sprung and had to be expressed. She half turned back and said, ―I thought I loved you, but I didn‘t know you. You might have all the money and power in the world, but you‘re not good enough for me. The man I give my heart to will see me as his partner; he will let me in. He won‘t try to keep me in some home he visits between business trips. He‘ll share his life with me and our children will grow up into healthy adults, not twisted and emotionally barren monsters like you.‖

In a voice which had become monotone, Dominic said, ―Get some sleep. We‘ll be landing on my private island off the coast of Italy in a few hours.‖

Abby let the slam of the bedroom door be her answer. She went to the plane‘s phone and dialed the number on the crushed card in her pocket. ―Zhang? If you meant what you said about helping me, we‘re on our way to Dominic‘s private island near Italy. I want off that island as soon as you can send a plane.‖

Abby held her breath. If Dominic was correct, Zhang would have no reason to help her now. If she was indeed no more than a pawn to her, she would soon know.

―Don‘t bother to unpack,‖ Zhang answered. ―You‘ll be on a flight home minutes after you land.‖

Relief flooded Abby. She might have been wrong about Dominic, but at least Zhang‘s support had been sincere. The tears that Abby had held in poured forth. Her throat tightened with spasms, making the words almost impossible to get out. ―He doesn‘t love me, Zhang. He doesn‘t even respect me.‖

―Do I have to kill him?‖ Zhang asked in all seriousness. Oddly, Abby found comfort in Zhang‘s extreme question. It had been a long time since anyone had leapt to defend her. She had carried the burdens of others for so long that she had forgotten what it felt like to turn to others for help.

―No,‖ Abby said grudgingly. ―But I do want to leave.‖

Sounding relieved, Zhang said, ―Consider it done,‖ and hung up.

Abby banged the receiver a few times as she tried to hang it up on the wall. Her hands were shaking with emotion as she collapsed onto the bed and gave into the tears that she no longer had a reason to hold in. Loud sobs wracked her body and she hoped Dominic heard them and felt even the smallest bit sorry for being the complete jackass he was.

Dominic swept the remaining papers off his desk, watching them float aimlessly toward the carpeted floor of the plane. He flipped on the radio to block out the sound of Abby‘s crying and paced the room.

How had he become his father? After a lifetime of despising the man for his maltreatment of his mother, Dominic had just treated Abby the same way. Even the dismissive, superior tone of his voice reminded him of the bastard he‘d sworn to be nothing like. My God, Abby was right, there was very little mystery as to why his mother had left and hadn‘t wavered once in her decision to cut them from her life.

Blinded by his earlier anger, he had refused to listen to further excuses from Jake or even entertain Zhang‘s attempt to convince him that time would reveal Abby‘s innocence. However, none of his varied contacts had been able to link Zhang to Abby or Abby with Jake. His personal security team had not dug up anything more damning on Jake than a text requesting that Scott follow him from bar to bar and arrange transportation if Scott had deemed Dominic too impaired to drive. Another text instructed Scott to keep the press as far away from Dominic as he could and to inform him if Dominic made any moves that could be publicly damaging to his image or himself.