A doorman opened the door and ushered them inside the opulent home. Fine furnishings filled the room and expensive art hung on the walls.
“Nice digs, eh?” Gage said under his breath. “Imagine, this could be us someday if things go right.”
“Yeah,” Christian agreed, though this wasn’t what he’d call homey. He certainly couldn’t see himself raising a kid in this place. It was like walking through a museum of rich stuff and you couldn’t touch anything.
The doorman left them in a sitting room and just as he was about to take a seat, Frank Rocco walked in with a wide smile and a woman on his arm that immediately caused the spit to dry in Christian’s mouth and his brain to balk.
“Gentlemen, so good to see you again,” Frank said, then patted the small hand curled around his bicep. “May I introduce the woman I will soon have the pleasure of calling my wife, Skye D’Lane.”
And then Christian felt the world drop out from under him.
“Fine,” Christian answered, cutting his gaze away from Skye. “Had a beer before we came. Must’ve went straight to my head.”
“A bartender who can’t hold his liquor? That’s a new one,” Belleni joked with hearty laughter. “Come now, let’s discuss how we’re going to meld our futures together in an equally profitable venture.”
Gage rubbed his hands together with obvious excitement. “I’m all for that. What do you say, Christian?”
He nodded but his gaze kept straying to her, and she did her best to keep her expression neutral, betraying nothing of the horror she felt from this meeting. She’d never in a million years imagined that Belleni was Christian’s benefactor, the man who held the key to his dreams. But now that she gave it some thought it seemed fitting. At first glance Belleni always made it appear as if he were the answer to someone’s prayers, the ray of light in a dark room. Until they realized his true nature—and by then they were stuck.
She couldn’t let Christian get into bed with Belleni, not when he still had a chance to be free.
Skye tried to catch Christian’s gaze but he steadfastly ignored her, while he traded easy banter with Belleni and his friend. Her heart hammered hard against her chest as she ran through possible ways to get him alone before the night’s end but Belleni kept her close, taking every opportunity to touch her possessively in some way, making it loud and clear that he knew her body. Her cheeks burned but she did her best to parlay her embarrassment into an act of modesty when in reality she wanted to vomit knowing Christian was forced to watch and pretend he didn’t care.
She knew differently. The tension in his jaw was subtle but it was there and she knew what caused it.
“So, how long have you known each other?” Christian inquired politely, though Skye heard a thread of steel in his tone. Gone was the sweet, caring, understanding man she’d known only two days ago. She bit her lip and looked away, knowing Belleni’s answer would kill whatever feelings Christian may have had left for her.
Belleni put his hand on her thigh and rubbed the fine silk softly. “Five years. We have a son together. I finally came to my senses and decided to make an honest woman of her,” he said, leaning over to steal a kiss but she cheated her face just in time, giving him her cheek instead.
“Sweetheart, our guests don’t want to watch us fawn all over each other,” she said, swallowing the acid in her throat.
“Of course. I forget myself around you, darling,” he said, though his gaze had darkened at her rejection. “Five years…that’s
amazing,
” Christian said, ignoring his friend Gage’s subtle shift at his odd emphasis. He scooted forward, pinning her with a dark, speculative look. “You know, I swear I’ve seen you somewhere…”
“I doubt that,” she murmured, pleading silently for him to drop it. “I don’t get out much.”
“No, I’m sure of it,” he said, snapping his fingers. “I got it. You were a dancer, weren’t you?”
She breathed a secret sigh of relief. Her dancing career was safe enough. She allowed a small laugh and said, “Oh yes, but it was a long time ago. I danced with the New York Ballet Company. Perhaps you caught one of my shows?”
“Perhaps,” he agreed.
Belleni puffed with pride. “My girl lit up the stage with her talent. That’s how we met. I would watch her dance. When I heard of her injury I knew I had to be there for her. And then we fell in love. It was like something out of a storybook.”
Christian’s expression soured but only by a fraction and Belleni completely missed it, thank God. Skye swallowed and nodded. “Yes, a long time ago. I hardly feel like the same person,” she said, hoping against hope that perhaps Christian heard the tiniest message hidden between the lines. “So much has changed.”
“Except our love,” Belleni added, giving her a short look.
“Of course,” she replied quietly in agreement. “Our love.”
Vivian entered the room and her eyes alighted on Christian. Recognition flared and she cocked her head slightly to the side as if assessing her next move. Skye held her breath. The entire room seemed to buzz with the growing tension that only Skye could sense.
Christian’s eyes narrowed as Vivian smiled at him, daring him to say a word, but he didn’t rise to the challenge and Skye was grateful.
“Dinner is served,” she announced in a light and softly cultured voice that she reserved for their most important guests. “Skye, would you mind helping me for a moment?” she asked as they filed into the formal dining room.
Belleni lingered. “What is wrong?” he asked. “You look ready to fall to the floor.”
“I’m a little light-headed,” she said, searching for an excuse. “Probably just hungry.”
Belleni’s expression softened and he caressed her cheek. “Darling, you mustn’t run yourself down like that. Go with Vivian, I will ensure you get plenty of food on your plate when you return.”
“Thank you,” she murmured with false appreciation and he visibly swelled with pleasure. Skye caught Vivian’s lip curl at his reaction and she felt caught in the middle of a deadly game.
Once they were alone, Vivian settled her stare on Skye. “Why didn’t you mention that your lover was Belleni’s newest pet project?” she demanded.
“I didn’t know,” she answered truthfully, still feeling sick to her stomach. She was in hell. “Don’t you think I would’ve steered clear if I’d known? I tried to protect Christian from Belleni. I didn’t tell him anything but I wish I had,” she added with a hint of venom, her spirit returning. “I wish I’d told him every dirty little secret I’ve discovered over the years, including a few of yours.”
“You truly despise Belleni, don’t you?”
“With every fiber in my being.”
“And yet you sacrifice everything for the boy who is a part of him,” she mused, almost to herself.
“Nico isn’t his son. He is separate and a part of
me.
”
Vivian seemed to consider Skye’s answer. After a long moment she asked a simple question that threw Skye completely.
“If you could walk out the front door without restraint, would you promise to take that miserable boy of yours and never subject me to your wretched face again?”
Skye stared hard at Vivian, trying to discern her game, her twist of cruelty, but she saw something else, something she’d never seen before. It was this glimmer that caused her to answer with a fervent vow. “I would do anything you asked if I could take my son and live without fear of Belleni coming after us.”
“
Anything?
Interesting.” Then whatever Vivian was thinking was sealed off from her expression and she snapped to business mode. “That will be all. Return to the dining room and put on a good face. Belleni will have his night and I have details to attend.”
Confused, Skye returned to the dining room with a gracious smile, much like Vivian’s, slipping into a part that she was tasked to play.
Hopefully, the night ended swiftly. She couldn’t take the strain much longer.
Actually, maybe he had. Eventually. But she’d known all along that wasn’t going to happen. She’d played him. A part of him—the rational part likely—tried to remind him that Skye had never given him promises and had almost always shied away from answering personal questions. But he had shared intensely personal things about himself and his childhood—something he never did—with a woman who’d been holding back the whole time with no intention of being honest with him. She’d said Nico’s father wasn’t in the picture, yet here he was, sitting at the man’s table, forced to watch as Skye accepted his kisses and his touch. Was any of it real? Had she ever been in danger? The only thing he knew had been real was that moment he dragged Skye from the Town Car. After that…he couldn’t be sure. Rich people played sick games and he should’ve trusted his instincts to keep his distance from Skye D’Lane.
Dinner traveled at a snail’s pace and although he did his part to appear interested, he wanted to get the hell out of there as soon as possible. Gage nudged him under the table when he seemed lackluster and perhaps had started glowering without his realization, and Christian felt bad for the guy. For all Gage knew, Christian was in danger of blowing off the biggest deal ever for no apparent reason but it wasn’t like he could break down and explain why he wanted to just leave.
No, he wanted to stomp out of there and tell Frank Rocco thanks but no thanks because he couldn’t spend the next couple of years smiling across the table at Skye, without wanting to do or say something inappropriate. He couldn’t pretend that he hadn’t imagined life with her by
his
side. He wasn’t that good an actor.
And it pissed him off that he was going to walk away because of it. Christian stood, unable to stand another minute, and tossed his linen napkin to the table, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Mr. Rocco, I’ve got some bad news,” he announced, causing Gage to stare. “I can’t do this.”
Gage’s surprise turned to shock. “What the hell are you doing, man?” he asked in a harsh whisper. “You’re screwing us both.”
“I know and I’m sorry,” he bit out, shooting Skye a dark look. “I’m not the kind of man who can smile and pretend everything is okay when it’s not. I wasn’t raised that way and I don’t intend to start now.”
Frank was flabbergasted. “Have I offended you in some way?”
“No. But she has,” he said, unable to stop himself. Skye gasped, that pleading look returning to her gaze that he didn’t fully understand. “You lied to me.”
“Please don’t do this,” she whispered, causing Frank Rocco to stare at them both. “I’m begging you to stop. There’s far more at stake than you realize.”
“Yeah, sure. I can see why you were only playing with me. Why give up all this?” He gestured to the lavish surroundings. “This is the jackpot, baby.”
“You know him?” Frank grabbed Skye’s arm hard enough to leave bruises and Christian started to intervene but the man stopped him with a look. “You stay put, boy. Answer me, you faithless whore!”
Christian’s anger at Skye took a distinct turn and he growled at Frank. “Watch it. There’s no reason to call her names,” he said.
Skye trembled. “Christian, just go. I’m sorry…I wanted to tell you but—” she risked a look at Frank, and Christian saw hatred flash there “—this is the man who threatened to take my son from me.”
Gage stood, his face white. “Maybe we should go…”
Christian mentally stumbled from her admission and his gaze flew to the man he’d believed was the answer to all his dreams. “Is this true?” he demanded.
“I don’t explain myself to people like you,” Frank answered coolly, narrowing his stare at Christian. “The boy is my son. Ask her.”
Her mouth tightened but she nodded. “Yes. A fact you’ve exploited since the day he was born. You’re no father to him. You’re just a stranger he lives with.”
Belleni reacted quickly, slapping her hard across the face, shaking her like a rag doll when she nearly collapsed. “Come any closer and I’ll make your life a living hell,” he spat in warning when Christian started for him. “Now get out of my house.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you take your hands off her,” Christian said, his gaze narrowing on Frank. “Now.”
“Christian, please,” she pleaded, tears welling in her eyes, “just go. He doesn’t make idle threats. Get out while you can.”
“I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re going to be safe,” he said. He was still angry as hell but there was no way he was leaving her with Frank when he’d already cracked her in the face. He should’ve kept his mouth shut and just walked but he hadn’t been able to and now Skye was paying the price. He couldn’t abide that.
Frank sneered. “Look at you, the whore’s champion. How noble.”
“What is wrong with you?” he asked incredulously, his temper rising, and his fist clenching. “Stop calling her a whore before I put my fist in your mouth.”
“Why should I? It’s what she is. She screws men for money.
It is her job,
” he said, letting go of Skye as if she were contaminated and he might catch some thing. “There have been countless men between her legs. Including me,” Frank said with a casualness that was insulting.
“Stop it,” Skye sobbed, covering her face with her hands. “Don’t do this, please.”
Revulsion crowded his thoughts and he wasn’t sure if it was directed at Skye or Frank but he knew he couldn’t stay any longer without wanting to do some damage. Gage muttered, “You’re on your own, pal,” and disappeared to escape the ugliness unfolding like a bad movie.
Christian hardly noticed Gage’s departure. “Where’s Nico?” he asked with a steely calm that shocked Skye. She wiped at her eyes and slid from the chair, away from Frank who was watching Christian with murder in his eyes. “Go get him.”
Skye hesitated only a second before fleeing from the room.
“What now?” Frank asked.
“Now I’m leaving and I’m taking Skye and Nico with me.”
Frank laughed. “Nico belongs to me. The minute you leave I will call the police and have you arrested for kidnapping.”
“What
legal
proof do you have that Nico is your son?”
Frank’s smile faded and his gaze hardened. “He is my son.”
“So prove it. And in the meantime it will take weeks to get a paternity test. By then, things will be a little more clear for everyone.”
“You’re a fool.”
“Most likely,” Christian agreed. “But I’m not leaving without them.”
“I will ruin you,” Frank Rocco said, almost casually but the fury in his eyes burned like banked coals. “I’ll see to it that you never open so much as a grocery cart in this city if you walk out that door with what belongs to me.”
Skye appeared, holding a sleepy Nico. She stared hard at Frank and moved to Christian’s side. “Me and Nico are
people,
and we do not belong to anyone much less you, you disgusting pig.”
“Brave words,” Frank said, his mouth tipping in a tight smile. “We’ll see how brave you are when I have you alone.”
She suppressed a shudder but held her ground.
“I detest scenes,” Frank said. “Get out of my house. But, Skye,” he warned her with a glint in his eye that made Christian want to snuff it out, “this isn’t settled. It has only begun.”
Yeah. Somehow Christian didn’t doubt that for a minute but the way he saw it—he didn’t have a choice.