The Billionaire's Secret Wife (The Pryce Family Book 3) (Volume 3) (21 page)

He waved her concern away. “It’s none of their business who your real dad is. All that should matter to them is that I chose you.”

But had he? He always seemed to know exactly what to say to make her feel that honeyed warmth, but he was fudging the details of their marriage. There never had been any choice. It had been about her getting pregnant unexpectedly and him doing the right thing.

“You all right?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she said, forcing a smile. The timing didn’t seem right to discuss the mess that had thrown them together. Maybe one day, when she didn’t feel as though something was coming to take back what had been given to her, she would be able to talk to him more openly. “I think… I think I should tell my brothers what Dad said.”

“Want me to be there with you?”

“Yes, that’d be great. And afterward we can decide what we can do about Peggy. I don’t want to ignore her.”

“Don’t worry about that. I already took care of it.”

“You did?”

“I’m going to check out her story first, make sure she’s not trying to take advantage of you. Then if she’s being honest, I’ll give her some money to help with her mother’s care.”

“Thank you. I know you don’t have to.”

“If she’s really your half-sister, she’s family. And it’s just money. It’s not like we don’t have enough of it.”

She nodded, but she knew the truth. The money was Sterling money, not hers. She knew better than to rely on anyone. It’d been drilled into her since she’d been old enough to understand what her mother was saying—if she didn’t earn it herself, it wasn’t hers.

Before she lost her nerve, she texted her brothers about getting together to talk. She emphasized how important it was, to ensure Dane would come. Her oldest brother had the annoying habit of avoiding family gatherings. She’d also let them know it was just them, no parents. That might encourage her oldest brother to show up.

“Do you mind entertaining yourself for a bit while I go over to Mom’s?” Vanessa said. She needed to talk to Ceinlys.

Justin gave her his rental keys. “Take this.”

“Thanks.” She kissed him. “I’ll try not to ask you to come pick me up this time.”

“No, you should call me if there’s any problem. That’s what being married means—taking care of each other.”

She nodded with a small smile. It was sweet that her husband believed it, but experience had taught her that marriage had nothing to do with taking care of each other.

* * *

Vanessa slowed down outside her mother’s condo, looking for a parking spot. She found one not too far from her mother’s Mercedes and sighed with relief.
Don’t know why I didn’t call first
. Ceinlys was busy, with a calendar full of social obligations.

Her mother buzzed her in, and soon Vanessa was standing in the living room.

“If I’d known you were coming, I might have bought some orange juice. Nothing else calmed my stomach,” Ceinlys said. She was dressed casually in a slim black and white cotton dress that went down to mid-shin. “I only have water, milk…a little wine.”

“Water’s fine. Sorry to drop in like this, but it’s important,” Vanessa said, sitting down.

Ceinlys brought out a glass. “What could be more important than your secret marriage?”

Vanessa’s face grew warm at the reminder of her elopement. In a way, she could see how her mother might be just a teeny bit peeved about not being able to have a grand wedding for her only daughter. On the other hand, would her father have been okay with it? She wasn’t even his. “Why didn’t you tell me I wasn’t Dad’s?”

The smile on her mother’s face didn’t change, but her eyes shuttered. “What are you talking about?” she asked, her diction a tad too precise.

“Dad had a vasectomy after Shane was born.”

A small spot on her mother’s cheekbone twitched. “You must be mistaken. Of course he did nothing of the sort.”

“There’s no mistake. My step-sister came to see me.”

“Your step-sister? Vane—”

“Peggy Teeter. From Provo.”

“Oh, her.” Ceinlys’s mouth set in a stubborn line. Vanessa knew that look. Her mother wasn’t even going to entertain the idea. “The woman is an extortionist. She approached me first, asking for money. When I told her no, she said I owed her and that she’d get what she was due no matter what it took. If she approaches you again, call the police.”

Vanessa shook her head. “I thought she was another one of Dad’s, so I went over to confront him.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have.”

“Why not? It was important to me. That’s when he told me I wasn’t his daughter.”

Ceinlys closed her eyes. “I told that boy
never
to mention my name.”

“Who was he? What was he like?”

“A poet I met at a party. He was dashing and interesting, and unlike Salazar, he had no money or prospects. But he made me feel like I was the most precious thing in the world. Which is probably why I fell for him that night.” Ceinlys shook her head. “And it was only the one time. I told him it was over and never to approach me again. He was upset, but he accepted my decision. That’s the convenient thing about those wounded artist types. They think nobody understands them and the whole world is against them.” She shook her head. “It was quite easy to persuade him I was a mercenary harlot who was too interested in money to be with him.”

Vanessa flinched, hating the way her mother talked about herself. That was the same horrible stuff that some jerks whispered behind her back—Ceinlys Pryce loved Salazar’s money too much to divorce him. But given how much her mother doted on her children, Vanessa suspected it was losing custody that had kept her with her husband in the early years. “What was his name?”

“He called himself Klein.”

“Is that his real name?”

“I have no idea. Never particularly bothered to find out. It wasn’t important.”

Vanessa bit her inner cheek. What little patience she had was seeping away, but it would be pointless to take it out on her mom. “Did you tell him about me?”

“No. I didn’t want to give him an excuse to cling. He couldn’t have been with me in any case. It simply wouldn’t have worked.”

“But the daughter he had with another woman seems to have found me somehow.”

“You don’t know if she’s telling the truth. She might be conning all of us. I’d ignore her if I were you. Or, if she proves persistent, obtain a restraining order. It wouldn’t be difficult.”

“I plan to check her out before I do anything,” Vanessa said. Then unable to help herself, she asked, “Did you love him?”

Ceinlys shook her head. “I enjoyed the way he made me feel, but I never loved him. By then I knew too much about how relationships worked to give in to a silly fantasy.”

Vanessa thought back to Justin, how he made her feel safe and cared for, and how that turned her insides gooey and warm. “How do you separate the two?”

“Quite easily. I remind myself of the one time when I didn’t, and how it hurt me.”

“If you regret marrying Dad, why didn’t you divorce him earlier? Even if you didn’t get anything in the settlement, you would’ve been able to start over with another man. One who might have loved you and given you children.”

Ceinlys’s eyes were sad even as she smiled. “Once was enough, dear. I couldn’t do it again.” She folded her slim hands together. “Are you going to tell your brothers?”

“Yes. They should know.”

“I see. Well, that probably is the right thing to do.” Ceinlys uncrossed her legs and placed both feet flat on the floor. “Is there anything else you want to know?”

“Yes. How is everything going for you?”

Ceinlys’s smile was genuine this time. “Oh, marvelously. I’ve never been better.”

Chapter Twenty

After a brief internal debate, Vanessa decided to have the meeting at her place. Mark offered one of his restaurants, but that was too public. She bought some pre-made finger foods and hors d’oeuvres from the local organic grocery store and laid everything out. Her brothers could eat like horses, although she wasn’t sure how much appetite they’d have once she dropped her bomb.

She rubbed clammy hands down her denim capris. Nerves fluttered in her belly, and jittery energy crackled along her skin.

Justin laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Hey, it’s going to fine.”

“Yeah,” she said tightly, and forced a smile. “Of course.”

They didn’t have to wait very long. All her brothers—except Shane—showed up within five minutes of each other, entering her living room one after another. Jane and Hilary had also come, since they were more or less family now as well.

Vanessa had always thought of her place as large and comfortable, but with so many people inside she felt claustrophobic.

Breathe
.
You can do this
.

“Thanks for coming, everyone,” she said, rubbing her hands together.

“I don’t know what’s so important that we have to talk face-to-face,” Dane said, his voice cool. “You could’ve just emailed us.”

“This is…extremely personal,” Vanessa said. “Why don’t we sit down?”

“You mind if I grab something to eat first? I haven’t had a bite since ten thirty,” Mark said.

She shook her head, amazed her restaurant owning brother went hungry. “Yeah, fine. Let’s get some food and sit down then. I think it’s better I say it when you’re seated.”

Dane gave her an odd look. “What did you do?”

“Nothing,” she muttered.

“Did you hear from Shane?” Iain asked.

“No. But I saw Ginger with some other guy.”

A stunned silence filled the room. Then Dane erupted. “
What?
”

“Justin was there too.”

“That bitch.”

“I wouldn’t be too quick to judge,” Justin said dryly. “She said Shane dumped her.”

“She’s lying,” Dane said. “That boy’s been whupped since high school.”

“Maybe he became un-whupped,” Vanessa said. “Regardless, if he decided he no longer wants her and broke it off cleanly, it’s all good. They’ll be spared the expense and hassle of a wedding.”

Dane’s cold look said he still held Ginger in the wrong, but Vanessa ignored it. He’d think whatever he wanted, and the issue between Shane and Ginger wasn’t something she wanted to talk about.

“So is that why you wanted to have us here?” Iain asked.

“Dane’s sort of right about this one. You could’ve just texted us,” Mark said.

“No. Ginger is actually kind of…minor news. Please sit down.”

They did, including Jane and Hilary, who were looking at Vanessa with concern.

Vanessa stayed on her feet and clasped her hands together. “There’s no easy way to say this, so… I met my half-sister recently.”

Everyone except Justin and Dane froze. Dane sighed and said, “Do you suppose we can sue the condom company Dad used? This is getting ridiculous.”

“Is this half-sister for real?” Iain asked.

Mark gulped down some water. “Does she want fifty million bucks too?”

“No. She’s actually, um, not related to Salazar at all. Or…you.”

“Huh? But if she’s your half-sis—”

“She and I share a father. And it’s not…Dad. Mom took a lover back in the day and she’s his daughter.” Vanessa looked around. “Just like I am.”

Dane’s expression twisted like he’d just eaten a bug. “Let me guess. Now that she found out you’re a rich man’s wife, she wants to share in the bounty.”

She flinched. That was the first thing Dane was worried about? “It wasn’t quite like that. She said her mother had cancer.”

“What does that have to do with you?” Dane asked.

“She asked me to help pay for her mother’s treatment.”

Dane laughed. “Don’t tell me you fell for that line. You’re a lawyer!”

Vanessa scowled. “What does being a lawyer have to do with this?”

“Because I’m sure you’ve heard the sorts of lies people tell to get something for nothing. Haven’t you dealt with cases that are essentially legal extortion? Everyone has a mother or child with cancer when they discover a rich relative.”

She hated it when Dane was right, if for no other reason than that it only made him more cynical. “I’m pretty sure she’s not expecting me to wire her money right this minute.”

Dane snorted.

“I’m having her investigated,” Justin said. “So don’t worry.”

“Well, it’s nice that somebody’s thinking things through. No matter what, I still wouldn’t give her a penny. If you do, you’re going to be inundated with people giving you the same sob story,” Dane said.

“I doubt that,” Mark said.

Dane’s lip curled. “Do you think Mom’s only had one lover? If they think there’s money to be had, they’ll all come out of the woodwork with their hands open. Mark my words, Vanessa. You’re going to draw a big fat target on your back if you’re not careful.”

“Fine. I’ll take that into consideration.” It was better to give in than to argue endlessly with Dane. He saw the bad in everyone.

There was a general silence that stretched. Finally, Vanessa couldn’t take it any longer. “Is…that all any of you have to say?”

“Did you expect something else?” Dane asked.

Hilary spoke up. “I think she means the thing about how she’s not Salazar’s daughter.”

“What’s there to say?” Iain shrugged. “Did you think we might not consider you our sister because of that?”

“You’re still our sister.” Dane’s tone was flat as though he was reciting an encyclopedia entry. “Same mother.”

Mark rolled his eyes. “Could you
be
any less sensitive?” He turned to Vanessa. “You’re our sister. Nothing’s changed. The years we spent growing up together didn’t vanish because you learned that you’re not Dad’s daughter.” Suddenly, his eyes widened. “Is this why you wanted to talk here? You were worried about our reaction?”

Vanessa nodded. “I didn’t take the news very well when I found out.”

“Aw, jeez.”

“It’s pretty shocking news,” Jane said. “But I don’t think people are going to love you any less for who your father is. Or isn’t. You had no control over that.”

Tears sprang to Vanessa’s eyes. Sniffling, she wiped them away impatiently. It was so silly for her to cry when there was nothing but relief in her heart. It had to be the pregnancy hormones.