“You don’t even know if he’s really your son.”
Damien’s lip curls with revulsion. “You would say that, wouldn’t you? Were there other men you seduced in your father’s garden?”
“You damn well know it wasn’t like that.”
“Really? What was it like?” He stalks forward like a leopard. And I like prey mesmerized, stand still. “Because I distinctly remember you begging for my cock.” His voice lowers as his gaze travels from my lips to my cleavage. “I’ve been saving myself for you. Isn’t that what you said? Only you weren’t a virgin, weren’tyou?I’ve been practicing with a dildo, was the excuse if I’m not mistaken.”
I feel my cheeks flush. Despite my desire to look away, his gaze holds mine captive. he “You were older. More experienced. You should have known better.”
“Oh, come on. I did not do anything to you that you didn’t want.” My heart skips a beat. He’s standing close. Too close. I can feel his breath fanning my cheeks as he speaks. “Too bad you told your father a completely different story.”
“I didn’t say anything!”
“Exactly. You let your father and brother think the worst and said nothing to contradict it. Why?”
“You wouldn’t understand.” He thought and probably still thinks I was Daddy’s favorite, but nothing could be further from the truth. I was a nuisance to my father. Not only would he have cast me out after finding out, he would have ruined Damien’s career. Damien thinks that by firing him, my father did so, but if I had agreed to have willingly slept with Damien, my father would have blacklisted him. Damien would not work again in New York. Hell, make that the entire country. Even though my father didn’t think of me as the apple of his eye, he disliked the possibility of me marrying below my station. He controlled my dating life from the people I dated to who could be my friend.
And when he found out that not only was I pregnant, but the child was Damien’s, he threw me out of the house and cut me off after I said I would not get rid of the pregnancy. He even made sure that anyone who tried to help me would face the same financial consequences. It was his way of trying to make me get rid of the baby. And the longer I stayed resolute, the more stubborn he became.
He steps back as if coming out of a trance. “You’re right. The women I know would never do such a thing.”
Damien paces around the living room, his hand on his chin, facing down, then he stops, lifts his head and says, “Have it your way. Let’s do a DNA test.”
I take a deep breath. A test will give me enough time to get a lawyer and learn my options. “Okay. When do you want to do it?”
“As soon as possible. And in the meantime, both of you are coming to my place.”
“What for!”
“You could run away with my kid, for starters. There’s no way I’m letting Lake out of my sight.”
“No. You can’t just uproot us like that. He has school and friends and a routine.”
“First; it’s summer and schools are closed.”
Fuck expected him not to know that one.
“Secondly, if he wants to play with his friends, he can do saw on a playdate. I won’t stop him and as for a routine, he will develop a new one. He’s seven.”
I cross my arms. “We’re not going anywhere with you.”
“I could stay here if that’s convenient for you.Your place is small, but I’m sure we can make do. I don’t mind sleeping on a couch.”
The thought of Damien crammed with us in this small space is more terrifying to me than living with him in what I assume will be a huge townhouse or something similar. Bumping into him on my way to the shower is not how I want to spend my mornings. “Fine, I’ll tell Lake that we will be visiting your place for a few days.”
***
Damien’s place is not a townhouse, but a penthouse apartment at one of the most coveted addresses in the city. It’s modern and everything I expect a billionaire bachelor like him tolive in. It looks like a typical designed-by-an-interior-decorator design, which I find surprising. Damien is the type of person to color his personality all over a place he’s living in.
“Have you recently moved?” I ask after he’s given us the tour.
“Been living here for the better part of four years, actually.”
It’s very different from the last place I remember him staying at. Even though it’s devoid of individuality, I still can’t deny that it’s a much greater upgrade. Lake likes it. He hasn’t stopped looking around and taking everything in ever since we came here. When I told him we will be staying with Damien, he was hesitant at first, but all that was forgotten when he learned he will have his own bathroom. Now he can’t stop tugging my hand in a sign to let go of his hand. But I can’t. I’m afraid Damien will take him and run away with him. Irrational, I know, but I can’t shake the feeling. It’s only after Lake tugs me roughly that I let him go. I thought he would immediately start running around the apartment, but he stands still, staring at Damien.
Damien cracks a smile and bends down to Lake’s height. “So? What do you think?”
Lake glances around, nodding. “It’s okay. Granny’s place is kinda like yours, but better.”
