“Yes.I work every day.To help this family. To protect you and make sure your poor decisions from the past don’t haunt us forever. Take a look around you. The people here, that watch on your wrist, the Aston Martin you drove up in. All of that could be gone in a second. Walter dies, and everything goes to Eloise. What then? Sophie will move her boy toy into a mansion on our block while we become the laughing stock of the entire town.”
“Eloise is my daughter. If Pops left it to her, I’m sure I would still have access,” I replied, even as unease skittered down my spine.
“Unlike you, I know better than to put my fate in other people’s hands. I’m the one who made it so your father’s stock in the company went to us to make sure they couldn’t cut us out. That doesn’t mean you can’t get kicked off the board and fired. I know you have misused corporate funds. You’re the one who taught me how to do it, after all. If anyone were to look through the finances, getting removed from the board will be the least of your worries. This is your last warning. Fix this mess before there’s nothing left for any of us. We’ll all be out on the streets while Sophie looks down on us.” With that parting jab, my mother stalked away with her party smile firmly in place.
A childish giggle rang out as I saw my daughter sitting onLinc’s lap, surrounded by family members who interacted with each other with familiarity and comfort.Have I already lost them?It was all Mother and Nat’s fault that I never got to bond with Eloise.
Mother’s distaste for her was evident from the get-go, but I had allowed that to sway my actions. I let Sophie do all the heavy lifting, assuming the alimony payments and trust fund were enough of a contribution. Seeing Sophie and Eloise surrounded by Linc and his family, my stomach dropped. They looked cozy, and begrudgingly, I admitted that Mother was right.I need to fix this mess.
Dinner was a strained affair, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. The people seated closest to me faded to white noise as I stared across the room. Sophie and Lou at another table, looking joyful with big smiles, was captivating. All eyes were on them, and I hated it. Neither Sophie or Eloise had ever looked at ease like that—at least, not around me.
I didn’t taste any of my dinner, drinking most of the meal instead. Nat kept leaning over me, touching me under the table and trying to get my attention, but I couldn’t focus. The voices carried over me, through me, but were nothing more than warped static. Plates changed, silverware was switched, but all I could see, all I could focus on, was Sophie.
All I could hear was the thumping of my heart, as if it were trying to break free from my chest and get to her. It was palpable. Pain as I had never known before rocked through me at the sight of her. From my scalp to my fingertips, my entire body felt electrified, a buzz under my skin that wouldn’t ease until I got close to her, skin on skin.
As if shaken from a stupor, a flash of red caught my eye. Lindsey, dressed like a Vegas showgirl, was standing across the room. She hadn’t provided anything useful since she arrived. This was her last chance to help me out. We hadn’t spoken except for when I had made sure she received the invite and would arrive on time.
Studying her, I thought back to that moment in my office when she so easily offered herself to me. At that moment, I was sure I could have gotten anything I wanted out of her. I couldn’t deny that the idea of getting both of Linc’s women was heady. As I watched Lindsey, I caught it when a pained look crossed her face before she wiped it clean as she focused on somebody across the room. Following her gaze, I saw Sophie. Her head was tilted back in laughter, a flush rising from the champagne.
The bodice of her dress nipped in at the waist and showed her more than ample chest. It felt like everything disappeared around me. All I could see was Sophie. She was my beacon in the madness. Nothing felt right when she wasn’t around. My skin felt too tight, my body feverish.
Heat was rising within me, torching my body slowly. The only refuge I could see, the oasis in the desert, was my Sophie. I would make her mine. She would remember who she belonged to. Putting her empty glass down, I watched as she excused herself before heading for the restroom.
Hypnotized by the sway of her hips and the slope of her neck, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. My blood heated, my heart rate increasing as my cock hardened. After months of disuse, it was rising to attention, begging to get closer to Sophie.
Maxwell: Get her to the small courtyard near the back entrance.
I typed the message out quickly, not wanting to lose the opportunity to reach Sophie when she wasn’t surrounded by protectors. Lindsey looked at her phone, and a few emotions flitted across her face before she settled on resolve. Bringing the champagne flute up to her lips, she gulped down a mostly full glass before following in Sophie’s wake.
Forcing myself to move, I muttered an excuse before leaving the table. I could feel eyes on my back as I headed for the restroom. Once out of sight of the party, I made my way to the courtyard, where I would wait to finally have my moment with Sophie. Where I could finally get my family back, no matter what it took. She would bend to my will. I was in control now.
Chapter 26
Natalia
Walking into the venue, the small vial in my clutch was the most precious thing to me. Max hadn’t touched me in weeks—nothing, not even a kiss on the cheek. It made me doubt whether the pills were working, but I couldn’t risk stopping. That night would end with us in our bed, and with Max finally planting a baby in me.
I needed this—weneeded this. Max had become unpredictable, moody, and withdrawn. Everything I tried seemed to backfire. The countdown in my brain was loud and bright, reminding me of how little time I had left to secure my spot in the Townsend family.
Max drove himself to the event, and I was put out that we hadn’t arrived together. This was better, though, as eyes followed me across the ballroom, tracking over my skin, making me feel sexy and daring. I was wearing a floor-length black dress covered in sequins. It had swaths of sheer fabric crossing my torso and back, giving everyone glimpses of my body.
Low cut in the front, my professionally crafted breasts held the dress up. Max was standing next to Helen at one of the tables closest to the dance floor. I made my way over, forcing my face to relax and shaping my lips into a sexy smile.
Checking my reflection, I was pleased to see the bloodred lipstick I had carefully applied looked perfect and hadn’t moved an inch. When I reached Max’s side, I stepped close to him and leaned in for a kiss. He turned his head, giving me a cheek, andembarrassment burned in my gut.
“Be careful. I don’t want any lipstick on me,” he said as he took in my appearance. His eyes were calculated as he scanned my form from top to bottom. Max’s brow was furrowed, and his jaw was clenched.Am I getting to him? Is it finally happening?I straightened up, pulling my shoulders back and pressing my chest forward.
Latching onto Max’s arm, I curled up against his side. His hand instinctively went to my back, where he encountered bare skin. I shivered at the sensation, a thrill running through me at the contact. I tilted my head up, and my eyes met Max’s as he studied me closely.
“Is this dress new?” he asked, staring at my chest.
“Of course! Wanted to look my best for you,” I told him, reaching out to slide a hand down his chest. He pulled back, and I froze, unsure of what was going on.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit tacky? You’re a little old to be showing that much skin.” Like being plunged into the Arctic, my body felt like it went into shock. My blood felt cold in my veins, and I had to resist the urge to wrap my arms around myself. The old Max—my Max—would have loved this. The Max who bought me expensive lingerie that was nothing more than lace and straps.Where did that man go?Before I could reply, I felt him stiffen next to me before he muttered “Fuck” and stepped away from me.
I turned to see what he was looking at, only to spot Sophie’s boyfriend. He was waiting at the bar, dressed in a tuxedo. No wonder Max was so upset. That man looked incredible. Big, strong, the suit highlighting all sharp angles and harsh lines that made up his features. Disappointment and rage ran through me.How is everything going badly already?
“I need a drink,” Max muttered, looking around the room so he wouldn’t have to go near the bar.
