Page 38 of A Spinster's Guide to Landing a Lyon

A beautiful blonde woman descended. As in, she floated down. With poise. Grace. Like a cloud.

Benedict stepped in front of Amelia.

“What are you doing here, Susannah?”

“I needed to speak with you.”

“And you thought this was the place to do that?” His voice was steady, if not resentful.

“It’s urgent.”

“You could have waited.”

“I could not have waited.”

“Then I ask again. Why are you here?”

The woman of grace looked at the bystanders, including Amelia. “May we talk in private?”

“No.”

Silence awkwardly encapsulated them.

“No?”

“I don’t want to be near you, let alone in a private setting with you.”

“I really think—”

“Whatever you have to say you can say here.”

The words dropped like a devastating explosive. A pyrotechnic but without the giddiness. Loud. Shocking. Bright. Blinding.

“Your son needs you.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Son? You mustbe delusional Susannah.” Benedict’s heart was thrashing against his chest. Much as he needed to unleash his fury on his ex-wife, he needed to maintain his composure for everyone’s benefit. For his own integrity. For Amelia’s sake.

Amelia, the woman he loved. The woman he loved to rescue. The woman he loved to love. And the woman he loved to be rescued by. She bravely marched into the Lyon’s Den and walked out with him, not knowing that she was offering him redemption. His life had been bleak before her. Full of resentment. Anger. Mistrust. And when she came into his life, he thought she was going to be another reason to distrust women. Only…she was the epitome of grace and love.

She cared more about the people around her than anyone he had ever known. She was loyal to a fault. Willing to sacrifice her life, her future, for her sister. She was a treasure, and he needed her to know it. That she was his only focus now. It was time someone stepped in to take care of her.

His ex-wife deserved none of his attention. None of his emotions. None of him at all. Only Amelia deserved it.

“You have a son, Benedict.”

“No, I do not.” He would have known. He would have been aware if his seed had taken root and a part of him existed somewhere in the world. He would have felt it in his soul. There was no way he had a child. Withher. “You must be mistaken.”

“You’re arguing with me?” Her hand manipulatively touched her belly. The gasp that emitted from Amelia made him want to turn around and protect her. Tell her everything. Reassure her. But he didn’t want to give Susannah any firepower over him. She was more manipulative by half than anyone he had ever met. And indicating his feelings for Amelia at this juncture could prove devastating.

“It’s been years. You would have told me.”

“I didn’t want you to have him. I resented you.”

He scoffed. “You resented me? That’s ironic, considering the circumstances.” That was just like Susannah. She would be the woman to try and hold all the cards so that she could make her move and play everyone around her. He had hated her for that.

Had.