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Belatedly, I registered the dampness on my cheek. Hating myself for that weakness, I dashed my hand across my cheek. Only to feel more tears spilling.
‘It must be a side effect of being repeatedly labelled a liar. Or... I don’t know... Pregnancy hormones. But, no matter what, this was the right thing to do. And now it’s done.’
There—you’ve said your piece. Now leave.
> But my feet refused to move.
His eyes narrowed with laser focus. ‘If there truly is a baby, does the news distress you that much?’
‘Yes! You lulled me into a false sense of security, made me think I had the flu when I’m pregnant!’
He went a little pale, his movements jerky as he closed the gap between us. ‘And what would you have done if I’d told you two months ago that there was this possibility, hmm? Considered your options without me in the picture, perhaps?’
‘Watch your tone, Mr Xenakis. The last thing you should be doing is lounging on that lofty perch and looking down your nose at me. What happened between us was consensual. What happened with the condom was unfortunate. You do not have the right to question my character. Considering the way we parted, do you really think I would be here, right now, if that was my intention?’
He seemed lost for words even as his gaze scoured my face, dissecting my words.
‘You said yourself you only verified the pregnancy a week ago. That means you’re about two months along. It’s not too late for other options. Maybe that’s your plan? To leverage those options?’
His insult sank in, sharp as a stiletto blade. ‘God, you can’t help yourself, can you?’ I realised I’d screamed the words only after they came out.
He frowned. ‘Calm yourself, Sadie.’
‘If you want me to calm down, then stop upsetting me—Neo!’
He sucked in a deep breath, then another. Then he whirled around, dragging his fingers through his hair. Swift strides put the width of the room between us and I watched him stare out of the window at the Friday afternoon traffic, tension riding his shoulders.
Walking out through the door should’ve been easy, but again that stubborn need to have him believe me held me rooted to the spot.
So when he abruptly grated, ‘Perhaps we should discuss this further. Take a seat. Please,’ I glared at his back for all of half a second before stumbling over to one of the twin plush sofas positioned tastefully at one side of his office.
Unlike his stunning but impersonal London penthouse, there were more signs of Neo Xenakis’s personality here. Priceless objets d’art were placed next to pictures of what looked like his family, and there was even a framed child’s drawing. On the coffee table, a large book on Mayan history was open to a well-thumbed page, and several more Aztec-themed books were piled to one side.
The notion that in another time or place I’d have liked to get to know this stranger whose baby I carried hit me hard.
I was busy pushing the thought away when I heard his deep, low tones. He stood at his desk, speaking in rapid-fire Greek. Done, he returned to the window and stood there for an age.
When he turned around, every inch of his body brimmed with purpose. ‘You mentioned that you saw a doctor?’
‘Yes...after I took the pregnancy tests.’
‘And?’
‘Everything’s fine so far.’
‘This probably won’t come as a surprise to you, but to me the possibility of an offspring is not...unwelcome.’
The depth of yearning in his low, deep voice rocked me to my core, softening a knotted place inside me I hadn’t registered until his words loosened it. Truth be told, I hadn’t allowed myself to think beyond delivering the news. Because when it came down to it, Neo had plenty of other options beyond having a baby with the woman who’d brought chaos into his life. If he was willing to accept—
‘If it’s mine, that is. And at this point I’m hard-pressed to be convinced it is.’
The soft place hardened, strangled tight by his words. ‘You really believe I’d lie about something like this?’
The yearning receded slowly, forced back by the power of his scepticism. And something else. Something dark and grave that took complete control of him, hardening his face into a rigid, implacable mask.
‘I’m a wealthy, influential man. Anyone with a competent internet connection can see for themselves what any association with the Xenakis family represents. Believe it or not, you won’t be the first woman to attempt to saddle me with a paternity claim. Even when the likelihood is remote.’
He believed it. He truly believed he was infertile.
