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“No, I am not going to discuss this now. Because I’m not alone, dammit, that’s why. Is that so hard to understand?”
Sage jumped back guiltily as Caleb turned from the window. She used the door as a shield but he hadn’t seen her. He was too furious to see anything, she realized, as he began pacing through the room.
“Okay. I get it. Jake only told you because you asked him if he knew how you could reach me when I didn’t return your calls, but—”
He cocked his head, listening to his sister-in-law, every now and then muttering a harsh curse under his breath.
“Are you done?” he finally said. “Good. Now listen, and listen well. This woman, Sage Dalton, this situation, isn’t anyone’s affair but mine.”
Cold fingers danced along Sage’s spine.
This woman? This situation?
“I’m dealing with it. That’s all you need to know.”
Dealing with it. Oh God, he was dealing with—
“Yes. I do see that. The legal ramifications as opposed to anything else. Well, of course. A paternity test. Right. After the child is born. That’ll eliminate any possibility of later claims.”
A whimper rose in Sage’s throat. Caleb, she thought, oh Caleb!
“Goddammit,” he snarled, “no, I have not married her!” He ran his hand through his hair. “Do I seem that much of a fool? I know what has to be done and when to do it.”
Sage fell back, her hand clamped over her mouth. Do not throw up, she told herself fiercely. You haven’t done that in weeks and, dammit, you’re not going to start again now!
“I understand.” His voice quieted. “Yeah, you’re right. I shouldn’t have left you in the dark. The personal issues are one thing but the legal implications … Look, can you deal with this? Good. Excellent. Draw up something. Make it clear that the child will be mine. Only mine.”
Sage looked around, frantic. She’d left her handbag somewhere …
There it was. A tiny silk evening purse. Not that it really was hers. Caleb had bought it for her. He’d bought everything she was wearing.
She wanted to tear it all off, fling it into the corner, but she had to hurry. She could hear the murmur of his voice, calmer now, steadier, and why wouldn’t it be?
She had never been his lover, she had been his—his plaything. His toy. Sex and a baby, in one neat package, though he wasn’t convinced about the baby, he’d require a paternity test first and then, once he knew the DNA matched, he’d demand sole custody of his child.
That, at least, would make her baby’s life different from hers.
Her child wouldn’t be raised by a single, bitter, poverty-stricken mother. Her child would be raised by a wealthy, arrogant, self-important father who’d hand him over to nurses and nannies …
The hell he would.
This was her baby. Nobody else’s.
Caleb Wilde might be congratulating himself on a game well played but the game wasn’t over yet.
“Addison,” he said, “I have to go. I’ll call you tomorrow, once I’ve—”
“Talk to her now,” Sage said, as she stepped into the sitting room. “You’ll have all the time you need, I promise.”
She knew she would always remember the look on Caleb’s face. The dropped jaw, the open mouth, the stunned expression on his deceptively beautiful face.
“Sage?” he said. “Honey?”
She wanted to tell him what he could do with all those honeys and sweethearts, but it might take too long.
Instead, she flung open the door.
“Goodbye, Caleb.”
