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“Well, I wasn’t. I washed ashore a couple of miles away. Carlos’s uncle—he’s with the government—and a discreet doctor kept the story out of the papers.” Her hand went to her face. “I had some bad cuts—it took a lot of plastic surgery—but I’m all healed now.” She tilted her head to catch the candlelight. “What do you think, Damian darling? As good as new, or even better?”
“What do you want, Kay?”
“What do I want?” Her smile hardened as she moved slowly across the terrace to where he stood. “Why, I want my life back, of course.” She stopped in front of him and lay a hand on his chest. “I want you, darling. A wedding ring. And that delightful little lump I see in my dear sister’s belly, as soon as it’s born.”
Damian caught her wrist and drew her hand to her side.
“Sorry, but you’re not getting any of those things.” He stepped past her and put his arm around Ivy, who was trembling. “Ivy and I are getting married.”
“Ah. You’re angry about Carlos. It didn’t mean a thing, darling. You’re the only one I ever loved.”
“You’ve never loved anyone in your life,” he said coldly.
Kay’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t understand, Damian. I’m back. Whatever little trap my dear sister sprang on you has no meaning now.”
Ivy stiffened. “I didn’t—”
“Hush, glyka mou. There’s no need to explain. Kay and I never had marriage plans.”
“We certainly did!”
“We did not. You had plans, Kay, the first time you told me you were pregnant.” Damian’s voice turned even more frigid. “It was a lie.”
“It wasn’t. My doctor—”
“I’ve seen your doctor. You were never pregnant. And you and I never discussed artificial insemination.”
“That’s all in the past. I’m pregnant now. I mean, Ivy is. With…” Her eyes flashed to Ivy. “With your child and mine. She did tell you that, Damian, didn’t she? That she’s carrying your baby? My baby?”
Damian’s jaw tightened. “Ivy carries my son.” He put his hand on Ivy’s round belly. “Our son. Hers and mine.”
Kay’s face paled. “What do you mean? Ivy? What did you—”
“Nothing,” Ivy said desperately. “But I will. I will! Kay, you can’t just come back after all this time and—and—”
“I can,” Kay said fiercely. “I have. And I want what’s mine.”
“Biology doesn’t make for motherhood,” Damian snapped. “You were alive, yet you didn’t see fit to tell me that you were. You didn’t see fit to tell Ivy, even though you knew she was pregnant.” His mouth twisted. “You have given up any right to this child.”
“I’ve given up nothing! Not you. Not the baby. And nothing you say or do will change that.”
Damian touched Ivy’s cheek with a gentle hand. Then he stepped away from her and walked slowly toward Kay.
“I am not a fifteen-year-old girl,” he said softly. “I am not a frightened child who will bend to your will. Your lies cannot make me think you are anything more than you are. An evil, selfish woman.”
“Ah.” Kay laughed. “So, she told you her sad story, hmm? About how the big, bad man molested her?” Her smile vanished; she shot Ivy a look of pure evil. “Liar! Why not tell him the truth? That you were a seductive little bitch—”
“Watch your mouth,” Damian snarled.
“A seductive little piece of tail.” She whirled toward Damian. “It’s the truth and she knows it. First she seduced my father—”
“No!” Ivy shook her head. “Kay. You know I never—”
“Seduced him. Batted her lashes. Crept into his lap. Told him how much she loved him—”
“I did love him! I was a little girl—”
“And then he died. Her mother died. They put us in foster care and she stole money.”
