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“You and your choices. Something tells me it wasn’t much of a choice for her.”
He shrugged. “She could check herself into a program and see Catarina regularly when she gets out.”
“Or not at all?”
“I won’t apologize for using my resources to get what I want when I feel it’s right. I’m a harsh man, Shakarri. I told you that before we were married. I laid it all out before you. However, I’m fair. Tell me, do you think it’s fine to leave my daughter in a dangerous situation?”
“Of course not.”
He put her away from him and spread his hand over her belly. “And did you deny me the chance to get you pregnant because of what you heard?”
She bit her lip. “Partly.”
“What’s the other part?”
She couldn’t tell him she feared him leaving her. It was ridiculous. She’d gone into this to get her debt paid, and now she loved him. There was no way she would tell him that. Not in this lifetime. He had enough power over her in the form of finances. He didn’t need emotional influence as well.
“Does it matter? I’ve broken our agreement, so if you’re going to file for divorce—”
“You’re not getting away from me that easily.”
She looked up at him, and he drew her closer. His lips skimmed hers, teasing her and igniting her senses. When he moved to her cheek and then down to her throat, she trembled.
“I’m not going to make it so simple for you divorce me. Notice I said you. I will fight you if you try, and bring you home if you leave.
“But…”
He found her lips again with one hand gently guiding her chin up so she couldn’t escape his kiss. Shakarri tried so hard not to like it, but she was swept away with the sheer magnitude of the man.
Leaving them both panting, he raised his head. “I’ll seduce you and convince you to have my baby.”
“That’s not fair.”
“In this instance, I refuse to be fair.”
“You’ll do whatever it takes to get your way?”
“I will.”
And what if I’m not happy?
She couldn’t say it out loud. Truthfully, she wasn’t unhappy with him. There were misunderstandings and fears and a host of other emotions, but disappointment in Ezio wasn’t among them. She still felt like he was far out of her league. With a few moves, Ezio overthrew her plans. Even when she thought she was being clever, he knew better. She wondered if she should regroup and try again later, or give in to her fate.
“I will get you released from here so you can come home and rest.”
“I take it you’re not angry about me trying to leave or about me taking birth control?” She kept her gaze on his shirtfront as she questioned him.
“I am, but what you suffered last night takes precedence. We’ll talk after you’re well.”
What in the world did that mean? “Sounds like a promise,” she muttered.
“It is.”
Chapter 11
Another party. Shakarri held a glass of wine, but she didn’t drink from it. She held it to keep up appearances and because occasionally, when someone didn’t distract him, Ezio watched her. Every time she caught him, she noticed this look in his eyes. He’d come to himself and look away, but she knew him now. It was too late.
In the four months since he had brought her back home after her attempt to run away, she hadn’t tried again, but neither had Ezio kept his threat to talk to
