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“Are you sure it can’t?” Terry pulled up a chair and sat, stretching his long legs out in front of him. “I've known Harker for quite a few years. We're more acquaintances than friends, but I do know a few things about the man that maybe you don't.” He studied her for a long moment. “Or maybe you do, but you refuse to admit it.”
“I don't refuse to admit anything about Harker. I know exactly who he is, and what he’ll do to win.”
“That’s kind of what’s been bothering me,” said Terry. “I've looked through that entire contract, including all the additional paperwork and there's nothing in there about a fertility test. Did you have one?”
“No. I suggested it, but Harker didn’t want to bother with one. As you can see, it wasn't necessary.”
“Yes, but neither of you knew this at the time you signed the contract. I could maybe understand if you both already had children but marrying you without a fertility test was a huge risk on Harker’s part.”
“Mine too.”
“No. If you recall, it’s in the contract that if you didn’t conceive after a year without violating the contract, you’d receive half of the original offer, but Harker would get nothing.”
“Yes. I suppose, but…why does it matter? I had the baby. Is he trying to use this to get out of giving me my part—”
“Neither Harker nor his lawyer have spoken to me about this. I was just curious. A man like Harker, a businessman known for his loopholes and ironclad contracts that ensure everything works in his favor, wouldn't miss something this obvious. Even if he did his lawyer would’ve caught it and insisted that at least you be given a fertility test which means”—Terry paused, his dark eyes studying her even more intently than before—“Harker insisted it not be done. Why would a man do something like that if his only interest was procreation?”
“I don't know. He’s arrogant enough to believe that his sperm are so fertile they could overcome any obstacle my body threw in their way.”
“He is that.” Terry chuckled and then continued, “But he’s not stupid enough to actually believe it. And he’s a damn good businessman. He never loses.”
“That’s not true. He’s lost money before. Trust me. I heard him complain about it when it happened.” But it didn’t happen often.
“Of course, there are always risks, but businessmen like Harker mitigate those losses, like he would’ve if he’d had you take a fertility test. There still wouldn’t have been any guarantee that you’d get pregnant, but the likelihood of it not happening would’ve been lessened. Instead, he’d surged ahead without caring about the risks. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Why does any of this matter?” She didn’t want to talk about Harker. It hurt too much to even think about him.
“It matters because I don’t like things that don’t make sense. In my job if something isn’t clear, the other side is probably hiding something.”
“Do you think Harker is going to try and cheat me?” Her stomach clenched. She didn’t want to be poor. Being a single mother was hard enough without adding money issues.
“No. I don’t believe that has anything to do with what he’s hiding.” He drummed his fingers on the side of the chair. “I'm aware that you’re quite familiar with Harker’s membership at the Club.”
“Yes.” Alison's cheeks heated. It was one thing to be at the Club and another to talk about the sex club in this cold, bright hospital room.
“What you probably don't know is that Harker has never been one to dally from woman to woman. He’s always been more prone to find one sub and stay with her…even for years.”
“So you're trying to tell me that he doesn't go to the sex club to have sex, but if he does, it’s always with the same woman.” She didn’t want to hear about Harker’s fidelity with his subs. He’d been faithful to her too, but he hadn’t been honest.
“Of course not. He's a man and if he were between steady partners, he’d play around. What I’m trying to tell you”—he leaned closer—“is that he’s never been much for playing the field. He always prefers to have one committed partner, and he’s one hundred percent committed. One of his subs was gone on a trip for three months. Harker continued to come into the Club, but he didn’t have sex with anyone else.”
“He could’ve had sex somewhere besides the Club.”
“Sure. That’s possible, but why? It’s not uncommon for doms and subs to agree beforehand to open their relationship if one will be unavailable for a long period of time.”
“Maybe his sub wasn’t thrilled with that idea.”
“No. I know her. She would’ve been fine with whatever Harker wanted.” He grinned. “Like the good sub she is. The trip turned into a permanent move for her, and they did break up. He never found a new sub until he married one.”
“I’m not his sub.”
“You’re not a very good one.” He laughed. “But you are the one he chose.” He leaned back in his chair. “From what I heard, after he and his sub broke up, he was looking for a replacement but then he stopped coming to the Club. When he did show up, he never seemed interested in anyone. No one understood why until he brought you there.”
“I don't know why you’re telling me this. I tried, Terry, I really did. I begged him to destroy the contract and let me go. Let me think, but he wouldn’t.”
“Letting you go would be almost impossible for him.”
“I…I can’t stay with him.”
