“Even sleep with me?”
His question hit her like a punch in the stomach. She reeled a step back, desperate for some space. “That’s not how it was.”
But he didn’t let her retreat. He stalked closer, all his anger and frustration visible on his face. “Really? Then how was it? Why don’t you explain to me exactly why you thought sleeping with me would help your cause? Did you think if you went to bed with me it would convince me you really were Isabella’s mother?”
Her spine stiffened. “Now you’re just lashing out. If you’re only going to insult me, then there’s no point in even discussing this.”
She spun on her heel and headed for the door. She was several steps away when he grabbed her by the arm and spun her back to face him.
For just the briefest moment, the closeness of his body called to her. His expression, so tense, so unyielding reminded her of the previous night. Of the way he’d looked, poised above her as her body had writhed with passion.
How could that man—that man with whom she’d felt so close and free—be the same man fighting with her now? How could he accuse her of such awful things?
And why, dear God, hadn’t she told him the truth earlier?
In that instant, she might have dropped to her knees and begged for forgiveness, but the moment was melodramatic enough without it.
That part of herself that wanted to supplicate to him evaporated with his next words.
“You’re lucky I don’t call the police and have you arrested.”
For a moment she merely gaped at him, then she tugged her arm away from his. “You’re right. I don’t know why I did sleep with you.”
For the first time that morning, something other than anger flickered across his face. But it was gone before she could even consider the possibility that she’d hurt him.
“Sleep with me? You were ready to marry me.”
“I—”
“And how exactly did you think you were going to pull that off?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You know I was never going to marry you. I never said yes.”
“Well, you didn’t exactly say ‘no,’ did you?”
“I certainly did. And if you remember correctly, last night I told you we needed to talk. I was going to tell you the truth about Jewel. You’re the one who stopped me. You’re the one who wouldn’t listen.”
“And what exactly were you going to do after you’d told me?”
“I was going to leave. I’d realized that I was wrong about you. That you were going to be a good father. That you really did love Isabella.”
“Of course I love her, I’m her father.”
She knew the second Dex realized what he said was no longer true. A flash of pain so deep crossed his face there was no doubting it.
And that’s when she knew she’d well and truly lost.
It didn’t matter why she’d lied to him. She’d never convince him that her intentions justified her deception. In the end, he’d been too hurt by what she’d done. It wasn’t about trust or deception anymore.
By pretending to be Jewel, she’d convinced him he was Isabella’s father. In that short time he’d fallen in love with the girl he believed to be his. Her lie had ripped that dream away from him.
Nothing she could say or do would justify the pain she’d put him through.
All she could do now was step aside and let him mourn his loss. And pray that someday he’d at least understand what she’d done.
“She’s not the mother.”Dex planted his hands in the center of Quinn’s desk and leaned forward, so he was right in Quinn’s face.
Quinn didn’t flinch, but quirked an eyebrow. “Who isn’t the mother?”
“Lucy. Lucy Alwin isn’t Isabella’s mother.” Dex bit out the words, his rage emanating from every syllable. Overcome by the sudden urge to sweep all the papers off Quinn’s desk, Dex forced himself to straighten and shoved his hands into his pockets. “You run a billion-dollar security business. You have legions of people at your disposal. Resources I’m sure I can’t even imagine. Besides which, you’re one of the smartest men I’ve ever known. So how the hell did one little woman—one actuary—manage to outsmart you?”
By now, Quinn’s sardonic expression had faded to one of confusion. “What do you mean she’s not Isabella’s mother? If she isn’t, then who is?”
“Her twin sister.”
“Ah.” Quinn rocked back in his chair. “That explains it. I would have needed her medical records to have found out. And you said you didn’t want me to do anything illegal.”
Dex turned away and paced to the far side of Quinn’s office, resisting the desire to yell at Quinn. This wasn’t Quinn’s fault. No, the only two people to blame here were Dex and Lucy. Which made it all that much harder to bear.
Quinn kept talking, apparently unaware of Dex’s inner turmoil. “From a legal standpoint, this is good news. If both sisters were in on the deception, that should make it much easier for you to get custody of the girl.”
“No, it won’t. Isabella isn’t mine.”
“Oh.”
That single word held a note of understanding that made the anger in Dex’s stomach roil. The smug bastard thought he had it all figured out. Dex took little satisfaction in knowing that someday Quinn would meet a woman who would turn his life inside out.
“So that’s what this is about,” Quinn continued. “You’ve fallen for this kid and now that you’ve found out she isn’t yours, you’re understandably pissed off.”
If only it were that simple. The problem was, this wasn’t only about losing Isabella. It was also about losing Lucy.
Seventeen
T here were times—and this was one of them—when he wondered why he even came in to work. Since this was corporate headquarters, Derek all but insisted at least one of them be there at all times. Yet the reality was, Derek did his job so well from no matter where he was, that Dex often contributed very little to this company in comparison to his brother’s endeavors.
Which left Dex way too much time to consider the many years he had ahead of him of having not much to do.Still, when he heard the door to his office open he didn’t appreciate the interruption. Quinn was the only one who would just let himself into his office. And Quinn really should have known better.
“Damn it, Quinn—” But he broke off when he saw not Quinn, but Lucy enter the room.
“Don’t blame him. He was going to have me arrested. Or at least thrown out. But I bullied him mercilessly to convince him to let me up. I pulled out all the stops. Even tears.”
As evidence, she held out one of the crisp white handkerchiefs Quinn always kept tucked in his suit pocket.
Dex felt his jaw clench. Despite himself, he couldn’t help noticing how good she looked. Which was ridiculous, since she looked horrible. Splotchy complexion, red nose, dark circles under her eyes. And she’d pulled her hair into a stubby ponytail rather than her normal sassy bob.
He should be rejoicing. After all, if things had been different, they’d be engaged right now and soon he’d be trapped in a marriage to a liar. So why did he instead want to cross the room and pull her into his arms?
Somehow, his subconscious must not accept what his conscious mind knew to be true: this woman meant nothing to him.
“Looks like I’ll have to review security procedures with Quinn. In the meantime, if he’s feeling too sentimental to have you thrown out, I’m sure I can find someone else who isn’t.” He made to reach for the phone, though he knew he’d never follow through.
Before his hand even touched the handset, Lucy rushed across the room and stopped him by putting her hand on his.
“I only need a few minutes.” She held up a duffel bag he hadn’t noticed before now. “I just stopped by to drop off this bag of Isabella’s clothes. At least…” she hesitated. “At least, that’s ostensibly my reason for stopping by.”
“What is it you want, Lucy?” Her name came out with a little bit of bite to it. Even speaking her name was a reminder of the lies she’d told.
“To apologize. I’m not very good at owning up to my mistakes. It’s just that I…I don’t like making them. I’ve spent all my life trying to be the perfect daughter. The perfect student. The perfect employee. I don’t like failing.”
She paused to suck in a deep breath, and despite himself, he found his defenses against her weakening.
“Which only makes it harder when you have to admit to making a huge, colossal mistake like the one I made. I know what I did really messed up your life for a few weeks. But you have to know, I really did believe I was doing the right thing for Isabella. I just got so centered on what I thought was right for her, I didn’t think about what was right for anybody else.”
She flashed him a game little smile, like she’d made a bad joke but wanted him to laugh at it anyway. He didn’t. He couldn’t laugh at anything, not even bad jokes.
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him, giving him the impression she was assessing his very soul. And probably finding it lacking.
“You know, Dex, this act may work with other people, but I don’t buy it.”
“This act?” he asked sardonically.
“You, sitting there behind the desk, so cool. Obviously you want me to believe that all of this means nothing to you. That you haven’t been affected by any of this. But I know the truth. I’ve seen how you are—how you were—with Isabella. You really love her. And it’s got to be killing you that she’s not your daughter.”
Having her here was bad enough. Listening to all this crap about his emotions was more than any man should have to up with. “What exactly is it you want from me, Lucy? If you’re expecting some sappy outpouring of emotion, I’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong man.”