Knight's Game (37 page)

Kate’s legs buckled and she slowly slid to the floor.
Fainting just like in the movies
, she thought. It took her a moment to find her voice and even then it was almost noiseless. ‘You’re kidding?’

He didn’t immediately answer, struggling to find the right words. Or the words least likely to provoke or displease. ‘This isn’t something I’d kid about.’

Her normal voice was back, her temper too. ‘That’s a real lame-ass excuse.’ Her green gaze had turned steamy. ‘I don’t believe you.’

‘Believe me,’ he said. ‘It’s fucking true.’ He slid upright, set the bottle on a nearby table, leaned forward and looked at her, her blue eyes sombre. ‘I’d like to ask you to ignore the whole thing or, if you can’t, at least wait for me. But it’s selfish of me to even consider asking you when this situation is so totally fucked. So I won’t.’

Why was she surprised? This was Dominic Knight after all. ‘If you’re looking for a way out, just say so,’ she said. ‘Getting bored? Too much of the same? Looking for a change?’ Each word was sharp with sarcasm.

‘Jesus, no. I’m not looking for a way out. I thought we’d
spend these six months in London together. Then this goddamn thing happened,’ he said grimly. ‘Look, don’t move. I’ll be right back.’ Coming to his feet, he quickly strode from the room.

Shock and temper aside, her brain was racing, wanting to find a way out, wanting more than anything to hope. It was like she’d been hit between the eyes; she wasn’t sure she could have moved if the flat was on fire.

Dominic came back a few moments later dressed in his jeans. He carried a primrose silk robe and, lifting her to her feet, he quickly slipped it on, his gaze averted in the event he forgot what was required of him. Then he led her to the sofa, sat, pulled her down on his lap and buried his face in her hair.

‘This is the only way I know to fix this problem,’ he said, his voice muffled.

‘Who is she?’ There wasn’t a woman alive who wouldn’t have asked.

He raised his head, met her gaze. ‘I don’t know.’ A half-truth. ‘I never met her.’ True.

‘Come on, you’re marrying someone you never met? You can do better than that.’

He couldn’t tell her that without this marriage, her life was in jeopardy. ‘It’s complicated.’

‘I just can’t imagine anything’s
that
complicated.’ She looked at him directly, scrutinized his face as if the answer lay within. ‘What’s really going on? You must have knocked up someone important. Or are you really just tired of me?’

‘Jesus, stop. Did it look like I was tired of you last night?’

‘Fucking marathons aren’t exactly unusual for you.’ She sighed. ‘Are they?’

‘You expect me to answer that?’ A hint of metal, temper.

And the elephant in the room came to life. ‘You have to admit, it’s not unreasonable that I’m questioning this so-called complication. With your history.’

He closed his eyes, wishing the three months were over, that he didn’t have to have this conversation. ‘No, it’s not unreasonable,’ he said, slowly opening his eyes.

‘Do they want your money?’ She needed a reason that made sense, that took away the fear that he didn’t want her anymore. ‘Tell me something I can understand. Because I don’t understand this at all.’

He blew out a breath. ‘I really can’t talk about it.’ He hesitated. ‘That’s part of the complication.’

‘Jesus, Dominic.’ Her head had begun to spin. ‘I don’t know if I can believe you. It seems to me you could change this if you wanted. Although, maybe I’m expecting too much. Maybe you don’t want to.’

His voice was soft, his eyes gentle. ‘If I thought I could change this, I would. But I can’t. And I understand how hard it is for you to believe me. The whole goddamn thing is unbelievable. But this clusterfuck is mine to deal with, not yours. You’re busy with a new job now, you’ve got your hands full. Maybe it would be best if we took a break for a few months.’ It was harder to say than he’d thought. Self-sacrifice had always been for others.

She felt her world die, as if someone had turned down the lights. ‘Is that what you want?’

‘No, it’s not what I want,’ he said, feeling deadly tired. ‘It’s so far from what I fucking want, it’s lost in some black hole in another galaxy. But I’m trying to be decent. How can I ask you to sit and wait for me? I’d like to more than anything. I’d like everything just to stay the way it is.’ He held her gaze.

She didn’t immediately answer. She turned her head away. Then she looked at him, told herself if she was stupid enough to cry, she was truly brain dead. ‘That’s asking too much.’

‘I understand,’ he said quietly. ‘It’s not fair to you.’

She felt something give deep inside her, like a Florida sinkhole that was collapsing under her feet. ‘Dammit,’ she whispered, trying to get up. ‘I’m not going to cry over you. You must do this all the time.’

His grip tightened, forcing her to stay. ‘I don’t ever do this.’ His eyes closed for a second and he took a breath. ‘I usually say thanks it’s been nice. I’m trying to be a good guy for once in my life.’

‘You become a good guy by leaving me? Is that what you’re saying?’

‘Jesus, baby. Tell me what you want me to say and I’ll say it.’

‘Tell me you’re not getting married.’

The silence was oppressive.

‘Christ, Dominic. People don’t get married because of
some murky business deal. If they did, half the people I shut down online would have to get married. They’re all crooks. Do you really think I’m that stupid? Jesus, I should have known when you were so super nice last night, when you made me think you actually cared, that I’d get burned in the end. It’s fucking Hong Kong all over again.’

He gave her a black look. ‘If only it were that simple. Because when it comes to being burned, I’m being consumed in an auto-da-fé and you’re feeling the heat from blowing out your birthday candles. OK? It’s not even close.’

‘So what I feel doesn’t matter? Or not as much as you? Is that right?’

He didn’t answer.

‘Answer me, dammit.’

He stared at her. ‘You wouldn’t like my answer.’

‘Fine. I’m sure you’re right. Because you’re always right, aren’t you? I hope your new wife is fucking docile.’ She came to her feet and said, bitchy as hell, ‘I should thank you for the sex last night. It was great. You were fantastic as usual. And make sure you call off your hired help. I won’t be needing them. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get ready for work.’

He watched Katherine leave.

Jesus, that went well.

If this was love, it sucked.

He got up when he heard the bathroom door shut and finished dressing while Kate was in the shower. The streets were still quiet as he walked the few blocks home. The front
door opened before he reached it. His majordomo stood to attention beside the pedestal table with the large flower arrangement in the centre of the entrance hall.

Dominic nodded good morning to the boy who’d opened the door, spoke politely to the older man who ran his London household. ‘No calls today, Martin, no visitors either. I don’t want to be disturbed. Unless Miss Hart calls.’

But she didn’t.

He hadn’t really thought she would.

Kate swore in the shower and swore while she dressed, swore before and after she slammed down a glass of chocolate milk, calling Dominic every name in the book which was better than crying and showing up at work red-eyed and splotchy-skinned from sobbing her heart out. She found a cab at the corner, and checked her email on her phone as she was driven to work.

She shut her office door when she normally wouldn’t have, but her emotions were shaky as hell and there was no point in having to explain possible tears to people who were more or less strangers. The day passed in a blur, which might have had something to do with her occupying outer space for most of the time. She ate candy bars for sustenance, which was actually the norm prior to meeting Dominic Knight and his host of personal chefs. She’d always consoled herself that Snickers had peanuts, so protein, right? And the sugar high from the candy was a requirement today when her life was so screwed. But her senses automatically responded to a computer
keyboard and screen so she was able to function at a tolerable level, her brain navigating the cyber world on autopilot. Although, she wasn’t the only one screwed that day. She closed down a hefty list of vulnerabilities, flagging a GTFO before she shut the hackers’ entry points.

At the end of the day, one of the other consultants invited her to join a group going out for drinks. She briefly hedged, thinking,
Go, go! Don’t be stupid!
Then she smiled and said, ‘Maybe next time,’ because she was already depressed and drinking would only make it worse.

But the minute she reached her flat, she called Meg and whined about no-good men who married other people for no apparent reason and Meg said, ‘What a fucking liar. I hope you found someone else to sleep with tonight.’

Kate laughed. ‘I’ll go out and drag someone in off the street.’ And she felt a couple of degrees better.

‘You better fucking mean it,’ Meg yelled over the phone. ‘Although, maybe someone you know, someone at work, would be less chancy,’ she added in a more thoughtful tone. ‘Send me a picture of the fun.’

Then they talked for a couple of hours about bad-ass men, past and present, laughed more than they cried, compared notes on their jobs – Meg’s fabulous and fun, Kate’s fabulous and fun when she wasn’t crying – and both ultimately decided that at their age life was still golden, alive with promise and legions of men waiting to be laid.

Before they hung up, Meg cautiously asked, ‘Are you going to tell Nana?’

‘Uh-Uh,’ Kate said. ‘For sure not about his marriage. I’d get a lecture for not being more careful about the company I keep when she’d really mean how could you be so gullible. Nana and gullible aren’t even in the same universe. I should be so smart.’

‘Hey, don’t beat yourself up. Anyone would be tempted. The man’s beyond gorgeous even without the money.’

‘And unfortunately a grade-A ass. But since Nana already knows the son-of-a-bitch left me once already, she won’t be surprised he’s gone again. So whatever I decide to tell her will be more or less the same old, same old. Speaking of same old, you’re still with Luke. That’s a record for you.’

‘I just like him. He’s dependable in a serene, unhurried way – easy going and calming when I’m wired. And he’s great in bed and not one bit demanding.’

The word
demanding
instantly evoked flame-hot memories that Kate worked furiously to suppress. She wasn’t about to recall all the sensational pleasures inspired by a demanding Dominic making her do things for him, things that …
Stop! Stop!
Sucking in a breath, she said as calmly as she could, ‘Great in bed is definitely on my wish list.’

‘I’ll be expecting reports on your current sex life,’ Meg said with her usual glass-half-full enthusiasm. ‘Look how much fun you had with what’s his name. Believe me, he’s not the only one with a dick who knows how to use it. Now don’t disappoint me. OK?’

There was only one acceptable answer for Meg. ‘OK,’ Kate said. ‘I’ll let you know.’

And she actually meant it. After talking to Meg she was in a much better frame of mind. Meg saw men as functional objects with dicks she could use. Really, it made sense. Why get involved?

*

While Kate survived the day at CX Capital, Dominic stayed in his library and drank. Max called. He didn’t pick up. Max came over. He had Martin turn him away. So Martin brought in a note from Max with his wedding date and time scrawled in large print with a note at the bottom. Danelli Villa in Fiesole. Morning coat.

Dominic swore, tore up the note, muttered under his breath, ‘Morning coat, my ass,’ poured himself another drink and finally, late that night, locked the door to the library so he wouldn’t go to see Katherine and make what was bad worse.

He came awake on the couch the next morning, sputtering and swearing, from the water Max was pouring over his head. ‘I locked the fucking door,’ Dominic growled.

‘Good for you,’ Max said drily, locked doors child’s play. ‘We have to be there tomorrow,’ he added as Martin waved in house staff to clean up the water.

Dominic groaned, took the towel handed to him and covered his face.

*

The next morning, Dominic viscerally understood the phrase
cruel and unusual
after undergoing the ordeal of a wedding to someone he didn’t know, with guests he didn’t
know, with a priest who eyed him like he was some pervert.
Not me
, he wanted to say.
I don’t do thirteen-year-olds, or sixteen-year-olds for that matter.
But he only answered yes or no as needed, didn’t once look at the pregnant young bride, and stood with a tight smile in the blessedly short receiving line after the ceremony.

When the reports had first come in three years ago acquainting him with Gora’s newest infatuation, perversion, whatever you wanted to call it, Dominic had wondered what kind of family would allow it.

A week later, after another report, Dominic had his answer: a titled family with heavily mortgaged property and no money. That’s who. And when he saw the well-heeled guests, albeit only close family, at the wedding
and
the newly refurbished villa, when he met the parents who sized him up like a prize race horse, he was reminded of that saying
No matter how cynical you get, you can’t keep up.

Although he’d already taken precautions to see that no photos would be published, Gora had taken his own precautions as well. But Dominic reminded himself to redouble his efforts in that regard. This Danelli family was out for money and they didn’t care whose it was.

He didn’t stay for the wedding breakfast, nor did he respond to Bianca’s coaxing that was way the hell too friendly; he more than most men recognized a come-on when he saw it. And once he and Max were in the car and driving away, he mentioned Bianca’s overtly seductive approach. ‘If that little bitch doesn’t watch it, Gora will see that she does. Did you
notice what she did? She practically crawled up my body, which isn’t easy to do when you’re six months pregnant. I thought her parents might say something.’