fund, too. Have a think about it."
"I ... I will." Stomach in knots, she walked out of the bedroom and into theensuite bathroom, where she began washing her face. She should have picked something harder. The simple act gave her too much time to think.
A baby.
It had been part of their bargain. He had a right to expect it after he'd delivered his side of their agreement, yet he wasn't pressuring her. Of course, there was a time limit on his patience. And if he saw that she had no intention of trying to get pregnant, would he dissolve their marriage before the year was up? She clenched her fists on the edge of the sink, unable to bear the thought.
But, a baby?
Years ago, she hadn't even allowed herself to dream of it when she'd realized what it meant. Reliance.
Complete and utter trust in a man. Desolation and anguish if that trust was betrayed. Her hands shook as she dried her face. She'd never trusted any man enough to chance that kind of pain. Could she trust Jackson? He understood her need for a safety net - he'd offered their child a trust fund.
A bribe.
It hit her with the force of a roundhouse punch to the jaw. She sat down on the small stool by the handbasin , face white. Her husband was trying to bribe her for a baby. Just like he'd bribed her to be his wife. That time, the bribe had been Nick's safety. This time, it was security for the child they would create between them.
He'd bribed her into going to that party inFiji, and though the gift of seductive lingerie had come after the lovemaking, he'd bribed her for sex, too. Maybe that's not how he'd consciously thought of it, but the pattern of behavior was becoming clear. Today, an exquisite diamond necklace had been delivered to her from an exclusive jeweler - a present for the dinner party.
Suddenly, she understood the depth of hurts her silent husband carried.Jacksondidn't expect anyone to give him a gift without a price attached, or care for him without being paid, without compensation. She'd been so selfish and he'd let her, not expecting anything more. His childhood had been spent with people who demanded recompense for the slightest expression of care - baby-sitters, nannies and boarding schools. Tears pricked at her eyes. Stupid man. How dare he do this to her?
Taking deep breaths, she began to think, remembering her earlier thoughts of courage and cowardice.
Yes, she would be incredibly vulnerable if she hadJackson's baby, but he was the only man with whom she could even consider such an act of trust. What was the alternative? Never to know the joy of nurturing a child in her womb, never to hold a little human being who was part of her, never to give Nick the happiness of playing the role of a big brother, and more importantly, never to give her husband the baby he needed to erase the pain ofBonnie's selfish choice.
Despite his own concerns, she knew that he wouldn't cheat on her. He'd been faithful to Bonnie and he'd had all the reason in the world to take a lover. He would never abuse her, having too much self-control.
And, if the worst happened and they separated, he had too much honor to leave her to survive on her own.
She frowned. If their marriage didn't last, they'd both be to blame. But, she had no intention of ever giving up the hope she'd found in his arms. A small light flared inside her heart.Jackson, too, wanted a lifetime commitment, unlike the rest of his family. He would stick by her, unless she gave him a reason to leave. And she would never give him such a reason.
JacksonSantorini belonged to her.
Chapter 11
Jacksonlay there in the semidarkness of the bedroom, having dimmed the light afterTaylorslipped away.
The woman he'd shown such tenderness and care was hiding from him ... as if he was the monster Bonnie had accused him of being. Pain threatened to rip apart his heart.
Their bargain had been clear. A child within a year or they would separate. But he would never let her go. Even if it meant accepting that he would never father a child, because the awful truth was, his wife didn't want to give him that gift. He had no right to berate her but damn it, he wanted to. He adored her, would cherish their child as he