Bedded and DeceivedA Billionaire Revenge Romance Novel - Marian Tee Page 0,14

"Ms. Baskerville came here earlier, and I'm giving you her apologies on her behalf. Says she's feeling unwell and would be unable to join us for dinner."

Dmitry frowned. "Airsick?"

"You should see for yourself." Sasha's tone had become noncommittal.

Dmitry forced himself to shrug. "She's not exactly a kid. She should know how to take care of herself." He took his seat and pressed the Service button to get the staff to come in.

Sasha deliberately chose not to talk about his brother's secretary during the meal. Best let Dmitry stew a little, and if fate was on Sasha's side, then perhaps this might be the push the other man needed to be finally honest about his feelings.

When the staff came back to clear the table, Dmitry asked if Sasha wanted a drink to cap the night off and cursed silently in his mind when his brother said yes.

Shit.

Another hour passed.

Sasha, seeing Dmitry becoming increasingly on edge, finally took pity on his older brother and made up an excuse about having to get back to his room for work.

Dmitry, left alone in the lounge, only lasted about ten seconds.

And then he was out of his seat in a flash.

He knocked on Tahey's door once. What the hell was wrong with her? He wasn't worried or concerned, but naturally, as her employer, it was his responsibility to see to her well-being while she was on the job.

When Tahey was still unresponsive after the third knock, Dmitry knew there was only one thing left to do.

Tahey sat up in shock when her boss suddenly came striding inside her room and stopped by the foot of her bed.

Dmitry's gaze turned brooding as he took in Tahey's tear-stained face. "You've been crying," he said tautly.

She started to deny this, but then she remembered his warning about not lying, and she found herself slowly nodding instead.

"Why?"

Tahey swallowed hard. "It's my dad."

Dmitry stiffened. Shit. It was the last thing he expected her to say, and his first instinct was to say nothing and simply walk away. To talk about her father would only make things complicated, but then he saw the way her lip had once again started to tremble...

Shit.

He pulled the vanity chair to the side of her bed and sat down. "Tell me about it."

The curtly spoken words stunned her, but it also made Tahey feel like laughing and crying at the same time. In any other day, being with Dmitry in a room with a bed in it would have been a dream come true. Now, however...

"How much do you really know about my dad?" she heard herself ask unevenly.

"Enough."

"Then if I tell you I hate him..."

"It's understandable."

"And if I tell you I love him still?"

This time, Dmitry didn't answer, and she couldn't blame him.

"I wish I could stop loving him," she whispered painfully, "but I can't. He was a good dad - no, he was a great dad. A w-wonderful dad. And I always used to think that I was so lucky to have him, until..." Tahey's voice broke. "When I learned the truth, and he admitted it, and he didn't even see anything wrong with what he did...I had to leave."

"And is that why you're crying?" Dmitry forced himself to ask. "Because you want to go back—-" He stopped speaking with the way Tahey was already shaking her head.

"I got a call from him," she said jerkily. "From prison."

Dmitry's gaze became shuttered.

"And he called, he called just to let me know that h-he...he knows." Tahey's chest tightened. "He knows I'm the one who told the police..." Tahey squeezed her eyes shut. "He knows I'm the one who turned him..." Her voice caught for a second time, and she could no longer make herself speak.

Tears clogged her throat, and she curled her fingers into fists. She knew she had done the right thing, and yet...

Why, baby? Why did you do it?

Daddy, I'm sorry.

I'm your dad.

I'm sorry.

I did everything for you.

I'm sorry, Dad, I'm so sorry.

Her body shook at the effort it took to keep her tears in check, but then she felt it—-

Dmitry's fingers carefully wiping the tears away from her cheek, and the shock of it made her eyes fly wide open.

Real.

Dmitry had leaned forward from his seat, and his cold, beautiful face with his glittering golden eyes were just inches away from her, his golden gaze veiled even as he continued to wipe her tears away.

"Why are you being so nice?" she heard herself ask tremulously. "Is this pity again?"

The fingers on her