casually glanced over his shoulder searching for Scarlett and Fleur. They were on the other side of the room, kneeling on the floor and focused on something she couldn’t see. Amelie let out a slight sigh of relief.
“Pay attention to me, Ame!”
The snap in Roan’s voice caused Amelie to jolt. She looked at him and shivered. Apparently, his temper had only grown during their years apart. She had no idea why he seemed to have a weird obsession with her. “What do you want?”
He lowered his tone and looked around to see if anyone was paying them attention. They weren’t. Nothing in his demeanor gave off the angry energy she could see visible in his narrow-eyed gaze.
“I want what you took from me.”
She flinched then stiffened her stance. Amelie had no idea what he was talking about. “I don’t have anything of yours, Roan.”
He pounded his fist onto his open palm. “You do!”
“I’m not listening to you.” Amelie made to turn away, fear drumming at her chest.
Roan grabbed her arm and spun her around to hiss, “I know, Amelie.”
Amelie tried to twist her arm away but his grip was tight, the nails gouging her tender skin. “Let me go, Roan.”
He leaned forward and whispered harshly, “If you won’t give me my daughter, Ame, I’ll be forced to take her.”
He knew about Fleur! Amelie didn’t know what to make of his frightening demand. He had to be out of his mind if he thought she’d agree. His presence here suddenly made sick sense. “Did you go to my daughter’s school and try to take her?”
The very thought left Amelie ill. She wouldn’t trust Roan within feet of Fleur.
“She’s mine too.”
Amelie shook her head, trying to make sense of what he was saying. “You didn’t want a child, Roan. You attacked me while I was pregnant.”
His face contorted with dismay and an odd display of pride. “That’s before we learned Aviana had a biological defect. She can’t have kids and wants one desperately.”
Glad Fleur was with Scarlett on the other side of the ballroom, Amelie leaned forward with her chin thrust up. “Listen to me and listen well. You’re mad. You can’t just show up and demand I give you my child.”
“Our child, Amelie,” he corrected, gloating. “I did a little checking before we arrived and I know she’s mine. When the Gerelins learn you’ve been lying to them all this time and living here illegally under a false relationship, they’ll make you leave.”
Her heart stuttered. This was her home. Fleur was loved and treated kindly here. Her daughter thrived and now Roan was threatening to snatch that away from them. So typical. So selfish. She fumed silently.
He must have taken her lack of a response for victory because his eyes gleamed with malicious pleasure. Amelie straightened her shoulders. “I’m sorry for whatever issues you and your wife have but you can’t have my daughter.”
“Who’s gonna stop me?” he sneered and eyed her up and down as if she was worthless. “I’m the right hand to the ambassador now. People respect me. You’re still just a nobody.”
Lips firmed, Amelie leaned forward. Her days of buckling under Roan’s opinion of her were in the past. She matched him glare for glare. Nobody was touching her daughter or taking her. If all she had was the cloak of protection Scarlett’s lie gave her, she’d use it. “My mate won’t let you.”
Rearing back, Roan let out a huff of disbelief. “What mate? I asked around here and no one’s seen this imaginary man.”
Shivering and worried how much he truly knew, Amelie didn’t back down. “He has to be gone a lot for his job. Staying here gives us a place to be when he’s in between work.”
“You’re lying!” Roan clenched his fists and his narrowed gaze blazed.
“I’m not!” Amelie blasted back vehemently.
Doubt flickered at her assurance. Then he regained his composure. “I’ve checked. No one’s ever seen this mate. Nor have they ever heard of him. I’m willing to bet he doesn’t exist.”
With that, Roan ripped the silk scarf from her neck. He seemed surprised to see the two scars representing bonding marks there. “I can’t believe the lengths you’ve gone through to steal my child.”
His indignant attitude stung. If she didn’t know better, she’d believe he was some injured father figure in all of this.
“What’s going on?” A male Gerelin Amelie knew in passing came toward them, glaring at Roan’s grip on her dangling scarf.
Roan seethed and tossed the scarf to the floor. “This