get one whiff of you starting up again, I’ll have Nicole taken off you so fast your head will spin.”
She took a step back against the balustrade. “Don’t say that!”
“I mean it.”
She swallowed hard. “I know you do,” she whispered, then shuddered, all at once looking totally defeated. “Can we go home now please, Dominic? I’m feeling rather…tired.”
With anyone else he would have felt some pity.
He couldn’t let himself feel anything.
Not one damn thing.
He put his hand on her arm. “Come on,” he said brusquely. “Let’s get out of here.” He’d had enough, too. He wanted her as far away from Keith Samuels as humanly possible, but threatening to take a woman’s child off her on her birthday had to be the lowest thing he’d ever done.
Eight
The next day was Friday, and Cassandra was anxious to go to the nursing home. She wanted to arrange a start date for her volunteer work. She desperately needed to settle everything so that she could give up the pretense of another dental appointment, otherwise Dominic might get suspicious and think she was going off to meet Keith. He might put a tail on her.
Oh, God, why was life so complicated? she asked herself as she dressed. It was a question she couldn’t answer. Not only did she have the never-ending fear that Dominic might take her daughter from her, but seeing Keith again last night at the party had shaken her and was a reminder that she had so much to lose. He hadn’t looked the slightest bit repentant about what he’d done to her, and had no qualms about introducing her to his new wife.
At least his new marriage explained why he hadn’t been at Liam’s funeral. She’d wondered about that at the time, but had been thankful he hadn’t graced them with his presence. It would have been too uncomfortable for her. Not that anyone else would have known…except one person.
Dominic had known.
And that had made it worse last night when Dominic had come back into the party just as she’d run into them. Talk about bad timing. And yet, she had nothing to be ashamed about. She hadn’t had an affair with Keith.
And Dominic still hadn’t believed her.
And he’d threatened to take Nicole from her.
She had to keep reminding herself she was innocent in all this. Keith had kissed her against her will that day, and Lord knows what else he would have been capable of if Liam hadn’t come home. Then Keith had twisted it around, not only to excuse himself, but to get back at her for rejecting his advances. It would still be his word against hers. Remembering the sleazy light in his eyes last night, she had no doubt he’d even now perjure himself if brought into court. He may not give a damn now if his ex-wife heard about the so-called affair, but he’d definitely want payment “in kind.” He’d have no hesitation in painting her in a bad light. The thought made her sick to her stomach.
She was remembering it all when Nesta called her on the intercom to tell her that Laura Roth was downstairs. Cassandra groaned to herself. She hadn’t seen her mother-in-law since last week on her “honeymoon” and she didn’t want to see her now, but there was no getting around it. She took a few minutes to put on a calm facade, then made her way down the stairs and entered the living room.
As graceful as ever, Laura turned from looking out the window. “Nesta tells me you’re on your way out the door,” she said, her voice polite.
Cassandra had to wonder what her mother-in-law was doing here. Had she come to cause trouble while Dominic was at work? She didn’t need this right now.
“Yes, I have an appointment this morning.” She didn’t feel the need to mention the volunteer work.
“I won’t stay long.” Laura stood there, for once looking slightly ill-at-ease. “Is Nicole taking a nap?”
“Yes. Do you want to look in on her?”
Her face lit up, then fell. “I’d better not. I might wake her up.”
There was a lull.
All at once Laura opened her handbag and took out a small gift. “Actually, I just wanted to drop this off for you. It’s a birthday present.”
Cassandra knew her mother-in-law was only doing what she thought was right. This wasn’t about being nice to her. “You didn’t have to do that.”
Laura stiffened slightly. “Yes, I did. And I must apologize for not remembering yesterday.”
In a way, Cassandra wished she