Playing All the Angles (26 page)

Isabelle blinked up at her. “What?”

“Think about what I’m saying.”

“You and Dominic were having an affair?”

“Yes.”

“While he and I were together?”

“Yes. Starting from the day you brought him home for introductions.”

She began to shiver as reality set in. “You and Dominic were still having an affair until he proposed?”

“Yes, Issie. Yes. And for the last year, he was the only one I was with before I met Tad,” Eve repeated, rubbing a hand over her belly.

For some reason, nothing Eve was saying made sense, but then that last gesture caught her attention, and her eyes went wide. She stared up at her sister in shock and horror. “Oh my God,” she said, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. “No. Oh God.” She stood up, stumbled slightly, and bent over the nearest bush, the contents of her stomach splattering the cement urns that supported them. When she had righted herself, it was with a shaking head. “You’re having Dominic’s baby.”

Eve rose, talking fast, the words pouring out of her in a rush. “Isabelle, I tried to tell you from that first day that you had to get away from him. But I couldn’t tell you why. If I told you why—I was afraid if I told you why, everyone would ice me out again, and I’d just started getting invited home. I was selfish and cruel, but I thought I could make him leave you alone, too. Then he married you, and that was that. But by that time I was pregnant, and there was nothing I could do to turn back that clock either. Then he told you about our past, and this was bound to come out. Now I want you to know so you can make a clean break. Make one with him and with me. You don’t need either one of us in your life.”

“Does he know?”

“Yes. We agreed he would have no rights.”

“How long has he known?”

“Since you told him I was pregnant. He came to see me that night, to find out if he was the father. I tried to keep from admitting it, but he wouldn’t let it go.”

Isabelle gaped at her. “So, all this time…when I called you about your past relationship? When I came to you about the fights Dominic and I were having? All this time, you’ve been lying to me,” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks again. “I loved you! I took up for you! I supported you when no one in the family even cared what happened to you! And this is what I get in return? I get to be the fool!”

Eve set her jaw, tears rimming her eyes. “Yes.”

“Yes? Yes? That’s all you can say? Yes?”

“Isabelle, there’s nothing else I can say. You’re right that I made a fool of you, and you were the only one who cared. I made horrible choices, and once they were in motion, I didn’t know how to stop them. I was afraid to stop them, so I made more bad choices. Now it’s over. So…so now you understand why I am who I am in this family, and now you can…stop caring too. Cut ties with Dominic, and cut ties with me.” Eve’s tears spilled over her cheeks, and she wiped them away with the back of one hand.

Isabelle shook her head. “I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe you would do this,” she said, turning away and walking from the small sitting area into the crowded central room, hurrying between people as she went. She couldn’t think straight, couldn’t remember which way to go.

She turned toward the lights and saw Dominic reaching for her. “There you are.”

“Let go of me.” She yanked her arm away from his grasp.

“What? Isabelle, what’s the matter?”

“I’m leaving,” she said, stepping back from him. “And I’m calling my lawyer in the morning.”

“What?”

Before Dominic could say anything else, Marcus and the security guards had reappeared. This time, Marcus was saying something about the Ritz and Patrick while he helped Isabelle along, security keeping Dominic from following.

As he put her in the car, he said, “Be gentle when you tell your family. She didn’t have to tell you the truth at all, and she wouldn’t have if it wasn’t going to benefit you.”

“You knew too?” Isabelle was horrified. Who else knew?

“Every devil has an advocate. Goodnight, Isabelle. Godspeed.”

Anne helped Eve into the second gown Marcus had created for the party. He had shown her both gowns earlier in the evening, saying, “I know this party’s going to end in someone’s tears, so I’ve got you a change of clothes. Just try to keep it civil after you’ve ruined the first one.”

This gown was a gold, one-shouldered number that flowed over her body like the metal was molten. Her eye makeup was fresh, and she was looking determined. “Have we pulled it off, Marcus?” she asked him grimly as he zipped up the gown. “Is my family all gone?”

“Everyone’s gone without a scene, so you can go back out and walk it through to the end. The worst is over.”

“The worst is never over. There are still conversations to be had with Dominic, and I’m sure I’ll hear from my family tomorrow. But—” she let out a breath “—I told the truth, and that’s a relief. I’m sorry for what it did to Issie, but if it gets her away from him…eh, lots of people don’t have the family I have—meaning you. So, I’m lucky. I’ve still got you.”

He kissed her cheek. “Yes, you do. Always,” he agreed. “And you have Tad and his family, who are just lovely people. That’s not a bad family to marry into. Now, don’t start crying again. We’re out of gowns for you to ruin.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder. “Thank you for everything. I love you, Marcus.”

“I love you too, darling. Now, go find your husband and mingle. Try to pretend you’re having a good time. My reputation as a host depends on it.”

“Have you seen him? Where is he?”

“He’s out by the fountain, talking with his father.”

Eve nodded and went back out into the crowded garden, making her way through to where Tad stood, the need to be near him now desperate. He would understand why she’d done what she had, and he’d even encouraged her to do it, so she had no worries with him. She had never felt more secure or relieved by the strength of her relationship and the honesty between them.

He smiled when he saw her, and she smiled back. She knew he would be able to see her upset, but he would prop her up and make any excuses necessary, so she didn’t need to worry about anything else right then. He slipped an arm around her when she stepped up beside him, and they continued to chat with his father for a few more minutes before Tad excused them and led her off to a more secluded space.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, kissing her.

“Not yet. Basics are that I told her, and she’s gone. Marcus had a driver take her to the Ritz, and Patrick’s meeting her there. So, she’s safe and not alone. I think I have about thirty more minutes in me before I can use the pregnant card to get out of here. Then, I’d like to go get pancakes somewhere. Okay? Your parents are invited.”

He nodded. “Okay. I’ll tell them. We can go get pancakes.”

She hugged him, and they stood together for a bit longer before going back into the party. It was another half hour, as she’d noted, before they began saying their goodbyes, Tad making their excuses before escorting her away from the crowd of well-wishers. His parents had declined the invitation, saying they were going back to Tad’s old flat and turning in for the night, but that they would meet them for breakfast the next morning before returning to Birmingham.

Tad and Eve found an all-night diner and went in, heads turning at the couple and their fancy dress, and ordered pancakes for her and coffee for him. Over the course of her meal, she told Tad all that had transpired, brushing off the couple of tears she allowed with a sigh.

“I knew it was coming. I knew it would happen sooner or later. I’m glad it’s over, but damned if I don’t wish I had it to do over again.”

He squeezed her hand. “It was the right thing to do, though I think you might have tried to salvage your relationship with Isabelle a bit more than you did.”

“There was no salvaging. You didn’t see the way she looked at me, Tad. That was the end of it.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “Hopefully, she’ll sort it out in her head at some point and find it in her heart to forgive you.”

“It’s really better for her if she doesn’t,” Eve reasoned. “She’s been in the middle for too long. Be good for her to get out from under all that.”

“You could tell her the whole truth.”

“And what? Ruin what she’s got with Mum? I already took her husband. I’m not going to take her mother, too.”

“Didn’t you say she called your parents and told them off for not coming?”

“Yeah, but she was just reacting to Alora—”

Tad shook his head. “I don’t think so. She’s been defending you and taking your parents, your mother especially, to task for the way they’ve treated you. I think if she knew just how deep that went, she might see things differently.”

She dropped her chin. “There’s no reason for her to know.”

“Eve, you may not, but I actually think you deserve to have a sister. You’re not a monster. You can be a right bitch, but you’re not a monster.”

“It goes deep, Tad.”

“Which is why you should tell her. And besides? What if she has kids one day? You want them safe.”

“Following that logic, I should have told Alora.”

He shrugged. “I think they should all know.”

Eve put her hand over her eyes. “Oh, I can’t think about this right now. Tonight was difficult enough.”

“I know,” Tad soothed. “No one is saying that you need to have this discussion tonight, just that you need to at some point.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m just…worn out. Can we go home?”

“Sure,” he agreed, flagging the waitress to pay the check. That done, he helped her from her seat and wrapped an arm around her, then bundled her into the car and headed for their flat.

Chapter 16

I
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when the doorbell woke Eve from the small bit of sleep she had managed to grab on the sofa. She answered the door to Dominic, haloed in the late afternoon sun, and she scowled. “Do I need a restraining order against you?”

“No. I just want to talk. Can I come in?”

“No. We’ll talk in the courtyard.” She brushed past him to take a seat at one of the tables there.

“Afraid you can’t trust yourself with me? Tad not home?”

“Can you blame me for not wanting you in my house, Dominic? What do you want?”

He sat down across from her. “I’m moving to LA. I accepted the offer.”

“Good.”

“But…I haven’t been able to get past the fact that this baby is mine. Don’t say it isn’t. It is. I still want to be involved. One day she’s going to want to know who I am, and I want to be there. I went into this store with Issie…” He choked up on her name, but composed himself. “I want to be part of her life. I want to buy her things and…be there.”

Eve eyed him. “I won’t disagree that one day she’ll want to know who you are, but I want to shut the door, Dominic. I don’t want you having open access to me.”

“You can’t shut the door. When you decided to keep the baby, you locked us in the room together. That’s life.”

“So, what are you talking about?” she asked after a pause.

“Well, obviously, I’m not going to be around much. But I’d like to send things. And when I’m here, I’d like to visit. Maybe when she’s old enough, she can visit me in LA.”

“Are you going to fight me in court for rights?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“I hoped we could work it out together. Write it out and have the agreement authorized, or whatever it is you do.”

“I’ll have to talk to Tad. I’m not saying no, but I have to talk to him.”

It looked like it took a great swallow of pride, but then he answered, “Okay. That’s fair.”

After a few more seconds, she said, “You should leave now.”

“Have you heard from Isabelle?”

She cocked an eyebrow. “What do you think?”

“She came to the house and took all of her stuff, left her rings and the jewelry I gave her,” he replied.

“While you weren’t around?”

“Yeah. I had a race.”