The Billioniare's Bought Bride (Contemporary Romance) (15 page)

She turned on her heel before he answered, and walked jerkily to the apartment door. She yanked it open, startling the waiter on the other side.

The waiter covered his surprise quickly and pushed the cart loaded with the special meal into the room. Maddy stared at the silver domes. As if she’d tell Dylan about the baby now.  No way. He may have taken her land and her money, but she still had her pride…and her child. 

While she believed a baby should have two parents, she believed a child needed love and security even more. There was no love in this house. She’d grown up without her parents, and her grandparents hadn’t been there like she would have liked.  But at least they tried.

With Dylan, who had lied and cheated, the baby would always be a pawn, not a cherished individual. Rational decision or not, she would not let that happen as long as there was breath left in her body.

Dylan tipped the waiter and closed the door behind him.  “Shall we eat?”

“You eat. I’m sick to my stomach from all this. Get away from me.”

“I said I’d take care of you, Madison. I returned your money to you. I made sure justice was served. He never should have treated you like he did. My actions have kept him from harming others. I’ve protected you, gotten back what’s yours.”

“Without once asking me!” Her shout echoed off the ceiling. “You refused to loan
me the money. You insisted on marriage. You’ve stolen the only thing I cared about! When did you become so vindictive? How much land do you require? Are you really that obsessed? Or is it me?”

“All I’ve ever wanted is you. It’s not obsession. I admit I should have told you. I’m sorry. But I didn’t do it for the land. The land’s irrelevant. I love you.”

The words came out harsh, as if torn from the depths of his soul. They were too little, too late.

“I can’t believe that.” She wanted to close her eyes—the words she’d longed to hear for so long now meaningless. “You have love and warped obsession confused. I’m just something you vowed to have, and of course you never break your vow. You wanted me, and you won. I married you because I had no choice. But I went to bed with you because I thought…” 

She shook her head, regret and anger cascading over her. “I thought I loved you, and that perhaps, maybe, even though you never said it, you loved me at least a little bit like you had long ago. I hoped that somewhere in the nasty man you’ve become, the man I loved still existed. But that hope has died. I could care less about justice or five million dollars. Once Summerhaven was safe, I was happy. I’d foolishly dreamed of a creating a future. But you only love yourself, Dylan. You don’t know what true love is, because what you’ve done isn’t love. Not one damn bit.”

Chapter Ten

As she stalked off into the master bedroom, Dylan let her go, his mind churning over the day’s events. Victory over Ted had been gratifying, true. Seeing Ted become the weaker man had let Dylan close that chapter of his past. He’d achieved everything he’d set out to do. He’d restored Maddy’s fortune, he’d established himself as an old money player, and he’d righted a wrong that Ted had perpetuated over the years, like bilking other people besides his sister.

Never in his plan, though, had Dylan expected Maddy’s reaction to be like this. They were married; it was the man’s job to provide. He’d done that. He lifted the silver domes covering the plates of food, seeing all his favorites. She’d planned a special meal for him. 

He frowned. What this situation required was logical thinking. Logic never failed him: it had helped him achieve every one of his goals, from his millions to justice for his wife.

At this moment he had to concede that Maddy was like a high-strung filly. When she calmed down she’d see things in proper perspective, and she understand he’d done what was best. He’d profess his love again, this time doing it better, instead of in the middle of a fight where his declaration had fallen flat.

Guilt crept in for a moment, but he brushed the feeling aside. He would not regret his vow to protect her, or to seek his revenge. He’d planned this long ago, put things into motion the day he’d crossed paths with her on the sidewalk. Besides, by stopping Ted, he’d also helped many other innocent victims in the process. Hopefully they’d be able to recover their money as well.

As he had no intention of ever leaving Maddy, who cared about state laws that divvied up property in a divorce? She belonged with him, as she had since that first
summer. He’d revolved his whole life around building a kingdom worthy of her. Her grandfather’s associates had accepted him. So what if their marriage had been a business deal? She’d been the only one for him. He realized that now. He wouldn’t ever let her go.

After she calmed down and thought it over, she’d see light and reason. She’d love him, and he her. Then she’d forgive him and this silly fight would be over.
He'd make sure of it.

Maddy sat on a settee in the master bedroom and ran her fingers over the eagle feather Aunt Gail had given her. Aunt Gail had told her to remember the eagles. They’d returned to Knollwood Lake the same summer as Dylan. It would have been better if the eagles, and Dylan, had remained a distant memory. 

Feeling like someone had ripped her heart out of her chest, Maddy dropped the feather in the trashcan and stared at the bed. She’d spent many long interludes making love to Dylan on those sheets. He’d held her close afterwards. No way could she sleep here, next to someone who would lie to her. She picked up the phone.

“Front desk. Charley,” said the pretty feminine voice.

“It’s Mrs. Blackwater. The valet line is busy. Will you have them send my car around?”

“I’ll be happy to take care of it. Your car will be out front in five minutes.”

“Thank you. Just don’t let my husband know. I forgot something, and if I run out while he’s sleeping it won’t spoil the surprise.”

Maddy replaced the phone on the nightstand and thought for a minute. More than likely Dylan was letting her have some calm-down time. Funny how rational she was. Once the pain stopped, a welcome numbness came. She would never be used again.

She went to her walk-in closet and pulled out her carry-on bag. She tossed the bare essentials into it. She could get a maximum of $300 per day from the ATM. That would get her away tonight. She’d leave while he suspected nothing. He’d stop her, and she feared that.

She and her child would make it. While Dylan may have stolen all her money, she had ten thousand dollars that was entirely hers. It hadn’t been enough to make a dent in the overdue taxes, but it would be enough to get her through the winter.

Aunt Gail’s cottage would be the one place he wouldn’t suspect. First, he’d assume that like North Star and Summerhaven, the building hadn’t been constructed to remain open all year. Second, he knew that the cottage now belonged to Jonathan and Jake, people Maddy hardly ever spoke to, much less kept in contact with. She could probably live in the cottage until April, giving her plenty of opportunity to make concrete plans.

She picked up her carry-on when she heard him enter the hall bathroom. Knowing he could pull phone records for the apartment and her cell phone, she knew couldn’t call anyone else until later, after she reached a hotel. She pulled on her winter coat, slipped out the bedroom door, grabbed her purse and escaped down the fire stairs, determined to put this part of her life behind her.

“Maddy?” Dylan pushed the bedroom door open. As soon as he had exited the hall bathroom, every nerve ending had gone on full alert. Something was very wrong. 

He tossed his magazine on the king-sized bed and frowned. “Maddy?” He called again. He caught a glimpse of Aunt Gail’s eagle feather and removed it from the trashcan. Panic began to claw at him and he strode from room to room, pushing each door open. He searched closet and drawers. She’d left, carrying only the barest essentials. He dialed the
phone.

“Front desk. Charley speaking.”

He somehow managed to make his voice sound normal. “Charley, Dylan Blackwater. Did my wife call down for her car?”

He heard Charley’s hesitation. “I’m worried, Charley,” Dylan cajoled. “She’s my wife and she didn’t tell me she was leaving.”

“She said she hoped she would be back before you woke up. I’m sorry if I ruined the surprise. She left about ten minutes ago.”

“Thank you.” Dylan replaced the receiver. Some surprise.
You aren’t leaving me, Madison
. 

He reached for the phone again, but didn’t dial as sudden insight hit him. She didn’t believe he loved her. She didn’t believe anything, except that he’d used her and lied to her.

And he had, in a sense, used her. He had lied by omission. But he loved her, not her land. Perhaps some of the vows he’d made along the way were misguided. But not his wedding vows. Those he would not break. While he couldn’t change his past actions, he could change their future.

If they had a future. He gripped the phone and his knuckles paled. If she needed space, she could find it here. He’d stay out of her way. He’d grovel. He’d buy her dozens of roses, or he’d post his apologies publicly on billboards. Even go to one of those therapists, or get make a fool of himself on an episode of the
Dr. Phil
. Whatever it took.

He refused, though, to just let her vanish. Out there by herself, anything could happen. He needed her safe. He needed her, period. She belonged with him.

No, scrap that. Dylan recognized the old pattern of ego and dominance this time for what it was. She didn’t belong to him. That pig-head and misguided attitude had been what
had cost him her love. He’d won her by force, by circumstance. She’d had no other options but to marry him. He’d possessed all but her heart.

He punched some numbers on the phone. No matter what, he had to find her, and bring her back. He loved her, even if she didn’t believe he knew what love was. Maybe he didn’t. But he needed her to teach him. He’d realized his mistakes, God forbid it be too late for forgiveness and for her to love him back.

Chapter Eleven

“I’m sorry, Mr. Blackwater, but there’s still no trace of your wife.”

As his private investigator spoke the words, Dylan’s last hope died. The wind howled outside, rattling the eastern office windows whose view revealed a furious and choppy Lake Michigan. It was as if the world herself were mad at him.

Hell, he deserved it.

Dylan ran a hand through his hair. The black locks had grown longer over the past four weeks, and he wound his fingers into the strands to control raw nerves.

The iron-fisted businessman that never failed had been reduced to a wreck of a man. He didn’t sleep; he hardly ate. After a month, not one of the five investigators on Carl’s team had found Madison. She’d wiped herself completely off the planet, and Dylan’s nerves snapped every time he thought that she could be in serious trouble.

They’d searched everywhere, even filed a missing persons report with the police. His personal investigators had gone to Summerhaven, Florida, and even St. Louis. The
police weren’t much help; they cited Maddy’s withdrawal of money from her trust as proof that she was fine. They saw her disappearance as marital problems. Dylan didn’t give a damn about her reason; he just wanted her back.

Yet all this time later, and nothing. She’d left no trail of credit card receipts, no trail of transportation tickets or rentals. Even Ted honestly didn’t know where she was. His bravado and glee had faded when the six-foot-five giant Carl had showed up in Florida and demanded Maddy’s whereabouts. As the weeks stretched, Dylan had told his parents everything, and why only three would share the traditional Thanksgiving turkey.

Dylan stared out his office window. The lake tossed whitecaps into the air and visibility was low. Snow was predicted for later, ushering in the month of December and Christmas.

His phone buzzed, indicating his secretary had sent a call through. He’d told his secretary not to disturb him unless the matter was urgent. He picked up. “Dylan Blackwater.”

“Mr. Blackwater, this Lisa with Dr. Manqué’s office. You are Madison’s emergency contact, and we’re concerned about your wife. I’ve been unable to reach her at home, which is why I’m calling you. She forget her appointment and hasn’t called to reschedule.” 

Dylan frowned. Why did Madison have an appointment with her gynecologist?

“She was unexpectedly called out of town for a family emergency,” he replied. “I assume she forgot to let you know.”

“Oh that’s understandable,” the woman on the end of the line said. “As she approved you on the privacy statement, I’m allowed to tell you how important it is that she gets proper care and be checked monthly to make certain there aren’t any complications. 
Will you have her call us when she arrives back in town?”

“I don’t know how long she’ll be gone,” Dylan replied. “Her aunt died.”

“Well, if it’s going to be a while then your wife should see a doctor in whatever area she’s in. While everything was fine with the ultrasound, we still should do another one at fifteen weeks.”

The woman’s words hit him like a knife in the gut. Dylan’s fingers tightened on the receiver and his knuckles whitened.
Maddy was pregnant
. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll let her know how important it is.”