Shadow of Love (13 page)

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You would dump her before the wedding?’ Incredulous, she watched him nod before continuing, her voice shaking with anger. ‘And that is supposed to make things even how? Humiliating Sophie years later won’t bring Steve back, you know that. Is it some kind of a sick joke, you getting your kicks out of making others miserable? Steve is dead, and believe me, I would do anything to change that, but it’s impossible. Destroying Sophie and Marlene won’t bring him back!’

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Funny that you should say that.’ Even before he finished, she was silent and frozen, her eyes wide open and fatalistic in a way that reminded him of a deer standing in the headlights of an approaching car. As if she knew there was nowhere to run, he thought without pleasure, almost hating himself for what would follow next. ‘Because you can certainly do something now. You can be a part of this plan, hopefully without me having to convince you too much. What I have planned to do will happen, with or without your help. It’s long overdue, and Sophie deserves every single bit of the misery I have planned for her. Even though it’s not sufficient, it will certainly close a chapter of the history you were wishing to put behind you in all those years.’

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Me? What would you like me to do?’ she asked now, her face thunderous. ‘You’ve prepared a part for me in this crusade of yours? Is this the punishment you’ve deemed suitable for me? I can’t wait to find out what amazing role you’ve prepared for me to play!’

Dripping with irony, her voice rose to a challenging shout, echoing around the room and bouncing back to them as they watched each other with unyielding eyes. Somehow she had managed to gain the upper hand, he thought angrily as he watched her through narrowed eyes. Anger became her, coloring her cheeks and adding sparkle to her eyes. Like an Amazon warrior, ready for a battle, she challenged him, proud and not ready to give up.

Which was a true shame, he decided, given the fact that her victory wouldn’t last long. She had drawn the shorter stick in the battle, and it was time to collect his spoils. The waiting game was over.

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You will be my lover, of course.’ He spoke quietly, his face as impassive as if carved in stone. ‘You will be the reason I will abandon Sophie, the fact that she has lost to her stepsister making her loss so much worse. If you will, it will take care of two things at the same time. Not only will she lose her lover, but she’ll also be betrayed by the one person who has stood behind her all this time. That will be the ultimate punishment she deserves.’

He was insane, absolutely and irrevocably. If she had any doubts before, here was the proof. His brazen statement left her speechless, her whole body stilled, knowing nothing would ever be the same again.

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I want you to leave.’ Never in a thousand years would she have expected the evening to end like that, his outrageous demand to be found only in one’s worst nightmare. ‘Leave now, and we can pretend this conversation never happened.’

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Why was I expecting you to react like that?’ His mocking voice didn’t bode well for her hopes to get rid of him.

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Maybe because it’s the only sane response?’

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Possibly.’ He stepped away from the window only to reclaim his seat on the sofa, his dark eyes expectant. ‘Come, join me, Emily.’

One elegant hand patted the sofa with an imperial gesture, and she had to fight off the absurd feeling of wanting to do exactly as he said. Her hopes that playing along would make him see some reason were already dashed, the realization hitting home that he was determined to accomplish whatever was on his to-do list from hell.

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No?’ He smiled again, the cold little smirk making her want to smack his arrogant, handsome face until she saw him bleed. Which was disturbing itself, since she had never been a violent person, and resorting to such primitive tactics had never ever crossed her mind before.

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As you wish.’ He shrugged indifferently before continuing, his silky voice weaving its way into her stunned brain.

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My plan isn’t as mad as you think, Emily.’ He saw her taking a breath and lifted his hand, silencing her with his commanding gesture. ‘I am not as vindictive or cruel as you think.’ He must have read her expression correctly, for his smile disappeared. ‘I have never wanted to hurt anyone in my entire life, not until a few days ago when I stumbled upon Sophie and was reminded of what had happened twelve years ago. Seeing her so careless and absolutely happy with herself made me reconsider my belief in leaving justice in hands of some higher power. Still, all I want is to shake her up without causing any permanent damage. Just so maybe, in some miraculous way, she will snap out of her self-indulgent ways and realize that everybody has feelings.’

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So you self-appointed yourself the judge and high commissioner?’ Was he really thinking she would go along with his plan?

She wanted to scream at him out of sheer frustration, the pieces of the horrid puzzle coming together into one macabre picture. Was he telling the truth about the sale of the restaurant? She had no reasons to doubt it after the listing he had shown her a moment ago. And if he was right about it, where did it leave her and her relationship with Marlene and Sophie? Was she really nothing more than convenient help, the dream of being a part of a family just that, a dream but nothing more? She had known all along how faulty and precarious their family life really was and yet chose to believe that they really cared, mostly for the sake of her own sanity. If that let her down, was there anything else left to believe in?

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Don’t tell me that you don’t feel like getting back at Sophie? After what she did to you and Peter?’

Was there anything he didn’t know, she wondered. She shouldn’t be surprised by now, and yet it bothered her immensely to see a stranger vivisecting her private life as if it was nothing but a convenient appendix to his own plans.

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That has nothing to do with you. And, for your information, no, I don’t put revenge at the top of my list.’

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Pity.’ He grinned, his white teeth flashing in the tanned face making her think of a wolf. ‘It would make things so much easier.’

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I would never pretend to be your lover, James.’ She shivered at the thought of actually having to go through with his charade. ‘There is nothing you can do to make me do it, so you can quit bullying me.’

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There’s plenty.’ He was serious, all signs of his previous cheerfulness wiped away. ‘Starting with Marlene, as I mentioned before. How do you think she will react if the sale falls through? She counts on this money, not only to pay off her outstanding debt but also to make sure she can afford some of the rather innovative, experimental treatment in the States. I’d say that it might bring on a relapse of her depression.’

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I can tell you that she won’t even think about the money if it means making Sophie as unhappy as you plan.’ She saw him shake his head and rushed ahead. ‘If you knew anything about Marlene, we wouldn’t have this pointless discussion now. Nothing and no one means to her more than Sophie. Do you really think she would choose money over Sophie’s happiness?’

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I don’t think that you see things as they really are, Emily.’ He sounded as cordial as a doctor explaining a precarious situation to his favorite patient. Which was insane, of course, since she was absolutely positive that her well-being was quite low on his list of priorities. ‘Marlene loves her daughter; there is no doubt about it. Yet, she would be only too happy to have her to herself, with no unexpected fiancé stealing the show. Didn’t you notice how reluctant she is to share her daughter with anyone?’

He was right, she thought, as she recalled numerous occasions proving his point. Marlene loved Sophie to pieces and didn’t particularly welcome any of her countless admirers. The opposite was true, she realized. Marlene’s biting remarks and constant search for some fault in any of the men chasing after her daughter were suddenly far more obvious, when she thought about it. She had been welcoming to James today though, hadn’t she? Or was it only because Sophie decided to go ahead and get engaged without giving her an opportunity to voice her concern?

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I think that finding out her fiancé dumped her for her sister doesn’t fit into the “reluctant to share” category,’ she pointed out, eager to get him off his high horse. But he disappointed her yet again, her response doing nothing to faze his calm demeanor.

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I’m certain that given the chance to have money from the sale and a daughter in need of consoling, with no man trying to take her away from her motherly arms, Marlene will do just fine.’ He shrugged, his broad shoulders stretching the fabric of his shirt. For a second she had forgotten the reason of his visit, caught up with the play of his muscles, powerful and sleek as those of a panther.

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She might be disappointed in you, that’s for sure,’ he continued, his dark eyes hooded. ‘But overall, I don’t think that Sophie’s broken-off engagement would cause permanent damage. On the other hand, should she have no money and no prospects to move on with her life, that’s another story entirely.’

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Why should I care?’ She’d had enough of his game, she thought wretchedly, her body aching with tension as she longed to be alone, without his tormenting presence. ‘If all you say is true, and Marlene did all those things like selling our restaurant and forgoing consulting me on that altogether, why should I care what happens to her? Tell me, if you know everything.’ She was on the verge of tears, and hated herself for her weakness. Of all people, James McMaster should be the last one to see her break down.

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That’s a great question.’ He looked at her silently for a moment, his gaze going over her features with thoroughness that sent blood to her cheeks. It was as if he tried to look inside her, she thought, searching for more than just an answer to her question.

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I think that you shouldn’t really care either way, Emily,’ he said finally, his dark gaze enigmatic. ‘But you do, so there is no point denying it. If you didn’t care for Marlene, you wouldn’t be the one visiting her in the hospital and practically running the whole show from backstage, allowing Sophie to do as little as she does. It might be a risky bet, but I’m sure that given the chance, you wouldn’t want to destroy the fragile balance Marlene has already achieved, mostly thanks to your efforts.’

He was right, of course. She did care about the older woman, if only because she belonged to that magical short period of her life when all seemed possible once again. Did it give him the leverage he so single-mindedly used? Absolutely so. Deep down she knew he was right about Marlene and Sophie’s relationship. But Marlene had been her father’s wife, however short their marriage had been. That made her family, even thought their definitions of family and loyalty obviously differed a great deal more than she had thought.

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Why do you want me to play this part, anyway?’ She asked weakly, her eyes glued to his face. ‘Aren’t there enough women lined up to play your love interest?’

He sensed his victory. She could tell by the relaxed line of his shoulders, as he sat back more comfortably, taking over her sofa.

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I want you, Emily.’ Strange, how those words had the power to shake her resolve, even though she was perfectly aware he didn’t mean them as anything more than pure statement of the truth that his pretending to date her would hurt her sister the most. He wasn’t declaring his feelings for her, for God’s sake, she thought angrily, silencing her suddenly thudding heartbeat. ‘If you help me, Marlene won’t be disturbed more than necessary. It’s Sophie who is responsible for the most damage, as I already said. And if all goes well, you can have a reward for your cooperation that I’m pretty sure you’d appreciate.’

She had a pretty good idea what he meant—paying her off like some cheap tart providing him with services she didn’t even want to consider. She opened her mouth to tell him exactly what she thought of his offer, only to remain silent as he added the words she had least expected.

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The restaurant can be yours again.’ He smiled at her shocked expression, his eyes mocking. ‘Why so surprised? Did you really think I was interested in some crumbling, outdated business that is absolutely not sustainable any longer? It’s either this, or I’m getting rid of it anyway. The land itself would be more valuable if I converted it into something new and more appealing.’

It hurt, more than it should have. The restaurant was her life, and his disparaging remark hit a nerve running much deeper than he could have ever known. He might see it as some failed, outdated relict from the past, she thought as she fought the tears that stubbornly obscured her vision. The sheer thought that he used it in such a heartless way, nothing more than a pawn in his game, was bad enough. It desecrated what she held special, dirtying the one thing she had left from her childhood. It woke up some childish wish to protect her home, shelter it somehow from his wrath even if the price she would have to pay seemed too high.

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So, you went to all this trouble of buying it and spending all this money just to get back at Sophie?’ She asked him if only to stall a bit longer the unavoidable. Because she knew deep down in her heart that there weren’t too many options left, her self respect and dignity seriously bruised by the man with the face and body of a god but a heart carved out of stone.

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Why not?’ He shrugged again, his nonchalance infuriating. But maybe money didn’t mean as much to him as it did to her. She looked at the listing again, and the numbers sent her head spinning, her honesty screaming loud enough to worry he might actually hear her that it was seriously over-priced. What kind of person was he if such an amount of money meant nothing to him? A filthy rich one for sure. Sophie did mention him being quite affluent, she recalled now.