The Billionaire's Bargain (26 page)

“I love you, Tess.” He knew she was
asleep and wouldn’t hear the words.
Duncan
spoke them over and over while she slept. Saying them to her face when she was
awake was impossible for him.

“You’re my world.” He gave her
another kiss then lay back. His hand lay on her stomach, and he wondered if his
baby grew inside her. He’d not worn a single condom with her.
Duncan
knew it was selfish. When he was with
her he didn’t want anything between them, not even the latex of a condom. He
didn’t feel anything different about her. She’d been sick a couple of mornings,
but other than that he’d not seen any other signs.

Part of him wanted her to be
pregnant while another part didn’t feel ready. Their marriage had been quick.
What if Tess learnt of what he’d done? Miranda had been made homeless because
of him. The more he thought about his actions the harder it became for him to
justify them.

He closed his eyes waiting for sleep
to claim him. All of his worries eased out of him the moment sleep gripped him.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The sickness and aching breasts
continued for the next couple of weeks.
Duncan
kept trying to get her to a doctor, but she refused. She had a feeling she knew
what was causing all of her problems.
A nine month problem.
When he went to work on Tuesday morning Tess saw him off in his car. Once he
was gone and she had the house to herself, she grabbed her purse then walked
all the way to the nearest pharmacy. The walk helped to clear her head. She
spent a great deal of time debating what to do. There was a chance she wasn’t
pregnant. The pharmacist gave her an odd look when she bought six packets. She
wanted to make sure they were right. It would be her luck to get a duff packet.

She walked home to find three
messages on the phone from
Duncan
.
Before doing anything else she pressed play on the recorder.

“Hi, babe, it’s just me. I wanted to check in and see how you’re doing.
You didn’t vomit this morning. I think we need to go to the doctor. Anyway, see
you soon.”

“Why haven’t you called me back? Are you all right? I don’t like this
silence, Tess. Please, call me back.”

“Okay, if you haven’t called me back in an hour I’m coming home.”
 
She checked the time then picked up the phone
to call him. She’d learnt his work number off by heart. He picked up on the
second ring.

“Tess, this better be you,” he said.

“Yes, it’s me. How are you?” she asked.

“Concerned.
Where have you been?”

“I went out for a walk. It seems to have helped.”

“You really should see a doctor.”

“I’m fine,
Duncan
.”
He kept going on about his concerns. She liked his concern as it showed he
cared about her. Tess assured him she was fine. He didn’t sound convinced.

Twenty minutes later she put the phone down then went to pee on some
sticks.

An hour later she sat looking at the six boxes of all sticks. Each stick
showed the same thing. Tess looked down at the stick as it turned a scary shade
of blue.

Each stick she picked up said the same thing.

“Maybe something is wrong with my pee?”

Her hands were shaking.

“You’ve had unprotected sex, you silly woman. And now you’re talking to
yourself. Great, just another reason to get you sent to the nut house.”

“I wish I had a mom.”

Her head fell into her hands.

She was pregnant.

She was pregnant with
Duncan
’s
son or daughter.

Her breasts were tender, and her tummy was going to get bigger with
every passing week.

“I’m going to look like a whale.”

Questions whizzed around her mind.

When had it happened?

What does it mean?

Will
Duncan
be happy with the news?

That question brought Tess up short. How could she tell him? Would he
think this was another way of confirming an income from his wealth? He always
saw things at odd angles. She didn’t want any of his fortune. The baby excited
her. She’d wanted to make a family of her own for so long. What scared
her the
most was
Duncan
.
They’d not discussed children. He hadn’t even said he loved her.
 

There was so much to consider. Her own feelings meant nothing to her.
Would he be happy with the news?

She shook her head trying to clear all the negative thoughts whirring
around her mind. The news was supposed to be a happy, positive one. She wished
Grace was there to help her. She had no one. Not even a mother.

Tess was pregnant, expecting another beautiful human being. The thought
wouldn’t sink in. She got up off the bathroom floor then went to look in the
mirror. There was no difference in her body. She lifted her shirt to gaze at
her tummy.

How far gone was she?”

She should be happy.

Your marriage isn’t the most
conventional.

Again she felt the doubts filling her head and her heart.

Well, there was only one way to find out and that would be to tell him.
Tonight, she would make a beautiful romantic meal for two, and after they had
made love well into the night she’d tell him.

Not after you’ve made love.

You need to tell him before then.

Tess grabbed the used pregnancy tests to dump in the trash. She stared
at the phone by the fireplace in the sitting room. Her hands shook as she
reached for the phone. She picked it up then dialled his number before putting
the phone back down.

“This is stupid. Just tell him.
Duncan
is not the cold man you thought he was.” The phone rang making her jump.
“Hello.”

“You called me, baby. What’s up?”
Duncan
asked.

His voice calmed her rioting nerves.

“I-I’ve got something to tell you.”

“Are you all right? Do you need me to come home?” His concern made her
smile.

“No, you don’t need to come home.” She ran her fingers through her hair.
Her mind struggling to focus on what she needed to tell him. “I know why I’ve
been ill.”

“Have you seen a doctor?”

“No, no doctor. I’ve suspected for a little bit but put it off.”

Silence was on the other end.

“For fuck’s sake, Tess, tell me.”

“I’m pregnant.”

Tess waited for his anger or anything.

“You’re pregnant?”

“Yes, I’ll need to book an appointment to see a doctor. I don’t know how
far gone I am or anything.”

Silence came over the line.

“Are you still there?”

“I’m here, baby.”

“Are you happy about this,
Duncan
?
I know we haven’t discussed this before. This is a good thing.
Right?”
She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. Her
heart pounded inside her chest while she waited for him to answer.

“You have no idea how happy this makes me. I can’t wait to get home so
we can celebrate. I’m going to spend the whole night making love to you. I want
you so much, sweetheart.” His voice took on the growl she loved to hear when he
was pounding inside her. She blushed at the thought of what he might do.

“Do you want me to come to you?” she asked.

“You’ve unleashed an animal. If you come here I can’t guarantee to keep
my hands to myself.”

Her nipples throbbed painfully.

“I’d like to put a new memory of myself in that office. I’ll see you
soon,” she said.

“I can’t wait. I want you so fucking bad.”

She hung up the phone, her body on fire for him once again. She felt
constantly aroused by him. Tess got up to get changed.
Duncan
had spent so much money on clothes for
her. She wanted to see him lose his mind.

The fears she had were gone. The moment she saw him every concern would
leave her body. She walked up the stairs to the room they shared.

In the walk-in closet she settled for a knee-length pencil skirt and a
white buttoned down blouse.

****

Duncan
put the phone down. His cock was
thick with arousal. He placed a call through to his secretary to cancel all of
his lunchtime appointments.

Tess was pregnant. The second part of his father’s agreement was
complete. He smiled, but the happiness wasn’t about his father’s will.
Duncan
was going to be a
father.

“Sir, I’m sorry to interrupt. There is a Miranda James here to see you.
She says it’s urgent.”

His happiness was dampened by the mention of his stepmother.
Duncan
glanced at his
secretary.

“She’s refusing to leave, Sir.”

“Send her in. Then get security alerted in case she starts to cause a
scene.”

He watched his secretary leave then waited for Miranda to walk in. She
was older than he remembered. He knew she was in her late fifties or early
sixties. Her hair was grey all over. His mother dyed her hair to keep it the
same shade of brown. Instead of a cold looking face, Miranda stared at him with
love. After everything he’d done to her she still smiled at him.

Duncan
was waiting for the backlash.

“Hello,
Duncan
,”
she said. She walked with her head held high and took a seat across from his
desk.

“Miranda.
My wife will be here shortly. Please, say what
you need to say and get out.”

“Your father warned me you’d hold a grudge even after his death. He
hoped when you got married you’d see things differently.” Miranda chuckled then
opened her purse.

“Don’t try to pretend you know me. You broke my parents apart. I hope you’re
happy with yourself.”

“I did no such thing,
Duncan
.
I’ve never hurt anyone in my life, and I refuse to take responsibility for your
father’s marriage. I don’t expect you to like me, but I do expect some respect
from you. You do not know me. Do not presume to judge me.”

He felt taken back by her words. She was nothing like his mother had
painted.

“I apologise. I’ve heard so much about you,” he said.

“And yet you haven’t met me. I think you’d be pleasantly surprised.”

“Why are you being nice?” he asked. “I threw you out of your home.”

She chuckled. “Do you really think your father hadn’t prepared for
everything? I have never lived in that villa in
Italy
. I never wanted to. Your
mother left a cold shell. Your father never dethroned her. She left willingly
and in turn ruined every chance your father had to build a relationship with
you.”

“You don’t know what happened.”

“Regardless of it, he asked me to give you this.” She handed him an
envelope. “He wanted you to be happy. I hope you’ve found happiness with your
wife.”

Miranda got up to leave. He didn’t call her back.
Duncan
stared at the letter she’d given him.
Part of him wanted to tear it up while the other needed to know more.

He opened the letter. His father’s writing reminded him of being a boy.
Duncan
began to read.

To my beloved son, Duncan,

As I write this tears spill from my
eyes. I know I shouldn’t admit this, but so much has been wasted over a fight
that was not your fault. I love you, son.

If you’re reading this, then that can only mean one thing.
I am dead, and we are still not speaking to each other. I know you hate
me for divorcing your mother and marrying Miranda, but I’ve been in love with
Miranda all of my life. I was a teenage boy when I fell for her,
Duncan
. She means the world
to me and I hope you’re happy with the woman you married. Your mother and I
were never meant to be together. Your grandfather begged me to marry her, and I
did to let him die at peace on his deathbed.

It nearly destroyed Miranda when she
heard that the man she had given her heart and innocence to had left her to
marry a wealthy heiress. Miranda was poor, but I loved her, and she loved me. I
can’t go into too much detail of the pain I
caused,
only I spent the rest of my life trying to make up for it. She left me, and I
couldn’t find her. By then, my relationship with your mother had produced you.
An heir.