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Watch Your Back
Excerpt I
A tall, muscular man paced the
floor of his study. Deep in thought, he wasn’t aware the glass brandy
snifter in his hand threatened to spill its contents with each turn.
Hearing the front door open, his head snapped up. The resounding slam
of it closing echoed around the room. Candace. Setting his drink down
on the dark cherry wood desk, he riveted his amber eyes to the
entrance. As if on cue, a woman glided in with a whoosh. Throwing her
mink wrap and designer purse on the closest chair, she stood waiting.
The
man’s eyes smoldered with passion. Striding purposefully across the
room, he pulled her into his arms, kissing her with slow deliberation.
“Baby,
you’re back. You can’t imagine how much I’ve missed you.” His gaze
traveled the full length of her body before he continued. “How was your
appointment?”
The
statuesque beauty in the body-hugging red suit sat down on the leather
couch. Candace Monroe crossed well-toned legs before reaching over to
retrieve her purse. Pulling out a compact, she assessed the damage his
embrace had caused her meticulously applied makeup. “How do you think?
The test was right the first time I took it,” she replied, pursing her
lips in the mirror. “Now, it’s confirmed. I’m pregnant.”
He
rushed to her side. Kneeling, he placed his large hands on her thighs.
“Candace, that’s wonderful news. It’s the miracle I’ve been waiting
for. Do you want to tell Devon, or shall I?”
Her
perfectly waxed eyebrow arched. Smoothing thick, reddish-brown hair
tighter into its French twist, she tilted her head. “Tell him
what? That you and I slept together while he was out of town
three months ago? That we’ve been seeing each other since, and now I’m
pregnant—with your child?”
“That works for me.”
“I’m certain Devon won’t take too kindly to being duped by his girlfriend—or you.”
Startled,
he leaned back on his haunches, the surprise on his face as genuine as
the sneer on hers. “You’re kidding, right? We’re going to confess the
truth; that while he was on business travel, we rediscovered each
other. I’ve never stopped loving you, Candace. Once we’re married,
we’ll be the family we should’ve been long ago, before we broke up and
you started dating Devon.”
The
laughter escaping her lips echoed off every piece of furniture in the
room. Getting up, she walked across the expansive space. He stood.
“Have
you lost your mind? For goodness’ sakes, it’s an affair. Nothing
more. We aren’t breathing a word. I’m going to have this baby, and
Devon will be none the wiser.”
“Like
hell you are.” He strode across the room. “You’re carrying my baby.
Mine. I have no intention of letting you pass off my flesh and blood
for another man’s child. You can get that out of your head. You will
marry me. Our baby will be legitimate.”
Running her manicured fingers along his jaw line, she tried a different approach.
“Darling,
listen to me. You’re blowing this way out of proportion. We’ve had some
good times in the past. It was wonderful being reminded of the passion
we shared years ago, but I’m not in love with you. I love Devon, and
I’m not about to ruin my chances of producing an heir to the Mitchell
fortune.”
“It’s not going to happen.”
Candace
let out a frustrated sigh. “Can’t you see how important this is to me?
I’ve got the name and face recognition. All my peers in the fashion
world vie for my attention. Still, I’m not good enough for Devon
Mitchell’s family.”
“Why does that matter?”
“Are
you serious? It means everything. I’ll no longer be just another girl
they can turn their noses up at. I’ll be family.” Her face lit up.
“Can’t you see how much that’s worth? I can. Millions.”
Recoiling
from the greed in her eyes, his stomach lurched as if he’d been dealt a
sharp blow. “You can’t do this. I love you. I’ve always loved you. I
want you to be my wife and for us to raise our child—together.”
Her
good humor vanished. “I shouldn’t have gone to your house that night.
Look, I’m flattered you care enough about me to want to marry me, but I
won’t accept your proposal. It has to be this way. When you think about
this, you’ll see my plan is the best one for all of us.”
His laugh contradicted the malice in his tone. “How can you claim to be so smart, yet be so incredibly stupid?”
“What are you talking about?”
“This
isn’t the same bait-and-switch job of your mother’s era, sweetheart.
Today we’ve got advanced paternity tests. It’ll take exactly two
seconds after you tell Devon you’re pregnant for him to demand DNA
proof the baby’s his. You two aren’t exactly on stable terms, and your
relationship was imploding before we had sex. Truthfully, I’d be
surprised if Devon doesn’t boot you out the minute he gets back. When
was the last time he even slept with you? Hate to put a damper on the
fantasy sweetheart, but if you don’t think he’ll question your claim
he’s the father, you’re delusional.”
Candace
shrugged. “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Besides, the last
thing his family will want is a scandal. If I say I’m pregnant, and
that it’s a Mitchell to enough people, they won’t drag me into a lab to
prove it. At the very least they’ll try to buy me off, and to keep me
out of Devon’s life, it’ll cost them—big time.”
He looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.
Angrily
she snarled, “Don’t look at me like that. This will work. I’m going to
come out on top. I don’t care if you believe me or not.” Candace
sailed past him. She was almost to the couch when he grabbed her arm.
“What does Devon have that I don’t? You think there’s anything you need I can’t give you?”
Condescendingly,
she smiled at him as if he were a child. “His family has connections.
You don’t. They’re almost worth millions. You aren’t. They’re well
known and revered in the social world. You’re an outsider. I’ve always
dreamed of being a socialite with the backing of a powerful family. You
don’t even know who your father is.”
His eyes narrowed. “I know who my father is.”
“Don’t
get offended. The point is I can’t model forever. Even with the money I
make and my investments, it won’t be enough to sustain my lifestyle.”
“You
should’ve thought of that before we slept together.” He shut his eyes
to get a handle on the pain. Once again, the only woman he’d ever loved
was slipping from his grasp faster than a dollar could burn. Contempt
for her darkened his tawny eyes. “How could I have been this blind? I
should’ve realized you’re a heartless opportunist, ignorant to what
true love is.”
“Careful darling,” Candace warned. “You stand to lose almost as much as I do.”
Roughly,
he yanked her within inches of his face. Anger his handsome features.
“You want to play, gold digger? Fine. We’ll play, but it’ll be my way.
You want Devon? You can have him and his family. It doesn’t include my
child. You’ve got one week until Devon returns from his trip. I suggest
you think things over. There’s a party being given the night he gets
back. I’ll be there, and you’d better make sure you show up, too.”
Loosening his hold, his smile sweetened. “I’ll be waiting for you to
tell me Devon knows the truth about us, and if you don’t tell me what I
want to hear, your life won’t be worth living, I promise.”
Her eyes flashed in defiance. “Is that a threat?”
“You’d
better believe it, sweetheart. I’ll drag your name so far through the
mud you won’t be accepted by anybody you deem socially important. I’ll
dredge up all the dirt-covered skeletons in your closet, and if I can’t
find enough I’ll make it up, just like the Mitchells will do if you try
to back Devon into a corner with this ridiculous scheme. Hell, I might
even tell them the truth myself.”
Stroking his chest, she purred, “You wouldn’t. You can’t do this to me. You love me, and I’m carrying your child.”
Peeling her hand off his body, he dismissed her. “Go home, Candace. Don’t call my bluff.”
She
saw the determined expression and realized she’d underestimated him.
She’d pushed him too far. Furious, Candace grabbed her things and
stomped out. After exiting the room, she did her best to slam the door
off its hinges. Seconds later, the front door suffered the same fate.
Walking
to his desk he retrieved his watered-down drink. He stared at the brown
liquid and the partially melted ice cubes. Curling his lips in
distaste, he threw the glass against the nearest wall. The dark
splotches of liquid etched random patterns across the surface while
shards of glass littered the carpeted floor. Fighting to restrain his
emotions, his heart hammered loudly in his chest. Candace’s betrayal
left pain in his chest threatened to overwhelm him. Though he still
loved her he’d meant what he said to her—every painful, gut-wrenching
word. Moments later the full extent of her declaration washed over him.
You’re going to be a father. Candace’s machinations weren’t going to
keep him from experiencing something he’d never had growing up—a
father. He wasn’t going to let anyone take that from him. “Damn you,
Devon.”
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