He took great satisfaction from having her cornered, completely at his mercy. Dominic took a moment to bask in his victory. He would collect his spoils soon enough. It was all a matter of patience. He’d given her space, taken a step back to allow her time to process her current predicament, but not far enough that he couldn’t reach for her if he wanted. Tension saturated the air between them as the silence swelled, but Dominic did not mind as it gave him the opportunity to take her in. His emerald gaze ate her up, not missing for a second the shorter length of her hair. Upon closer inspection, Dominic found that he preferred this haircut much more than the long tresses that had been a signature. The darker shade suited her dusky complexion as it drew attention to those fiery bourbon eyes that regarded him with absolute contempt. He could read her like a label, her emotions playing across the face that had plagued his dreams for the better part of a year. There was nothing Dominic wanted more in that instant than to take her in his arms and ravage the angry pout from her coral lips.
He curbed the impulse by slipping his hands inside the pockets of his slacks and continued his silent perusal. Dominic had never known her to wear anything other than the designer clothes she’d sheathed herself in since he’d married her, but the simple cream colored blouse and dark rinsed skinny jeans she wore seemed off the rack. She looked…comfortable. Even the dark sandals at her feet were far removed from the precariously high heels she’d previously worn. For just an instant, Dominic was taken back to the innocent she’d been just before their marriage. But then just as quickly as the thought came, another more cynical and jaded one soon followed. How quickly that innocence betrayed itself the instant he’d added money to the equation.
But that had been the crux of their marriage, hadn’t it? They’d both gotten something out of the arrangement. He, the unrestricted use of her delectable little body and she in turn had been given unlimited access to his bank account, all the while pawning the innumerable jewelries he’d showered upon her and squirreling away the money to make her grand escape. All without his knowledge. It still gnawed at him to have been bested so easily by his seemingly vapid little wife, but Dominic was spirited enough to appreciate her guile. He was cheered enough to find that there was more to her than her substantial beauty. He could even go so far as to call her a worthy adversary; her impromptu visit to his office has been quite bold, a move he would have never expected from her. It took a lot to unhinge a man of his stature and the fact that she’d so fearlessly accomplished the feat, twice now, had Dominic quickly reassessing his wife. She’d taken a firm stand against him, refusing to cower in the face of his imperiousness. There were layers to this woman—who looked at him as though he were the devil himself—that he wanted to unravel. Admittedly, Dominic was quite intrigued by this latest discovery.
“Have dinner with me,” he said without preamble, switching tactics. Dominic could tell that he’d shocked her, the unexpected invitation instantly putting her on edge. But she was right to be distrustful of him. Dominic could be the first to admit that his intentions were rarely pure, especially when it came to Eden.
“What?”
“Dinner,” he pressed on, speaking so quietly that she could barely hear him. “I want you to have dinner with me.”
The incredulous look on her face was completely justified. The unladylike snort however drew Dominic’s brows together. “Have you completely lost your mind?” she nearly screeched.
“I assure you, my mental state is well intact, pet. What I want is your company for dinner.”
“Hell would freeze over before I’d willingly sit down to dinner with you.”
“Well then, considering your unwillingness, I’d say you are now being coerced into this. You will stay at The Roosevelt Hotel until this evening. James will pick you up promptly at seven and bring you to Hyacinth where you and I will sit down and have a nice meal. Conversation naturally will be played by ear.”
She scowled. “You can go fu—”
“None of that, pet. Crassness does not become you,” he chided mildly although his expression spoke of his seriousness.
“You think you can threaten to take my child, take away my livelihood, and I’m just going to cordially sit down and have a peaceful meal with you—”
“Yes, that is exactly the point,” he drawled. “What I need you to understand is that your attachment to this child, your motherly bond as they call it, has given me the upper hand. Refuse me, sweeting, and I will file for sole custody of that child, and make no mistake, I will win. I have a team of attorneys on retainer more than capable of making sure I win. In doing so, I will have them take their time, drag this out in court until Liam is well out of diapers and ready for school. What little money I’m sure you still have will run out long before a judge will even take this case. What lies ahead of you is a very unpleasant, very arduous future of court dates, and very little time to raise a son. Any further resistance from you, and the boy will be sent to a boarding school well out of your reach,” he spelled out with finality, showing exactly the depth of his ruthlessness.
“How can you be so heartless? He’s your son,” she said bitterly, hating the very idea no doubt.
“Yes,” he agreed. His face, as usual, revealed nothing of what he was feeling. “But seeing as I never wanted children, he is simply another pawn for me to use however I see fit. And right now, he is my best arsenal against you.”
“I won’t let you use him this way, Dominic! It’s too vile, even for you.”
“Then I’m sure I will see you this evening.” He turned his back to her then, disregarding her latter comment, pressing a button on his desk. It only took a moment for the new head of his security to appear. James Maxwell had been in Dominic’s employ for the better part of a year now and had come highly recommended. He was considered more than a bodyguard. He was an enforcer. The one Dominic found himself calling on to perform the messier part of his business. At ’six foot four and two-hundred-fifty pounds, he was extremely good at what he did.
“Sir?”
“Mrs. Armstrong has just returned from a very long trip and wishes to retire at The Roosevelt until this evening when she will accompany me to dinner. Please see that she makes it to her suite.”
“Yes, sir.”
He reclaimed the seat behind his imposing desk before deigning Eden with his attention once again. “I will see you this evening, sweeting.” That was a clear dismissal as any, punctuating the effect by poring over the documents on his desk.
* * *
Eden wanted to scream. She as at her wit’s end and as she angrily paced the length of the presidential suite he’d stashed her in, the childish need to throw things nearly choked her. But unfortunately that would resolve nothing. The one she wanted to rail against, the one she was so moved to murder, was nowhere in sight. She’d been here for the better part of the afternoon trying to devise a plan, but any attempt she’d made thus far had been thwarted by James, the mastiff bodyguard’s refusal in letting her leave. The more time passed, the more desperate she became. Her gaze bounced around the room, and once again, temptation presented itself in the open balcony. She’d immediately dismissed the idea before, but now it seemed her only choice. Eden practically ran for it, but was painfully disappointed for find that her earliest assessment had been correct.
It was too far down for her to even chance the jump. But then, anything was better than the alternative, wasn’t it? Dinner with Dominic Armstrong was anathema to her. For just a moment Eden was transported back to that evening just a year prior when she’d climbed up on the ledge at Bruce’s home. She’d had nothing then but bleakness, but now there was Liam. Sweet Liam who may have had a bastard for a father, but needed his mother now more than anything else. Eden had no doubt that Dominic would carry out his threat, and even now, the merest thought of subjecting her son to Dominic’s dose of parenting sickened her. She would die before she allowed Dominic to take her son from her.
Fighting off the hopelessness that was beginning to bleed into her bones, Eden returned to the room. She collapsed in one of the low brocade chairs and pulled out her phone. She needed to speak to Jenna. Her best friend responded on the first ring and Eden instantly knew something wasn’t quite right with her.
“What’s the matter?” God, please she couldn’t possibly deal with any more bad news.
“Eden—”
“Just tell me.”
“Four men showed up a little bit ago. Two of them are at the door and the other two are outside. They haven’t knocked or bothered us, but I can’t leave the condo, Eden.”
“Fuck,” Eden cursed, bringing her hand to her face. He was so ahead of her. Always two steps ahead! She breathed deeply, the sting of tears tickling her nose before pooling in her tightly closed eyes.
“Eden.”
“Uh…it’s…it’s okay.” She released a shuddering sigh. “It’s going to be okay. Just stay put. They’re Dominic’s security team. They won’t hurt you or Liam, just…just wait them out. I’m going to be home later tonight.”
“Don’t worry about Liam, Eden, he’s fine. I can take care of him until you get back. I just don’t want you to do anything crazy. Don’t do anything you’re going to regret.”
“He has me tied up in knots, Jen. I don’t know how I’m going to get myself out of this. Every time I think I have him beat, he’s quick to disillusion me of that fact.” She raked a hand through her hair in frustration. Too agitated to sit still, she jumped to her feet and began pacing anew. “You were right about him wanting to take Liam. He threatened to file for full custody.”
Eden heard the sharp intake of breath. “No judge is going to take an infant from their mother, Eden. You can win this.”
“I won’t even have the chance. He took all my money…I have maybe five hundred dollars to my name right now. Even if I found an attorney who would take my case, I wouldn’t put it pass Dominic to use his resources to bribe the judge or something horrible like that.”
“What are you going to do? Tell me how I can help?”
The genuine concern in the other woman’s voice thawed a little bit of the ice Eden felt like she was encased in. She was glad to know, despite everything that was going on, she had Jenna in her corner. Her best friend had yet to let Eden down. She’d been incredible throughout all of this. “You’re doing more than enough. I just need some time…I need to regroup and think. Everything is happening too fast for me to come up with a plan.”
“What did he say when you asked for a divorce?”
“‘Till death do us part,” she quoted bitterly.
“I didn’t realize he took your vows so seriously.”
Eden snorted. “He doesn’t. Nothing about this sham marriage is serious.”
The unexpected knock on the door caused Eden to halt midstride. With her heart suddenly in her throat, she warily looked at the door, hoping with every fiber of her being that it wasn’t Dominic.
“Everything okay?”
“I’ll call you back.”
He wouldn’t knock, Eden silently acknowledged on the second knock. Dominic was not one to value her privacy. She pocketed her phone and tentatively journeyed to the door. Rising on her toes to peer through the peephole, she saw one of The Roosevelt’s concierges holding a long, black garment bag across his right arm, while his fisted left hand prepared to rap once more at her door. Eden pulled the door open before he could knock and was greeted by the concierge’s practiced smile.
“Ma’am, Mr. Armstrong has requested we bring these up for you?”
Of course he did. Eden stepped aside, allowing him to enter the room. “Where do you want this, ma’am?”
“Where ever is fine.” He didn’t miss a beat as he effortlessly set the black bag on the massive, well-made king mattress and hastened to fetch the black shoe box he’d left at the entrance. He wasn’t stupid enough to wait around for a tip and Eden made no move to stop him when he turned on his heel and left soon after.
* * *
In the ensuing two hours, Eden fought a hard, mentally exhausting battle with herself that ultimately led to her pounding headache. Try as she might she couldn’t come up with a way to leave this damn hotel room. She hadn’t even figured out a way to outsmart the guard dog at her door. She’d thought about calling his bluff several times now. She could push Dominic’s hand and see just how far he was willing to go. But she feared doing so would set off a domino effect that would somehow affect Liam and Jenna in some way. Dominic had his security in Amesbury for a reason, a warning maybe, but Eden wasn’t ready to test the theory yet, not when Liam and Jenna’s safety depended on it. What she needed was more time, but that too had quickly slipped from her fingers when the clock struck seven a few short minutes later. Doom settled in the pit of her stomach like stone as she was forced to face the inevitable.
Dominic had stacked the deck against her, and there was nothing Eden could do in that instant but bide her time once again, until she could find some leverage to use against him. While she headed to the bathroom to freshen up, resolve settled in her. She would go along with his game, play the arm candy he’d married, until she figured out how to beat him. Thinking it however was one thing, actually carrying out the act, reverting back to that loathsome role, donning that degrading mantle was like wading through a cesspool. It felt like she was betraying herself.
Eden felt a piece of herself wither further when she finally slipped into the cream colored dress he’d purchased for her.
It was designer, delicately embroidered lace that hugged her curves and stopped about mid-thigh. Stepping in front of the mirror, Eden was faced with the reflection of her old self; the expensive, well bought girl who’d feared destitution like the plague and had willingly sold her soul to the devil for a life that had turned out to be less than ideal. It was difficult looking at the girl, looking at exactly what sort of person she’d been a little more than a year ago.
For just a moment, that shallow girl, along with her insecurities and fears, threatened to overshadow the self-reliant, courageous woman Eden had worked so tirelessly to become. But Eden was quick in nipping it in the bud. She would be damned if she allowed that snake to strip away her self-worth. God, she couldn’t believe it had come down to this! All that planning and all that saving just to end up back at square one! Right under Dominic’s thumb. Despite the direness of her current predicament, Eden refused to concede defeat. There was still fight left in her. Self-preservation thrived at her core, made her carefully evaluate the situation and strategize accordingly.
Eden made sure to remain in the suite for as long as she possibly could before James’s persistent knocking had her walking to the door. By the time they made it to the restaurant, it was well past the allotted hour, but Eden was beyond caring. If she had to endure him back into her life, she sure as hell wasn’t going to make it easy. Once was she safely ensconced inside the cossetting interior of the sleek, black Rolls Royce he’d sent for her, they were off. The ride was surprisingly brief, but it afforded Eden enough time to gather herself and try not to act like a complete moron when she finally faced him. She scrounged up some much needed bravado and fueled it with renewed ire. She was however taken slightly aback when she alighted from the vehicle and found herself facing a high-rise rather than the restaurant she had been expecting. Puzzled she turned to James who silently stood at her side.
“Where are we?”
“There’s been a slight change of plans, Mrs. Armstrong.”
“I can see that, but why?”
“Please, ma’am, Mr. Armstrong has waited long enough for your arrival.” With a steady hand on her lower back and an arm indicating that she should walk forward, James urged her towards the entrance of the building. Blood rushed to her head, her heart was beating too fast now, and sweat began to pearl against her skin. Everything was a blur to her, even the elevator ride to the very top floor of the high rise didn’t seem to register in Eden’s current state. She hadn’t anticipated this. She could’ve handled the restaurant—the buffer of the patrons would’ve made it easier for her to fend him off—but it was just them now. Eden’s heart lurched painfully in her chest, warning of an incoming panic attack. She told herself to breathe, even as they drew nearer to the place where she least wanted to be. Turning back however was no longer an option when the door flew open before James had the opportunity to knock.
He stood there like the devil incarnate, the tautness of his features and the barely restrained hold he had on his fury put the fear of that devil at Eden’s core. He looked murderous.
“That will be all, James,” came the terse dismissal, and he failed to give his bodyguard anymore mind as he wrapped a hand around Eden’s wrist and brusquely tugged her inside, closing the door soundly in James’s face.
Eden struggled to free herself from his unyielding hold as he dragged her behind his unforgiving frame. When he finally stopped it was to shove her onto the leather couch that thankfully broke her fall. His unnecessary brutality sparked Eden’s rage again, and she shot to her feet facing him with a glare of her own. “How dare you—”
“Sit down.”
“Like hell…”
“Sit. The. Fuck. Down.” His naked fury was terrifying; his dark green eyes gleamed and his mouth compressed in a hard line. The aggression radiating off of him smacked into Eden instantly, pushing her back down on the couch. He loomed over her, a great big shadow of a man with a snarling face. “Listen to me very carefully,” he breathed, barely containing himself, “do not mistake my tolerance for patience. I can only be pushed so far.”
“And how far are you going to push me?” she fired back, hands balling into fists at her side, refusing to stand down. “What is it going to take for you to leave me the hell alone?”
“You are my wife!” he roared as though that was the answer to everything.
Eden laughed without humor. “Do you honestly think that’s what I am? Do you honestly believe this joke of marriage is anything other than a well-dressed act of prostitution? I wasn’t your wife, Dominic, I was a very well paid sex toy, and you were the sad and pathetic asshole who paid for it.”
“Well then,” he bit out, tearing his shirt out of his trousers and raising a hand to undo the remaining buttons, “seeing as I am still paying for it, I might as well get my money’s worth.” With the shirt hanging open, he was exposed to her now from throat to navel and a little further down, a point where she absolutely refused to look.
The implication of what he was about to do hit Eden squarely in the face, and she regarded him with a mixture of disbelief and resentment. “I hope you’re prepared to rape me, Dominic, because that’s the only way you’re going to touch me,” Eden said gravely, feeling completely unhinged by the situation and Dominic’s menacing form.
He took a staggering step back from her the instant she uttered those words, and then another as if suddenly faced with a two headed monster. Shock turned his face noticeably pale, and Eden was glad to see that she’d finally struck that boundless ego. “I wouldn’t…” he trailed off, abandoning whatever he had been about to say, and lanced Eden with his narrowed stare instead. “You are not to leave here until I return,” he ground out. Turning away from her, he marched out of his penthouse without a second glance.