Chapter 13

SAM

I BLINKED under the spotlights while the emcee rattled off a list of my accomplishments. Even to my own ears, I sounded like a stuffed shirt. Who in hell would want to spend an hour with a boring, uptight ass like me? Apparently quite a few people, because the bidding paddles began to flash right away. Not just women, but men, too, looking for an opportunity to bend my ear about their latest business venture, hoping to attach my name to their cause.

Once my eyes adjusted to the lights, I scanned the audience for Dakota. I found her on the edge of the dance floor beside Blackwood. He bent low to whisper in her ear, his gaze on me the entire time, taunting me. Dakota’s expression of tolerant amusement morphed into something entirely different. Her eyes narrowed, and a tiny dent formed between her brows. I’d seen that look before, and it usually meant I’d done something stupid. Again. Whatever he’d told her didn’t bode well for my marital status.

“Five thousand dollars from the young lady in the pink dress.” The auctioneer pointed to Mimi.

Christ. At the moment, I couldn’t think of anything worse than being trapped in a restaurant with Mimi Barrett. I turned to Xavier, who hovered at the edge of the velvet curtain. Do something, I mouthed to him. He shrugged and lifted his palms to face the ceiling.

“Come on, folks. Open up your wallets. You can do better than this.”

Ten thousand, fifteen thousand… The bid continued to rise with Mimi holding fast. Twenty thousand. The other contenders dropped out, leaving Mimi to battle against a telephone bidder.

“Sold for thirty thousand dollars to the anonymous caller.” The auctioneer banged his gavel on the podium.

A pout distorted Mimi’s features. She scowled and pushed her way through the crowd toward her mother.

“What an amazing start to the night,” the emcee exclaimed. He rushed forward to shake my hand. “The other participants are going to have a lot to live up to tonight.”

“Tell me that was you,” I said to Xavier as I strode off the stage.

“Not me.” He shook his head. A curl broke loose and fell over his left temple, reminiscent of an errant poodle.

“Find out who it is.” At least I had some time to mentally prepare myself for the luncheon. The door banged in my wake as I made haste toward the dance floor. Dakota avoided eye contact when I found her. Blackwood remained at her elbow. His lips smiled, while his eyes crackled with animosity. I wanted to snap him in half.

“Would you excuse me for a minute?” Dakota ducked her head. “I need to freshen up. I’ll be right back.”

Blackwood and I turned in unison to watch her walk away. He let out a low whistle. “You’ve got yourself a prize there, Seaforth.”

“Yes, I do.”

“If I had a woman like that, I sure as hell wouldn’t leave her alone in a place like this.” He swooped a champagne flute off the nearest waiter’s tray and downed it in one gulp then grabbed another.

“Dakota can hold her own.” His nonchalant shrug pissed me off even more, if that was possible.

“Don’t worry. I was looking out for her while you were chatting up your daddy.” He cocked his head, gaze assessing.

“You shouldn’t be here.” I kept my focus trained on the hall where Dakota had disappeared.

“I have every right to be here. I’m a major contributor to this charity. Bitsy might be a snob, but she’s dazzled by my checkbook, like every other woman.”

“Not every woman,” I said, thinking of Dakota.

“Okay. Most women.” He faced the opposite direction but remained close enough to carry on the conversation.

“What do you want, Blackwood?” I’d known him long enough to understand that like my father, he never did anything without an agenda.

Our eyes met, and I recognized the spark of naked ambition in his gaze. He smiled and nodded at the governor and his wife as they passed us. “That’s easy. I want what you’ve got.”

Dakota exited the hall and headed toward us. Strains of a jaunty waltz, heavy with strings and woodwinds, floated in the air. Couples moved onto the dance floor. Opportunity gleamed in Blackwood’s gaze as Dakota closed the distance between us. Mimi made a beeline in my direction. As her mouth opened to request a dance, I took her hand and placed it on Blackwood’s forearm at the same time he extended his hand toward Dakota.

“Mimi, have you met Cameron Blackwood? Blackwood, take her around the dance floor, would you?”

His eyes narrowed then he nodded. “I would love to,” Blackwood said before Mimi could speak. Even though he was a snake, he had too much good grace to embarrass Mimi by declining my invitation.

“Shall we?” I offered my arm to Dakota. She accepted, although her posture remained stiff. I moved her into position. My hand found its place on the small of her back.

“I thought you couldn’t dance,” she said.

“I never said I couldn’t dance. I said I don’t dance.” We drifted into an easy rhythm, our bodies accustomed to moving as one. She continued to avoid my gaze, watching some indefinable point in the distance above my shoulder. We made an entire lap of the dance floor before she spoke again.

“I’m surprised you passed up a chance to dance with Mimi,” Dakota said.

“Who?”

“You know who. Coat-Room-Mimi.” Her lips pressed into a tight line.

“Ah.” An icy finger of panic stroked up my spine. “I told you to stay away from Blackwood.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about her?”

“There’s nothing to tell.” The music slowed to a romantic melody. I tightened my grip on her waist, pulling her against my chest.

“You had sex with her.” She struggled against my hold, but I remained firm.

“Once. A million years ago.”

“You should have told me, so I was prepared.”

“Really?” I arched an eyebrow. “Do you want a list of everyone I’ve had sex with?”

“Yes.” A pink glow of confusion lit her cheeks. For the first time, she met my eyes then glanced away. “No. No, definitely not.” She bit her lower lip before speaking again. “It caught me off guard. I just wish I’d had a little warning, that’s all.”

“If you had stayed away from Blackwood like I told you, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”

“Well, maybe if you hadn’t left me alone all evening, I would have. In case you haven’t noticed, and I’m sure you haven’t, he was the only person besides Venetia and Fran who would talk to me.”

For the first time that evening, I noticed the defeated slump to her shoulders. I was accustomed to the venomous remarks and duplicitous behavior of these people, but Dakota wasn’t. I’d left her unprotected and unprepared for a night among the richest of the rich. It was my duty as her husband to shield her, and once again, I’d failed.

“Shit,” I muttered. My feet stopped moving. She glanced up, eyes wide with uncertainty. I held her tighter. “You’re right.”

Before I could apologize, she pulled out of my arms, hiked up her gown, and darted toward the nearest hall. I had no idea a woman in high heels could run that fast. I sprinted after her, following her into the ladies’ room to the detriment of the woman applying lipstick at the mirror. Dakota made it to the toilet in time to vomit up the contents of her stomach. I held her hair while she wretched three more times. With a damp towel, I gently wiped her mouth.

“Baby, are you okay?” Fear chilled my limbs. I’d never seen her sick in all the years I’d known her. I guided her to one of the velvet chairs in the waiting area and crouched in front of her.

“I—I think so.” She passed a shaking hand over her mouth. “Better now.”

“Are you sure?” I scanned her face and pressed a hand to her forehead. It was cool to the touch. “Was it something you ate?”

“No. I’m fine. It’s been happening.” A sheepish smile twitched her lips. “Most people have morning sickness, but it seems I’ve got night sickness.”

“Oh.” A dozen emotions warred with each other inside my head: guilt, wonder, concern. I’d been gone too much to know about the sickness, and I had to wonder how many other details I’d missed. I traced a hand over her cheek then drew my thumb over her lower lip. “I’ll call Rockwell. We’re going home.”

I extended a hand and helped her to her feet. Chandler met us at the end of the hall, proving his worth. We circumvented the ballroom and went straight to the entrance. Maxwell and Rayna were waiting there as well. Good old Dad came straight for us.

“Everything alright?” he asked. His gaze flitted from Dakota’s pallid face to mine.

“We’re fine,” I said and curled an arm around Dakota’s waist, holding her closer. Our limo arrived, and Rockwell opened the door for us. Dakota slid inside.

“Good. Glad to hear it.” Maxwell straightened the knot in his tie. “I meant to ask you earlier—Rayna and I would like to invite you both to the house. To discuss the fate of Seaforth Industries. I’ve made some decisions about the business.”

The thought of returning to my childhood home put a knot in my gut. I hadn’t been home since my mother had passed away, and I had no intention of ever returning. Aside from the time I’d spent there with Dakota, the place held few fond memories. “That would be a no.”

“You don’t have to answer right now. Think about it.” Maxwell’s Bentley arrived, sleek and ostentatious. The liveried chauffeur opened the passenger door for Rayna and extended a hand to help her inside.

“Nothing to think about,” I replied and ducked into the car.