“Nothing to say for yourself?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I can’t marry you.”
He laughed darkly. “Do you truly believe you have a choice, Liz—duchess?”
“Why are you calling me that?”
Thomas stalked to her, but she didn’t flinch or fall apart. He hated this woman, but shockingly, desire still swarmed in him for her. Marrying her would be madness, but he didn’t give a damn. His daughter and this woman would then be permanently a part of his life. No one could take that away from him.
He asked, “What else should I call you? You aren’t the sweet Lizzie I once knew. That girl died a long time ago.”
She jerked back as if his words had struck her. “I won’t marry you, but I do want you to meet Alice.”
He stepped away, frustration burning in his chest. “As a family friend? Someone who comes over for dinners once a week?”
“Thomas, please let me explain.”
Shaking his head, “I don’t care why you did it. You will marry me tomorrow, and we will raise our child together. We won’t tell her the truth right away, but eventually I want her to know.
Her eyes flashed with anger. “And if I refuse?”
He shrugged. Thomas would get everything he wanted, and he didn’t care if he had to dirty his hands to obtain it. Lisbeth could hate him. The feeling would be a mutual thing between them.
“If you don’t, I will tell the newspapers that she is mine and that before you wed your husband, you ran off with your housekeeper’s son.”
Her face turned red with anger. “You would destroy my life and my children’s lives.”
Thomas stalked to her and grabbed her chin. “Your children’s lives can only be destroyed if you refuse to make the right decision. It’s in your hands, not mine. My daughter will grow up with me in her life, no matter what. Regarding ruining your life, I don’t care how you feel. Again, my only focus is the child you kept from me.”
He was so furious. Thomas found he wanted to hurt this woman as deeply as she’d devastated him. Shockingly, as they stared at each other, the hum of desire intensified between them. His attraction for her had never subsided; not even a tiny bit. The realization only heightened his anger. Still, it wasn’t just him. He saw the same need and want in her eyes.
Thomas jerked his gaze away, hating their feelings for each other now that all Lisbeth’s secrets had been revealed. He’d been a damn fool thinking he’d follow her back to London and they’d live happily ever after. She continued to stare at him in shock and alarm—the unhinged need to see her as undone as he felt surged in him. “Don’t worry, it will be a marriage in name only. I have plenty of women willing to share my bed and comfort me—”
Lisbeth slapped him. His head snapped back. Fury glittered in her eyes. “I will not wed you, and don’t worry, my desire to share your bed is gone completely.”
A nibble of guilt flared in him. Thomas had taunted her with the other woman to hurt her, and it had worked.No.Thomas would not feel bad for this woman who denied him his child for over a decade. “You don’t understand Lisbeth. You have no choice. We will wed tomorrow. I will arrange for witnesses.”
She was quiet, weighing his words. Eventually, resignation filled her face. “What will I tell my children?”
“Tell them while in Syria, you fell in love with the famous explorer Thomas Easton,” he bit out.
“You aren’t the man I thought you were. I don’t care for this cocky explorer persona you are embracing.”
“Don’t!” he snapped. “You kept her from me. You and my mother schemed to keep my child a secret. Was it to be forever?”
“Thomas, you don’t understand,” she whispered. “It isn’t that simple.”
“I don’t care,” he snapped and stomped over to the desk, grabbing a paper. He handed it to her. “You will meet me here tomorrow.”
She looked at him pleadingly. He wouldn’t feel bad. “We will wed, and I will move in with you and your family. I don’t care what you tell society. Tell them we have fallen in love, or tell them you are marrying me for my money. Whatever makes you feel better.”
“Please give me time.”
He would not yield, no matter what. “Tomorrow, Lisbeth.”
She shook her head in frustration before stomping out of the room. His heart pounded, and his stomach clenched. Thomas knew he was behaving like a monster, but he was determined to be in his child’s life every day.
In another lifetime, he’d wanted to wed Lisbeth because he loved her so desperately, but this union wasn’t about that. It was about righting a wrong caused by the temptress. He didn’tforesee sharing a bed with her or touching her.Liar, his mind mocked.
