A nice touch of authenticity, Damian told himself as he stepped from the car and the door began to close.
“I was a fool to come here.”
Damian grabbed the door. Her words were slurred. Another nice touch, he thought, and offered a wicked smile.
“Didn’t work out quite the way you’d planned it, did it?”
“I should have known. All these months, no call from you…”
“I’m every bit the son of a bitch you imagined I’d be,” he said, smiling again.
“I tried to tell Kay it was a bad idea, but she wouldn’t listen.”
“I’ll bet. Two con artists discussing how to handle a sucker. Must have been one hell of a conversation.”
She brushed the back of her hand over her eyes but, more credit to her acting skills, the tears kept coming.
“Just be sure of one thing, Prince Aristedes.”
“It’s Prince Damian,” he said coolly. “If you’re going to try to work royalty, you should use the proper form of address.”
“Don’t think you can change your mind after the baby’s born.”
“I wouldn’t dream of…” He jerked back. “What baby?”
“Because I won’t let you near this child. I don’t give a damn how many lawyers you turn loose on me!”
Damian stared at her. He’d let go of the elevator door and it was starting to close again. He moved fast and forced it open.
“What baby?” he demanded.
“You know damned well what baby! Mine. I mean, Kay’s.” Ivy’s chin lifted. “Kay’s—and yours.”
The earth gave a sickening tilt under his feet. There was a baby? No. There couldn’t be. Kay had never really been pregnant. Her doctor had told him so…
“You’re a vicious little liar!”
“Fine. Stay with that idea. I told you, I won’t let my baby—Kay’s baby—near a son of a bitch like—”
She let out a shriek as he dragged her from the elevator, marched her into his apartment and all but threw her into a chair.
“What the hell are you talking about?” He stood over her, feet apart, arms folded, eyes blazing with anger. “Start talking, and it better be the truth.”
She began sobbing. He didn’t give a damn.
“I’m waiting,” he growled. “What baby are you talking about? Whose is it? And where?”
Ivy sprang to her feet. “Get out
of my way.”
He grabbed her again, hauled her to her toes.
“Answer me, goddamn it!”
Ivy looked up at him while the seconds seemed to turn to hours. Then she wrenched free of his hands.
This baby,” she said, laying a hand over her belly. “The one in my womb. I’m pregnant, Prince Damian. Pregnant—with your child.”