“Ten million,” Lucas said impatiently. “That’s a fraction of what you’re worth and I’d bet you anything the lady researched your worth to the nearest penny.” He lifted his glass, found it empty and signaled for another round. “She’s good-looking, and she’s smart.”
“So?”
“So, my friend, if she’s smart, good-looking and devious as the devil, give some thought to the entire idea having been hers in the first place.”
“No. It was Kay.”
“Think about it, Damian. She knew your lover could not carry a child and so she planted this idea in your lover’s head—”
“Don’t keep calling Kay my lover,” Damian said, more sharply than he’d intended. “I mean, technically, she was. But the fact is, we had an affair. A brief one. I was going to end it but she lied and said she was—”
“Yes. I know.” Lucas paused until the barman had delivered their fresh drinks. Then he leaned over the table. “Ivy observed it all. She watched you do the right thing when her sister pretended to be pregnant.” He sat back, looking grimly certain of his next words. “Absolutely, the more I think about it, the more certain I am that this plan was her idea.”
“Ivy’s?”
“Si. Who else am I talking about? She saw the way to get her hands on a lot of money. She would carry a child. You would not know about it but once it was born, you would once again do the right thing. You would accept it into your life, and you would pay her anything she asked. Billions, not a paltry few million, and she and Kay would be on easy street.”
Damian ran the tip of his finger along the chill edge of the glass.
“It sounds,” he said, “like it could almost work. The perfect plan.” He looked up, his eyes as cold as his voice. “I didn’t buy into Ivy’s crap about doing this out of love for her sister but I couldn’t come up with anything better, especially after she turned down the ten million.”
“And so now, what will you do? What did you tell this woman?”
Damian shrugged. “What could I tell her?”
“That you would support her until the child is born. That you would support the child. Pay for his care. Send him to the best boarding schools…” Lucas frowned. “Why are you shaking your head?”
“Is that what you would do with a child of your own blood? Pay to keep him out of your life?”
“Yes, of course…” Lucas sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. “No,” he said softly. “I would not. His arrival in the world would be a gift, no matter how it happened.”
“Exactly.” Damian reached for the fresh drink, changed his mind and signaled for their check. “So,” he said, carefully avoiding eye contact, “I did the only thing I could. I told her I’d take her to Greece.”
Lucas almost leaped across the table. “You told her what?”
“I can’t stay in New York the next six months, Lucas. You know that.”
“Yes, but—”
“I need to keep an eye on her. I don’t know what she’s like. How she’s treating this pregnancy. If she’s anything like her sister…”
The barman handed him the leather folder that held the check; Damian opened it, took a quick look and handed the man a bill, indicated he should keep the change and began rising to his feet.
Lucas grabbed his arm.
“Wait a minute! I don’t think you’ve thought this through.”
“Believe me, I have.”
“Damian. Listen. You take her to Greece, she’s in your life. Right in the middle of your life, man! And you don’t want that.”
“You’re right, I don’t. But what choice do I have? She needs watching.”
“You’re playing into her hands.”
“No way! She fought me, tooth and nail. I’m forcing her to do something she absolutely doesn’t want to do.”
“Aristedes, you’re not thinking straight. Of course she wants to do it! A model who sold her body for another woman’s use? Why would she do such a thing, huh?” Lucas’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll tell you why. For money. And now, with her sister out of the picture, the stakes are even higher.”