His eyes darkened. ‘You were afraid of getting caught.’
‘Yes. No, no, it wasn’t like that. I… I was confused. I didn’t want to hurt Alan. I…’
‘You mean, you didn’t want to lose the pay-off you’d worked so hard to collect. You went back into that ballroom and you panicked. What if someone had seen us? All your plans, up in smoke.’
‘You’re wrong, Quinn. I…’
She tried to turn her face away from him, but his hands held her immobilised.
‘No sex without marriage. That’s it, isn’t it? That was how you snared Alan in the first place.’
‘I’ve had enough. I won’t let you say these things to me. I…’
‘But you’d have slept with him after the wedding.’ A terrible weariness was stealing into her bones, sapping her of strength. ‘Answer me,’ he growled. ‘Would you have let him make love to you?’
‘Yes,’ she murmured.
‘Because he was your husband.’
‘Yes,’ she said again.
Quinn inhaled sharply. ‘Because that would have been his payment for making you a Fowler.’
Her head rose sharply. ‘No. Damn you, Quinn…’
Something evil stirred in the darkness of his eyes. ‘Well,’ he said softly, ‘you’re a Fowler now, Paige.’ His hands slid down her throat, to her shoulders, down her spine. She moaned as he cupped her buttocks and drew her against him. ‘And it’s payment time.’
She began to tremble in his arms. ‘Don’t do this, Quinn. We made a deal…’
‘Yes. I said I’d protect your father if you married me.’
‘And I married you, Quinn. I…’
His hands moved on her body, slowly kindling a heat deep within her. ‘Yes,’ he whispered. ‘You did. And now I want you in my bed.’
His touch was sure and knowing, and she began to tremble beneath it.
‘Let me go home, Quinn,’ she breathed. ‘I beg you…’
‘This is your home, Paige.’
‘Give me a divorce. An annulment…’
He laughed softly. ‘There won’t be any grounds for annulment—not after tonight.’
With her last bit of effort, Paige raised her head and looked into his eyes.
‘I hope you burn in hell,’ she said.
A light flickered and died in the sea-dark depths of his eyes.
‘Sometimes, sweet Juliet,’ he whispered, ‘I think I already am.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘MRS FOWLER? May I come in, ma’am?’
Paige turned from the mirror. ‘Yes, Norah. What is it?’