A Vow to Secure His Legacy

He strode across to loom over her so she had to arch her neck to look at him. ‘Don’t lie, Imogen.’ Pain settled like a weighted blanket. ‘We’ve always had the truth between us.’ It was one of the things he’d most appreciated about her. She was direct and open, someone he could believe in.

‘You want the truth?’ Abruptly, the blankness was gone and heat shimmered in her eyes. ‘The truth is marrying you was the biggest mistake of my life. I’ve had enough and I’m going home. I’ve booked a flight to Australia. Once I’m there I’ll see about a divorce.’

The light dimmed and for a second Thierry’s vision blurred, like the time he’d almost knocked himself out on a ski run in Austria. He braced himself, bending his knees slightly to counteract the sensation that he was swaying.

Yet nothing counteracted the horrible clogging in his chest, or the fierce pain slicing through his gullet.

‘You’re not going anywhere.’ He didn’t consciously form the words. They simply shot from his stiff lips.

‘You’re going to stop me by force?’ Her eyebrows rose, giving her a haughty look that reminded him of his grandmother at her most disapproving. But his grandmother had never struck fear into him as Imogen did.

He stumbled back then steadied himself. ‘I won’t let you go.’

In a slither of fabric, she rose, standing toe to toe with him. ‘You can’t stop me.’

He shook his head, trying to fathom what had happened. Only hours ago everything had been fine.

‘You know I can.’ His voice was low and urgent and when he touched her cheek he felt as well as heard her sudden intake of breath. ‘We’re good together, Imogen. You can’t seriously want to give that up.’

Her head reared back and his hand fell. ‘Sex?’ She sneered. ‘Yes, that’s good. But why would I uproot myself just for that? It was a mad idea to think of staying in France.’

Thierry’s eyes widened at her determination, and fear engulfed him. More than that. Fear was what he’d felt in the accident that had ended his Olympic skiing career. And the time his parachute had jammed before finally releasing.

This was more. This was on a level he’d never experienced. It was slow, grinding terror. Instead of creating a surge of defiant adrenalin that gave him courage to face danger, this weakened his very bones.

It made him feel...helpless.

‘You think this is just about sex?’ He saw her flinch and realised his voice had risen to a roar.

Thierry backed up, astonished at his loss of control. He never shouted. He never lost control. But he’d never felt anything like this visceral dread.

Before he could apologise she spoke, so softly and steadily the contrast with his own exclamation shamed him. ‘If this relationship isn’t about sex, tell me what it is about, Thierry.’

Her gaze held his gravely, and he swallowed. He flexed his hands.

‘Our child...’

She dropped her eyes, her shoulders sagging before that bright hazel gaze met his again. ‘Our child will do very well without this. It doesn’t need us to live together in a farce of a marriage to be happy and healthy. I’d never try to cut you out of its life.’

So, he was to be a long-distance parent? Outrage flared.

‘A farce? There’s nothing farcical about this marriage, Imogen.’ Fury leavened the horror. After all he’d done, all he offered, that was what she thought of them together? ‘It’s real. As real as French law can make it.’ As real as he could make it.

‘I don’t care about the law, Thierry.’ She folded her arms. ‘I care about the fact I’ve married a man who doesn’t love me. Who can never love me.’ Her eyebrows rose as if in challenge. ‘I want more. It was a mistake thinking I could settle for less.’

‘I told you I didn’t sleep with that woman.’ This time, instead of anger, he felt desperation. Why wouldn’t she believe him?

She shook her head. ‘This isn’t about her. This is about the fact you’ll never really want me. Not for myself, just for the heir I’m providing, and because physically we’re compatible.’

Imogen paced to the window, and Thierry tracked her with his eyes, willing down the need to haul her close and seduce her into forgetting this nonsense. Seduction wouldn’t work this time.

His gut clenched in panic.

‘We talked about this.’ He kept his voice low and persuasive. ‘We’ve got the basis of a great marriage.’