Rebellion (A Dangerous Man 2)

“That would be lovely.” I mean it.

I hear the elevator bell. Moments later, David walks into the living room, his face hardening to stone when he sees who I’m with.

It’s really early for him to come home. I immediately suspect that Mrs. Daniels called him to tell him his mother was with me. I look from him to his mother, and I’m sad to see the longing on her face. She loves him, I realize, and he’s shut her out. That’s his revenge for all the years she ignored him.

I get up from the couch. “I was just getting to know your mother.” I say cheerfully. I’m annoyed that he has kept her from me, but I’m also eager to ease the tension I can sense in the room.

“Isn’t that wonderful,” His smile seems made of ice, “and now she is leaving.”

“David...” her voice is a plea.

“David!” I exclaim at the same time, shocked at his rudeness.

He ignores me. “Why did you come here?” he says to her, the contempt in his voice unrelenting.

She sighs. “David, my son got married, and I had no idea.” She looks exasperated, “I just wanted to meet Sophie.”

Her answer doesn’t get anywhere with him. “I don’t want you here,” his voice is steel, “The next time you cajole anyone to let you in I will fire them.”

I see her stiffen, and square her shoulders. I hate that he is humiliating her. No matter their history she is still his mother.

“No, you won’t.” my voice is hesitant, but I can see that he’s hurting her, and I don’t like it, “and you may not want her here, but I do.”

David looks at me in surprise, his expression soon changes to exasperation. “Sophie.

..” he starts.

“No stop,” I interrupt, “Why don’t you want her here? Is it because you want to continue keeping me a secret? Why don’t you make her sign a non-disclosure agreement?”

His eyes narrow. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Don’t I?” I stare at him squarely, “didn’t you make the beauty team, the personal shopper, every person I’ve spoken to in all the days you’ve kept me hidden in this apartment sign a document to prevent them for saying anything to anyone about me?”

He runs a hand through his hair and glares past me at his mother. She shrugs, the movement of her shoulders saying she knew nothing about it. “You wouldn’t understand.” He says finally, his eyes meeting mine.

My annoyance turns to pain. It’s bad enough that he thinks it’s okay to keep me a secret, but to keep things from me because he think I don’t have the capacity to understand them is just insulting. Of course, I tell myself. It’s already clear that he doesn’t have any feelings for me. I’m just a willing body to him, a warm body he doesn’t have to tell anything.

I turn away from him and walk out of the room. At that moment, I almost wish that I’d never met him. I’m tired of the feelings that have taken over me, the love, the frustration, the desperation, the deep sadness that comes with knowing I mean nothing to him.

“I hope you’re glad.” I hear him say to his mother as I step out of the room. His voice is like gravel.

I pause, “I’m sorry,” I hear her say apologetically. “I had no idea.”

“Well now you do.”

There is a short pause, and then I hear her voice again. “An NDA seems rather extreme... Does this have anything to do with Carole Banks?”

I don’t hear what he says to her, but I hear her footsteps as she leaves. Carole Banks, I remember I’ve heard that name before, that first night in his study. Who is she, and what does she have to do with anything?

Chapter Five

MY TABLET IS STILL IN DAVID’S STUDY, so that’s where I go, hoping that he won’t follow me. I hate that I have to find things out about my husband from the internet.

I start up the tablet again as I settle on the leather sofa, and search for Carole Banks. I sift through all the many profiles until I find one that seems likely. She’s a heiress, with a social life that spans New York, Palm Beach and Europe. Born in Seattle, her father was Marshall Banks, a name that’s only vaguely familiar until I remember the name of the investor who helped to make David’s first fortune by investing in a video game company David started with a couple of his friends while they were still in college.

I search for her name coupled with David’s and the articles that come up fill me with dismay. I click on images, and what I see is the story of a long relationship that seems to span several countries and numerous events. There are pictures of them together at gallery openings, benefits, nightclubs, vacations, and even at her father’s funeral where she leans on him while he holds her hand.

It wouldn’t be so painful if they didn’t look so good together, he tall handsome and intense, she with her wavy red hair, deep green eyes and languid smile. A hot stab of jealousy passes through me, coupled with sadness. How could I have thought any of this was real? I can’t imagine how even for a moment, he’ll prefer me to her.