CHAPTER FOUR #2
Heat creeps up my neck. I fix my eyes on the television, pretending I’m not listening at all.
“Sunday to Wednesday.”
Anika lets out a sharp, disbelieving laugh. “An equal split?” She scoffs. “A fucking split? I thought we were pushing for weekends.”
“We did,” Ray says, his voice tight. “I tried. And trust me, I made it very clear to Borne I wasn’t happy. But he said we were lucky not to lose more.”
Her face crumples. “Lucky?” she chokes out. “Like I should lose my son because of this?”
“Anika—”
“Because of what happened to me?” she snaps. “Because I’m in this bed?”
“Wynter, could you—” Ray starts.
“No. She’s staying,” Anika cuts in sharply.
I glance at him and offer a weak, apologetic smile, but his attention is already back on her.
“He didn’t say that was why,” Ray says carefully. “Luke made a point of framing it differently. He told the court that letting you and Sebastian stay here with me was some kind of noble gesture.”
Anika lets out a bitter laugh. “God, he is such a piece of work.”
I stay quiet, keeping my eyes on the edge of the blanket, trying to be invisible.
“We can appeal,” Ray says. “I’ll sort it.”
“What’s the point?” she mutters. “He’ll drag it out for as long as he can.” Then she looks up at him. “Maybe I should talk to him.” Ray goes still. “I could see Luke,” she says. “Maybe that’s the problem. Maybe if I just speak to him—”
“No.” The word comes out sharp, and I wince.
She lifts her chin. “He might back off.”
“He’s not coming anywhere near you.”
“But if I asked—”
“I said no.”
The room falls silent. The force in Ray’s voice slices through it. They stare at each other, neither backing down.
Then, without taking his eyes off her, he says, “Wynter, check her temperature. She’s too warm.”
Grateful for something to do, I move quickly into the bathroom for the thermometer. When I come back, I stop short.
Ray’s leaning over the bed, his forehead pressed gently to Anika’s, his voice so low I can’t make out the words.
Her eyes are closed and some of the fight has left her face.
I back away quietly, giving them the privacy neither of them asked for.
RAY
I press a gentle kiss to Anika’s lips. By the time Wynter returns with the thermometer, I’ve already got a bad feeling.
She checks Anika’s temperature, her brow tightening. “It’s raised,” she says quietly.
“Call the doctor,” I tell her. “Whenever she gets like this, it’s usually the start of an infection.”
Wynter nods and hurries from the room.
I sit beside the bed and look at Anika properly.
“You’re overreacting,” she says.
I huff out a quiet laugh and take her hand, even though I know she can’t feel it.
“You always did like attention,” I murmur. “If this is some elaborate attempt to make Catherine stay, it won’t work. Donald’s already booked their flight to France.”
My words pull a faint smile out of her. “Donald is good to her,” she says. “She’s going to be spoiled rotten.” Her smile fades almost as quickly as it came. “I really wanted the custody sorted,” she whispers.
“So did I. None of this would be happening if it wasn’t—”
“For me sleeping with your business associate?”
I arch a brow. “That too,” I say dryly.
She gives me a look, but there’s no fight in it.
Luke Malone had been a friend once. We did business together, sent money each other’s way, trusted each other.
Then, he got Anika pregnant.
And after that, he let her find out the hard way that he already had a wife. Two kids. A whole other life. If it had been my choice, he would have been buried him years ago. But Anika begged me not to touch him.
So, I didn’t. Not directly.
He drifted in and out of her life after Sebastian was born, hurting her whenever it suited him, disappearing whenever responsibility got too heavy.
And after the accident?
He suddenly lost interest in their affair altogether. Stopped all contact apart from when it suited him to stick the knife in over Seb. Maybe it was his way of still letting her know he was there, or maybe he just wanted to get back at me.
Because I destroyed enough of his businesses to remind him what happens when he pushes too far, and now, this custody fight is just his way of pushing back.
Wynter comes back into the room, a little breathless.
“The doctor’s on his way.”
As predicted, Anika has an infection. The doctor started her on intravenous antibiotics and arranged for a nurse to come twice a day to administer the rest.
It’s a regular occurrence, one we’re both used to.
I walk Catherine to the door and kiss her cheek. “Enjoy France.”
She gives me a look. “I’ll call tomorrow to see how Anika is, and I’ll pop back next week. This isn’t goodbye.”
I smile despite myself.
Catherine has been part of my life for ten years now. She started as my housekeeper, and after the accident she helped with Anika and Sebastian too. Somewhere along the way, she stopped being staff and became more like family. That will never change.
Once she’s gone, I pour myself a whisky and drop onto the sofa. My peace lasts all of two minutes before a shriek cuts through the penthouse.
Wynter comes running into the living room wrapped in a short towel, wet hair clinging to her skin, water dripping down her legs.
“There’s a spider,” she gasps, nearly slipping on the tiled floor.
“It won’t hurt you,” I mutter, taking a sip of my drink and forcing my eyes to focus on her face.
“You don’t understand. I hate them. I’m petrified.”
The front door opens. Dale saunters in, then stops dead. His eyes widen as he takes her in. I’m on my feet before he can say a word.
“Fine,” I snap. “Show me.” I move past her before she can turn to him for help.
The spider is tiny. I stare at it for a second, then roll my eyes, scoop it up, and carry it to the window before flicking it outside.
When I turn back, Wynter is still standing there, with her towel clutched to her chest, shuddering.
“Thanks,” she says quietly.
My gaze drops before I can stop it. Wet skin. Bare legs. A whole lot of trouble.
I drag my eyes back to her face. “No problem.”
When I return to the living room, Dale is grinning. “How the fuck did you walk out of her room?” he asks. “It would’ve taken a gun to my head.”
“Some of us have self-control.”
“There’s no such thing when a half-naked woman comes running at you dripping wet.” He closes his eyes and groans theatrically.
Something hard twists in my chest. I don’t like that he’s picturing her.
“Remember what I said, Dale,” I warn. “Don’t fuck my staff.”
He snorts. “Your rules are bullshit. Maybe I could convince her to leave.”
“Or maybe you could find someone else to bother.”
He studies me for a beat, then smirks. “Do you want her to yourself?”
I let out a short laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous. She drives me insane, and if you had convinced her to leave, you’d be doing me a favour.”
“Wynter,” Dale says suddenly, cutting me off. “We’re having a drink. Join us.”
I wince before turning to see her standing in the doorway. She’s changed now, but her hair is still damp from the shower. And her expression tells me she’s just heard every word I said.
“No, thanks,” she says quickly.
“Join us,” I say. My tone leaves no room for argument.
She hesitates, eyes flicking to mine. I cross to the drinks cabinet and take out another glass.
“What are you having?” I ask before she can run off back to the safety of her room.
“Anything,” she mumbles.
I hear her bare feet pad across the room, glancing back to see her getting comfy on the couch across from Dale.
I pour her a vodka and orange. Anika’s favourite.
“How did you end up in London?” Dale asks as I hand him a whisky.
“I had an apprenticeship at Millerstone Publishing,” Wynter says. She doesn’t look at me when I hand her the drink.
“Millerstone?” I repeat, frowning. I know the CEO there.
“It didn’t work out,” she says, speaking to Dale, not me.
“But you stayed anyway?” he asks.
She takes the glass carefully. “I’m not one to quit.”
The dig is subtle. Still, I hear it.
I say nothing and take a seat beside her, closer than I need to. Dale notices, and his expression shifts as he fights the urge to smirk.
Ridiculous. She’s an employee, nothing more.
“What do your parents think about you living here?” Dale asks.
“My dad was happy for me. He’s a big believer in me chasing my dreams,” she says.
“And your mum?”
I tense. “Boyfriend?” I cut in too quickly. The word is out before I can stop it, but I’m trying to save her having to tell him the truth about her mother.
Wynter blinks.
Dale smirks.
“I don’t have one,” she says quietly.
“You don’t have a boyfriend?” Dale repeats, sounding genuinely baffled.
Colour creeps into her cheeks. He groans dramatically, dropping his head back.
“You’re killing me here, Ray.”
His phone buzzes, and he glances at the screen and grins. “Got to go,” he says, pushing to his feet. “Booty call.”
I shake my head. It’s exactly why I don’t let him anywhere near my staff.
He heads for the door, already over whatever fascination he had with Wynter. “Call me if there’s any change with Anika,” he says on the way out.
Then he’s gone.
I swirl the ice around in my glass. “How are you finding London?” I ask.
“Lonely,” she says quietly. The look on her face says she regrets being so open instantly.
She glances down into her drink. “It’s .
. . different. I had my bag snatched the second I stepped out of the tube station.
I probably should’ve taken that as a sign and gone straight home.
Since then, I’ve had nothing but bad luck. ”
“It’s a big city,” I say. “Plenty of bad people in it.” I take a sip of my whisky, then look at her. “And Dale can be . . . persistent. You’d be wise not to encourage him.”
Her mouth tightens. “At least he’s nice to me.”
I look at her sharply. “He’s nice because he wants to get into your knickers,” I say flatly.
Colour rushes to her cheeks.
She takes another sip of her drink and pulls a face like she doesn’t like the taste. “What about you?” she asks. “Any girlfriends?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“You asked first.”
I exhale through my nose. “I don’t do girlfriends,” I say. “I have a hard time trusting people.”
She arches a brow. “No shit.”
“Language.”
“Sebastian isn’t even here.”
I almost smile at her tone. Silence settles between us again, awkward but not entirely uncomfortable.
Then she asks, “Does Seb like his dad?”
“It’s Sebastian,” I correct automatically. “And why wouldn’t he?”
She sets her drink down and starts to rise, clearly having had enough of my poor conversation and reluctance to tell her anything. Something in my chest tightens. I’m not ready for this to end.
“He’s a dick,” I say before she can leave. “I don’t like the way he treats Anika.”
She slowly sits back down.
I stare into my glass. “We used to do business together. That’s how she met him. I wish I’d never introduced them.”
Wynter’s expression softens. “Everything happens for a reason,” she says gently. “Anika wouldn’t have Sebastian if she hadn’t met him.”
I let out a humourless laugh. “A lot of things wouldn’t have happened if Luke Malone had never walked into our lives.”
“Sebastian’s a lovely kid,” she says. “Very bright.”
Pride stirs in my chest before I can stop it. “Anika’s a great mum.”
“And Luke? Is he good with him?”
I shake my head. “No. He doesn’t spend time with him. He’s got two older kids from before. He thought he was done with parenting by the time Sebastian came along.”
Her brow furrows. “So, why does he want to see him?”
“Good question,” I mutter. “To piss me off. To hurt Anika. Who knows.”
“Poor Sebastian.”
Her sympathy is quiet, genuine, and it catches me off guard.
“Do you have siblings?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “No, but I’ve got Kate, my best friend from home. She’s like a sister. And our friend Filip. Then there’s Aunt Lucy, who’s kind of a mum, aunt, and sister all rolled into one. So, I don’t really feel like I missed out.”
“And yet you left them all to come here?”
Her fingers knot together in her lap. “It was hard after Mum died,” she says softly. “Nothing felt the same anymore.” Then she looks at me. “What about you? Any siblings?”
I shake my head. “No. Just me, Anika, and Sebastian.” I pause. “And Dale, I suppose.”
That makes her smile, lighting up her whole face. For one stupid second, I find myself wanting to be the reason she does it again.
“You’ve got a good little family,” she says.
I finish the last of my drink and set the glass down. “I should check on downstairs,” I tell her. “Will you be okay here?” She nods. “Call me if there’s any change with Anika.” She nods again.
I force myself to stand and walk away.