Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Dante
If Tatiana hated me before, she loathes me now. Taking her back to the condo was the worst idea I could’ve had. I thought seeing Emily would make Tatiana happy. She loved and trusted their housekeeper.
On the contrary, the visit only served to remind her of everything I’d taken from her, including her mother.
Something snapped inside my future bride, something that made her want to cut every thread that tied us together.
However, some threads, such as the child we share and the insatiable chemistry between us, can’t be severed.
Since the disastrous episode that played out in the study, we don’t speak outside of the bedroom. At night, she gives me her moans and screams, but during the day, she only gives me silence.
I don’t like it. I’m running out of time. I was hoping by now, I would’ve won back her trust or at least a portion of it, enough for her to be honest with me. After what I did, I don’t expect her forgiveness. But I thought if she understood my motivations, she’d come to understand.
Yet she’s unreachable. The warm, caring woman who once gave me every part of herself has become unobtainable.
Cold and distant. Yes, I own her body. I prove it every night when I bed her.
I’m about to make her my wife. That doesn’t prevent her from keeping her distance in everything else that matters.
She’s not leaving me a choice. I’ll have to confront her. Kent is bugging me about it again. The only reason he’s still breathing is because he’s right. I have to get my hands on that necklace before Teszner does.
Knowing that snake, he’s already got buyers lined up. Selling that piece of jewelry will save him from the loan sharks and bankruptcy. It’ll make him a wealthy man again, and wealthy men have the means to be powerful. They can afford weapons and armies. They can bend the law to their will.
But worse, much worse, is it will mean he wins.
In our war, that makes me the loser, and I’ll be damned before I let Lee down.
I’ve come too far and sacrificed too much.
Of all those sacrifices, Tatiana is the biggest one I’ve made, the one I regret the most. I’ll regret what I had to give up until the day I die, but I won’t let the price I paid be for nothing.
I’ll find what I’m looking for. I’ll use any means save for torture.
That necklace is the only thing that stands between me and my goal. It is my goal.
I’m so damn close to ending this game. Bennett confirmed that Leander Teszner owes him big money, money that he won’t be able to pay when the loan shark comes knocking.
I’ve set up a meeting with Teszner and his lawyer under the name of one of my offshore companies with the ruse of being interested in investing.
I’ll bankrupt Teszner before throwing him to the wolves.
And then I’ll sit back and watch as he slowly rots away.
But before that happens, Tatiana must become my wife.
Knowing I can’t trust my beautiful bride with the wedding arrangements, I left the organization to Penelope.
Tatiana would rather sabotage the day than try to make it memorable.
I’ve been particular about the details in my instructions to my assistant.
I saw Tatiana’s scrapbook once. She didn’t mean for me to see it.
The book just happened to lie open on her bed when I surprised her by climbing through her bedroom window via the fire escape at the back.
I’d gotten a glimpse of the wedding dress she’d glued to the page. It was a picture she’d torn from a bridal magazine. I’d snatched up the book and paged through her dream wedding while she blushed crimson and tried to pry the book from my hands.
Penelope just confirmed that the dress fitting is tomorrow.
She made sure I understood how difficult that one was to pull off on such short notice.
I’m walking through the house to locate Tatiana so I can tell her.
After we’ve put Noah to bed, Sav called about business.
While I was on the phone, Tatiana grabbed the opportunity to escape me, and now she’s hiding somewhere in the house.
Light falls from underneath the kitchen door. I make my way over and push it open. Jasper stands in front of the counter on the far side, wearing one of her new belly dancing costumes that comes complete with a coin girdle.
She spins around with her hand pressed on her heart, making the coins clink. “Jeez, you scared me.”
“What are you doing?”
“Practicing for an audition.”
I motion at the mess behind her on the counter. “I meant that.”
“Oh.” She places her body in front of the dried leaves and flowers. “I’m making an infusion to help me sleep. I haven’t gotten much of that since you kidnapped me.”
Ignoring the jibe, I cross the floor. “Does it work?”
She turns back to the counter and fills the teapot with water from the kettle. “It does for me.” Shooting a narrow-eyed look over her shoulder, she takes me in. “Maybe you should try some. You look like you need it.”
I’ve been working around the clock. Plus, at night, I go back to work at my desk in the study after fucking Tatiana, and I get up early so I have time to spend with Noah after work.
Jasper chucks a handful of thorny leaves and yellow flowers in the pot. “I assume you didn’t come in here looking for me.”
“Where’s Tatiana?”
She sneaks another look over her shoulder. “She’s working in one of the spare rooms.”
I go closer. “On what?”
Jasper stirs the concoction with a spoon and puts the lid on the teapot before facing me again. “She’s working on a more streamlined method of decluttering and spring cleaning.”
I frown. “Money isn’t an issue. She doesn’t have to work.”
Jasper crosses her arms. “Maybe she needs to.”
Arching a brow, I consider that. “Is she bored?”
“She needs a sense of purpose.”
“I told her she could go back to school.”
“With Noah? The time studying demands will be tough on both of them but mostly on Noah. Besides, I think she likes what she does. The job allows her to create something that’s been missing in her own life.”
“Order.”
“Exactly.” Jasper’s smile is wry. “She loves turning chaos into structure. And she’s damn good at it.” She nails me with a look. “You’re not going to tell her she’s not allowed to work, are you? Because then I may as well kill you now.”
Her threat makes me chuckle. “I told her she can do whatever she wants.” Except leave.
“Good.” Jasper drops her arms to her sides. “Working is her way of blowing off steam. I wouldn’t bother her now if I were you.”
I consider her for a moment. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to speak to her alone since Tatiana told me Jasper delivered that stuffed toy to her. “You knew Tatiana was pregnant and what she was planning. You should’ve told me.”
“I only found out on the night her parents died. She was going to tell you, but after what happened, she didn’t want you to know. You can understand why. I wasn’t going to betray her too.”
As I had. Yes, I get her accusation loud and clear.
“Sorry, Dante. I don’t stab my friends in the back.”
I can respect that. “When did Milena give you the stuffed dinosaur for Tatiana?”
She purses her lips.
“Leander bugged the toy,” I explain. “I want to understand how it happened.”
Her eyes flare. “That piece of shit.”
As always, the mere mention of that motherfucker ignites the violence that simmers beneath the surface of my calm. “That’s him in a nutshell.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Why do you think?”
Her nostrils flare. “I wouldn’t put anything past that son of a bitch. He’d kill his own sister if it meant getting her company shares.”
“That’s an accurate deduction, and that’s why you need to tell me what you know.”
“If you want the finer details of that night, you’ll have to ask Tiana. It’s not my place to tell you.”
“I already did.”
“Then why are you asking me?”
I sigh. She’s not going to give me anything. While I want answers, I admire her loyalty. I’ll just have to torture the details from Teszner himself.
Letting her refusal to cooperate slide for now, I say, “The dress fitting for the wedding is tomorrow. Reino will drive you.”
She makes a face. “I suppose I can’t talk you out of it.”
“Out of marrying Tatiana? No.”
“I meant Reino.” She takes two cups from the cupboard and serves the tea. “Can’t Ulysses drive us?”
“I need him here to watch Noah.”
“We can take Noah with us.”
“Sending the two of you out into the streets is risky enough.”
Handing me one of the cups, she tilts her head. “Then why are you doing it?”
“The dressmaker can’t do the fitting here. She wants to make any necessary adjustments on site. There won’t be time for two fittings.”
Jasper takes the other cup and lifts it to her lips before blowing on the steaming liquid. “That’s what you get for rushing a wedding.”
“It is what it is. I want to marry Tatiana before her brother finds out she’s back. Just be there for her, Jasper. She’s going to need you.”
“That’s the only reason I’m here.”
I utter a laugh. “Do you think you have a choice?”
“No, but for what it’s worth, I’m here willingly, Dante. For Tiana.”
“Good.”
She studies me. “What exactly is your plan for her?”
“What do you mean, my plan?”
“What do you want from Tiana, Dante?”
“Tatiana and Noah are my responsibility. I want to take care of them.”
“Is that all?”
I shrug. “I want to get to know my son.” When she only continues to observe me as if she’s searching for a lie, I let out a breath. “I want to make their lives easier and keep them safe. Isn’t that what any father would want to do?”
She narrows her kohl-rimmed eyes. “So you don’t want to kill her? Or me?”
Amused, I smile. “No, Jasper. I definitely don’t want to kill her or you. I missed out on a lot, and I want to make up for that. Tatiana may not see it like this now, but marrying her is the only way of keeping her safe. You know what Teszner will do if he finds her.”
“Fine,” she says slowly. “I believe you.” She steps forward and presses a long, glittery nail on my chest. “But give me any reason to doubt your motivations, and I mean any reason at all, and I’ll off you so quickly you won’t have time to say dead.”
A smile pulls at my lips. “Why, Jasper. I didn’t take you for a killer. That’s my job description. Do you even know how to shoot a gun?”
“Oh, I don’t need a gun.” She smiles sweetly. “If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t do it with a bullet.” Her smile turns pure evil as she leans closer. “I’ll make sure it’s slow and painful. Maybe I’ll slip a little poison in your drink.”
She’s funny. Grinning, I lift the mug to my lips. “Then I better make sure not to disappoint you.”
She taps her nail on my chest. “You do that.” And then she walks to the door.
Looking after her, I shake my head. I’m not sure Jasper is a good influence on Tatiana. I wouldn’t want her to plant any ideas in my future wife’s head.
Jasper pauses in the door frame. She looks back and motions at the cup in my hand. “Oh, and I wouldn’t drink that if I were you.”
With a wink, she’s gone.
That little witch. She can be glad Tatiana loves her.
I don’t think Jasper is stupid enough to try and poison me, but I nevertheless walk to the sink and dump the witches’ brew down the drain.