Chapter 4
A full week had passed since the argument. A week during which he had avoided speaking to her except when it was necessary. He came back to their bedroom after the first night, but the big bed was as wide as an ocean and he made certain to stay on his side. She had enough pride to stay on hers.
He would leave exceedingly early in the morning and would not be back home until late. She filled her day with her various activities and tried not to let the pain of his anger and silence get to her. Dr. Melbourne had warned that she should try and stay away from stress.
“The procedure alone is difficult without an added element.”
So, she immersed herself in her own duties. The plans for the Fall Gala were well underway and she was actively involved in the planning itself. She would be meeting with the girls twice a week to prepare.
And the family was back. Which meant that more people would be privy to her business and would notice the tension between her and her husband. She hated that. Hated the fact that they could not have an argument without getting others involved.
His brothers were okay enough and she suspected that Clive had a crush on her, something her husband had made a comment about.
“He’s just being friendly.”
“It had better be just that,” he had growled. When he said it at the time, it had caused a warm glow inside her.
Dinner last night had been surprisingly pleasant, with everyone still riding the high of the success of the latest vintage. They were so distracted; they did not seem to notice that she was not drinking the perpetual wine with dinner and that she and Cayden were barely communicating.
Last night had been like the others since the argument, cold and barely civil. She was not certain how much longer she could take it.
And they had a function later tonight. His assistant had called to remind her of it. A glittering affair which involved the movers and shakers in the wine industry. She was dreading having to dress up and smile as if everything was okay.
But she was required to attend. As Cayden’s wife, she was going to have to put on a brave face and stand at his side. She had left prematurely when they were in Italy and the papers had picked up on that, making a big deal out of it.
She was responding to an email when she looked up as the door was pushed open.
“Clive.” Her smile was warm and sincere as she watched him move across the room with the same grace as his brothers. They had each inherited their father’s thick dark hair, but only her husband had the green eyes of his Irish ancestry. “Hi. What are you doing home in the middle of the afternoon?”
“Would you believe I am dodging work?” He asked with a winsome smile, gray eyes scanning her finely-boned face as he took a seat next to her desk.
“Not for a second. What is up?”
Clive leaned back in his chair, his easy manner belying a certain intentness in his gaze. "Actually, I wanted to check on you. You seemed a bit off last night, and I wanted to make sure everything was okay."
She sighed inwardly, appreciating his concern but wary of the potential complications. "I'm fine, Clive. Just dealing with a lot right now."
He nodded, accepting her answer at face value, but she could tell he was not entirely convinced. "If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me," he said softly.
She gave him a grateful smile, trying to alleviate the awkwardness. "Thanks, Clive. I appreciate it."
“You and my brother okay?” He prodded.
She hesitated a bit. He was friendly and had been one of the first person to welcome her into the family. But even so, she could not discuss her personal business with him.
“We will be, eventually.” She toyed with the crystal paperweight Cayden had given her just a few months ago. “Marriage is complicated.” She let out a swift laugh and shook her head. “That sounds too much like a cliché.”
“Only it’s not.” He gave her a sage look. “It must be bloody difficult to be married into a family like this. Everything we do makes the news and you cannot go and get a damn cup of coffee without it being reported the next morning. I have been born into it, and it still makes me crazy.”
His expression softened. “You are married to Cayden and his reputation has an added element to the excitement.
The press salivates over even the slightest hint of tension. They are going to dig for a story and more than likely make one up.” He leaned over and took her hand. “You cannot let it get to you Blair. I have heard the rumors and know for a fact that my brother is not cheating on you.”
Her hand jerked in his slightly, but he held on.
“Rumors have a way of stemming from a kernel of truth. I saw him with Claudine…”
“That’s history.” He squeezed her hand gently and allowed his touch to linger. He liked her a lot and cursed the fact that his brother had gotten to her first. And he could also see the unhappiness on her lovely face and cursed his brother for adding to whatever it was she was going through.
“Is it?” She shrugged and pulled her hand away. “In the meantime, I am going to have to play nice at the function tonight.”
“I’ll be there,” he flashed her a smile, “take comfort in that.”
She smiled at him. “I will. Thanks, Clive.”
As he stood to leave, she could not help but notice the subtle but unmistakable tension in his posture. He paused at the door, turning back with a thoughtful expression. It is going to be quite an event."
She nodded, feeling the weight of the evening ahead pressing down on her. "I can imagine. I just need to finish up a few things here."
"Alright. I will see you there," he said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes as he left the room.
Alone again, she allowed herself a moment of vulnerability, sinking into her chair with a weary sigh. The evening loomed large and daunting, another stage where she would have to play her part. But for now, she could take solace in the brief reprieve, gathering her strength for the performance to come.
*****
She had chosen one of the sexiest outfit in the vast closet. When she moved in after she married Cayden, adjustments had been made to the suite. His closet was already department store huge, so there wasn’t the need for any extensions.
Designers had come in just to make some adjustments which included, shelves for her shoes, hundreds of them, bags, purses, and totes. Then there was the revolving racks for her clothes – designer gowns, everyday wear, suits, outer jackets, sweaters, jeans, and scarves.
When she had seen the finished result, it had left her staggered and more than a little overwhelmed. She had protested that there was no way she was going to be able to wear most of the outfits, but her mother-in-law had set her straight.
“You are no longer a schoolteacher, but the wife of an enormously powerful man. The press will be relentless and will make a note of every outfit you wear. You are not only Cayden’s wife, but you are also representing the Caruso’s family. Bear that in mind!”
It had sounded like a threat and the way she had said ‘schoolteacher’ made it seem as if Blair had been doing prostitution for a living. The woman had made it plain from the beginning that Blair was not good enough for her son.
Tonight, she was going to dazzle and call attention to herself. In the months to come, she will probably be wearing tents. Dr. Melbourne had also warned that there was every likelihood she would be carrying multiples and in that case, she would start to put on weight quite rapidly. She was not going to think about any of it tonight.
Not the fact that she was pregnant, and the risks involved, nor the pain of her husband not speaking to her. Any of it. She was going to focus on having a damn fun time. Her friends were going to be there and even if it meant flirting with a few men, including her brothers-in-law, then so be it. And to hell with everything else.
*****
“What the hell are you wearing?”
It was the first time he was seeing the dress as she removed her cashmere jacket and handed it to the attendant. They had dressed in separate rooms and by the time he came to escort her downstairs, she already had the jacket on.
“What does it look like?” She lifted her chin defiantly and met his furious gaze.
“If you intended to draw attention to yourself, you accomplished it.” His searing gaze slid down and rested on the tantalizing flesh exposed above the body of the stunning raspberry colored dress. The top was styled in a way that left her shoulders and most of her back bare and swirled around her legs whenever she moved.
Diamonds glittered at her throat, lobes and around her left wrist. Her hair was loose, the dark brown strands glowing past her shoulders. Her makeup was flawless, thanks to a crash course given to her by her personal stylist. Her lips, the bottom one full and inviting, were coated with the exact shade of her dress.
Before her marriage to Cayden, her only enhancement was slapping some lip gloss on and calling it a day. Now her vanity unit consisted of enough to outfit the beauty section in a store and what they cost could feed a third world country for weeks. She had tried to stop feeling guilty about it, without success.
She was turning away when he took her arm and slid it through his arm. His body was tight with tension, and she felt nerves pulsing off her in waves. She was about to call a truce when she caught a glimpse of a familiar face.
“Claudine. What the hell is she doing here?” The ballroom was packed with people, the women vying with each other in terms of clothing and glitters. But she saw none of that, except the woman who was holding court with several men gathered around her.
“She hitched a ride with me last week.”
Pain radiated inside her heart, and she felt as if she was dying.
“She came with you. In the jet.”
His mouth tightened at her look of disbelief.
“Yes!” He clipped. “It was no big deal.”
“Big enough for you not to mention that tiny detail when you came home.” She started to drag her hand away when he clamped his hand over it to keep her in place.
“People are watching,” he hissed.
“I don’t give one blessed damn about appearances.” Her eyes flashed fire. “You had your mistress…”
“She’s not my damn mistress.”
“She rode on the same plane with you, the private jet. What did you do? Cozied up on the bed and spent the eight hours whiling the time away by having sex?”
“I will not grace that with a response.”
“No wonder, you came back loaded with guilt. Did you leave straight from her arms and come to mine?”
“This is neither the time nor the place!”
“You never mentioned once that she was with you.”
“It was no big deal. She asked for a ride, and I said yes. We were involved years before I met you…”
“The rumors are true.” Blair felt her heart breaking as she stared at the stunning blonde. Very soon, she was going to be fat and bloated and Claudine was back in the states to keep her husband comforted. “You picked a fight because you wanted an excuse to be with her.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” His voice was sharp. Sensing the interest of several people, he steered her into a corner to give them some privacy. “I had that argument because of what you damn well did.”
“And have been ignoring me for a week.” Hurt and pain radiated through her and left her breathless. “Go to her, see if I damn well care.” Pushing him away, she evaded his hand and hurried off.
“Blair.” He hissed. “Dammit it all to hell.”
Grinding his teeth, he considered marching after her and hauling her in a private room to have it out. But he could not afford to give the press fodder for more gossips and speculations. Changing directions, he headed straight for the bar, his expression causing everyone to give him a wide berth.
He wasn’t in a festive mood. And he was especially not in the mood to have a discussion with his mother.
Hissing out a breath, he put the glass down and turned to greet her. The look in her eyes had him sighing.
“I am fine.”
Tucking her hand through his arm, she led him away from the bar and some very curious eyes.
“Are you?” She asked, smiling at the couple who were passing by and giving them curious stares. “Your wife is over there making quite a spectacle of herself. You are drinking and Claudine is holding court. Not to mention, people saw you and Blair arguing as soon as you entered the ballroom.”
She expertly plucked a glass of champagne from the passing waiter and turned to face him, the glass acting as a prop. “You know better than to air your dirty laundry in a room filled with society’s gossips. It is clear you and your wife are having problems.”
“That’s nobody’s business.”
She nodded. “It should not be, but we are who we are and what we do makes news.” She squeezed his arm gently. “Darling, what’s going on?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head firmly, eyes sizzling. “I am not discussing my wife with you or anyone else.”
“Cayden…!”
“Drop it – What the hell does he think he’s doing?” The furious look on his face had her turning to see what was happening and stifled a sigh.
“They are just dancing.”
“My brother is going to feel the strength of my wrath if he doesn’t let her go.”
“And if you march over there, you are going to cause a scene.”
“Do I look like I bloody care?”
Her hand pressing on his arm managed to anchor him. Taking a deep breath, he tore his gaze from the couple on the dance floor and stared at his mother. “She’s doing this deliberately because of some foolish notion that I am involved with Claudine.”
“Are you?” She asked him gently.
“Really mother? You too? I am sick and tired of being accused of something I have not done. Granted, I did not tell Blair that Claudine was on the plane with me back from Italy, but that was because I was trying to avoid a bloody argument.”
“And you don’t think her finding out after, would make her wonder if you had something to hide?” She persisted.
“I have nothing to hide.” He jerked his head up and almost exploded at the sight of his brother with his hand riding low on her back. Her bloody bare skin. The dress was almost transparent, what there was of it and it dipped low enough to make him realize that she was not wearing anything underneath.
Damn her! Damn her for making him so crazy, he wanted to kill his own blood.
“Excuse me.”
“Cayden…”
“We’re leaving.” His face was hard and taut with fury. “If you don’t allow me to depart now, I am going to end up doing something to give this entire room a bloody show.” Taking her hand from his arm, he walked away. He went first to the attendant to retrieve their coats and avoided conversations with people who wandered into his path.
Waiting until the song had ended, he barely managed a civil expression as Clive brought her over.
“We’re going to talk brother.” He said tightly.
“Undoubtedly.” He handed Blair over with a flourish and to further aggravate Cayden, he lifted her hand and kissed the knuckles lightly. “Thanks for the dance.”
“We’re leaving.”
“I am not going anywhere with you.” She told him haughtily.
“You think you have a choice?”
She started to ignore him, but instinct warned her that he was on the brink of exploding.
“I should say goodbye to…”
“Not bloody likely.” Practically shoving her arms into the coat, he hustled her out of the room, by gripping her tight and steering her through the crowd. He did not seem to care that they were garnering a lot of attention.
“What’s that about?” Alberto asked his wife as he came to stand next to her.
“Jealousy.” Marianne sighed softly. “And another story for the eager looking reporter from ‘Tell All’ to write.”
Out in the chilly night air, Blair struggled to regain her composure as Cayden's grip on her arm remained unyielding. The valet came running to claim the key fob while they waited. Cayden’s anger was palpable, a storm barely contained beneath the surface of his usually composed demeanor and Blair thought it prudent to remain silent.
Once inside the car, the silence was deafening. Blair could feel the tension radiating off him in waves. She wanted to confront him, demand an explanation for his rash behavior, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she stared out of the window, watching the city lights blur as they sped away from the party.
“Where are we going?” She demanded when the tension became too much for her to bear.
“Just shut the hell up!” He snapped. “Do you have any idea how close I was to losing control back there?” Cayden’s voice was low, but the intensity of his fury was unmistakable.
Blair turned to face him, her own anger bubbling up. “And what right did you have to drag me out of there like that?”
His eyes blazed as they met hers. “I could not stand to see him touch you. Not Clive, not anyone. You belong to me.”
Her breath hitched at his words, a mix of anger and something else she could not quite define. “You cannot control me, Cayden. I am not some possession you can claim.”
“You’re mine.” He repeated, his voice dangerously low. “Don’t you ever forget that.”
Clamping her mouth shut, she turned her head away to stare out at the blur of lights as the city faded behind them. A frown touched her forehead when she noticed they were going in the opposite direction from the manor. He was driving fast and very soon the city was behind them, the lights giving way to a more rural area.
“Where are you taking me?” She turned her head to look at him and his profile had her catching her breath. His face was harsh and taut, his mouth tight. His knuckles gripping the steering wheel had turned white.
“Are you attracted to him?”
“What?”
“My brother. The way you two were carrying on earlier, leaves me to wonder if something is going on.”
She simply stared at him. “Have you gone mad?”
He slid a glance at her, his eyes lingering on her lips and for some reason, which made him even more furious. “What are you wearing under that scrap you call a dress?”
“A nude colored teddy.”
“When did you buy it?” He asked tightly.
“When we were in Italy.”
“And you decided to wear it to entice the men at the party, including my brother.”
Her eyes flashed. “I wore it because I liked it. I certainly do not need to entice anyone. Including you.”
He did not answer, and she saw when he touched the left turn signal that took them towards a gravelly road with trees towering on both sides.
“Where are we?”
“Somewhere we can be alone.” His mouth twisted as he slowed the vehicle down. “We need to go over some rules.” He brought the vehicle to a halt outside a very rustic looking cabin. “One – this is the first and last time you will be wearing that dress.”
“You cannot…”
“Two, you are going to start behaving like my wife and three, we need to talk about the pregnancy that I am not on board with. Four…” He grabbed her hand as she made to shove the door open. “You stay the hell away from my brother.”
“You’re being unreasonable.” She felt her heart jumping with fear at the stark look of fury on his handsome face.
“Unreasonable?” Letting go of her hand; he shoved his door open and came around to open hers.
“Get out.”
“You don’t…,” she gasped as he simply reached in and hauled her out of the vehicle.