Chapter Twenty-Six
Spencer
The moment I saw Kalie; it was obvious she was here to cause trouble.
How the hell did she know I was here in the first place? My charity work is private; only a handful of my employees are aware of it.
I focused on the two women. To outsiders, they would appear to be whispering together like old friends, but I know my wife. She’s gone into attack mode. Her shoulders are back, and she’s got that glint in her eye that says, ‘Don’t fuck with me and mine.’
Someone in the audience asks a question, and I have no choice but to drag my eyes away from the pair.
When I glance back, the space they’d occupied is empty. Both women have disappeared.
Fuck!
I summarize the rest of my speech as quickly as I can, taking only a few questions before handing back to Brendon James, the Govern Trust CEO.
As I leave the podium, Brendon’s assistant approaches me. Without giving her a chance to speak, I explain something has come up, and I need to leave urgently.
Rushing out onto the street, I see my dutiful driver, Tony, waiting for me, but cast my eyes around; there’s no sign of Sophie.
Where the fuck are you, Soph?
Striding toward the car with purpose, Tony steps out to open my door.
“Where’s Sophie?” I demand.
“Your wife said she’d gotten a call from the school and needed to collect Lily. She looked harassed. I told her I’d take her but she insisted I stay with you, and hailed a cab.”
I pull out my phone and dial Sophie’s number. No reply.
A horrible, sickly feeling creeps up my throat as I sink back into the plush leather of my car seat. As Tony pulls out into the traffic, toward Lily’s preschool, my phone buzzes in my hand.
Sophie: You need to speak to Kalie urgently. I think she might be pregnant.
Sophie: Give me some time, Spence. I need to get my head straight.
Not a fucking chance.
I scroll through my contacts. Three weeks ago, I deleted Kalie’s number and blocked her.
Shit!
With my mind racing, I do what I always do when I’m in a bind. I call Carlo.
“Compagno.”
“Carlo, Kalie’s cornered Sophie. I need her number urgently. Can you get it off the club’s records? Sophie’s gone AWOL. She thinks Kalie is pregnant.”
“Is she?” he demands.
“No.” I hesitate. “I don’t fucking know. That’s why I need her number,” I explain, exasperated.
My stomach rolls with nausea.
“Okay. Calm down. Sophie’s not stupid. She’s probably just in shock and needs some space. When you say she’s gone AWOL, what do you mean?”
His manner is calm but forceful, like a parent speaking to his child.
“We were at the Govern Trust. I was giving a speech on stage when I saw Kalie talking to Sophie. Then, the next time I looked, they’d both disappeared. Tony said she’s taken a cab to the school to pick up Lily. I’m on my way there now.”
“Right. I’ll text you Kalie’s number. When you’ve spoken to her, call me back. I’m at the club. I can be with you in half an hour.”
“Thanks, mate. Sophie won’t take my call,” I say, and even to my own ears I sound lost.
“Stay calm. I’ve got the number, sending it now. Let me know if you need anything.”
He ends the call, and within five seconds it beeps with Kalie’s mobile number. Borrowing Tony’s phone, I tap to record our exchange.
“Wow! That was quick,” she teases.
“What do you want, Kalie?” I bark.
“To see you.”
“No.”
She makes a whining noise in her throat. “I could make life very uncomfortable for you.”
“Are you threatening me?” I growl, asking a pointless question on reflex.
“Give me one more night. I’ve been fantasizing about a hate fuck with you.”
“No.”
“Please, Spencer?” she whines again; an image of her playful pouting face springs to mind. It used to amuse me; now it does the opposite.
“You’re a spoiled little rich girl who isn’t used to being told no.
There’s nothing you could say or do that would make me touch you again.
You threaten me, but people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, Kalie.
Imagine your daddy’s reaction if he heard what his little girl had done.
It would ruin him and his precious reputation.
Don’t play with fire, little girl, you’ll get burned. ”
Each of my words is more scathing than the last, and I know they’ll have the desired impact on her.
Kalie’s father is a very successful businessman, but as a much older parent, he has very traditional views, being highly religious doesn’t help matters.
I’ve always had the opinion that he has repressed Kalie.
He’s well known and highly respected in elite circles, but expects the same behavior of his daughter.
“You enjoy dominating me because you can’t get away with it at home, don’t you, Spencer?” She drops her voice. “Does it make you hard having a ball buster for a wife?” she taunts me, aiming for a sexy tone, which only riles me up more.
“Leave my wife out of this. You fucking allowed her to believe you’re pregnant.”
She roars with laughter; the sound increasing my fury.
“I know she does. It was fun to see her face drop when she thought your baby was growing inside of me.”
“So, it’s not I assume?”
“Dunno. Maybe. What if it is?” she teases again.
Her response is answer enough for me. If she were pregnant, she’d be desperate to tell me. But I need her to admit she lied for Sophie’s benefit.
“Don’t piss around with me, Kalie. Or Daddy will see evidence of what a deviant you are.”
“Aw, that’s sweet. You kept videos of me.”
This bitch’s constant teasing is really pissing me off.
“For no other reason than to protect myself from your toxicity. Travis has them.”
The car slows, and I glance out of the window to see a queue of traffic. Infuriating me further.
“Are you pregnant?” I growl.
“No,” she admits.
And even though I was fairly certain she wasn’t before, it’s comforting to hear confirmation.
“How did you know where I was?” I demand.
There’s a pause as she considers her answer.
“My father had an invitation to the event today; I saw your name as the guest speaker.”
A chill crawls down my spine. Something in her response is creepy.
“Stay away from me, Kalie. Stay away from my family, or face Daddy’s wrath when he sees what a slut you really are. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal,” she murmurs.
Check mate. Thank fuck for that. I tap to end the call.
An hour later, I’d been to the preschool. Sophie collected Lily forty minutes earlier. Tony took me home as fast as he could. Her car wasn’t in the garage. And she still won’t answer her fucking phone.
The house is an empty shell without Sophie in it. It’s cold. I hate being on my own at the best of times, but being here without her means home doesn’t feel like home.
She’s only been gone for just over an hour and already I miss her.
The sound of a key in the door has me rushing to greet her. But when Carlo steps into the hall, I’m disappointed to see him.
“Oh, it’s you.”
The words tumble out of my mouth before I have time to check them.
“Buongiorno to you too,” he exclaims sarcastically in his thick Italian accent.
“Where’s she gone, Carlo?” I demand, near frantic to find Sophie. “It’s driving me crazy that she’s refusing to speak to me.”
“Explain again what happened,” Carlo says, speaking so calmly I could punch him.
I explain in minute detail what happened and then play him the phone call between Kalie and me.
“Have you sent that to her?” he demands.
“No. But I’ve told her in messages that Kalie was lying,” I tell him, pacing back and forth on the rug in front of the fireplace.
“Send her the recording,” he orders.
“I don’t want her to think I’ve kept videos of Kalie,” I whine.
Stopping in front of him with my hand in my hair.
“Spencer, that’s the least of your worries. Send her the recording. Let her hear it for herself. Be transparent. It’s all she’s been asking of you all along.”
As I pick up my phone from the coffee table, he changes his mind.
“Actually, send it to me. She might have blocked you,” he says casually.
“Blocked me?” I demand, appalled by the suggestion.
“Yeah, just temporarily.” He grins. “Sometimes it’s the only way with you.”
My mouth drops open. I can’t believe he’d ever block me.