Page 71 of Tame Me

‘Exactly where did you supposedly send all those messages?’ I ask.

‘Don’t you believe I sent them?’ she whispers furiously. ‘Why don’t you check?’

‘Why do you think I’m asking?’ I snap back. ‘A forensic IT search is about to be launched.’

She looks down at the baby and I see her striving to steady her breath. ‘There isn’t a direct email for you listed on your company website. You have no phone number. Your social media profiles are non-existent. You’reverywell protected from the public.’

She’s right. I push for as much privacy as possible. ‘So you sent them to...?’

Coming from one of Australia’s most wealthy families—plus being single—provides challenges. All emails are filtered but surely hers should have been flagged.

‘I sent them to the information address.’

What did she say? How blunt was she? How many did she send? I can’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t as many as possible. ‘You should have tried harder.’

She lifts her chin defiantly. ‘Perhaps I should have gone to themedia? Sold my story? Shamed you by saying we had sex in the middle of a thunderstorm and that as a result...’ Her eyebrows lift.

I’m on fire inside at the thought of that—I’m too aware of the ravenous public appetite for personal drama. I would haveloathedit but the truth would’ve got to me at last. ‘Perhaps you should have,’ I say more calmly than I’m feeling. ‘It would have got my attention.’

‘And destroyedmyreputation—my career—in the process. I’d have become known as Dain Anzelotti’s baby-mama. As far as I could tell, you weren’t interested. I needed to protect my own earning potential.’

‘You’re a waitress.’

She glares at me but I’m unapologetic. ‘No doubt you’ll think it arrogant if I suggest that your being linked with me would onlyenhanceyour earning potential,’ I add.

‘You don’t know anything about me.’

Not entirely true. I know some things. Quite a lot. I know the sound she makes when she’s so hot she can’t stand it any more. I know her scent. I know how tightly her hand can squeeze mine. I know her taste. But I don’t trust her. I don’t trust anyone.

‘Right, and you know little about me—’

‘I know plenty. I looked up who you were.’

I see condemnation in her eyes and my skin prickles. Has she seen the past—some of those stories about my parents? Is this why she’s kept Lukas secret, because she’s afraid I’ll be as awful as my own parents were? ‘And whatever you discovered put you off trying harder to contact me?’

‘You don’t want to settle down. You’re used to getting what you want. Who you want. When you want.’

‘And these are such insufferable qualities you think I shouldn’t have any part in my son’s life?’

She whitens.

But I’m angry with her judgement. Only at the same time she’s right. I’m used to people doing what I ask them to. I’m used to being in charge of pretty much everything. Yet Talia Parrish only has to enter my mind and I lose control of my own damned body. I’m hard for her. I’m always hard for her.Onlyhard for her. And I hate it.

Stupid,stupidchemistry.

Once was not enough. That’s all.

Memories flood my mind. That night was a set of circumstances where adrenalin was pumping and the satisfaction—a life-threatening moment made earthly pleasure extreme. I had to hurriedly get rid of that condom. There was no time to check it properly but I’ve often remembered her tension when I first entered her. Crazy as it is, I suspect she was a virgin. But surely not.

She lifts her chin. ‘I don’t want him confused by all the women in your life.’

I narrow my gaze. ‘Neitherof us will parade lovers in front of him. I don’t want him to have a revolving door of people he thought might care about him only to be disappointed.’

Her eyes widen. ‘I agree.’

‘Fancy that,’ I say coolly. ‘We might agree on more once we really get going.’ I drag in a breath. ‘I can adjust accordingly, Talia. I hope you’re able to do the same.’ Her assumptions about my character annoy the hell out of me. ‘Why did you stop trying to reach me?’

She stands stiffly. ‘It was clear you weren’t interested.’

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