Page 83 of Knot a Thief

I sigh, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. “We made a deal. You got extra privileges, and Max got to have dinner with you. Now get ready.”

She sits up in the nest, her piercing gaze finally meeting mine. “I’ll come for dinner if you tell me how he knows the baby is his.” A pause, then, “Why isn’t it yours?”

My jaw clenches. “I can’t tell you that.”

“He made you have a vasectomy,” she says matter-of-factly.

The words hit like a physical blow. “I have a child. I don’t need more children,” I retort, my voice harder than ever. “Now get ready.”

Fifteen minutes later, she walks into the dining room. It’s a testament to Max’s refined taste and wealth.

A crystal chandelier hangs from the coffered ceiling, its light dancing off the polished surface of a long marble table. To my right, the same black marble surrounds the fireplace and dominates one wall.

Behind Max, floor-to-ceiling windows offer a breathtaking view of uninterrupted blue water, while carefully placed artwork covers the walls.

And despite how much wealth is in this room, his eyes are only on her as her hips sway as she strides toward the table.

Despite her simmering anger, her natural beauty is undimmed. Her face is absent of makeup. Her porcelain skin is virtually flawless, only a light dusting of freckles across her nose breaks the color.

Long, brunette hair falls in loose waves past her shoulders. But it’s her eyes that are mesmerizing, the same color blue as the surrounding sea.

The first day I met her, I knew they held secrets, but today only sorrow swims in her gaze.

Despite everything, our past, the things I’ve now shared with her, I still find myself drawn to her, not that I’ll ever tell her.

My attraction is an unwelcome reminder of what I lost.

I force myself to look away—I can’t trust myself around her. Because I’m not sure if I want to kiss her or kill her.

Max sits at the head of the table, his presence commanding the room. At forty-two years old, he’s much older than Ava and a decade my senior, but you’d never tell.

Dark hair, perfectly styled, frames a face that’s handsome despite the lines of age. Well-groomed stubble covers his firm jaw, giving him a rugged edge that I never see off this island.

“You made it,” Max says, his pale blue eyes sharp and calculating as they train on Ava while she takes her seat.

“It appears I did,” Ava replies coolly, her voice carrying a hint of defiance.

“Don’t be insolent.”

I watch the exchange silently, tension coiling in my gut. The air in the room feels charged, like the moment before a lightning strike.

Max’s lips curl into a smirk. “I’m glad you honored our agreement. It would have been unfortunate if you hadn’t.”

“Unfortunate.” Ava’s aqua blue eyes flash dangerously as she strokes her stomach. “It sounds to me as though you are threatening the mother of your child. Yet, it’s this child who will be unfortunate when he or she lives a sad, lonely life on this island with two sad, lonely men.”

I resist the urge to flinch at her barb. Max, however, seems unfazed.

“Now, now, darling,” he chides, his tone patronizing. “Let’s not ruin this lovely dinner with unpleasantries.”

“Lovely?” Ava laughs sardonically. “Is that what we’re calling this farce? Making me eat dinner with you. Why? Why does it matter?”

I can see Max’s jaw tighten, a subtle tell that his patience is wearing thin. “Watch your tone, Ava. Remember your place.”

There’s hurt in her eyes; tension in her shoulders, and I just sit here, saying nothing.

The air crackles with hostility. I hold my breath, waiting for the inevitable explosion.

Ava leans forward, her voice low and dangerous. “This is not my place. You seem to have forgotten you kidnapped me. And I’m more than happy for you to take me home.”

---