Page 231 of Modern Romance Collection February 2025, 1-4

‘So? You wanted your own life, Maude.’

This was not the conversation she’d wanted to have, yet now her own lie had taken on a life of its own and she couldn’t let it go. ‘I know and I still want that. But...our child will have the life we give him, and I want to know what kind of life he’ll have.’

Dominic’s dark eyes narrowed. ‘Are you imagining me leaving for months on end like my father did?’

‘No, of course not. But...you’ll still leave.’

‘And then I’ll come back. What’s the problem?’

The problem is that I’ll be here without you.

Except she couldn’t say that. This was about their son and that was all. ‘I... He’ll be lonely here with just me.’

‘But that’s what you wanted initially. Are you saying you want me to take him with me?’

‘No, no.’ She took a little breath, trying not to tangle the little web of untruths she’d woven. ‘It’s just...is this the way it’s going to be for ever? Are we going to live separately for ever? And what about if you meet someone else? What about if you fall in love with—?’

‘I won’t fall in love with anyone,’ he said tightly. ‘I told you that love wasn’t a part of this.’

‘Not with me, sure. But what if you—?’

‘I won’t.’ His voice was terse and there was something glittering in his dark gaze that made her chest constrict.

She didn’t want him to be in love with anyone else. The very thought made her want to cry, and yet now she’d broached the topic, she couldn’t seem to shut herself up. ‘You might want someone else,’ she said. ‘Yet you’re married to me. I told you I didn’t want to be bound by anyone’s rules, but you’re also being bound, aren’t you?’

‘That’s true.’ His gaze abruptly became very focused on her. ‘But when I said I won’t fall in love with anyone else, I meant it. I won’t want anyone else either. There’s only you, Maude.’

She swallowed, a lump in her throat. ‘But...why?’

‘You’re beautiful, fascinating, mysterious. You’re passionate about the things that are important to you and you’re honest. You’re brave.’

The words felt like stones being thrown at her and suddenly she couldn’t bear it. He thought she was all these wonderful things and she wasn’t any of them. She was just a silly little girl left standing by a car while people who didn’t want her argued about who got lumped with her.

Also, she was a liar.

Maude pushed herself out of his arms, unable to bear being so close to him when he didn’t know the truth about her, sliding off the couch and going to stand in front of the fireplace.

‘Maude?’ Dominic asked, his voice full of concern. ‘What is it?’

She wrapped her arms around herself as she stared into the flames. ‘I’m not honest,’ she said bluntly. ‘I’ve been lying to you this whole time.’

There was a silence behind her.

‘About what?’ he asked eventually.

Maude took a breath. If she was really as brave as he thought she was, then she needed to face him. This was too important to tell the fire. He was too important.

Slowly, she turned around.

He hadn’t moved from the couch, his expression unreadable, his dark eyes glittering.

Maude took her courage in both hands and held on. ‘When I said I didn’t love you, I lied.’

He said nothing, still staring at her.

‘I’ve fallen in love with you, badger,’ she said, the words falling into the silence like pebbles in a still pond, creating ripples. ‘I know we said love wasn’t a part of this, but... It’s become part of it for me and I...’ She swallowed, her throat aching. ‘I don’t want to be a millstone around your neck or drag you down. I know you didn’t choose to have this baby or to have me as your wife. In fact, you didn’t want a family at all. And I’m sorry that I put you into this position. I...just want you to know that, if you don’t want any of this, if you want to walk away, I won’t stop you. And I wouldn’t blame you either.’

Dominic stared at Maude, standing with her back to the flames, her arms still wrapped around herself as if she were cold. She was in leggings and one of his sweatshirts, the dark green one, and it was giant on her, the hem extending down to her mid-thigh. Her hair was loose the way he liked it to be, in a wild golden storm down her back, and her face was flushed. She looked so beautiful, but what he didn’t like was the anguish in her brown eyes.

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