Page 87 of All's Fair In Love & War

“No,” she said, still not looking up, just drawing hard, slow breaths and digging her nails into her thighs. “I didn’t.”

“You fucking did, Tatum!” My voice reverberated around the room before I noticed how loud I had become. “When did you plan on saying something? When you went into labor?”

Needing to hit something, I slammed my fist against the wall next to the light switch with enough force to make it sting.

Tatum jumped. “No! I just needed time.”

“Time for what?”

“Time to get my shit in order because you’re a controlling asshole who thinks I’m weak and incapable of making decisions for our family!” She screamed in my face.

I stepped forward, my whole body tensed, jaw locked so tight it ached. “Don’t even fucking try to put that shit on me.”

“You are!” she screamed, standing up now, bare from the waist down and still not caring. “You think the minute something’s bigger than you, the whole world has to stop and bow so you can fix it your way. I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d try to take over. You’d tell me what to eat, what to feel, who to trust, and I’m already fighting to stay sane as it is!”

I stared at her, at her eyes, wild and wet, and at her lips, trembling with anger she couldn’t fully swallow.

“You kept our baby a secret,” I said, quieter now, but no less firm. “You didn’t give me a chance. You made a choice to keep it from me, and now you want to stand here and act like I’m the problem for reacting to it?”

Tatum’s breathing slowed just a little, but she didn’t back down.

“I didn’t want to be forced into some fantasy version of motherhood. I didn’t want you or anyone else deciding what kind of mother I’m supposed to be. I needed time to wrap my head around it… alone.”

“You’re not alone,” I said. “You haven’t been alone since the day you became mine. You knew damn well you were pregnant, and you looked me in the face every day and said nothing. That’s not needing space. That’s betrayal.”

She blinked fast. Once. Twice. But she didn’t cry.

“I wasn’t trying to betray you,” she said, her voice lower now, raw. “I was trying to protect what’s mine.”

“And what’s yours,” I growled, “is mine. That’s how this works. You want to be Don Tatum? You want to lead? Then act like it. Lead with truth, not fear.”

Her mouth opened again, but the words didn’t come.

I stepped closer, closing the space between us, lowering my voice even more.

“You lied to me,” I said. “And I’m still standing here. Still not walking out. So you tell me, what exactly were you protecting yourself from?”

Her throat worked hard around a breath she couldn’t get out.

And for the first time all night, she didn’t have an answer.

Chapter 21

Never Say Never

Dallas

The front door clicked open beneath my thumb, and I stepped inside the penthouse with a grin that widened the moment the cool blast of air greeted my skin. I nodded in appreciation of the sleek granite floors and the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that provided a breathtaking view of the city. The Bulgari's had impeccable taste, and it was apparent in every aspect of the Bulgari Towers.

The furniture store delivery workers trailed behind, each balancing pieces of furniture meant to breathe life into the space. A duo carried a plush velvet sofa, its rich fabric encased protectively in clear plastic. Meanwhile, others maneuvered around them, guiding carts laden with boxes, elegant lamps, paintings, and a variety of custom pieces I had personally selected.

“Put that near the windows,” I told one of the workers, pointing to the far side of the open living area. “The rug goesunder it, and that marble table needs to be centered. Be careful. It’s expensive.”

I pointed toward the dining space as the door opened and shut behind me. Since very few people in this city had the juice to bypass biometric security, I didn’t need to turn around to have an idea of who entered, but I did anyway. I like to see trouble coming when it walks through my door.

Khalil Bulgari stood just inside the entrance. His arms were folded across his chest, and his eyes scanned the room with a look that made it clear this place belonged to him, no matter whose name was on the lease. I kept my expression calm as I adjusted the cuffs of my shirt.

“Do you visit all your tenants on moving day?”

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