Page 57 of Claiming His Baby At The Altar

‘Yes, you did. At the first sign of trouble, you assumed the worst of me and took my son and ran away from me, and ran away to the one man you knew I didn’t want Benjamin anywhere near.’

‘It wasn’t like that. I didn’t run away from you. I ran from the situation.’

His disbelieving icy stare made the knots in her stomach tighten. ‘The press, the pictures...’ She took a deep breath, trying her hardest to speak coherently. ‘We never made the usual promises married couples make. You never promised to be faithful—if you had, I would have known there was more to those photos than what the press were implying because I know you don’t lie or make false promises, but it was understood that you would still take lovers if you wished.’

‘Understood by you. Not me. Just because your jealousy made you act perversely and give your blessing for me to have affairs did not mean I would act on it, and I cannot believe you think so little of me that you think I would leave your bed in the morning and be in another woman’s bed that same night... No, actually, I can believe it.’ Alejandro’s eyes glittered, his handsome features contorting into bitterness. ‘You think all men are cheats.’

‘No!’ Flora bowed her head and let her hair fall like a stream over her face.

The beats of her heart had become the beats of doom.

‘I wasscared. You left on an argument and without kissing me goodbye. You didn’t call to wish me goodnight, and then the press ambushed me and I saw those pictures and I couldn’t get hold of you and all I could think was that I needed to escape to somewhere safe.’

‘You described yourself as an expert on men’s infidelities,’ he said flatly. ‘You said you didn’t think a leopard could change its spots. Isn’t this what you’ve been waiting for? Have I made you so damn miserable that you’ve been waiting for the first opportunity to leave me?’

‘Don’t be so ridiculous. I couldn’t leave you even if I wanted to!’ she cried, stung that he could think such a thing after everything they’d shared.

For a long time he just stared at her, firm lips tightening, the darkness in his eyes turning into granite. ‘So you do want to leave me?’

‘I didn’t say that! I said I couldn’t leave youevenif I wanted to, and I can’t, can I? Not with the threat of you reopening my brother’s prosecution hanging over my head.’

Slowly, he lifted his hands from his lap and placed them behind his neck, his granite eyes not leaving her face. Then he lifted his chin and said, ‘If I took that threat away and asked you to choose between me and your brother, who would win?’

‘I...’ She shook her head, caught off-guard.

‘It is a simple question, Flora. Me or him. Because it is a choice you have to make if our marriage is to continue.’

She stared at him. Was he really saying what she thought he was saying? He wouldn’t. No. She must be misunderstanding him.

‘I need to know your loyalty is with me, so make your choice. Him or me.’

Dear God, he was being serious.

‘Do youwantme to hate you?’ she managed to choke.

‘I want a wife who I can trust. Last chance. Him or me. Make your choice and make it now or I will take your silence as a choice for him.’

Her head was spinning. It wasn’t possible that he could make such a cruel ultimatum. ‘It’s an impossible choice. How am I supposed to choose between you?I can’t.’

He got to his feet and wiped the sleeves of his jacket. It wasn’t just his eyes that were like granite. His features were the hardest she had ever seen them, set like stone.

‘Then I have my answer. You can consider our marriage over.’

The dizziness that rent through her was so strong Flora had to grab hold of her desk to stop herself falling off her chair.

Almost too late, her eyes focused through the swimming haze in her brain to see Alejandro was heading for the studio door, and her legs suddenly propelled her to her feet, and she threw herself in front of him, blocking his exit.

‘You are not seriously going to do this, are you?’

He looked over her head. ‘Get out of my way.’

‘Don’t,’ she beseeched, grabbing his arm. Flora had sensed Alejandro hardening his heart against her from the moment he arrived but now she feared he had shut it down completely. ‘Please, Alejandro, I know you’re angry with me but you don’t have to do this. Please, we can—’

His mouth formed a snarl. ‘Nowyou call me by my name? Now? When you have spentmonthsrefusing?’ He covered her hand and prised her fingers off his arm, face right in front of hers, eyeball to eyeball. ‘There is no “we” and never has been. You share my bed but give no more. You don’t care when I leave, you never ask to travel with me. You have no loyalty to me. I did everything in my power to make you happy but the only thing you wanted me for was sex. To you, I’m just yourstud. Now get out of my way.’

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

‘ISAID,GETout of my way,’ Alejandro said coldly when she didn’t move, his gaze now fixed over her head.

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