Page 90 of Heart of Stone (Dark Billionaires)

Sharing an amused look with Kate, Sarah answered. “I’ve been on her case about that, don’t you worry.”

The conversation was largely baby-focused, but Kate remained silent unless spoken to, perfectly happy with listening. Leo jumped up onto her chair, settling in against her stomach. His favourite place to sit. “Who’s my good boy?” she whispered, stroking his face. His little white tail whipped against her leg, but even its steady beat couldn’t stop her eyes from drooping.

The next time she opened her eyes, darkness had fallen. Someone had placed a thin blanket over her, but Leo had jumped ship. She sat up from her slumped position, attempting to regain her bearings. Laughter from the dining room told her that Alison, at least, was still here.

She sniffed.

Had she really been lured into consciousness by the smell of fish and chips?

Kate had no sooner identified its source when Rhys slinked through the door. “Ah,” he said, smiling. He held a familiar box emblazoned with the name of the local chippy. “You’re awake. I was jus—”

“Is that my cheesy chips?” she blurted out.

Rhys surrendered it to her grabbing hands.

She did a giddy little wiggle when she opened the box to find a steaming array of chips drowning in cheese. “Oh my god, I love you. Baby needs cheesy chips.” Snatching the fork from Rhys, she frantically stabbed her meal.

“Don’t let Warren hear you say that.”

“Warren can go and fuck himself,” she said idly, moaning at her first bite and immediately going in for a second. “I’ve been thinking about this all day.”

“Not the joy of impending motherhood?” Rhys suggested with a cheeky smile.

“Nope,” she said thickly, her cheeks bulging.

Rhys simply shook his head. “You know, before I saw you eat, I would have said you were a normal human being like the rest of us. And yet you turn into this savage monster as soon as you smell food.”

“You’re not allowed to insult a pregnant woman. I’m pretty sure it’s illegal.”

“You were like this before you got pregnant. It doesn’t count.”

His hand came dangerously close to stealing a chip, and she swatted him away. “If you try that again, I swear to god I will bite you.”

His lips pressed together. “See this is the kind of stuff I’m talking about.”

“Only an idiot would try and steal food from a pregnant woman.” She paused. “Have you had any luck in finding her yet?” Kate asked—because if she kept him talking, hopefully he wouldn’t try and steal her food again.

“Saffron? No. We found the house she was staying in, but it was empty.”

Gritting her teeth, Kate chewed away some of her anger. “I’m surprise Warren hasn’t dragged her back here by her hair.”

“Why do you hate her so much? I thought she was your friend.”

Kate was incredulous. “Whydon’tyou hate her? She fucking poisoned Warren!”

“Saffron was raped by Graves from the age of fourteen, and poisoned Warren to try and free her sister from the same fate. I’d have done the same in her position, no question. Am I slightly miffed that she didn’t trust us enough to try and help her? Maybe.” Rhys shrugged. “But you hate Warren too. Why do you care if he was poisoned?”

“I didn’t hate him at the time.”

“I’m wondering if you don’t hate him at all.”

Kate narrowed her eyes to slits to disguise the unease bubbling within. “He threatened to frame me and have my daughter forcibly removed from my care.” And then there was the video…

The knowledge that countless people had seen her intimately. If it wasn’t the baby keeping her awake, then it was that. True, Warren had paid a company to scour the internet for the video. They hadn’t found it, but peoplehadseen it.

Warren.Her father. Warren’s guards. Brax. God knows how many of Graves’s men.

It made her ill some days, to the point that Warren had paid for her to have therapy sessions.

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