Page 96 of Heart of Stone (Dark Billionaires)

The doorbell rang, quickly followed by Leo’s deep yaps.

“I’ll get it,” Mattie offered, moving towards the corridor that led to the front door. “It should be Warren with the food.”

Whilst her heart leapt at the mention of Warren, her stomach panged at the mere mention of food. The sudden need for cheesy chips was so powerful it almost had her doubling over. “Oh my god, I’m so hungry.”

“Your little girl is telling you what she needs,” Sarah grinned.

“I’m so glad she chose cheese and not something disgusting like olives or fish—”

Sarah gave a gasp of outrage. “Do you not like fish?! Even fish and chips?”

“She never has done,” Warren’s voice came from the arched doorway. He stood, weighed down by bags of takeaway. Rhys and Alison followed him into the room, the former also bearing bags of food.

“Darling,” Sarah cried happily, sweeping him into her arms.

Kate watched them both, feeling slightly like an outsider. She remained silent as the food was dished out, unable to take her eyes off Warren. Unable to think about anything except the fact that he would have adopted the baby even if she wasn’t his. Unable to see anything except the dark circles under his eyes or the newfound sharpness under his cheekbones. Unable to stop visualising him in her mind’s eye, wandering around his house, alone and grief-stricken.

When they eventually migrated to the living room, Kate found herself taking the seat next to him on the sofa. Sarah and Alison dominated the conversation, sharing memories of raising sons and the mischief they found themselves in. Kate laughed when it was necessary, but she couldn’t help keeping an eye on Warren. On his stiffness. On the strain packed onto his shoulders.

Halfway through the meal, he spoke to her. Quietly, he pulled two unopened takeaway trays from the bag at his feet. “We passed an Indian on the way here,” he explained. “I thought you might want these.”

A smile curved her lips when she finally deciphered the scribbles on top.Gulab jamun.And the other one—

Salt and pepper chips.

“Like we had when we were kids?”

Warren nodded. “Like you used to steal from me when we were kids.”

Glancing around to see if anyone was listening, she found Rhys watching them like a hawk, but he quickly looked away.Nosy.“Thank you,” she whispered.

Uncertainty was clear on his face. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

“It’s okay, Rhys already told me you sold your house.”

A sigh clipped the back of Warren’s throat. “It isn’t that… It’s your father.”

Spine straightening, she bit out a reply. “Is he dead?”

“I handed him over to the police. Or at least I’ve arranged for him to be handed over, as well as all the evidence I had on Graves. It won’t happen for a few weeks yet, but there’s enough evidence to have him put away for the rest of his life. The CCTV footage from his club alone…” Warren hissed in disgust. “Prison is where he belongs. It’s where he’s always belonged.”

“I know,” she said truthfully. She poked the tray of salt and pepper chips with her fork. “Do you want to share?”

He nodded, letting a companionable silence fall between them as they ate. Their forks clashed occasionally, fighting over a particularly tasty-looking chip, but Kate noted that he always let her win. Between the two of them, the gulab jamun didn’t last long either.

When they’d finally finished eating, with the rest of them migrating to the dining room to play crochet poker, Kate held Warren back. “Come upstairs.”

Warren’s head shot around to face her. Hope overflowed in his eyes, but his brows drew down. “Are you going to kick me out when you’re done like last week?”

“Would you still come if I said yes?”

Warren’s exhale was long and steady, as though he had already accepted disappointment. “If it’s the only way I can have you, then yes.”

He followed her upstairs, a silent shadow trailing in her wake. As soon as she closed the door, however, he struck, clasping her face with both hands and claiming her in a lustful kiss that drew whimpers from her lungs. “Wait,” she breathed.

Shaking his head, he replied. “Just let me hold you. Please. Just give me a moment. Something to remember.”

Thatgave her pause. “Okay,” she nodded. She’d never seen him like this. Emotion hit her as he clutched her in his arms, squeezing tightly and burying his nose in her neck.

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