“Right.” The oldest King brother smiled at them all and said, “The P.I. had another idea that we all agreed was worth a try. We didn’t say anything to you two—” he nodded at Julie and Gina “—because we didn’t want to get your hopes up for a resolution if this idea failed. But it didn’t.”
“What did you do?” Julie turned her face up to Travis and he smiled down at her. It hadn’t been easy not telling her this news. He’d known about it all day, but he and Adam had decided to spring it on everyone at once. Which was why the family meeting had been called so suddenly.
“Our P.I. hired a woman to cozy up to Pierre,” Travis said, a tight, victorious smile curving his lips. “She was supposed to flirt, come on to him and get him drunk enough to spill his guts. I didn’t really believe your ex would be stupid enough to fall for it. But turns out, he’s not the freshest croissant in the bakery.”
Jackson snorted.
Adam bent down, and set the tape recorder on the coffee table. “It lasts for quite a while,” he said. “The poor woman sat with this jerk for over an hour, plying him with expensive booze until she hit pay dirt. I’ve cued the tape to the part we wanted you two to hear.” Then he hit the play button.
“And her husband is going to pay you?” A throaty, female voice rolled out from the tape recorder.
“Oh, he will pay me whatever I ask.” Jean Claude’s voice came next. The words were slurred, but perfectly audible. “He believes my lies about his little Julie. And he will continue to pay as long as I can keep him believing that she still loves only me.”
Beneath his hand, Travis felt Julie stiffen slightly and he squeezed her shoulder again in solidarity. He knew how hard it must be for her to listen to this, because he wanted nothing more than to hunt Jean Claude down and beat the crap out of him for all the trouble he’d caused.
“But isn’t blackmail dangerous?”
“And very lu-lur-lucrative,” Jean Claude said on a hiccup. “I will tell him Julie meets me for sex and he will pay me again. And again.”
Travis scowled at the tape recorder as Julie gasped and said hotly, “He’s lying.”
“Of course he’s lying,” Adam sneered. He bent to shut off the tape. “That’s enough. None of us should have to listen to more of that idiot. But believe me when I say the police were very interested in this tape. Soon, Jean Claude’s going to be too busy covering his own ass to cause us any more problems.”
“But once the police have this evidence, it’ll go to court and all of this will be back in the news,” Julie said softly, covering her flat belly with her hand as if trying to keep the baby from hearing any of this.
“No.” Travis waited until she looked up at him before he said, “I’m going to offer Jean Claude his last deal. If he leaves the country and keeps his mouth shut, I won’t press charges.”
“What about the money you already paid him?”
“Doesn’t matter,” he said.
“So it’s over?” Julie asked.
“Over,” Travis said. “He won’t bother you again, Julie. I swear it.”
She smiled. “And your contract for your wines?”
“Sewn up,” Travis said. “Struck a deal this afternoon.”
“Well this is good news!” Jackson lifted his glass in salute. “Finally, the Kings can relax a little.”
“Not so fast,” Gina muttered, as her water broke.
Eleven
H er name was Emma.
Eight pounds five ounces of beautiful baby girl.
Gina King’s hospital room was lavishly appointed and filled with so many flowers, it looked like an English garden. The air was scented with perfume and rocked with laughter and eager conversations. After eight hours of labor, Gina herself looked exhausted but exhilarated. And as she held court over the family that crowded in close to get a look at the baby, the new mother practically radiated joy.
“She’s a beauty, Adam,” Travis said with a grin. “Lucky for her, she looks just like her mother.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Adam said and bent down to kiss his wife’s forehead.
Julie’s eyes were blurry with tears as she watched Gina’s parents, the Torinos, coo over their latest grandchild. Standing right beside them was Adam, who only managed to tear his gaze from his wife long enough to stare wide-eyed at his daughter. Jackson and Travis were both there, each of them delighted by their new niece. Julie had had a turn at holding the newborn and as she cradled that tiny scrap of life, she’d suddenly felt both a part of the crowd, and somehow distant from them all, too. When she handed Emma back to her doting father, Julie stepped back, so that she could see them all, watch the scene with an objective eye.
She didn’t begrudge Gina and Adam their joy, but as she watched her brother-in-law smiling tenderly at his family, she couldn’t help but wish that Travis would feel the same way toward her and the child they’d created together.
But she wasn’t foolish enough to try to lie to herself about it, either. Travis was doing what he considered the right thing. Julie knew he would make a life with her whether he’d wanted one or not. He would welcome their child and love it, but he would never love her.
And how could she stay with a man who only remained married to her because of his own sense of duty?
The answer was simple.
She couldn’t.
New tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them back. This moment wasn’t about her. Or Travis. This moment, this time, was for Gina and Adam and their daughter. There would be time enough later to talk to Travis. To tell him that no matter what he did, she wouldn’t be staying with him at the end of their year together.
But that decision was followed quickly by a horrible thought. What if he decided to fight her for custody of their child? What then? That thought gave Julie a cold chill that snaked along her spine and made her shiver. She wouldn’t have the resources to fight him in court. So whether she wanted to stay or not, did she really have a choice?
Must she just somehow accustom herself to the idea of living a half life—loving a man and knowing that he would never return that love? She’d trapped herself in a velvet box.
A cage with no bars.
She didn’t want to stay, but couldn’t leave.
“Are you all right?” Travis was there suddenly, right beside her. His voice was deep and soft, so that only she could hear him. He touched her face, fingertips light on her cheek and the buzz of heat shot through her at the connection, firing up her blood, easing the ice around her heart.