Page 3 of To Love, Honour and Betray
âTwo very interesting things that I could hardly believe.â Eduardo took a step closer to her on the stoop and said softly, âBut clearly one of them is true. Youâre getting married today.â
Her body started to shake. âSo?â
âYou admit it?â
âIâm wearing a wedding gown. I canât exactly deny it. But how does that affect you?â Her lips trembled as she tried to shape them into a mocking smile. âMad because you werenât invited?â
âYou sound nervous.â He slowly walked a semicircle around the end of the stoop. âIs there something you are keeping from me, Callie? Some secret?â He moved closer. âSome lie?â
She felt a contraction across her body, her belly tightening. Braxton-Hicks contractions, caused by stress, she told herself. Fake labor, the same that had sent her racing to the hospital last week, only to have the nurses sigh and send her home. But it hurt. One hand went over her belly; the other went to her lower back as she panted, âWhat could I possibly have to hide?â
âI already know youâre a liar.â A beam of golden light escaped the gray clouds and caressed his handsome face, leaving dark shadows beneath his cheekbones and jawline as he said softly, âBut how deep do your lies go?â
The wilted bouquet of wildflowers nearly fell from her numb fingers. She gripped them more tightly in her shaking hands. âPlease,â she whispered. âDonât ruin it.â
âRuinâwhatâexactly?â
Her teeth chattered. âMy ⦠my â¦â My life. And my babyâs life. âMy wedding day.â
âAh, yes. Your wedding day. I know how you used to dream about it.â He looked down at her. âSo tell me. Is it everything you hoped it would be?â
She felt painfully conscious of the used wedding dress, several sizes too large, with a lace and polyester bodice that kept sliding off one shoulder. She looked down at the wilting flowers, at the two shabby suitcases behind her.
; âYes,â she said in a small voice.
âWhere is your family? Where are your friends?â
âWeâre getting married at City Hall.â She lifted her chin defiantly, pushing aside the sudden desire to cry. âWeâre eloping. Itâs romantic.â
âAh. Of course.â He showed his teeth in a smile. âThe wedding would not matter to you and McLinn, would it, as long as you have your honeymoon.â
Honeymoon? She and Brandon planned to break up their drive on a pull-out sofa at his cousinâs house in Wisconsin. Passion was nonexistent between themâshe thought of Brandon like a brother. But she could hardly admit to Eduardo that there was only one man on earth sheâd ever wanted to kiss, only one man sheâd ever dreamed about: the man glaring cold daggers at her right now. âMy honeymoon is none of your business.â
Eduardo snorted. âAnything for you would be romantic where Brandon McLinn is concerned. Even an ugly dress and a bouquet of weeds. Heâs always been the one you wanted. Even though he is a man without a job, unable to stand on his own two feet. You love himââ his voice was scornful ââthough he is barely a man.â
Callieâs jaw clenched. She started to rise to her feet then she remembered she couldnât let him see her belly. Trembling with fury, she glared up at him. âRich or poor, Brandon is twice the man youâll ever be!â
Eduardoâs eyes burned through her. Then he spoke coldly.
âStand up.â
She blinked. âWhat?â
âYour sister told me two things. The first is true.â Raindrops splattered noisily into the trees above. âStand up.â
Callie sucked in her breath. âForget it! Iâm not your secretary, Iâm not your lover ⦠Iâm your nothing! You have no power over me, not anymore. Stop harassing me before I call the police!â
Eduardoâs dark eyes glittered as he moved closer, standing over her, so close his pant legs brushed her knees. He leaned forward. âAre you pregnant with my baby?â
Staring up at him, Callie sucked in her breath. He knew.
Her sister had betrayed her. Sheâd told Eduardo everything.
Sheâd known Sami was angry, but sheâd never thought sheâd do it. Yesterday, her sister had called to wish her good luck on her trip. Callie had been jittery and afraid she was about to make the worst mistake of her life. When sheâd heard her sisterâs loving voice, sheâd blurted out her plan to elope with Brandon because she was pregnant by her boss. Samiâs reaction had been furious.
I wonât let you trap Brandon this way, with a baby thatâs not even his!