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She answers by snatching my phone out of my hand. “What the hell are you reading so damn intent?—”
She breaks off mid-sentence, the fury growing as she reads. I’m not about to grab the phone back. I learned a long time ago that partaking in juvenile antics with Natascha is a losing battle. She’ll always win.
Dominik has a saying about it:Never wrestle with a pig. You both get covered in shit, but only the pig enjoys it.He’s never been more on point.
“You’re reading abouther,” she spits with a disgusted sneer.
The edge of possessiveness in her voice and the pained curl of her lip is surprising. “I’m doing research. She’s my surrogate.”
“Oursurrogate,honey,” she snipes. “She’s carrying our future baby… girl, huh? Figures the little whore couldn’t even give you a boy.”
My hand twitches, tempted to wrap around her throat just to give myself a moment’s peace.
“Let’s get one thing straight,” I grit. “This baby ismychild.”
“You think I want anything to do with this test tube brat?” she cackles. “I’m happy to have the thing taken care of by nannies and maids. And the moment it’s old enough, I plan to ship it off to boarding school somewhere extremely far away.”
It.
“You will not be involved in the decision-making.Ifmy daughter goes to boarding school, I will decide when and where.”
“What’s the alternative? Keep the kid here? If we’re going to parade around like a proper family, that would mean I’d be forced to spend some time with the little beast. That is the way you’ve designed this model family of ours.”
I glare at her, trying not to let her words get to me. She reaches up to fondle her diamonds again, undeterred.
“You may have been able to convince the whole damn world—including my father—that this surrogacy shit is smart. You may even be able to force me into claiming this kid is mine. But that’s where it ends. I will not be a mother to her.”
She flings my phone at me and flips her blonde locks over her shoulder as she turns to the window.
“Oh, and if I’m expected to field questions about this child to appease society and keep up the charade, I’m going to need an increase in my monthly allowance.” She peers at me over her shoulder, her eyes sparkling triumphantly. “It’s only fair.”
Pocketing my phone, I seethe in silence, a decision starting to take shape in my head.
Loathe as I am to admit it, Natascha is right. Our façade of a marriage will extend to include my daughter when she’s born. Which means, like it or not, I will have to subject the child to my nightmarish wife.
Which in turn means one more thing: Natascha has overstayed her welcome in my world.
12
ARSEN
FOUR MONTHS LATER
I walk into my office just as Gedeon lights another cigarette and Dominik pours himself a glass of gin.
“If you’re doing this in my office, you boys better have good news for me,” I warn.
Dominik spins around with a grin. “We have great news, actually. Which is why this—” He holds up his glass. “—is a celebratory drink.”
Gedeon doesn’t look so sure. He’s a nervous smoker. He’s been trying to quit, but when his mind is spinning, a cigarette is the only thing that calms him down.
I set my eyes on him. “What the fuck is going on, Gedeon?”
He takes a puff. “Alessandro wants a meeting. Our sources claim he’s thinking of offering a truce.”
“Good news,” Dominik repeats, raising his glass.
“It’s a fucking trap, Arsen!” Gedeon exclaims, ignoring Dominik. “You can’t get in bed with the Italians. You can’t trust them.”
