Page 49 of Billion-Dollar Baby Shock

He forced himself to move and went over and lifted Niko into his arms, holding him close.It felt like second nature now to hold his son.

‘Hi,’ she said.

Dion looked at her and steeled himself against the reaction that it was becoming harder and harder to believe might fade.Damn her.She shouldn’t even be affecting him, dressed in cut-off shorts and a sleeveless shirt tied at her waist.Hair up.Bare feet.No make-up.

He had to start setting the boundaries.

* * *

‘Dion?Are you okay?’

Tara’s heart was still thumping to see Dion.It felt as if she hadn’t seen him in a week.But it had been only the previous day.She’d been so happy just now to see him returning.Her heart expanding in her chest.A big silly grin on her face.But he’d just looked at her and then he’d come and plucked Niko out of her arms and was holding him now as if she might try to take him back.

He blinked and the intensity in his face cleared.‘I’m fine, but we do need to talk.’

He went inside, still holding Niko.Tara followed, her insides going into freefall.Was it happening already?Dion had had enough and this…was over?As she followed him and Niko back inside, she felt like an interloper, for the first time since she’d scaled that wall to get onto his property.

‘Thea has prepared some food, if you’re hungry?’

He turned to face her.‘I ate on the plane.Can you meet me in my office in an hour?I’ll stay with Niko for a bit.’

Tara swallowed.‘Sure, no problem.’

An hour later, Maria was putting Niko down for the evening and then she was heading home.Tara couldn’t put off the moment any longer.She went and knocked on Dion’s door, feeling as though they were right backwhere they’d started when she was coming for the DNA test results.

‘Come in.’

Tara took a breath and pushed the door open.Dion was behind his desk.He looked up.‘Please, sit.’

Tara did, perching on the edge of a chair across from him.He looked serious but a piece of hair was flopping onto his forehead and Tara wanted to go and push it back, sit in his lap—

He stood up.‘So, I think it’s time to talk about making arrangements.’

‘Arrangements,’ Tara echoed faintly.

He nodded and went over to the huge window, his back to her.‘Yes,’ he said.‘Arrangements for a more permanent solution.’

‘I…’ Tara wasn’t sure what to say.‘What do you mean exactly?’

He turned around.‘Well, it’s not as if this was ever more than a temporary situation, was it?’

Tara felt winded.Was he as brutal with all of his lovers?‘No, I knew that.’But she’d hoped…

‘You can’t stay here.It won’t be good for Niko.He’ll get used to you.’

Tara stood up, fire in her belly.‘I won’t be cast out of Niko’s life.’Or yours,wailed a little voice.

‘You won’t be cast out of Niko’s life, but you will be at a more appropriate…distance.’

Tara frowned as something became more clear.‘You’re talking about living arrangements.’

Dion looked at her.‘Yes, of course.’

Tara sat back down, legs suddenly wobbly.She hated herself for asking, but she said, ‘And what about…us?’

‘We’ll continue to see each other until such time as the desire fades.’

Tara felt light-headed.It wasn’t over.Yet.Desperate to feel some kind of control in this situation when she felt very much adrift on the currents of Dion’s whims, she lifted her chin and said, ‘What if I’m already over it?’