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The man nodded, but made no comment. He neither welcomed her to his home nor invited her in. After a moment’s hesitation, she continued. She would not be intimidated.
“I need something from you." She stood tall. "I was hoping you could spare a moment for a few simple questions.”
“I’m sure you are.” When he finally spoke, his deep baritone held not the slightest bit of warmth. “I’m certain you have many questions. You are, after all, a reporter.”
Her breath caught in her throat. How had he found out so quickly?
“Surprised I know?” He studied her as if he could discern her every secret. “Paparazzi stalk me on a daily basis, with outrageous stunts worthy of reality show television. Did you think I bought your story about a long-lost relation? Don't you think I would have asked for this fictional relation's name if I thought it were true?” Furious eyes flashed. “The only reason you’re here is so I can tell you that you have no chance of infiltrating my business. I have ways to investigate – and control – uninvited visitors. As I’m sure you're aware of, Ms. Blake, I do not see reporters, and I do not care for liars, so have a nice trip back to Pine Ridge.”
The man moved to close the door. “Wait!” Laura shot her hand inside the portal. He glared, but she couldn’t let it end here. She might never get another chance to make her case. “Mr. Bancroft, it’s not what you think. You have to listen.”
The man widened the door ever so slightly. “If it’s not what I think, then tell me what it is,” he responded quietly.
In a moment’s span, every option flashed, every path and every decision. Yet only one seemed to have any possibility, infinitely small, of gaining his cooperation. She would have to reveal thetruth.
The moment she had been anticipating for five long years had finally come.
“I ask again, do you contest that, madam? Do you deny you’re a reporter?” A strong voice snapped Laura back to the present, back to the gargantuan mansion, the handsome boardroom warrior. Slowly, she shook her head.
“Then we've wasted enough of each other’s time. Goodbye.” Again, he went to close the door, but again she stopped him. This time, however, it was not with an action but with words.
“Do you remember the Peace Fields Fertility Clinic?” Her breath froze, as she awaited the response that could refine her world.
His eyes flashed with rage, and Laura clamped her mouth shut. He was furious, but why? Would he slam the door in her face, banish her and any hope of getting what she’d come for? For a moment, it seemed he would, yet instead he opened the door wide. “Come in,” he commanded.
She released a breath. She had definitely not mistaken the man as her daughter's father. The powerful stranger would have exiled her for life if he hadn’t recognized the name of the clinic.
“It seems I underestimated you." He looked at her with fathomless eyes. "Follow me.”
She walked behind the formidable man, following him through a spectacular hall filled with priceless paintings and antiques. If the exterior of the house had been stunning, the inside was breathtaking, with high sweeping ceilings and elegant gilded fixtures. It was scented with spice and oak, and set to the melody of a two-story waterfall that flowed into a lush indoor rose garden. Gold and marble furnishings adorned large airy rooms, resplendent with ornate furniture and oversized decor.
Laura vaguely remembered the mansion being featured on one of the entertainment shows, but the thought was fleeting. As she walked behind Mr. Bancroft, her quest usurped every thought. That was, until he stopped.
And she ran into him.
For a moment, time halted, the world faded, as attraction swept through her like a tidal wave. She pressed against his powerful body, flush against unparalleled strength. Hard muscles leapt beneath her hands, firing the inexplicable urge to get closer. Instead, she jumped back.
“I apologize!” What had come over her? The stress of the situation and the proximity of the handsome man had clearly unbalanced her. A man whose child she had carried in her body.
Something fired in his eyes. It was not anger like earlier, or even distaste. It almost seemed like… interest. But it couldn’t be, as he abruptly pivoted and led her to a large living room flanked by thick maroon rugs and large velvet sofas. He gestured for her to take a seat, even as he remained standing. She declined the seat (he already towered above her) as well as the drink an impeccably dressed butler offered. She would need all her faculties to get through this meeting.
Mr. Bancroft removed an object from the drawer of a large marble desk. Surprise and confusion tangled. “What are you doing with a checkbook?”
“How much?”
What? He couldn’t actually believe she would use her daughter as a paycheck. She shook her head firmly. “I don’t want your money.”
Mr. Bancroft breathed deeply, clearly fighting for control, as he placed the checkbook down on the desk. Likely, the amount would be substantial, but it didn’t matter. She would never blackmail a man for the most precious blessing of her life.
She never thought she would come at all, approach this man whose fame and wealth rivaled the leaders of some small countries. But after her father's near-fatal heart attack, his second before sixty, life took on a new meaning. She needed to protect her daughter, even from her own genes, and she could only do that with her father's medical history. The vital information would allow her to prepare for any potential conditions or diseases that ran in the family. She wanted nothing else.
She most certainly didn't want to touch those muscles.
Definitely didn't want to test how hard they were.
And press against them? Out of the question.
“Ms. Blake,” Mr. Bancroft growled lowly. The suave businessman was gone, replaced by a pure predator. “I don't know what game you're playing, or what you hope to attain. You can drop the innocent act, because we both know you're not here for a friendly chat. However, you do have information I would rather keep out of the papers. I could sue or bully you, however if I did, the secret would undoubtedly emerge. I would rather get this over with, easy and painless.”
