Chapter 23

Blake paced his study restlessly. He had been right when he suspected Liya had something on her mind. Has Alicia somehow managed to lure Liya onto her side? No, Liya would never support her. He could bet his life on that.

So why had Liya kept quiet when she’d learned the truth about their fake engagement? Did she have ulterior motives? Like what? She hadn’t demanded anything from him. He clenched his fists. He was losing his mind trying to figure her out.

Only a person who had no other choice would remain in a relationship even if they’d discovered it was a lie. He paused. His anger faded a little. What if she really had no other place to go once their engagement was over. He still hadn’t gotten around to learning more about her past. He only knew what she’d told him.

His phone blasted to life, interrupting his mental dilemma.

“Blake, it’s me, Andrew.”

“What’s wrong?” Andrew sounded worried.

“I got a call from my contact at the Daily Mail. Some journalist claims she heard you and Liya were arguing last night. She was hiding in your garden and says she has a recording. Alicia’s attorney is threatening to expose your relationship as stormy. This isn’t going to look good in court. Blake, tell me what happened.”

He froze for a second.

“Blake?”

Blake snapped back to reality. “What the hell? Have they published anything yet?”

“Thankfully, no. They need a reliable source to confirm. This reporter is a newbie and nobody is willing to take a chance on her. I threatened to sue for defamation if they don’t produce her alleged recording. Blake, we need to do something to counteract that story. Otherwise the slightest hint that your relationship is just an act will jeopardize our case.”

Blake squeezed his eyes shut. How had his plan gone so horribly wrong in the space of a few hours? “Tell the editor of that paper to send a journalist over to get the real story.” His heart raced as he said the words. “If they want the real story, tell them to come and get it.”

“Perfect.” A brief silence followed. “Are you okay, Blake? Is everything okay between you and Liya?”

“What makes you ask?” Blake snapped. He’d already agreed to an interview without speaking to Liya first. What if she didn’t want to do an interview?

“Your tone. Talk to the media like that and I’ll have to shut my practice down.”

It was impossible to lie to Andrew.

“Hello? You still there, Blake?”

“Yeah, I am. You’re right. Something’s wrong.”

“Well spit it out. I’m a lawyer, not a mind reader.” Andrew sounded a little impatient.

“Liya overheard us talking yesterday.”

“You mean she knows.” Andrew gasped. “Blake if she goes to the media with that exclusive, you’re finished.”

“I figured.” Blake’s voice was dry.

“So what are you going to do to dissuade Liya from revealing all to the press?”

Blake sat in his favorite chair and drummed his fingers on the desk. “Don’t you worry about that, my friend. I know exactly how to deal with Liya.” He ended his call and contemplated for a minute. He had to give Liya a heads-up before the reporter showed up.

“Liya?” He called. Moments passed and there was no answer. “Liya?”

Panic flooded his chest. What if Liya had left? What if she’d disregarded his threat and slipped out last night? He ran out of his study “Liya!”

“Have you lost your mind? Keep your voice down, you’ll wake Sophia. She woke up in the middle of the night and didn’t sleep until around three a.m.”

Blake spun around to face her. “What took you so long?” He tried not to lose himself in the depths of Liya’s eyes, or pay attention to the way her wool dress clung ever so seductively to her curves, the flat pane of her stomach, and the pert roundness of her buttocks. He inhaled deeply and counted to ten. Instead of relaxing, his body tensed as his groin hardened in anticipation. Liya, on the other hand, didn’t seem the least fazed by his presence.

“I wasn’t sure what to wear since the media is always criticizing my dressing,” she said, aware he was scrutinizing her appearance. “I was still dressing when you began screaming like a madman.”

Blake stifled a smile at Liya’s sarcasm. Of course, she’d turned him into a madman. “I’m sorry. I was in a bit of panic. The Daily Mail is sending a reporter to interview us this evening. I know how much you dislike the press and I wanted to give you a heads up.”

Liya shrugged. “Good. Then you will tell all about this fake engagement because I have no intentions of keeping up with this facade.”

Blake’s blood pressure shot up. “What? Do you know what this will do to me? Do you want me to lose Sophia?”

“Please don’t use Sophia’s name to blackmail me. I will not pretend to be your fiancée — if I am still here.”

“Liya!”

“Keep your voice down. Sophia is still sleeping,” she reminded him.

Liya’s cool, calm exterior annoyed him to bits and fanned the flames of his temper. “Try it,” he dared, “And I will show you what I’m capable off.” His hormones surged to his brain, reminding him exactly what he and Liya were capable of in bed.

“Oh you mean the part about me seeing the worst of you. Blake, if you want to scare me, you really need to be more original.”

How had she managed to remain so unfazed by him? He’d made business rivals far more dangerous than her tremble.

“Let me make myself clear, Blake. Firstly, I have no intentions of running to the nearest tabloid to spill all on your fake engagement. I’m not that immature, especially when the child involved has been traumatized by your ex-lover.”

He didn’t know why but the words “fake engagement” stung him. “She’d passed the stage of being hurt by his betrayal and found her strength. That scared him. A strong woman was a dangerous woman who didn’t need anyone or anything. She could leave him anytime.

“Secondly, Blake, don’t you dare threaten me. You lied to get me to work for you. Allow me to refresh your memory — you were the one who proposed marriage to me with no intentions of following through with marriage.”

“You agreed to work for me.” He realized how weak he sounded but he wasn’t going to let Liya just walk out on him.

“I did agree to work for you. And I can leave whenever I want. I think you made it quite clear this was just a temporary position. We never had a formal contract in place. So what are you going to threaten me with now?”

Blake was stunned. He’d under estimated her. Liya had him there. By law, Liya was free to leave without giving any notice — if she was an ordinary employee. But she wasn’t just an employee. She was his fiancée. He couldn’t afford to let her go right now. His entire life depended on it. If he lost custody of Sophia, he’d lose everything that mattered to him.