Free Dark Demands 04: Bound to Him by Nell Henderson Page A

awful – he wanted things to change because he’d gone off her was the thought running through her head .
    He stroked her hair gently and kissed her cheek.  “I’ve treated you very badly ,” his voice reassured.  “S ince I found you again I’ve been a beast and you’ve not complained you’ve just put up with all my rawness – my pain,” he admitted.  “I was hurting – I just couldn’t get over the fact that you left me for Hastings – that you slept with him – even contemplated marriage for God’s sake - and I wanted to punish you for that.   Punish you so hard and make you sorry. ”
    “All that with Kyle was a mistake , Matthew ,” she explained.  “ I was confused - I imagined that getting involved with Kyle was the right thing to do – stupid idea.  It never would have worked. ”
    “The right thing to do,” he repeated.  “S o it wasn’t about love or anything serious like that,” he asked with amusement.
    “There’s something I should tell you, Matthew.”   S he responded seriously gnaw ing on her lip – this could spoil everything but she he had to know.
    “You see Gina every woman I’ve met has always wanted something from me.  Money, prestige – with Lisa it was all about the information she could get about my organisation for her brother.”  He paused and smiled down at her.  “And with you, my sweet – it was that damned job – and, of course, retribution.  So to begin with I treated you the same way that I treat all women – as objects to be controlled - used for my own pleasure .  So , as you no doubt remember, I took what I wanted from you and I didn’t give a damn how you felt about it .”  He kissed her mouth lightly.  “ I’m sorry for that – I really am. ”  
    “ I only got involved with Kyle because I was on the rebound from you and because …,” this was so difficult .  “Because I was pregnant,” she said watching him stiffen.  “I didn’t want you to know – I was frightened that you’d interfere – do something.  And I thought that if I was married and had a child then you were sure to stay away.”
    “So you wanted a complete break?  But that didn’t happen - did it and that night in my penthouse you didn’t behave like a woman who didn’t want to see me again ?   Even though you were pregnant you came to my bed and you enjoyed it if I remember, ” he teased.
    “W hen you came back - and after that night - I knew what I wanted and that I couldn’t marry Kyle.  I knew then that sooner or later I had to tell you the truth but then I began to worry you wouldn’t believe me.”
    “Believe what, Gina?”
    “James – my son ,” she paused watching his handsome face break into one of his half smiles.  “H e’s your son too, Matthew,” she closed her eyes against the look she imagined he’d give her and waited for his response.
    “Yes – I know,” he replied simply.
    “You know!  But h ow can you – did you guess?”
    “I don’t do guessing, Gina.  I generally go for something more substantial,” he emphasised dryly .  “ No, I’m afraid I took this,” he said handing back James’s teething ring.  “I had it tested – you know DNA.  So I know he’s mine.   And he’s the reason things have got to change now. ”
    “I still don’t understand – how change?”
    “You and me – I once said that I was going to re-boot our relationship – remember.  Well the time has come to do that again.  We need to do things differently because of James.”
    “I’ll let you see him, there won’t be any problems on that score,” she told him.
    “Oh I think I want to do a lot more than just ‘see’ him as you put it, Gina.”
    Her eyes shot up to his – surely he wouldn’t take him from her – keep him for himself?  The thought burned through her mind sending waves of panic straight to her tummy and making her feel sick.
    “I won’t let you have him – you can’t want to take him off