29. Ginevra

CHAPTER 29

Ginevra

F ather comes into the kitchen of Sophia and Roman’s mansion. Glancing around, I realize I’m alone and my stomach drops, especially when I note that determined gleam in his eyes. There’s no getting away from him now, not while everyone else is in the other room, celebrating my birthday with drinks and cake now that dinner’s over.

I slipped in here to admire their new oven. Now I’m regretting that decision.

“It seems like things are going good between you and Mr. Baron,” he says, trapping me in the corner of the kitchen. “Only one more month until you have a gold band on your finger and he joins our family. I better not be disappointed in the end.”

“How you feel in the end is not my problem,” I snap.

His face reddens, eyes narrowed. “I’ll be happy as long as you keep spreading your legs for him and he becomes my son-in-law. By association, that will make me the most powerful man on the East Coast.”

“Blake’s a person, not one of your pawns.” I face off with my father, feeling much less intimidated and more sassy than usual with him. The truth is, he can’t fucking touch me anymore. Now that I’m under Blake’s protection.

“Every person is someone else’s pawn, you stupid girl.” He eyes me. “I didn’t see your worth before, you’re not like your sisters, but I guess everyone has a use.”

“And what? My use is to snare Blake for you? If you think you’ll ever be able to control him, you’re wrong.”

“Why don’t you shut your stupid slut mouth and leave Mr. Baron to me, huh?”

I stare at him, used to this type of verbal abuse that he's spewed at me all my life. For the last twenty-one years I don’t remember a time when my father was kind to me, or loving. He’s always treated me differently from my two sisters.

“Why do you hate me so much?” I ask in a strangled voice. It’s a question that has been on the tip of my tongue numerous times, but I never dared speak it aloud. Until now.

Father frowns, as if my question caught him off guard. He shakes his head and glances away, raking a hand through his short beard. Just when I figure he’s not going to answer me, he speaks.

“Because you’re not mine.”

I snort. “Of course I’m yours, who else’s would I be?”

“Shut up for once in your life and listen because I’ll never talk about this again.” He glares at me, and I snap my mouth closed. “You’re not mine. Your father is dead—I killed him.”

My lips part in shock, all kinds of possible scenarios coming to mind. Was Mama unfaithful? I can’t see that, not with the closeness of their marriage. So…

“He kidnapped and raped your mother because of a deal between us gone wrong. I fucking killed the bastard, but then you were born. I begged my wife to get rid of you, but she was convinced that you were my child and not his. As soon as you were born, I had a paternity test done and it told the horrible truth. You’re a constant reminder of how I failed to protect my own wife, my family.” His gaze shifts from haunted to loathing. He really does hate me for something that is way beyond my control.

I don’t even know what to say. This revelation leaves me reeling, sick to my stomach now that I know where I come from. My skin crawls.

“To your mother, you’re her daughter, she’ll never see you any differently. But to me, you’re the most vile little creature. When you were little, I thought I could forget the truth, to pretend you belonged to me, but you’re the spitting image of him. I should have gotten rid of you when you were a baby.”

I blink back tears, I’m not sure if they’re from devastating sadness or anger. Maybe both.

The kitchen door clicks shut and we both turn, finding Blake standing in the doorway. How long has he been there? How much did he overhear?

He sneers at the man I thought was my father. “I should get rid of you right now for being the worst father any child could have. How can you blame her, when she’s completely innocent? You’re a coward, Pontrelli, for letting your guilt ruin her life. She deserves so much better than you.”

My heart flip-flops at Blake’s words.

“This is none of your business, Mr. Baron.”

“I beg to differ. Everything and anything involving Ginevra is my business. You’re supposed to be the most important man in her life and you’ve devastatingly let her down. I won’t make the same mistake.”

Father points at me, seething. “She’s tainted. Even you must be able to see she’s not good for?—”

Blake moves so quickly, neither of us has time to react. He punches my father, sending him sprawling to the kitchen floor, where he stays down, blood seeping from his nose and mouth.

“I warned you not to speak like that about my fiancée.” Blake shakes out his hand, clenching and uncurling his fingers as he stares down at my papa. “Don’t ever come near her again. She’s no longer your responsibility, you piece of shit. You don’t deserve her.”

Blake steps over him, coming to my side. He pulls me into a tight embrace, then steers us out of the kitchen. “Let’s go home, baby.”

I nod my agreement. My emotions are a wreck, and the number of questions blasting through my mind are giving me a headache. This has been one crazy birthday—both good and bad.

T onight I sit on Blake’s lap while he scrolls through a dark web chatroom and feeds me chocolates he ordered from Paris. A satisfied rumble sounds in his chest every time my lips wrap around his fingers. Since we returned from Lexa’s no-go wedding, and my strange birthday celebration, this has been our life, and it’s been divine.

Lexa finally called Blake last week. He immediately launched into a tirade about her and Eion Bane, which went over about as well as I expected. She hung up on him and hasn’t called again since. I know he still worries about her, but he needs to chill the fuck out if he wants Lexa to talk to him.

Him chilling is easier said than done. He’s always wound so tight, unless it’s just the two of us together. Like right now.

“So, this is the secret to your reputation as the Big, Bad Black Baron that has everyone shaking in their boots.” I suck on a piece of chocolate as he sorts through snippets of gossip from a ton of different anonymous sources who he calls his little birdies . “Isn’t this like cheating or something?”

“I pay for this information. That’s hardly cheating,” he rumbles. “It’s not my fault that no one else has this wonderful program to make sense of all the information out there.”

“Is there anything useful today?”

“Not really. Nothing about Yve, or the blackmail material she has on me—not yet. But it will come eventually. Someone will see something, and then everything else will click into place. That’s how this works.”

“Fascinating.” It really is. I glance at Blake, he’s fascinating too. I never would have suspected him of being a computer nerd, but he can go on and on about data and programming, the same way I can about cooking techniques. He’s truly passionate about this computer stuff. It’s adorable.

I shift on his lap. “What about your inheritance?”

“What about it?”

“What is it? One of the nights on the yacht, Liam told me that you haven’t gotten yours yet. I’m curious about what it is.”

Blake stiffens, suddenly uncomfortable, but I don’t understand why.

“I’m sorry, you don’t have to–”

“It’s why I’m fake marrying you. Yve won’t give me my inheritance until I’ve taken a wife, and I must remain married for one year.”

Oh. So that’s the reason behind our ruse.

“You seem to have everything you could possibly want, so why fake marry me? What do you have left to gain?”

Blake clears his throat and shoots me a quick glance. “In all honesty, it’s of little value.”

“Now I’m even more intrigued. Tell me.”

“This is pathetic, but don’t laugh at me.”

“I promise, I won’t laugh.”

He sighs, running his fingers through already tousled hair. “My mother died when she gave birth to Liam. Before that, she and I were close, very close. You could even say I was a mama’s boy. Following her death, my father quickly remarried—twice. Both times to scheming gold-diggers who hated me and my little brother. I despised my father for subjecting us to those cruel women. Then along came Yve. She manipulated him into giving her everything in the end.”

My heart aches for him and his terrible childhood.

Without looking at me, he continues like he’s desperate to get his story out. “When I went away to boarding school one year, Yve collected up everything I had left of my mother and hid it. All of the photos, her journals, everything I’d kept to remind me of her was suddenly just gone. Yve and I have been enemies ever since. But that’s what I’m doing this for, to get my mother’s things back.”

“Oh my god, Blake, that’s—it’s?—”

“Pathetic, I know. I’m hardly the sentimental type of man.”

“I was going to say heart-rending.” Looping my arms around his neck, I kiss him, long and deep. The more I discover about this man, the more I want him. Now I’m more inspired than ever to be the best fake wife he’ll ever have. That bitch can’t win.

I pull away from him, putting a slice of distance between us. “Thank you for telling me.”

He warily eyes me. “You’re sworn to secrecy. If that got out, it’d ruin my reputation.”

“My lips are sealed.”

“They better be.” He leans in for another kiss. “Speaking of important things, Friday night we’re having a dinner guest. I’ve already given the menu to Kyla. I want you to be my charming, sweet hostess that night. It’s a work thing, and I really need to win this acquisition. A lot is hanging on it.”

“Like what? Can I know, or is it a secret?”

He adjusts me on his lap and turns off his computer, giving me his full attention. “You should know, so that you understand the stakes. It’s more of Yve’s bullshit. Our guest is selling a piece of property and he’s deciding between two buyers: Me and Eion Bane.”

“So that’s why you hate Mr. Bane so much,” I muse.

“One of many reasons. Anyway, we need the seller to choose me. Yve is threatening to disinherit Liam if I lose this deal. She’ll take away the position that’s waiting for him and potentially give Titan Enterprises to Lexa, or who knows, whatever she decides on a whim.” He picks up his scotch glass and scowls into it.

“So this dinner is meant to win over the seller? I’m guessing you want him to like us more than he likes Eion Bane, is that right?”

Blake nods. “Exactly.”

“Then let me have at him. I’ll win him for you.”

“I hoped you would say that. Be your radiant self and he’ll fall at your feet, magpie.” He softly kisses my lips. “Let’s get to bed, it’s late.”

F riday evening rolls around and I’m wearing a blue silk dress the color of Blake’s eyes. My blond curls form an artfully messy updo that exposes my neck. Every time I look in the mirror, my ex-father’s words come back to haunt me. “You’re the spitting image of him.”

A rapist.

I shake away the thought. No good will come from dwelling on it. I’d never bring this up with my mother. I wouldn’t do that to her, so I may as well lay it to rest. The man I’m genetically related to is dead anyway.

I’m finishing up my makeup when Blake enters my dressing room. My mouth goes dry as I take him in. That tailored navy suit emphasizes his broad shoulders and trim waist, not to mention his impressive height. His blond hair is perfectly arranged and he smells heavenly.

“This is for you.” He stands behind me, draping a sapphire and diamond necklace across my collar bone, then fastens it at the back of my neck. The jewelry is stunning. “Beautiful,” he murmurs, dropping a kiss on top of my head.

“What’s the occasion?” I ask, feeling like I’m missing something important.

The corners of his mouth quirk. “No occasion. I just saw this in Macon’s new collection and it struck me as a magpie-worthy piece. It goes with your dress, so why not give it to you now?”

I stare at him in the mirror, once again shocked into silence by how precious he makes me feel. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I’m always on his mind, that he spends his time daydreaming about me. But that can’t be true. He’s much too busy. Then he does a thing like this, so innocent, yet heartwarming, and completely out of the blue.

I could fall in love with this man. My heart clenches. Why is that thought so painful?

“I’ll see you downstairs. Our guest should be here soon.” He slips from my room, leaving me staring after him.

Am I falling in love? Butterflies flutter in my stomach and my skin warms. I catch myself smiling in the mirror, my expression completely smitten. Oh god, this isn’t good. I can’t fall for my fake fiancé no matter how unexpectedly wonderful he is.

Pulling myself together, I finish my makeup, trail my fingers over the stunning necklace I’m wearing and slip on my heels. Now, I’m ready to woo our dinner guest until he signs that property away to Blake and Titan Enterprises. I like Liam, he deserves to keep his inheritance. Furthermore, Yve is a cunning bitch who needs to be taken down a notch or two.

As I make my way downstairs, masculine voices reach my ears, signaling that our guest has already arrived. They’re in the sitting room, probably having a drink before dinner.

I make my way toward the doorway, a welcoming grin plastered to my lips, and step into the room. My smile falters. My heart stops. I freeze, my mind blank with terror.

No. It can’t be him. How is he in my house? What is he doing here?

Blake turns to face me, a fresh drink in his hand. “Ginevra, I’d like you to meet Oliver Zaleski. He goes by Oz. Oz, this is my fiancée, Ginevra Pontrelli.”

I quickly shake off my shock, though fear lodges itself deep beneath my skin as I gaze into Oliver’s sparkling green eyes. He’s amused—which is never a good thing.

“N-nice to meet you, Oz.” I stumble over my words at first.

“The pleasure’s all mine.” He extends his hand—to my horror—as I’m forced to shake it. Otherwise Blake will realize something’s wrong, then question me, and I can’t tell him what happened. That secret I’ve buried deep down, and it will never see the light of day, so help me God.

As soon as my hand slips into Oliver’s a shiver runs up my spine, nausea churns my stomach, and I quickly pull away.

Blake notices my abrupt movements, a frown tugs at his full mouth. I ignore the unspoken question in his eyes and paste a smile back on my face. I have to pretend to be charming, to win over Oliver, when all I want to do is run and hide. How did I get myself into this situation?

It will all be fine.

Everything is fine . I repeat that mantra in my head over and over.

Oliver isn’t letting on that we know each other, so I won’t either. I can do this. He’s not Oliver, he’s Oz—a nickname I never heard him use while we were dating. But the truth is, I never knew the man standing before me, and I certainly don’t know him now.

“So, Oz, my fiancé tells me you’re in real estate.” I gesture for him to sit on the sofa and take the chair across from him. Blake folds himself into the chair next to mine.

Oliver’s eyes flash with malice when I mention my fiancé. He doesn’t like that I’m engaged to another man. Dread coils tighter around my guts.

I’m fine. Everything will be fine.

“Actually, I’m simply selling off a piece of my family’s estate. I recently came into my inheritance, and I’m doing my best to ensure everything is well-managed. The money from this sale will do wonders for some investment opportunities that have come up.” He flashes me a grin. I used to love that boyish expression, but now it makes me sick.

It occurs to me that Oliver isn’t surprised to find me here, which means he knew walking into this that Blake and I are engaged. What is he playing at? Will he sell the property to Blake, knowing that he’s my fiancé, or is he here to torment me under the guise of this business deal? With Oliver, I never know what’s going on in his head.

The gong sounds, summoning us to dinner, and saving me from having to make small talk with my ex in front of my fake fiancé. Fuck my life .

Blake settles at the head of the table, leaving Oliver and I to sit across from each other. How am I supposed to eat while looking at him? While he’s watching me with that malevolent gleam in his eyes?

Kyla, and our housekeeper Fleur, serve us dinner then disappear into the kitchen. Lucky them. I’d do anything to join them right now.

Blake and Oliver chit-chat about sports and the stock market for a while, which gives me a few minutes to calm my frayed nerves. The meal Kyla created for us this evening is delicious, yet I barely taste it as I chew another bite and swallow. My throat’s painfully tight. My mouth dry, no matter how much wine I sip.

About a half hour in, Blake’s phone rings. He fishes it from his pocket, frowns at the screen, and excuses himself. Panic threatens to engulf me when he leaves the room, leaving me alone with Oliver.

No, no, no, don’t leave me here.

As soon as Blake’s footsteps fade away, Oliver leans forward, elbows braced on the table. “Ginny, it’s been so long since we last saw each other. I’ve missed you, babe.”

My food threatens to come back up. “Why are you here?”

“I have business with your fiancé .” He grimaces. “But did you really think I was going to let you go? The fact that you’re engaged changes nothing, it means nothing to me. You’re mine and you always will be, no matter how many other men you fuck, you stupid whore.

“I always knew you were a fucking gold-digger. Were my millions not enough for you? You had to go after that billionaire instead? You know, he’s just using you as a fuck toy. As soon as he’s had his fill of your cunt, he’ll toss you on the street, and guess who’ll be there to pick you up? Me .” He jabs a thumb at his chest. “I’ll scoop you up off the pavement and take you home where you belong. Then we can pick up where we left off.”

Bile rises in my throat. That whole scenario chills me to the core. What will happen when Blake and I are through? My father will cut me off, he hates me, but surely I can turn to my sisters. Anyone but Oliver. I can’t let him get his hands on me again. I won’t survive it a second time.

Oliver chuckles at my silence. “Maybe I won’t have to wait that long to have you again. I could always write a clause into the sales contract where I get you once a week. Or maybe every other weekend. Do you think Blake would go for that, Ginny? Is he that desperate to have my property?”

Oh god. I’m going to be sick .

What Oliver doesn’t know is that Blake is beyond desperate for that property, so much depends on their deal going through. Would Blake sign away my freedom, my body, to this psychopath? I want to believe he’d never do such a thing, but he did blackmail me, and his reputation shows he has very few scruples. But he’s dedicated to his siblings, especially Liam. I don’t know where I stand when it’s a choice between me or his brother. I have a feeling I’m on the losing side.

“I can’t wait to fuck every one of your holes again, Ginny, and this time I’m going to make you bleed. You’re a naughty girl for running away from me, for climbing into Baron’s bed, and bad girls get punished, don’t they? You think I hurt you last time? You haven’t seen anything yet.”

I don’t answer him, I can barely breathe. My hands tremble beneath the table as I mindlessly destroy the cloth napkin in my lap.