“Yes, that is exactly the point,” he drawled. “What I need you to understand is that your attachment to this child, your motherly bond as they call it, has given me the upper hand. Refuse me, sweeting, and I will file for sole custody of that child, and make no mistake, I will win. I have a team of attorneys on retainer more than capable of making sure I win. In doing so, I will have them take their time, drag this out in court until Liam is well out of diapers and ready for school. What little money I’m sure you still have will run out long before a judge will even take this case. What lies ahead of you is a very unpleasant, very arduous future of court dates, and very little time to raise a son. Any further resistance from you, and the boy will be sent to a boarding school well out of your reach,” he spelled out with finality, showing exactly the depth of his ruthlessness.
“How can you be so heartless? He’s your son,” she said bitterly, hating the very idea no doubt.
“Yes,” he agreed. His face, as usual, revealed nothing of what he was feeling. “But seeing as I never wanted children, he is simply another pawn for me to use however I see fit. And right now, he is my best arsenal against you.”
“I won’t let you use him this way, Dominic! It’s too vile, even for you.”
“Then I’m sure I will see you this evening.” He turned his back to her then, disregarding her latter comment, pressing a button on his desk. It only took a moment for the new head of his security to appear. James Maxwell had been in Dominic’s employ for the better part of a year now and had come highly recommended. He was considered more than a bodyguard. He was an enforcer. The one Dominic found himself calling on to perform the messier part of his business. At ’six foot four and two-hundred-fifty pounds, he was extremely good at what he did.
“Sir?”
“Mrs. Armstrong has just returned from a very long trip and wishes to retire at The Roosevelt until this evening when she will accompany me to dinner. Please see that she makes it to her suite.”
“Yes, sir.”
He reclaimed the seat behind his imposing desk before deigning Eden with his attention once again. “I will see you this evening, sweeting.” That was a clear dismissal as any, punctuating the effect by poring over the documents on his desk.
Eden wanted to scream. She as at her wit’s end and as she angrily paced the length of the presidential suite he’d stashed her in, the childish need to throw things nearly choked her. But unfortunately that would resolve nothing. The one she wanted to rail against, the one she was so moved to murder, was nowhere in sight. She’d been here for the better part of the afternoon trying to devise a plan, but any attempt she’d made thus far had been thwarted by James, the mastiff bodyguard’s refusal in letting her leave. The more time passed, the more desperate she became. Her gaze bounced around the room, and once again, temptation presented itself in the open balcony. She’d immediately dismissed the idea before, but now it seemed her only choice. Eden practically ran for it, but was painfully disappointed for find that her earliest assessment had been correct.
It was too far down for her to even chance the jump. But then, anything was better than the alternative, wasn’t it? Dinner with Dominic Armstrong was anathema to her. For just a moment Eden was transported back to that evening just a year prior when she’d climbed up on the ledge at Bruce’s home. She’d had nothing then but bleakness, but now there was Liam. Sweet Liam who may have had a bastard for a father, but needed his mother now more than anything else. Eden had no doubt that Dominic would carry out his threat, and even now, the merest thought of subjecting her son to Dominic’s dose of parenting sickened her. She would die before she allowed Dominic to take her son from her.
Fighting off the hopelessness that was beginning to bleed into her bones, Eden returned to the room. She collapsed in one of the low brocade chairs and pulled out her phone. She needed to speak to Jenna. Her best friend responded on the first ring and Eden instantly knew something wasn’t quite right with her.
“What’s the matter?” God, please she couldn’t possibly deal with any more bad news.
“Eden—”
“Just tell me.”
“Four men showed up a little bit ago. Two of them are at the door and the other two are outside. They haven’t knocked or bothered us, but I can’t leave the condo, Eden.”
“Fuck,” Eden cursed, bringing her hand to her face. He was so ahead of her. Always two steps ahead! She breathed deeply, the sting of tears tickling her nose before pooling in her tightly closed eyes.
“Eden.”
“Uh…it’s…it’s okay.” She released a shuddering sigh. “It’s going to be okay. Just stay put. They’re Dominic’s security team. They won’t hurt you or Liam, just…just wait them out. I’m going to be home later tonight.”
“Don’t worry about Liam, Eden, he’s fine. I can take care of him until you get back. I just don’t want you to do anything crazy. Don’t do anything you’re going to regret.”
“He has me tied up in knots, Jen. I don’t know how I’m going to get myself out of this. Every time I think I have him beat, he’s quick to disillusion me of that fact.” She raked a hand through her hair in frustration. Too agitated to sit still, she jumped to her feet and began pacing anew. “You were right about him wanting to take Liam. He threatened to file for full custody.”
Eden heard the sharp intake of breath. “No judge is going to take an infant from their mother, Eden. You can win this.”
“I won’t even have the chance. He took all my money…I have maybe five hundred dollars to my name right now. Even if I found an attorney who would take my case, I wouldn’t put it pass Dominic to use his resources to bribe the judge or something horrible like that.”
“What are you going to do? Tell me how I can help?”
The genuine concern in the other woman’s voice thawed a little bit of the ice Eden felt like she was encased in. She was glad to know, despite everything that was going on, she had Jenna in her corner. Her best friend had yet to let Eden down. She’d been incredible throughout all of this. “You’re doing more than enough. I just need some time…I need to regroup and think. Everything is happening too fast for me to come up with a plan.”
“What did he say when you asked for a divorce?”
“‘Till death do us part,” she quoted bitterly.
“I didn’t realize he took your vows so seriously.”
Eden snorted. “He doesn’t. Nothing about this sham marriage is serious.”
The unexpected knock on the door caused Eden to halt midstride. With her heart suddenly in her throat, she warily looked at the door, hoping with every fiber of her being that it wasn’t Dominic.
“Everything okay?”
“I’ll call you back.”
He wouldn’t knock, Eden silently acknowledged on the second knock. Dominic was not one to value her privacy. She pocketed her phone and tentatively journeyed to the door. Rising on her toes to peer through the peephole, she saw one of The Roosevelt’s concierges holding a long, black garment bag across his right arm, while his fisted left hand prepared to rap once more at her door. Eden pulled the door open before he could knock and was greeted by the concierge’s practiced smile.
“Ma’am, Mr. Armstrong has requested we bring these up for you?”
Of course he did. Eden stepped aside, allowing him to enter the room. “Where do you want this, ma’am?”
“Where ever is fine.” He didn’t miss a beat as he effortlessly set the black bag on the massive, well-made king mattress and hastened to fetch the black shoe box he’d left at the entrance. He wasn’t stupid enough to wait around for a tip and Eden made no move to stop him when he turned on his heel and left soon after.
In the ensuing two hours, Eden fought a hard, mentally exhausting battle with herself that ultimately led to her pounding headache. Try as she might she couldn’t come up with a way to leave this damn hotel room. She hadn’t even figured out a way to outsmart the guard dog at her door. She’d thought about calling his bluff several times now. She could push Dominic’s hand and see just how far he was willing to go. But she feared doing so would set off a domino effect that would somehow affect Liam and Jenna in some way. Dominic had his security in Amesbury for a reason, a warning maybe, but Eden wasn’t ready to test the theory yet, not when Liam and Jenna’s safety depended on it. What she needed was more time, but that too had quickly slipped from her fingers when the clock struck seven a few short minutes later. Doom settled in the pit of her stomach like stone as she was forced to face the inevitable.
Dominic had stacked the deck against her, and there was nothing Eden could do in that instant but bide her time once again, until she could find some leverage to use against him. While she headed to the bathroom to freshen up, resolve settled in her. She would go along with his game, play the arm candy he’d married, until she figured out how to beat him. Thinking it however was one thing, actually carrying out the act, reverting back to that loathsome role, donning that degrading mantle was like wading through a cesspool. It felt like she was betraying herself.