Pregnant with the Billionaire's Baby(47)

‘It will only confuse the issue even further.’

‘There is no confusion, Luccy,’ he assured her coldly. ‘The only options available to you are that you either marry me or I go for custody of the baby once it’s born—and, believe me, I’ll win.’

Luccy only had to look at the definite resolve on his face to know that he meant it. ‘You would really do that to me?’

‘I’m not doing anything to you, Luccy.’ He stood up impatiently. ‘What is wrong with you?’ He glowered down at her. ‘Hell, most women would be only too happy for the chance to marry the heir to all the Sinclair millions.’

Luccy considered him guardedly. ‘And you would be happy knowing that a woman had married you only for that reason?’

‘I don’t seem to have any choice in the matter, do I, when that’s exactly the reason you’re going to marry me?’ he retorted.

Luccy flinched at the vehemence in his voice. ‘I don’t want to marry you at all!’

‘It’s the whole package or nothing,’ he barked. ‘And I do mean nothing!’

She swallowed hard as the nausea threatened to overwhelm her. Sin meant what he said. He really meant it…

‘I think it’s probably best if I cancel my appointments for today and make some phone calls from here instead,’ Sin told her. ‘I’ll be in my study if you need me.’

Luccy’s mouth firmed. ‘I won’t.’

He paused beside her chair, eyes narrowed to silver slits. ‘Don’t even think about trying to leave.’

Luccy’s eyes flashed as she glared up at him. ‘I’m to be a prisoner here, is that it?’

‘Until I have my wedding ring on your finger—yes!’ he confirmed without remorse.

Luccy felt the colour drain completely from her cheeks. ‘I take it I am allowed to make some telephone calls myself? I do have family and friends of my own, you know, who will be worried once they realise I didn’t return to England as planned.’

‘Make all the phone calls you like. I’ll use the business line,’ Sin offered. ‘Just don’t expect to be leaving here any time soon.’

Why did every conversation he and Luccy had always end up a battle? Sin wondered as he strode back into the house. Even ones that began innocuously, politely, always ended with an argument, with her strong will pitted against his equally strong one.

Why was that, when it wasn’t what Sin really wanted at all?





CHAPTER ELEVEN





‘THIS is very kind of you, Wallace.’ Luccy smiled across the kitchen at him as she sat at the breakfast bar watching him as he prepared her a plain omelette.

‘Not at all, Miss Harper-O’ Neill,’ he assured her briskly. ‘You haven’t eaten anything since you arrived yesterday,’ he added with concern.

‘Please call me Luccy.’

‘Very well, Miss Luccy.’

Luccy squirmed on the high stool she was sitting on, not sure she was comfortable with that term of address; it made her sound as if she were already one of the Sinclair family!

She had sat alone on the terrace for several minutes after Sin had left her, guessing by the fact that Wallace didn’t reappear with the pot of coffee that he must have taken it to Sin in his study instead. A fact that had been confirmed when Wallace had appeared out on the terrace, without the coffee pot, to enquire whether he could get her anything hot to eat for her breakfast.

Luccy wasn’t particularly hungry, that last conversation with Sin having robbed her of any appetite. But neither did she want to spend any more time in her own company. The compromise had been that she would accompany Wallace into his kitchen while he cooked her an omelette.

‘What’s Sin’s mother like?’ She felt curious about the other woman in spite of herself. The woman who, as Sin had so bluntly pointed out, would be her baby’s grandmother once it was born…

‘Mrs Claudia?’ A warm smile of affection lit Wallace’s face. ‘She’s a true Southern Belle,’ he added consideringly. ‘Just like that woman in the movies. You know the one I mean, I’m sure. Scarlett O’Hara, that’s her—without the spoilt pout,’ he added quickly.

Luccy laughed. ‘I was always rather taken with the feisty Scarlett!’

Wallace nodded. ‘Everyone loves Mrs Claudia.’

‘Including Sin?’ Luccy prompted curiously.

‘Of course.’ The butler nodded as he brought over the fluffy omelette on a plate and placed it in front of her. ‘Although that doesn’t mean he gives in to her. Certainly not. Master Sin has a definite mind of his own,’ he said affectionately.