Scandalously Expecting His Child(75)

                He’d hoped he could have only explained why he couldn’t risk                     her staying even the night here. But all he’d been able to do was tell her how                     he felt, promise her forever, even as he begged her to leave. He’d hoped she’d                     believe him, in her heart at least, until he could explain more. And that her                     stunned confusion as she’d walked away would convince anyone this was an abrupt                     and permanent separation.

                Now he’d wait until she was out of even his bodyguards’ earshot                     to call her on the secure line he’d given her and explain. He was taking no                     chances she might be monitored now, since he couldn’t be. He had to convince the                     Yakuza he had complied.

                But he wouldn’t fully explain the kind of danger he was                     protecting her from, couldn’t bear causing her even more agitation. But at                     least, until he resolved this situation, she was safe.

                Yet even he, with his unlimited resources, knew there was no                     way to keep her perfectly safe for more than a few days without imprisoning her,                     and alerting her stalkers to the fact that they were on to them. So those days                     would have to do. He and his brothers had a brief window of time to bring this                     to a permanent end.

                Needing to put the last touch on this scene, he walked out. The                     office denizens flocked around him as they would a rock star, asking him                     questions as the paparazzi would.

                Once outside, he finally acknowledged he wasn’t walking alone,                     turned to them and gave the statement he knew would travel around Japan in                     minutes afterward.

                Every lie cut him deeply, but he forced them out with what he                     hoped was a smile of nonchalance and not a grimace of agony.

                “Regretfully, Ms. Delacroix won’t be back. But she will                     continue her excellent work remotely until her projects are up and running. As                     for her pregnancy, it was a false alarm. And yes, my wedding is still in two                     weeks’ time.”

                A dozen voices rose with a dozen questions, but this time he                     waved them away and entered the other limo waiting for him.

                As they drove away, he put up the privacy barrier and sagged                     back into his seat, counting the minutes before he could call Scarlett again.                     After that, he’d begin counting the seconds until he could see her again.