The Billionaire's Bride of Convenience(16)

‘I tried to ring you,’ he said as he walked slowly towards her. ‘But your mobile was turned off. Then I tried calling here. Still no answer. I was worried. So I came home.’ He stopped in front of her. ‘Where have you been?’





She almost told him the truth but something stopped her. Something in his eyes which frightened her into lying.





‘I stopped in town after work for a bite to eat with one of the girls,’ she said.





‘Lying bitch,’ he snarled, and slapped her hard across the face.





Kathryn cried out, both in pain and in shock.





‘I saw you,’ he snapped, ‘getting out of his fancy car just now. You think I’m stupid. You think I didn’t finally twig what’s been going on?’





‘N nothing’s been going on,’ she stammered, her head spinning.





‘You’re a bloody liar! Men like Hugh Parkinson,’ he spat, ‘they always shag their secretaries. And let’s face it, sweetheart, you like your sex. So is he good? Better than me? Worth losing that precious weekender you so desperately want?’





Kathryn clasped her pounding head with her hands and just stared at the man she’d thought she loved and whom she’d thought loved her.





He laughed a cruel laugh. ‘I see that it’s finally sinking in what your little affair with your boss is going to cost you. Because no way am I going to marry you now.’





Kathryn’s shock gradually gave way to outrage and anger.





‘You think I’d want you to?’ she threw back at him. ‘I wouldn’t marry you now if you were the last man on earth. You’re lucky I don’t ring the police and have you arrested for assault. But I will, if you hit me again. Trust me on that. Now I want you out of here. Tonight. Pack your things right now and go.’





‘You can’t make me do that!’ he sneered.





‘Yes, I can,’ she countered furiously. ‘I signed the lease on this flat. I bought the furniture. Everything in this place is mine, except for your clothes. If you don’t go willingly, I’ll ring Hugh and have him send one of his bodyguards round to throw you out. He has several on his payroll.’ This was a lie. Unlike his father, Hugh never used security. He said he’d rather risk being killed, or kidnapped, than live in fear.





‘So you admit you’re sleeping with that cocky bastard.’





‘I’m admitting nothing.’





He glared at her, his eyes filled with hate and, yes, the threat of more violence.





‘If you don’t start packing,’ she practically screamed at him, ‘I’m calling the police.’





He scowled then spun away and stomped across the room to the wardrobe which held all his things.





Kathryn quickly moved round to the far side of the bed, where she stood with her arms crossed, her face a stony mask. Inside she was trembling, shock once again rising to the fore. For all the problems that she’d had growing up, violence in her family had not been one of them. Daryl, though, had once confessed to her that his father had been physically abusive. Like father, like son. Kathryn was beginning to realise that she’d made a narrow escape tonight.





Not that the night was over yet. Hopefully, he wouldn’t make any more trouble for her, or hit her again.





She watched in extremely tense silence whilst he stuffed his clothes into two bags, which she technically owned as well. But she didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to delay his departure.





Finally he’d emptied his wardrobe, glaring at her defiantly after he stalked into the living room and returned with several CDs.





‘These are mine,’ he growled as he shoved them into a side pocket of one of the bags. ‘You gave them to me as presents. You can keep the engagement ring, of course. You bought it. No doubt you’ll put it in a drawer till the next sucker comes along. Wouldn’t want you to waste any of your precious money. God, I don’t know what I ever saw in you! You’re a cheapskate and a control freak. I guess your being a right little raver in bed blinded me to your true nature. But my eyes are well and truly open now.’ With that, he swept up the two bags and headed for the door. ‘I’ll leave it up to you to cancel all the wedding arrangements, sweetheart,’ he threw over his shoulder. ‘Not that there’s too many of them.’





Kathryn closed her eyes and remained where she was till she heard the front door slam. Then she ran to it, her hands trembling as she slid the internal security chain in place. That done, she hurried over to the coffee table, where she kept the telephone directory. Five minutes later she was talking to the receptionist of a twenty-four-hour locksmith company who promised to send someone round straight away.