With a scowl, Oliver took hold of Thea's arm and began escorting her toward the security office.
She struggled. "You can't keep me from Callum. He's the father of my unborn child."
Oliver dragged her into the little room and slammed the door, flipping on the glaring light overhead. He dissected the conniving bitch with his stare. Instantly, he knew his brother was telling the truth. Callum might make mistakes, but never one this big. Oliver sensed that Thea and Yasmin were kindred spirits, the sort of women willing to tell any lie to get their way.
"I don't believe you, Ms. Palmer. I grant that my brother fucked you last year before his injury, but not since then. You cannot possibly be carrying his child."
She had the temerity to look shocked by his bluntness. "How dare you!"
Oliver ignored her. "I'll make you a one-time offer. I'll write you a check for a hundred thousand pounds if you agree to recant the story that Callum is the father of your baby. You'll have to sign paperwork to that effect, of course."
"Oliver," Rory barked. "You can't reward her lies."
"I'd rather not, but I won't have this hanging over our heads for the next year." They had enough problems to deal with. "Once she's signed, if she comes after Callum in any way, we'll sue her."
"And if she's truly pregnant?" Rory argued.
"Then she shouldn't be doing cocaine. There's a bit of it still on your nose." A smudge of white powder clung to her nostril, and her eyes had gone a little glassy. The fact that he'd ever believed, even for a moment, that his brother might impregnate such a creature made Oliver sick.
Tori, on the other hand, was a different animal. He could imagine perfectly well Callum trying to get her with child. He would do it to secure a future with her, but Oliver refused to allow that. Callum might think it was all right to pursue her because her fiancé apparently neglected her, but he must see the dishonor in that play. Tori had chosen another man. The people in her life should respect that choice, no matter how badly they wanted her for their own.
Thea rubbed her free hand across her nose. "It's not what you think."
"It's exactly what I think. You're looking for a payoff. I'm offering you one."
Again, she pulled out the mock distress. "I want Cal. I love Cal."
"I seriously doubt that. I'll do what I need to protect my brother. This is a one-time offer, Ms. Palmer. If you don't agree now, I'll come after you with everything I have and destroy your credibility. And I assure you, I have a great deal of pull."
Tears filled her eyes. "You can't do this to me."
"I can and I will. I'm the head of this family. I protect it. I have no qualms about eradicating any future you have in order to help my brother. I've had a private investigator look into your basic background. I already know some very interesting things about you. If you refuse me now, tomorrow morning I'll have him dig deeper, especially into your sexual habits these past few months. I have no doubt he'll find enough dirt to make a mockery of you and your claims in every paper across the country."
Her mouth pursed and her face turned purple with fury. "I want to talk to Callum."
"You may be used to getting what you want, but I'll make certain you don't get anywhere near him."
"Because he's with that whore, isn't he? I know exactly who she is. I've seen them at dinner together, watched Callum escort her around London as if she's some fucking princess. If I see a single negative piece about me in the papers, I'll make sure everyone knows what a slut Torrance Glen is." Thea pulled away. "I won't allow her to take my man."
The need to wrap his hands around the bitch's throat rode him hard. He barely managed to quell his rage. "Are you refusing my bargain?"
"Bloody right, I am."
"Then we're at an impasse, but you should know your clock is ticking. If you are pregnant, science will easily prove the baby isn't Callum's. Until then, I recommend that you keep your mouth shut. Your life will be much easier."
"You're a fucking wanker."
Oliver smiled tightly. "And my offer is now rescinded. Get out. If I see you again, I'll have you arrested."
"This isn't over. I won't let you or anyone else keep me apart from Callum." She whirled around and jerked open the door, stomping out of the room and toward the guard and the exit.
Oliver waited until she'd walked past the reporter, blithely licking her wounds. For now. He was sure Thea would be back-and become an enormous pain in his arse.