Veiled Obsession(13)

“The grocery bags,” she explained and reached for them.

The moment I let go of one of the bag’s handle, a booming voice made us both jump. One of the bags dropped onto the cherry wood floor and we heard a cracking sound. The eggs, I thought as a Lin bent to pick up the bag.

“So sorry, Mrs. Macknight. So sorry.”

I touched the older woman’s shoulder. “That’s okay, Lin.” I paused, my eyes gazing over her shoulder. “Is Mr. Macknight home already?” He was supposed to spend all day at the office closing some important business deal.

Lin’s gaze drifted to the direction of his voice. “He come home half an hour ago. He very angry man today.”

My stomach dropped. He’d been walking around lately like a volcano on the verge of exploding and I had feared when he’d snap. Was he angry with me or was it work-related? Was he sensing that I was emotionally pulling away? I was being so careful.

Lin left me standing in the hall, my fists balled at my sides, my heart thumping. After a long moment, I followed Lin into the kitchen to help her put away the groceries even though Jude would disapprove. But right now I needed something to distract me from the hard knot inside my stomach.

“Leave us alone, Lin,” a deep voice filled the room and bounced off the walls.

Both Lin and I whipped around to see Jude in the doorway, eyes blazing. Angry was not the right word. His eyes told me everything I needed to know. His rage had nothing to do with work.

Lin’s glance flitted to my face.

I breathed in. “It’s okay, Lin. We can finish up later.”

“No,” Jude retorted. “Take the day off. We’ll see you in the morning.”

“Yes, Mr. Macknight.” Lin untied her white apron. There was a slight tremble to her fingers.

Jude stepped aside to let her walk through the door.

As soon as she was gone, the air in the room thickened.

In spite of the anger, Jude looked dashing as usual in a custom-made dark blue suit and powder blue shirt. Once upon a time, I had found a loose tie on him really sexy. Hard to believe that I had once found it impossible to keep my hands off him.

“Hi,” I kissed his warm cheek, just the way I did when he came home every day from the office. “You’re home early.” Most days he arrived home late, waking me up for sex before he called it a day.

“Cut the crap.” He jammed a hand into a trouser pocket and pulled out a small rectangular box. “What the fuck is this?” He tossed the box to the floor. It landed at the toe of one of my velvet peep toes.

I lowered my gaze and my breath solidified. Shit. As panic rioted within me, I raised my gaze again and met his stormy eyes.

“I asked you a question.” His eyes bore into mine until I had to blink. “What the fuck is that?”

I let out a shaky breath. “Pill … it’s the pill.”

“Let me get this straight.” His voice was calm, too calm. As if a storm were brewing. “Why the fuck are you taking the pill while we’re trying to get pregnant? Are you making a fool of me? Is that what you’re doing, Haley?”

I’d never seen him this angry. The way he said my name, shooting it out of his mouth like a dart, chilled my spine. I had no choice. He had to know the truth. He loved me. He’d understand. “I’m not ready … to have a baby.”

“Damn you,” he shouted. “We’ve been married for almost two bloody years. What do you need to be ready for?”

How did he find the pills? I had hidden them so well. Jude rarely went into my walk-in wardrobe. Just to make sure, I’d even stuffed them into one of my boxes of tampons. What would he look for there? Unless he really did suspect I was unhappy and went on the search for proof. Did he hear me cry in my sleep? “You went through my things? Why?”

“You have no right to ask me that question. This is my goddamn house. Now shut the fuck up and tell me what you’re doing taking the pill when you claim to want to get pregnant.”

His harsh words sent my world spinning. Everything had changed. When had he started talking to me this way? “You’re not the same man I married. The man I fell in love with would never talk to me like this.”

Jude’s expression grew tight. “You’re the one who’s changed, refusing to make love to me and lying to me.”

“I get tired too, Jude. You ask for sex all the—”

“Tired?” He laughed. “From what exactly? I’m the one who breaks my back trying to support you. How hard can it be to shop and have your hair and nails done every day?”

I squared my shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. “You know very well I don’t enjoy doing all that. I’d rather … I’d rather work. You made it clear you don’t want your wife working. You gave me no choice but to stay at home and do nothing.”