'I don't mind,' he said staunchly. 'You're sick every day, Aunty Jacy, and you're all right.'
The blood drained from her face, and for a moment she was speechless. She didn't dare look at Leo; instead, finding her voice, she said, 'Yes, OK, you can have some chocolate, and then bed.' She half stood up, but a large hand around her wrist forced her backdown on the sofa. She shot a furious glance at Leo, but his attention was fixed on Jethro and Tomas.
'Has your aunty Jacy been making herself sick with chocolate?' he asked the twins with a grin.
Jacy burnt with humiliation as the boys delighted in giving Leo graphic details of her morning stints with her head in the toilet bowl, ending with the information that after her tea and toast she was fine.
His dark eyes narrowed to slits in the harsh contours of his handsome face as he flashed her a look of such glittering hatred that she flinched as though he had struck her; his fingers dug into the flesh of her shoulder through her sweater. Then abruptly he set her free, as though just to touch her was a contamination.
How she got through the next hour she didn't know. One look at Leo's hard face and she knew her hints that he should leave were pointless. He had guessed she was pregnant... and was furiously angry, though he hid it well with the cheerful face he showed the children.
Finally she could delay the confrontation no longer. The boys were in bed and asleep, and with Leo at her back, following her out of the room, she walked down the stairs to the drawing-room.
I need a drink.' Leo crossed to the drinks trolley and poured himself a large Scotch. I won't offer you one. In your condition I believe it is unwise.' His hard mouth twisted in a mockery of a smile.
I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm perfectly all right, and I think it's time you left.' Her legs were trembling and it took all her w
ill-power to stand in front of him and try to bluff it out in a last desperate attempt to deny the inevitable, but it was no good. Leo slammed his glass down on the trolley and, reaching out, grabbed her wrist.
'Don't lie to me, Jacy. You're pregnant, aren't you?'
'What the hell has it got to do with you?' She knew as soon as the words left her mouth that she had made a mistake. Leo went white about the mouth, his features settling into a hard, impenetrable mask that filled her with fear.
'Everything, if it is mine,' he announced in a icy, impersonal tone. 'And don't try to fool me, Jacy. I will insist on tests to make sure. You're not sticking me with that red-headed wimp's offspring.'
She couldn't help it; she started to laugh. It was ironic. She had been terrified he would find out, and he was equally terrified in case it was his child. He had said he didn't want to be trapped, and now, with his insistence on tests, he would trap himself. It would be hilarious if it weren't so sad.
'Stop it, Jacy.' His curt command, the pressure of his fingers on her arm, silenced her laughter.
She sobered instantly. 'It's all right, Leo. I haven't been to a doctor. It's not certain I'm pregnant; you have nothing to fear. Even if I am there will be no tests,' she declared scornfully. He had shown his true colours; he was a bastard, but then she had always known that, she thought with rising fury. She didn't notice the flash of enlightenment in his dark eyes, or the fact she had given herself away by her declaration; she was too enraged. Ten years ago she would have been incapable of standing up to Leo, but not any more.
I am perfectly capable of taking care of everything myself. I may not be wealthy according to the law of the great Leo Kozakis, but I'm not a pauper. I have my own house.'
'And we both know how you got it; you're hardly likely to be able to continue with that particular moonshine activity.'
His sneering condemnation served to fuel her anger. 'That crude assumption was about what I would expect from a rat like you. But you're wrong: my father left me the house.' She was too furious to notice the quick flash of shocked relief in his expression. 'I won't be pregnant forever; I have a good career. I don't need a man, and certainly not you.' Lunging back, she was free and, swinging on her heel, she would have stormed out. She couldn't bear to look at him...
A strong hand spun her back around, his fingers biting into her narrow shoulder blade. Dark eyes glittered down at her in barely controlled fury. 'You bitch. It is mine and you had no intention of telling me.'
'Get your hands off me,' she ordered, her anger wavering as she collided for a brief moment with his hard body. She jerked back as though hit by lightning, an odd breathlessness making her breasts heave. His arm snaked around her waist; deliberately ignoring her command, he increased his hold on her. 'Leo, let go of me.' But a constriction in her throat made the sentence sound like a husky plea, instead of the adamant demand she had intended.
Dark colour swept up over his high cheekbones, and a flash of demonic rage lit his glittering gaze. 'You would abort my child, and return to your career without a qualm.'
Her eyes widened to their fullest extent as she stared at him in horror. That was not what she had meant. How could he so misjudge her? He really did not know her at all if he could imagine for a second that she would abort her unborn child. Her mouth worked, but no words came out
'No denial, Jacy!'
His eyes hardened until they resembled polished jet, then he drew her even closer until her breasts pressed against his broad chest. Slowly his hand at her shoulder slid to hold the nape of her neck, while his other hand moved down the base of her spine, moulding her so close that the pressure of his powerful thighs was almost a pain.
'You don't need a man, do you?' The query was silky-soft, but she sensed his rage was held by the slenderest of threads. 'Liar.' And with a deadly intent he lowered his head and took her mouth in a savage, bitter kiss that, although she recognised it was an insult, slowly drained all the resistance from her body.
His mouth gentled on hers, and her arms slid around his broad shoulders; her fingers dug into the soft wool of his sweater, while her lips parted helplessly beneath his. She melted into the hard heat of his long body, the blood flowing through her veins, the heavy thudding of her heart deafening her to everything but the exquisite taste and touch of Leo.
Suddenly, with an angry oath, he flung her from him, she almost fell; only Leo's quick reaction saved her, as he once more caught her arm. She was completely disorientated, still under the spell of his embrace, until her eyes focused on his face, and she felt as though someone had thrown a bucket of iced water over her.
His lips twisted in a hard, contemptuous smile. 'You want me; you can't help yourself.' And with that knowledge he appeared to have regained control of his temper. Leading her to the sofa, he pushed her trembling body down. 'Sit down before you fall down, and from now on you are going to do as I tell you... understand?'
He towered over her, tall and indomitable. 'I'm not...' she gasped.