“I work for the family company, Adora.”
“What was your passion growing up? What did you love more than anything else?” she asked.
She saw that she’d stumped him.
He smiled. “I don’t know if you’d call it a passion, but I loved music.”
“Did you sing?”
“I liked listening to different kinds of music—soul, country, rock, pop, you name it, I wanted it. It was an escape from the pressure.”
“Why didn’t you pursue it? The music industry has more than just singers. It has people who manage, own companies, distribute.”
“My life and what I’d do was set out before I was born, Adora. Music is just something I enjoyed.”
She sat back and rubbed her arms, suddenly feeling a chill. They were going to have a baby. There was no doubt in her mind that they were. She couldn’t resist him, and he wouldn’t let her resist him. What she didn’t like was the fear that he’d be exactly like his parents. That he’d expect their son or daughter to work for the family company. To learn all the ropes, and never follow their own passion. She couldn’t speak. So much anger and fear swamped her, that she grabbed their plates, and headed into the kitchen.
“What have I said now?”
“Nothing.”
“Clearly, I’ve said something to upset you, and doing that is not my intention.”
She put the dishes in the sink, and turned toward him. “You really don’t see it, do you?”
“See what?”
She laughed. “I haven’t even met your parents yet, and I know they’ve got one hell of a control lock on you. It’s not even funny.”
“You don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”
“You’re good with numbers, great at it, I bet. You seem to know when to spot an amazing deal and one that’s little shady. You have all the mechanics of a fantastic businessman. You’ve taken the Bennett name from strength to strength.”
“You researched me.”
“Why not? You pursued me. You threatened me. I had to find out what I was up against, and what I found out was exactly that. But your work is not exactly thrilling to you. You don’t find a rush, do you, when you enter that boardroom? There’s no real excitement over what you do. You’re just going from one motion to another.”
He didn’t say a word.
“And that’s what you want for our child.” She placed a hand on his chest. “Think about that. Think about what you’re going to want for our little kid. Will our child end up like Maximus?”
He stepped away.
Before she could say anything else, the ringing of the telephone stopped her. Biting her lip, she watched as he left to answer it.
Finishing the dishes, she was drying them up as Tobias rounded the corner, looking really pissed off.
She hadn’t meant to cause a problem or to upset him. They weren’t even pregnant yet, and already she was worried about the future of her child. She didn’t want them to grow up hating their parents. Her mother had told her love and passion were the key to enjoying life. Tobias told her they were useless emotions.
“What is it?” she asked.
“My parents are here. They’re on the way up.”
Oh great!
Chapter Nine
The second his mother said she was entering the lobby with his father, Adora’s words rang in his head. His parents did like to control him; they had since he was a kid. He wasn’t a fucking pushover, and wouldn’t let them drive him to the breaking point. They’d trained him well, too well—he’d surpassed his father’s strength in their industry well over a decade ago. Tobias had protected himself and his investment in the Bennett Corporation, so his parents could never fuck him over like they did with Maximus. He’d been drilled to be the perfect son, but his parents had shown their true colors too many times over the years. His loyalty had begun to fracture long ago.
“Why are they here? Do they usually just pop in?” asked Adora. She was distraught, trying to arrange her hair and fix her shirt. Actually, it was his shirt, and she looked fucking adorable in it.
“Relax. I’m sure they’re not staying. We’re not exactly a close-knit family.”
Tobias decided this was as good a time as any to break the news to his parents. Adora would be the mother of his child, and, he hoped, his wife. This all happened so quickly, he still wasn’t sure how it would all work out. He knew he needed an heir, but didn’t have a plan of action until he saw Adora standing by his window.
A loud knocking echoed in the room. He could only imagine why they were stopping by, but he didn’t have a good feeling about it. Tobias had made sure there was plenty of distance between his condo and his parents’ home when he’d bought the penthouse suite. It had been one of his major deciding factors.