“So why didn’t you kick me out?”
He ground his teeth. “I went for a walk. I decided to stop at your apartment to collect a few of your things. I was going to ask you to stay. I never expected to find a man living there with you.”
“You—what?”
His jaw was hard as he shook his head. “After our years together, I’d actually thought I could trust you. But just hours after you gave me your virginity, I met your live-in love. Your longtime fiancé.”
She gaped at him.
“What, no witty comeback?” he jibed.
“Brandon wasn’t my fiancé. Not back then!”
His eyes grew wild. “Stop it, damn you! Will you never stop lying? I met him!”
“But we only got engaged a few weeks ago!”
Eduardo folded his arms, his expression as hard as the wooden floors. “Then how do you explain it? Either you are lying, or he was. Which is it?”
She licked her lips. “Brandon wouldn’t lie,” she said weakly. “Unless—” She covered her mouth with her hand.
If we’re not married by thirty—Brandon had taken her hands in his own—let’s marry each other.
Sure, she’d laughed. On the night of their senior prom, thirty had seemed a million miles away. Why not?
She’d thought it was a joke. But could Brandon have taken it seriously? Could that be why, the day after Eduardo had gotten her an apartment, Brandon had suddenly shown up in New York with no job and a suitcase full of jeans? Because he’d heard in Callie’s voice that she was falling completely in love with her boss, and wanted to protect his territory?
No. It couldn’t be. Brandon loved her as a friend. Just a friend!
She glared at Eduardo. “Either you misunderstood him, or Brandon was trying to warn you off. To protect me from a sleazy boss.”
“Sleazy?” he gasped.
She folded her arms. “But there’s never been anything romantic between Brandon and me. Let me call him and prove it!”
“He’s in love with you.” His eyes were like ice. “You’re either lying, or blind. But I won’t be played for a fool ever again. You will not communicate with McLinn in any way. Not by phone, by computer or via carrier pigeon. And not through your parents. Do you understand?”
Callie couldn’
t believe he was being so unreasonable. Tears rose to her eyes. “But I just left him there,” she whispered. “Standing in the street on our wedding day. He deserves an explanation!”
“He saw you leave with me. That is all the explanation he needs. And if not …” He allowed himself a cold smile. “I just told him everything he needs to know.”
A chill went down her spine. “What did you say to him?”
Turning away, he scooped up quesadillas and rice on a plate and shoved it toward her on the countertop. “It’s simple. Contact him during our marriage, just once, and you are in breach of our agreement.”
“Fine, I’ll be in breach! Keep your stupid alimony. I don’t care about your money!”
“Do you care about custody?”
She sucked in her breath. “What?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “It seems you did not read our prenuptial agreement very carefully before you signed it.”
She struggled to remember the words of the prenup, but the truth was she’d barely skimmed the first pages. “I was in labor! In pain, under duress! Whatever I may have signed, it will never stand up in court!”
He gave her grim smile. “Shall we find out?”