9781631054631ChoiceAffairsSalisbury (15 page)

“What, what i
s it?”

“It’s from my father.”

“What does it say?”

“All he says is
‘congratulations’.”

“Congratulations?
For what?”

“I don’t have a clue.
Do you think I should call him
back,
or text him?”

“No need to play
games. Get him on the phone, and let’s find out.”

I
scrolled through my contacts and finally found his Dublin
cell number. I punched it in.

“Caiti!”

“Hi, Pop. What’s up?
Did you just send me a text message? I’ve been having some problems with my
cell phone. Just wanted to make sure it was you and that ever
ything was okay.” I waited for a moment, anticipating the
unknown.

“Well, you don’t have
to pretend with me. It’s all over the Dublin papers today.”

“What’s all over the
Dublin papers, Pop?”

I put the phone on
speaker so that Apolo could listen in.

“That y
ou and Apolo are pregnant. You really should have called me
first. Thank goodness your mother rang first thing this morning and let me
know.”

I stared at Apolo in
disbelief.

“Sir, I can assure
you, that’s not the truth.
Unfortunately.
Caitlyn and I aren’t pregnant…yet. When
that does happen, we will call you personally. What I would like to know is how
that got in the papers over there, because nothing’s been published here.”

“Susan phoned them
with the news. She was so excited.”

“Pop!
I’m not pregnant.”

“Yes, that’s what
Apolo just said. Why would your mother do something like that?”

“I don’t know, sir.
But I do intend to find out. What do you hear from Susan, by the way? We
thought she would have been back with you in Dublin by now.”

“She says she has no
intention of coming back to me, or to Ireland. I guess no one’s told you about
the row your mother and I had at your reception after you left?”

“Um, no, no one’s told
us,” I replied. I was lying through my teeth, but I didn’t want to a
dd to everything he must have on his mind. “Pop, has she
said what she’s going to do?”

“Why she told me she
had moved to Washington to be closer to you until the baby came. After that,
she said we’d have to wait and see. What’s going on, Apolo?
Caitlyn?”

I
put my finger to my lips so that Apolo wouldn’t speak. Not
that he can be stopped. “That’s what we’re trying to find out,
Pop
. Have you heard from Tom, lately?”

“No, your brother is
pretty silent these days. Why, what do you know?”

Apolo was shaking his
h
ead now. He didn’t want me sharing anything with my
father.

“I haven’t heard a
thing out of him. I was merely curious if you had.”

“Tom has always been
an odd one, he has. He must follow after her. Do you want me to call if I hear
from Susan again, Apolo?
”

“Yes, sir, if you
wouldn’t mind. I’d—
we’d
appreciate that.”

“No problem. I’ll do
so the moment she calls.”

“Okay,
Pop
, we’re going to let you go. Sorry for
the mix up. I assure you when that happens, Apolo and I will call you
personally.”

“Very
good, Cai
tlyn.
You two take care of each other, and I
love you.”

“Love you, too,
Pop
. Talk soon.”

Apolo cut the line and
inhaled. I could see his nostrils flaring as he kept his eyes on the road. He
was not happy, and he was attempting to keep his temper under cont
rol.

I turned to him to
speak. “Have one of your people look into this, sweetie. That’s what they’re
there for. Don’t stress yourself out. You’ve got far more important matters to
worry yourself with.”

“Unless, of course,
one of the above mentioned just ha
ppens to be in
cahoots with my brother, along with one of my employees.” He sighed. “You’re
right, of course.”

“You know, as far as
my mother goes, this could play to our advantage.”

“How’s
that?”

“Well, if my mother
has leaked the story that we’re pregnan
t when I’m
not, we
can issue
a statement saying that I’m not, nor
never have been. Make her look a little foolish.”

“Yes, and then, the
press might not be so eager next time to run her gossip without checking their
facts first. I like how you think, Caiti.
But why
would she leak it in Dublin first?”

“I’m not sure about
that part, yet. Oh, and I’ve learned from the best how to swim with sharks.” I
grinned at him, squeezing the hand I’d been holding.

“Thank you. I assume
you’re referring to business, and not
something of a
more personal nature?”

“Hmmmm, let me think,”
I teased. “Yeah, I think you’re good on both.”

He chuckled softly,
“Oh, you sorely tempt me, my pet. Just you wait.”

“Promises,
promises.
Seriously, though, I’m concerned about my father. Do you
think she really fed that bunch of BS to him, or do you
think he’s holding on?”

“Which part, Caitlyn?”

“The part where she
told him she’d return to Ireland after I was settled in with the baby.”

“With your mother, who
knows? It could be she’s using this
whole fake
pregnancy to put off the inevitable—a divorce.”

“You’re most likely
right. I don’t understand why she can’t just be straight with him.”

“That’s one of the
complexities that
is
your mother, my pet. Only she knows
what’s really going on inside tha
t brain of hers.”

* * * *

Apolo and I returned
from our spyware folly, as I liked to refer to it, Monday. Though it freaked me
out to no end knowing that someone had gained entrance into our home and done
such disgusting things, I knew that he had everyt
hing
under control. Of that, I never doubted.

We both attempted to
jump back into our daily schedules over the next few weeks, and that was fine.
Both of us were busy enough. Apolo was adjusting to his new role as senator as
easily as anything else he got
involved with. He
seemed to be relaxing.

Not that everything
went away. It didn’t. It was still out there—my mother, his ex-girlfriend, that
senator, and of course, let’s not
forget
our brothers and Don Turner.

If he’d found out
anything significant, he wasn’t sharing it with me.
Yet.
I figured he would when everything fell into place.
Besides, I had enough of my own things to take care of.

Every morning, I
brought him coffee. It was sort of becoming a ritual wit
h us. He would rarely take the time to eat breakfast. This way, I got to
see him and talk to him before we both headed into our busy days.

“I won’t be home until
late tonight.
Big vote.
And it’s going to get drug out. What do
you have going on today?” he a
sked one such morning,
pretending to have trouble getting his cufflinks in.
A ploy to get me to do it so that he could get an eyeful.
I didn’t mind. Not after last night.
The man could see me naked again. Though I doubt he’d get out of the bedroom
and to h
is office on time.

“Apolo, don’t you ever
look at my schedule?” Another ritual we’d begun. Sunday evenings we went over
each other’s schedule and put it into our phones.
“I try, there’s just...”

“That’s okay. I know
you’re busy. No need to apologize.”

“So,
what are you up to today, darling?”

“Well, senator, I’m
going to Walter Reed with the vice president’s wife to visit some of our
troops. You remember, now?”

He chuckled as I
finished with the last, silver cuff link. “Well at least you’ll be in good
compan
y. You’ll do very well. What about this
evening?”

I knew he didn’t like
leaving me alone, if it was at all possible. He was protective like that, and I
rather enjoyed it. He wasn’t
smothering,
he was just looking out for me.
“Actually, Apolo, I’ll be just
fine. I’m joining her
for dinner, as well. You know, her husband may be tied up as well this evening.
It’s going to be at their home.”

Again, he chuckled,
low and throaty. “You never cease to amaze me. You’re a remarkable woman, you
know. I’ll make sure Ja
cob himself takes you.”

“Thanks. You don’t do
too bad yourself, Choice.
Billionaire
and all that.”

He had me in his arms
now, teasing me. His free hand had my robe untied in a mere second as he
covered my mouth with his. I opened to him, letting his tongue
tangle with mine. His other hand wasted no time claiming
what he was after. I moaned as he inserted two fingers inside me, brushing my
clit with his thumb. My hips began to rock, riding him in an effort to reach a
climax that was mere moments away.

“That’
s it, my pet. You’re close now, aren’t you?”

“Yesssss.”

“Caitlyn, look at me.
I want to see you looking at me when you come.”

I was right at the
tipping point when a switch flipped, and I freaked. I pushed myself off of him,
pulling my robe around me. “We
can’t be doing that in
here.”

He stared at me with
an odd look on his face. Then, it must have registered what I was referring to,
because he had his arms wrapped back around me, this time comforting me. “It’s
okay, sweetheart. The room is clean. I would
never
put you in harm’s way, if I thought Jacob’s team hadn’t gotten rid of
everything.”

“I’m sorry. I know you
wouldn’t. My mind just flipped or something.”

“That part is over
with. This is our home, and we’re going to reclaim it. We’re not going to let s
ome sick bastards do otherwise. Okay?”

I nodded my head,
feeling him kiss the top. “I’m fine, now.
Really.”
I pulled away so that I could look up at him. “Don’t you
think it odd that no one has contacted you?”

“Caitlyn, I don’t want
you worry about this. J
acob is working it. Everything
is under control. Okay?”

“Yes, I’ll try, but
it’s hard.”

“I know. I know it is.
As much as I’d like to stay, sweetheart…”

“Go. Get out of here.
I’m fine. Really, I am. Call me when you get a free minute. Or text.”

“I will. Yo
u’ll be great today. They’re going to love you.” He kissed
me one last time then whispered in my ear, “Don’t you dare make yourself come
when I leave, my pet. I’ll know.”

That
Dom voice of his.
I could tell by just the inflection he used. “You pervert!
Get
out of here, and let me get dressed.”

He chuckled. “I wish I
had more time. I wouldn’t make you wait.”

“Promises,
promises.
Now, go, get out of here, before you make me late.”