“My son and I have no secrets.” Miranda tugged at Kane’s sleeve, indicating that he should open the door. “Come into my study and tell us both your demands.”
“Kane?” He turned as his mother led her unwanted guests into the room just off the foyer. Allison was hurrying toward him. “You’ve been gone a while. Is something wrong?”
“My father’s here.” He took her shoulders and turned her toward the dining room. “Trust me, you don’t want to meet him. Mother and I will just be a few minutes.” He let a breath of frustration hiss out between his teeth. “And if you hear screams, it’ll be me choking that son-of-a-bitch.”
Allison lifted her hands to his arms, her small thumbs rubbing across the veins and tendons of his inner wrists. Her eyes were wide and concerned. “Don’t do anything rash,” she said. Then she went back down the hall the way she’d come.
He turned on his heel and went into the study, where his mother had taken a seat behind her elegant lady’s desk, leaving both strangers standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Grimly amused at her tactics, he strode to her side, positioning himself just behind her.
“That little blonde your wife?” Lloyd settled himself in one of the wing chairs uninvited and his wife followed suit.
“Why do you need to know?” Kane shot him a furious look.
His father’s shoulders seemed to slump. “No reason,” he said. “I just wanted to know if you’re happy.”
“Your interest is a little late in coming.”
Miranda cleared her throat. “Tell us what you want, Lloyd.”
“Aw, for Pete’s sake, you already know what we want!” Leeza Carter’s strident voice grated nasally on his ear.
“I, ah, I have some information here—” Lloyd began.
“Don’t even think about showing her that until you’ve got the money,” his wife shrilled.
Lloyd’s hands stopped fumbling with his pocket. An awkward silence fell.
“Lloyd, why are you doing this to me?” Miranda’s lovely eyes were fastened on the man who’d once been her husband. “What did I ever do to you to deserve this?”
“Aw, Randi—”
“You’ve got plenty of money, lady. It’s not like we’re gonna break your bank.” Leeza sat forward aggressively.
Miranda never even looked at the woman. “I’m speaking to Lloyd.” Her voice was quiet but frosty and authoritative. With a huff, Leeza shoved herself back in the chair.
“Life’s treated you better’n me, Randi.” Lloyd’s voice was subdued. “I’ve made some money in my time, but things are kind of pinching around the edges right now.” His brows lowered and a hint of belligerence crept in. “I invested in a Phoenix cattle company a couple of years ago, looked like a real good deal, too. But then your brother got the contract we were looking at, and before I knew it, my stock was worth nothin’. Went belly-up. I had to go back on the circuit to make enough money to pay off my debt, and I still owe some.”
“Yeah, and we got a right to make a living same as everybody else,” his wife put in. “Fifty thousand is peanuts.” She looked at Lloyd scornfully. “I told you we should have asked for a million!”
“Fifty thousand is all we need,” Lloyd said, setting his jaw.
“Blackmail and extortion aren’t a widely accepted means of making money.” Miranda eyed her ex-husband. “If I pay you, how do I know you won’t be back on my doorstep again next month, wanting another handout in exchange for silence?”
Lloyd raised his right hand. “I give you my word, that’s how.”
Kane didn’t even try to hide the mocking chuckle that burst out. “And we all know how trustworthy that is. Look at how faithfully you upheld your marriage vows.”
His father’s neck flushed a dark red and the color slowly crept up. He turned to face Kane. “You don’t know how it was, boy, so don’t you be so righteous.” He turned back to Miranda. “I wish I could do those years over again. I wasn’t makin’ enough to support you and the baby; you know I had to stay on the rodeo circuit. It isn’t my fault it just never panned out like I thought it would.”
“You don’t owe them any apologies, Lloyd!” Leeza’s voice was sharp. “Let’s just get what we came for and get out of here.”
Kane watched as his father reacted to the command. Lloyd appeared to shrink in on himself. “You’ll just have to take my word for it,” he told Miranda. “That’s the best I can do.”
Miranda sat back and crossed her arms. “All right. Tell me what you have.”
Kane was unwillingly fascinated by the small details revealed by his parents’ interaction. His father was a weak man, he realized. A handsome, charming man, but clearly a less-than-successful one who probably had chased wealth without much luck for most of his life. He was cowed by his current wife. And he’d probably found Miranda’s personality equally strong. Though she didn’t have the less fortunate qualities that Leeza Carter did, Miranda Fortune was nobody’s pushover. As if to prove his observation, Lloyd obediently began to recount the information Miranda had requested.
“We, uh, I hired a private investigator to track down the twins.” Lloyd smiled a little, clearly proud of himself. “Name of Sinclair, Flynn Sinclair. His father got a helping hand from your daddy years ago so he’s only too happy to do a favor for the Fortunes. Sort of a payback.”
“This Sinclair believes you’re acting at the request of the Fortunes?”
“I figured you wouldn’t want anybody to know the truth,” he said. “So I told him I was representing the Fortunes.”
“And?”
“And he found ’em.”
Miranda waited, her only sign of tension the grip of her fingers on the arms of her chair. Kane was proud of her. She’d broken down in front of him that first day after the phone call, but she hadn’t fallen apart since.
“They were raised separate,” Lloyd told her. “In foster care, ’cuz they weren’t adoptable.”
“What do you mean, they weren’t adoptable?” The news clearly agitated Miranda, and Kane put a soothing hand on her shoulder, realizing as he did so that he was mimicking Allison’s unspoken methods of reassurance.
“The state said you never signed any papers giving them up. So they couldn’t be adopted.” This part clearly wasn’t of great concern to Lloyd and he went on. “The boy’s name is Justin Bond and the girl is—”
“Emma,” murmured Miranda. “They kept the first names I gave them.”
“Right. Emma. Michaels is her last name.”
“What? Why don’t they have the same last name?”
Lloyd shrugged. “Social workers. Who knows what they were thinkin’?” He extended a folder across the desk. “Current photos.”
“Have you—have you met them?” Kane could feel his mother trembling though her voice was steady.
Lloyd shook his head. “No reason to.” He pulled out another slip of paper. “Here’s Sinclair’s phone number. He’s going to contact them. He’s waiting to hear from me, but when I talk to him again, I’ll give him your number.”
Miranda fumbled for the handle of a desk drawer, pulling it open and extracting a cashier’s check, which she slipped into an envelope and slid across the desk to Lloyd. “There’s your money. Now get out of my home.” She got to her feet and majestically sailed from the room, her head high.
“It was good seein’ you again—”
“Out.” Kane pointed to the door, his voice very near a snarl. “Now. And don’t come back or I’ll personally make you sorry.”
Lloyd and Leeza shot to their feet, recognizing the fury in his voice as the threat it was. But as they turned toward the entrance, Lloyd turned back to Kane. “I’m sorry you’re taking this so personally. It’s just business.” There was a pleading note in his voice. “I always dreamed we’d get a chance to know each other someday—”
“Get out!”
Allison stood in front of the leaping flames in the gas fireplace in the private family room, hugging herself with her arms. Though the
temperatures outside were far from cool, she felt chilled all over.
Doors at the front of the house opened and closed, and she heard Kane’s voice, sharp and angry. The front door slammed.
She couldn’t stand it any longer, but as she turned to go to the door, Miranda walked into the room.
Allison was shocked. Her mother-in-law’s face was drawn and pale and tears streaked uneven tracks down her cheeks. Reacting instinctively, Allison reached for her and drew Miranda into her arms, absorbing her pain as the older woman sobbed into her shoulder.
Kane appeared in the doorway, his features tight with fury. She ached to go to him, to simply put her arms around him, too, but his mother needed her more at the moment.
His gaze darkened as he saw the state Miranda was in. Stalking across to the bar, he snagged a few tissues and handed them to Allison, then silently went back to the bar, slamming two squat glasses down and splashing a generous hit of rich amber liquid into each. He lifted one and drained it in a single gulp, then stood with his hands on his hips for a long moment, his face tilted skyward.
Finally, he heaved a deep sigh and lifted the other glass, walking around the bar toward the women again.
Miranda’s sobs were under control now, and she dabbed at her eyes and nose with the tissues. Allison drew her to a wing chair near the fire and Kane pressed the glass into her limp hand.
“Here,” he said gruffly. “Drink.”
But Miranda was fast regaining her composure. She sniffed delicately at the alcohol, then shuddered. “Ugh. Whiskey.” She set the glass aside. “I’m not that upset, Kane.” And she tried to smile.
Allison pulled a footstool over and perched at Miranda’s feet. “Are you all right now?”
Miranda looked at her, and the sheer sorrow and regret in her blue eyes hit Allison like a blow. “I’m as all right as I’m going to get, I suppose.” Her voice quavered, then she steadied herself with an effort. “I have the pictures of the children I gave away and the name of the investigator who’s meeting with them.”
Allison reached forward and placed a hand on her mother-in-law’s knee, patting gently. “You were practically a child yourself. Giving them up wasn’t necessarily the wrong choice. Their lives may have been the better for your decision.”
“They may have been worse,” Miranda said. “Apparently they were never adopted because I didn’t legally sign away my parental rights.”
“And I guess that’s the real question,” Kane said. “Do you want to find out? Do you want to contact them?”
“Yes.” Miranda’s voice was definite. “They are part of the Fortune family and as such are entitled to a share of my portion of that estate.” She looked apologetically at Kane. “I hope that won’t be—”
Kane cut her off with a curt hand motion. “You know I’ve never wanted any part of the family money. You can split it between Gab and these twins and leave me out of it entirely, for all I care.”
Miranda smiled softly. “Yes, but you’ll have children of your own someday and you may feel differently then. Anyway,” her voice firmed, “I think, to be fair, that after all these years, the choice has to be theirs if they want us in their lives. After this private investigator, Flynn Sinclair, contacts each of them and tells them about their family, I’d like to extend an invitation to visit us here. I intend to respect their wishes if they choose not to contact us. After all, they may have families of their own who would be very hurt if they suddenly formed bonds with biological relatives. Or they simply may not want to get to know me. Us.”
“What are you going to tell Uncle Ryan?”
His mother shrugged. “I don’t know. If neither child wants to meet me, I’ll never tell him at all.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I’ll worry about Ryan later.”
Kane drove Allison home shortly afterward. He briefly outlined the events that had occurred during the meeting with his father, including his impressions of both the Carters.
He made love to her then with the same urgency he always displayed, but she sensed that a part of him wasn’t with her, that he was still caught up in the events of the evening.
Afterward, for the first time since they’d begun sleeping in the same bed, he’d moved away from her. This time he didn’t gather her back into his arms to sleep, but rose from the bed.
“I’ll be downstairs for a little while.”
“Are you all right?” She sat up and faced him as he pulled on pajama bottoms.
He nodded. “Yeah. Just madder than hell. I wish that scumbag had died years ago.”
She was genuinely shocked. “No,” she said positively. “You don’t.”
“I do.” His voice was adamant. “You don’t know what it was like in there tonight, having to watch my mother deal with that pair.”
“Still,” she said, “dead is forever. Once someone is gone, you can never go back again.”
“Exactly.” He’d left the room then, and she’d finally fallen into a restless sleep. She’d wakened several hours later when he came to bed, and when he’d tucked her in against him in the position in which she usually slept now, she’d finally sighed, feeling comforted despite his odd mood.
Late the next afternoon, her period started.
Kane had gone to the hospital earlier in the day, and Allison was alone in the house. She’d been gathering a load of laundry when the familiar cramping sensation alerted her.
Slowly, she came out of the bathroom and sat on the edge of the bed. She should be relieved that she wasn’t pregnant.
But…she wasn’t. Tears burned at the backs of her eyes and she fiercely pressed her palms against the closed lids, refusing to howl out her disappointment. If she’d been pregnant, she would have a link to Kane forever. A person made from the two of them. And she knew Kane well enough to know that he would never set aside a family that included a child, as her father had.
No, if she’d been pregnant, there would be no question in her mind that her marriage would last. Now…without a child, using birth control to prevent a pregnancy, there was no reason for them to stay together. Oh, she knew what he’d said, several times, about this marriage being a permanent thing. But she also knew that she didn’t have what it took to keep Kane interested in her for long, no matter how attentive he’d been yesterday and last night.
Though he seemed enthralled with her in bed, he was often cool and moody outside of it. When the sexual attraction wore off for him, that would be the end.
You’re being melodramatic and silly, she told herself. Just because your own father behaved like that doesn’t mean Kane will.
But as hard as she tried to be positive, that one tiny doubt couldn’t be erased. If her pretty, charming mother hadn’t been able to hold a man’s interest, how likely was it that she, plain quiet Allison, could do so?
The ringing of the telephone cut off her momentary pessimism and she stood, reaching for the handset.
“Fortune residence, Allison speaking.” The words still gave her a thrill.
“Good afternoon. This is Lloyd Carter. May I speak to Kane?”
She nearly dropped the receiver as she realized she was speaking to Kane’s father. “I’m sorry, Mr. Carter. Kane isn’t available right now.”
“Are you his wife?”
“Yes, sir. May I take a message?”
Lloyd Carter hesitated in response to her question. “Well, I guess you can just tell him I called and ask him to return the call. Tell him I’d like to take him to dinner, have a chance to talk.”
“Thank you, Mr. Carter. I’ll be sure to give him the message.” Although she could imagine the reaction it was likely to provoke.
“You’d be welcome to join us.” His voice warmed. “I’d like to get to know my son’s wife.”
“I’ll tell Kane,” she repeated, not knowing what else to say. “Is there a number where he can reach you?”
As the man reeled off a local number, she wrote it down automatically, wondering if there was any chance at all that Kan
e might be willing to talk with his father. Mr. Carter sounded sincere. And though she abhorred the blackmail to which he’d resorted, she’d also heard Kane’s speculation about the unpleasant Mrs. Carter and her role in the whole plan. Was it possible Lloyd Carter had been manipulated? She wondered, also, what kind of reason he might give for his disappearance from his young family’s lives all those years ago.
She knew better than most how draining it could be to carry a grudge, to nurse anger and pain instead of letting go of the past. On impulse, she pulled the box of her family photos out of the closet where Kane had stored it. She studied the grainy photograph of her father’s face. He’d tried to talk to her about his own leave-taking numerous times, and each time she’d cut him off. He’d died still trying to win her forgiveness, and she hadn’t realized how badly she needed to give it until it was too late.
Pain lanced through her, and she pushed the snapshot out of the way as hot tears of regret splashed down her cheeks. Maybe she could make Kane see how futile it was to hate his father. Maybe she could help him to avoid the lifelong regret she’d always carry.
Kane let himself in quietly, knowing Allison had probably gone to bed several hours ago. He hadn’t needed to stay so long at the hospital, but he’d done it anyway, hoping that he wouldn’t have to face her tonight.
She was just too damned tempting.
It was ridiculous to want any woman the way he wanted her. He could smell her scent in every breath he took, hear her voice in his mind throughout his waking moments. His fingers tingled at the thought of stroking her satiny skin, and his body began to respond to the mere thought of holding her against him.
His blood was pounding through his veins, and he was sweating slightly as he walked up the stairs and entered the bedroom. Annoyed with himself, he refused to glance at the bed as he emptied his pockets and shed his clothing, then headed for the bathroom.
A few minutes later, he slipped into his side of the big bed. His wife was an indistinct blur in the darkness, but her scent clung to the pillows and sheets, making his body react uncomfortably.
A Most Desirable M.D. Page 10
