Page 62 of The Rejected Wife

James switches his cigar from one end of his mouth to the other and smirks at me.

“He does?” Connor picks up on what James said.

It’s been a week since my conversation with Arthur. A week during which Serene seems to be sleeping better at night. Other than one night when she had a nightmare, she’s slept through the others. Which means, for the first time in almost a year, I feel wide awake and alert.

I'm sure it’s Priscilla’s presence in my daughter’s life that's led to her feeling more secure. Which, in turn, has led to Serene sleeping better. My daughter seems more at ease, happier, more content. It’s clear Cilla is the only person for me.

We had—still have—a connection. But so much has happened since I asked her to leave my penthouse that day. We’re both different people now. How can I ask her now without seeming like I'm doing it because it's convenient? If she gets pissed off and resigns from her job as Serene’s nanny, then I’ll have lost her. If she feels the same way I do, and I ask someone else to marry me just to avoid upsetting her, again I’d lose her.

But if she stays—what then?

I’d be trapped in a loveless marriage, watching the only woman I want take care of my daughter, day after day, just out of reach. It would destroy me.

Arthur’s decree has me cornered. I know what I want—whoI want—but how do I get her to marry me without pushing her away?

Unbidden, my gaze strays to the app open on my phone. It’s linked to the cameras trained on Serene’s bedroom. I use it to keep an eye on my daughter. Parents do it all the time. And if I end up sneaking peeks at my new nanny while she's in my daughter’s room, it’s simply because she happens to be in the same space as Serene.

It has nothing to do with how the sight of her gives me as much pleasure as my daughter. It has nothing to do with the ring burning a hole in the pocket of my pants either.I only need to find the right time to propose to her.That’s not what’s making me nervous and jumpy and pissed off at my brothers. That, and the fact that every time one of them talks or asks after Priscilla, I want to tell them to not speak her name. That’s how possessive I feel about her.

“Are we referring to the tension between him and Priscilla at her engagement to Knox? Which, by the way, did not go unnoticed,” Nathan muses.

“It wasn’t a real engagement.” I glare at my older brother, only to find him fighting hard to stifle a smile. He’s trying to get a rise out of me. Once my brothers got married, they seemed to want the rest of us bachelors settled. For men who complained bitterly about Arthur’s machinations, they seemed to move over to his school of thought quickly once they get their Happily Ever Afters.

"Don’t you guys have anything else to do beside worry about my personal life?" I glance around the table.

"You admit hiring Priscillaislinked to your personal life?" Brody tosses his cards into the pile.

"Of course, hiring her is linked to my personal life. She's taking care of my daughter.” I turn on him, only to notice his eyes gleaming. "Wanker," I say mildly.

The fact that my normally reticent brother has joined in on the ribbing tells me they’ve, indeed, discussed me when I’m not around.

"How is it that we’ve been granted the pleasure of your company?" I turn on James in a bid to move the spotlight from me. "Thought you were married to your restaurant?"

"I am." James surveys his cards. "But even I need a break…on occasion."

"Anything to do with a certain member of your team?" I can’t resist asking.

His features darken. "Don’t remind me."

"So, youdidcome here to get away from said sous-chef?" Connor theorizes.

"I’m the boss." James glowers at him. "What I do with my time has nothing to do with my team. I needed some downtime, is all."

"And you chose to spend it with us? I’m so humbled." My voice oozes mock gratitude.

James looks at me, then places an Ace of Spades and Ace of Hearts on the table.

Brody groans.

I chuckle. "You have the luck of the devil, don’t you?"

"Not always," James murmurs. There’s a look in his eye hinting at shadows from his past. I know, he’s referring to a particular mission that went badly for him. He sees the understanding in my eyes, and his own shutter.

He has his secrets. As do I. Neither one of us is going to betray the other about it.

I deal the next hand.

Brody looks at his and groans, then throws his cards face down and folds.

---