Page 51 of Toxic Temptation
“I don’t need to prove anything except that you’re neglecting and abusing your son.”
Her face crumples. The transformation is seamless—from rage to sorrow in a blink. If I didn’t know her so well, I might actually believe it.
“Please, Kovan.” Tears start flowing, as per my suggestion. “Don’t do this. He’s my son. I haven’t always been perfect, but who is? I’m trying. I love him. Don’t take him from me.”
I’m unmoved. “You missed your calling. Should’ve been an actress.”
She struggles to maintain her heartbroken expression while fury burns in her eyes. It’s almost amusing, the two warring in her face. As always, hate wins in the end.
“Sign the papers and I won’t cut your allowance,” I offer. “We’ll call it even.”
Her eyes flash. She can smell the opportunity. But signing means admitting she’s willing to sell her child for money.
“This isn’t the end,” she says slowly. “You only want temporary custody so you can sue for permanent custody. You’re trying to steal my son.”
“It’s not stealing if I tell you what I’m doing.” I pick up the pen and hold it out. “Sign. You don’t have a choice.”
After another agonizing moment’s hesitation, she snatches the pen and scrawls her signature across the paper, the ink bleeding from the force. Then she throws the pen at my feet.
I pick it up without comment. “Good girl.”
“Fuck you.” Venom drips from every word. “You’re not getting away with this. No court will give you full custody as long as I’m alive.”
“Don’t give me ideas.”
Her eyes narrow to slits. “You wouldn’t dare. You hate me. You might evenwantto kill me. But you’d never do that to Luka.”
She’s right. The bitch has me there.
“You think you have the upper hand, but you’re wrong.” She steps closer. “I’m your sister-in-law. Family. Which means I know your secrets. And I’m not talking about the metaphorical skeletons in your closet.”
My blood goes cold, but I don’t let it show.
“We all have skeletons, Yana,” I say instead. “If you don’t want yours exposed, be careful who you threaten.”
“It’s not a threat.” Her smile turns vicious. “It’s a promise.”
“Then I have nothing to worry about.” I fold the signed papers and slide them back into my jacket. “You were never very good at keeping promises.”
She shoves me as hard as she can. “Get out of my house.”
This time, my smile is genuine. “With pleasure.”
18
VESPER
The sound of a key in the door puts the fear of God in me. Only one person has that key.
Unless…
“Coffee!” Charity announces, bursting through my door with the energy of someone who’s already had three cups. “And before you say you don’t need any, yes, you do. You look like death warmed over.”
Glad it’s my best friend and not the man I can’t stop thinking about, I gesture weakly toward the French press. “Already made some.”
“Good girl.” She drops a bakery box on my counter with a thud. “Croissants. Day-old, but they’ll do. When’s the last time you ate actual food?”
“I eat.”
