Page 31 of Bound By Her Shocking Secret

‘When will you be back?’ Mia had asked nonchalantly.

‘Before the weekend.’

But it was Friday night now, and he was not back. He was still in Manhattan on business. Not that Mia had any jurisdiction over him, so she shouldn’t even be wondering about it, or feeling a disturbing pang of disappointment.

He’d called a couple of times during the week, mainly to ask about Lexi. He’d asked that Mia send him videos of Lexi every day and she had, feeling a very disturbing glow of warmth in her chest at his interest in his daughter.

During their conversation on Wednesday night he’d commented, ‘You were working today?’

Mia had immediately felt defensive. ‘Yes, it was a small job, booked in before...all this. Odile came with me and brought Lexi.’

‘It wasn’t a criticism, Mia. I know you work.’

She’d relaxed marginally and said dryly, ‘Actually, my agent told me today that she’s never had so many calls asking about my availability. It would appear my stock has risen all of a sudden.’

‘You know you’re not under pressure to work, Mia,’ Daniel had responded. ‘You don’t have to worry about money.’

She’d tensed. ‘I support myself, Daniel. I always have and I always will. We don’t need—’

‘You’re the mother of my child,’ Daniel had cut in, and then muttered something under his breath about her being stubborn. ‘Lexi is now my responsibility too. You can work and save all you want, but you’re not her sole provider any more.’

Mia had bitten her lip. Of course she wouldn’t deprive her child of support from her father, but after that call she’d wondered how it would work—Lexi living a life of luxury with herpapaand then coming back to a much more modest existence with her mother.

Now, feeling the onset of a headache, Mia was picking up Lexi’s discarded items when she heard her mobile phone ringing and plucked it out of the back pocket of her jeans.

Daniel.

She answered, her voice sounding unaccountably husky. ‘Hi.’

‘Hi,’ Daniel replied.

He sounded a little tired, and Mia had a mental image of him loosening his tie. Sitting back in a big chair. The skyline of Manhattan behind him. Because surely he must be in one of those sky-skimming buildings with a jaw-dropping view?

Mia perched on the edge of a couch. The apartment was dimly lit. It somehow felt more intimate to have Daniel’s voice in her ear through the phone than if he was here himself.

He said, ‘I’m sorry I didn’t make it back before the weekend.’

Something fluttered in Mia’s chest. She crushed it. ‘That’s okay. You don’t have to explain your movements, Daniel.’

There was a dry tone in his voice. ‘You’re not my roommate, Mia. You’re the mother of my daughter.’

Mia scowled into the phone.

Then Daniel said, ‘Actually, my plans have changed.’

‘Oh?’

‘Are your and Lexi’s passports up to date?’

As it happened, Mia had had to renew her passport recently, so she’d ordered Lexi’s first passport too.

‘Yes...’ she answered cautiously, with no idea where this was going.

‘Good. I have to fly to Costa Rica tomorrow for a week, to oversee a shoot. I’d like you and Lexi to join me. You’ll fly out tomorrow on a private plane. Odile is free to travel with you, to help take care of Lexi. I’ve already spoken to her to check.’

Mia’s mouth dropped open in shock, but before she could say anything or object Daniel spoke again.

‘To save us all some time, I’ll explain why it’s a good idea. With all of us being absent from Paris for a while, it’ll speed up the process of the press losing interest. By the time we return they’ll have moved on. We’ll be old news.’

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