“You think Jared is father material?” he snarled. “Haven't you figured it out yet? All that attention he showed Matt was to get you into bed."
Like the colors of a kaleidoscope swirling from one symmetrical pattern into another, the times Matt spent with his pal Jared tumbled in her mind. Because of Jared's past, he understood how Matt felt and showed him more love than Paul ever had. If Jared had befriended her son in order to get her into bed, he wouldn't have hesitated to take what she had offered. He said he had stopped because she might be hurt emotionally. Paul would have taken her and never batted an eye at the consequences of his decision.
She lifted her chin. “Yes, I think Jared is father material because he loves Matt."
Paul bolted out of the chair and snatched papers from his coat pocket. “I didn't want to do it this way, but you've given me no choice.” He threw them on the table, sat across from her again and leaned closer.
She reached for them.
His lips twisted into a sneer. He laced his hands together and rested them like paperweights on the documents. “I'm calling the shots here. Not you."
Hatred flowed from his eyes and washed over her.
She folded her arms and raised her chin a notch. “Then shoot, and stop wasting my time."
He pointed to the calendar hanging on the wall. “Today is December seventeenth. There are seven days left before Christmas. You pick one as our wedding day."
She laughed. “It would take you and an army to make me."
He shook his head. “Oh, you'll do it. Because, you'd do anything to protect Grace and this precious house her family's owned for generations."
Her throat went dry. He'd thrown her a curve ball. Some strange tension started to rise inside her. What was he up to? She thought he would try to hurt her through Matt. Even with Paul's money, she knew he could never win in a custody battle. But she had no reason to suspect he would attack her mother. Except that no form of coercion was beyond him. Katherine had underestimated him.
He placed the papers in front of her. “How about a foreclosure notice and confiscation of every asset your mother owns? You think that might do the trick?"
Katherine tried to hide the trembling of her hands as she analyzed documents. If lightening had struck her, she couldn't have been more stunned. She mentally added the mountain of debt bearing her father's signature.
“Let me save you the trouble.” He leaned back, stretched his legs and laced his hands behind his head. “Including the mortgage on this house and signature loans, the debt's total over three hundred fifty thousand dollars. I bought up your father's loans and I'm calling them in. You got that kind of pocket change to pay me back? If you do, you could file papers with the court, prove it, and stop me,” he goaded.
She clenched her teeth and shook her head. Even if she did have the personal assets, she wouldn't want her mother knowing about the outstanding loans.
He grinned. “I didn't think so."
“You went to a lot of time and money to set this blackmail up.” From the date on the documents, she knew he'd purchased the loans right after her father's death. “Why spring this now? You don't give a rat's behind about Matt or me."
His hard gray eyes mocked her. “Money, power, my father's approval, revenge for you defying me and leaving me. You pick which one you think is more important to me."
She wanted to refuse to play his game, but it didn't take a mental giant for her to figure it out. She hoped he choked on her answer. “You'll never have the same level of respect and approval your father has for your brother William. He's earned it."
Paul chuckled and straightened. “Oh, but I will. You're going to help me beat my saintly brother."
She stared at Paul. “How is marrying me again going to accomplish that?"
“My father's retiring at the end of next year. He hasn't announced it yet. When he does retire, he'll be forced to bring one of us into the company to run it."
Another curve ball zinged her way. She would have bet his father would never retire. He'd always insisted Paul and William make it on their own and prove themselves by working in the private sector. Malcolm Cahill refused to let them ride on his coattails by working for him. The global corporate structure he built and ran himself seemed to be his whole life.
“Like you, Katherine, one area I excel in is business. It's important to my father. I'm in line for the presidency of the biggest financial institution in Houston. My competition for that position is less qualified than I am, but the conservative Board of Directors prefer a family man."
“You need us to secure the promotion?” she said quietly.
He nodded. “I told the Board we're getting remarried and I'm bringing you and Matt back after Christmas. Naturally, my father thinks this proves I've settled down.” He thrust his fingers through his hair. “Dammit, you owe me."
“What the hell for?"
Paul's face grew red, and he snapped the pen he held in his hand. “Because of what you cost me when you left me!” he shouted. He leaning across the table, whispered, “You owe me, Katherine."
I sure do. And I sure as hell will pay you back, in spades.
She glanced at him. Malcolm Cahill wasn't stupid. “Won't your father get suspicious?"
He shook his head. “No way. He doesn't think anyone knows he's retiring. He's ill, Katherine. I paid his doctor dearly for that confidential information."
And Paul expected her to pay dearly to save her mother. “Give me a few days to make my decision."
“No.” A look of triumph flashed in his eyes. “What you're going to do is tell me our wedding date."
She craned her neck and glanced at the calendar, pushing the date forward as far as she dared. “Friday afternoon, December twenty-first."
He reached in his pants pocket, retrieved the emerald pendant she'd rejected earlier and threw it on the table. “Wear it.” The corner of his mouth tilted up as he lifted the receiver. “My father's an early riser. The second thing you'll do is confirm we're getting remarried."
He dialed the number and handed her the phone.
Katherine took a deep calming breath as it rang and her former father-in-law answered.
“Hello,” Malcolm said.
“It's Katherine, Malcolm.” Her voice sounded unsteady, her arm shook.
He laughed. “Katherine, what a pleasant surprise. My son tells me he's come to his senses, you've agreed to become his wife again."
She coughed to clear the lump in her throat. “Yes, sir."
“What day is the ceremony?"
“December twenty-first,” she whispered.
He chuckled. “Congratulations. I can't wait to see you and Matt after Christmas. You make sure that son of mine treats you right this time. If he doesn't, you let me know. Promise?"
Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the phone. “I intend doing just that."
Stunned, she listened to the dial tone after Malcolm Cahill had hung up.
Paul snatched the receiver back. “When do you want us to break the good news to your mother and Matt?"
Us! Her jaw dropped open. Never. “I think it needs to come from me first."
He studied her closely. “Maybe you're right. When?"
She needed to stall Paul until she could figure out how to diffuse his threat. “I-I need time. Mother won't believe it, if I don't break it to her gradually. I'll talk to Matt over the next couple of days."
His chin lifted. “Don't stall, Katherine. It won't do you any good."
“I'm not,” she lied. “You want people to believe we're in love.” The word almost choked her. “That takes time."
He lifted the phone again and grinned. “Let's break the wonderful news to your lover."