Chapter 4
Giselle felt a disquiet; something felt wrong. Her heart pounded as Donovan hovered nearby. He noticed her, too. Their eyes met, and the world seemed to freeze. He stared, as if she were a monster. Neither could look away.
“Don!” Tony called, grinning and waving. “Come on, have a seat! So sorry about that—a little family disagreement. I thought you’d be late. Please, sit!” Leaning close to Giselle, he hissed, “That’s Anne’s fiancé. An honored guest. Don’t cause a scene. Leave. Now!”
Fiancé? The word hit Giselle like a blow. She stiffened, her gaze snapping back to Donovan. Renee rushed over, apologizing profusely. “Don, I’m so sorry about earlier. I’m embarrassed you saw this mess on your first visit.”
“I’m sorry! That’s Tony’s daughter from his ex-wife. She gets her way and stirs up trouble.” Renee, worried Giselle’s reputation might damage the Holts-Kanes marriage, quickly explained, “But she doesn’t live with us. Tony and I will handle this.”
Donovan said nothing, only giving Giselle a cold glance. His disdain was clear. He’d slept with her for a year—long enough to know her wild, selfish, and mercenary side. He’d also just witnessed her slap Renee.
“Giselle, must you disrupt everything when you return?” Anne approached, feigning gentleness, reaching for Giselle’s hair. “If Mom upset you, I apologize. Take it out on me. Just not on her. She has a heart condition—”
“Get off me.” Giselle hated being touched, especially by someone as insincere as Anne. She shoved Anne, sending her stumbling. Donovan caught her.
His eyes locked on Giselle, burning with fury. He growled, “Touch her again. I dare you.” The threat stunned Giselle. Seeing him protective of Anne, so fragile in his arms, hammered home the truth: he was marrying Anne.
A smirk twisted Giselle’s lips. “Gladly.” Nothing angered her more than threats. She grabbed a glass of water from a housekeeper’s tray, flung the contents in Anne’s face, tossed the empty glass in the trash, grabbed her bag, and headed for the door.
A hand seized her arm. Donovan’s dark, stormy gaze burned with barely controlled fury. She tried to pull free, but his grip tightened painfully. Exhausted, she taunted, “What the hell are you doing, groping me? Trying to rape me?”