Page 121 of The Devil's Heir

I try to step back, away from her touch, but Heath's grip on the chain won't let me. I don't trust this bitch to be this close to me or the baby.

"I told Jarek that I'd have his heir for him, you know. I'm still young enough…"

"You can't be serious! You were married to his uncle—and he's like half your age!" I say incredulously.

"So what? I'm still as beautiful as ever, and the men love me," Carmen states, then turns her eyes to Heath and asks, "Don't you?"

The corner of his lip tilts up. "Yeah, you're a wildcat, Carmen."

"I think it's called a cougar," I mumble, rolling my eyes.

Carmen finds my little jab amusing and smiles. She steps closer and stares down her nose at me. "I will be the one to have the next Falcon heir. You can either take the money I'm willing to give you and leave the country, or you will leave on the next shipment, and God only knows whose hands you will end up in."

She grabs my chin and narrows her eyes, turning my head from side to side. I jerk away, and she releases me, but only to turn the same narrowed eyes on Heath.

"I told you not to touch her. Where did all these bruises come from?"

Heath shrugs. "She's a klutz. What can I say?"

"That's a lie! You hit me multiple times the first day I was here."

"You're lucky that's all I did, Princess. You deserved more!" he growls.

"Enough!" Carmen barks. Her attention is trained on me again as she asks, "So, what will it be? Will you leave on your own, or will we do this the hard way?"

I think about her offer. It's what I've been wanting, isn't it? To be free to do as I please and not have to worry about money? But now—I have a baby to think about, and I have Jarek. How can I let him believe that money meant more to me than what we've had? God, am I hearing what's coming out of my mouth?

Just a few weeks ago, I was ready to leave as soon as I had this baby, and now? Now, I'm thinking about how much it would hurt Jarek if I took Carmen's offer. Looking back, things have been great, and I've seen a different side to the devil. I love what we have now. Hell, I think I may even lovehim!

I let my defiance shine through as I stare at Carmen and proudly state, "I don't want your money, Carmen.I'mhaving Jarek's heir, not you."

The sinister grin on her blood-red lips sends chills up my spine, but I don't back down.

"You should know I don't make idle threats, little girl. Be sure you can handle the heat before stepping into the fire." The older woman crosses her arms, lifting one of her drawn-on eyebrows.

"I can handle it just fine. The question is, can you? Once Jarek finds out that you're the one who had me abducted, there will be no place for you to hide. He will come for you." I truly don't know how good Jarek is at finding people, but I'm putting my faith in the devil himself.

An amused laugh escapes Carmen's lips. "Please, Jarek is still a boy playing at being a man. He's the least of my worries. He will be a good boy and do as his Aunt Carmen says, just like the good old days. After all, I have something that he treasures." Her eyes wander back to my mid-section before she spins and walks to the door.

Carmen pauses and looks over her shoulder. "I'll give you twenty-four hours to reconsider, then all deals are off." She opens the door and disappears.

I stare after her in disbelief. I can't believe those are the two choices she gave me!

"Come on. Back downstairs you go." Heath pulls at the chain, forcing me to follow him.

"Please don't put me back down there!" I beg.

"Sorry, Princess. I can't chance you getting away," he replies, dragging me back into the darkness.

"What happened to you, Heath? We used to be best friends…"

"You screwed me over, Lily. That's what happened."

"You were going to pimp me out!"

"I was trying to make us some money. Nothing is free, Liliana."

I just gawk at him. "No, but there were other ways. We could have left and made a life elsewhere, but you had to go screw it up." I march back over to the corner where he keeps me chained and wait for him to lock the chain in place.