Contract Of Shame (Page 24)

Looking closer he saw his father standing directly behind the woman. His dad had a hand on the woman’s shoulder, and his nanny had her own placed over his fathers.

Richard thought of his parents’ anniversary and of Wayne and Lily. He even thought about his time spent with Scarlet. People who cared about each other and loved each other. They couldn’t help but touch.

“You’d just won a football game in that picture,” his dad said from the doorway.

“I remember,” Richard recalled the game, but he couldn’t recall the woman in the picture. “Who’s the woman in the picture?”

“Woman? Oh, her name was Natasha, I think. Nice girl.” His dad looked uncomfortable. “Your mother said you were here.”

“So I am.”

“You haven’t been here in years.”

Richard stared at the picture. “Why are you lying?” he asked. Never before had he pulled his dad up on a lie.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really?” He was tired of the lies. Thirty plus years, a grown man he didn’t need to be protected anymore. Richard slammed the picture in his father’s hand. “Because the last time I checked you’ve never looked so f**king happy in any of the pictures with my mother. What was it you once said to me? Keep the woman you want as a mistress? So I’ll ask you again. Who is she?”

“You clearly are in a bad mood and looking for a fight, so I’m going—”

“No. You’re f**king not. For too long you’ve left me in the dark. Who is this woman?”

Richard knew he wasn’t getting though, and his dad turned to leave. “I’m going to marry the woman I love. Her name’s Scarlet Hughes. She’s amazing and has a son whom I love.”

His dad stopped at the door, his hand out to grasp the handle. “Your mother would never accept it.”

“Do you think I give a f**k what she thinks?”

“Didn’t you listen to anything I’ve told you?”

Richard stared at the man he’d listened to his whole young life, the man whose rules he’d followed without question.

“I listened, and I ended up a miserable old bastard like you. If I keep listening to your wonderful advice I’ll be married to someone I can’t stand and wish to constantly be anywhere but at home. Isn’t that what you do? You’re with us, but you really want to be with her?”

For minutes Richard waited, but when his dad didn’t say anything he gave up. “Forget it,” he told him and went to walk out of the room.

His dad grabbed him and shut the door.

“I was already married to your mother, and you were born. I did it because my parents told me to marry her. I don’t know what happened along the way, but we went from completely earning our keep to marrying into more and more money. It’s why the Shaw name is as powerful as it is today. Natasha Glass was the first and only nanny we employed for you.”

Richard stood and waited.

“She was so beautiful and happy all the time. You were always happy. She used to sing and cook. I found I enjoyed coming home and got distracted at work easily thinking about her. I fell in love with her within weeks of her being here. The job was a live-in, and one day I walked into her bathroom. She was naked, and I couldn’t turn away.”

His dad was visibly shaking. “My life had turned into visions of her. She told me to get out, and then one night one thing led to another; and we became lovers. Natasha hated it. She hated the fact I was married, but she didn’t want me to divorce your mother. I was stuck. Of course your mum found out and made her life a f**king misery.”

“She lives in a house in the country, and I visit her as regularly as I can.”

“You’re a f**king coward,” Richard said. “To think I believed everything that came out of your mouth. Natasha deserves a man who isn’t afraid to cut the shit and admit he wanted someone much better.”

He charged out of the house without looking back. Moving forward to confess and find the love of his life.

Richard had f**ked up once. Scarlet and Harry Hughes were his, and he wouldn’t let them go again.

Chapter Fourteen

“I was wondering if you could tell me where Scarlet Hughes is?” Richard asked the man behind the counter.

“I’m sorry, sir, but I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

He stood in a hotel reception in another city far away from where he lived. Richard couldn’t believe how easily she’d upped and moved from the area. It broke his heart to think he’d caused her to move so far away. He didn’t like to think of how he’d bribed this information out of John Barnes. Only because Richard had promised to bring her back home did John allow him to know she worked at this f**king hotel. He hated the look of the place on sight. His parents came to eat regularly here. “Look, I know you’re not used to men coming here, but I swear I only want to talk to her.”

“Scarlet Hughes requested for privacy. I can’t give any information about her. I suggest you go and eat a nice, cozy meal. John is a friend of mine.” The man glanced behind him.

Richard frowned at his choice of words. Giving up, he walked into the restaurant and decided to at least drown his sorrows in a whisky bottle.

The maitre d’ found him a seat overlooking the whole room. As he perused the menu the distinct scent of cinnamon overcame him, and he placed the menu down and gazed up at Scarlet.

“What can I get you, sir?” Her voice was still as addictive as ever.

She stopped and stared at him.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“You,” he replied.

“If you’re going to take the mickey then I suggest you leave.” She turned away and as much as he liked looking at that cute ass, he had stuff he wanted to say.

“Where’s Harry?” he asked.

She froze. “What do you care?”

“I care. I care a hell of a lot.” Richard stared out in the crowd and saw his mother and father staring at him. His dad looked impressed as he glanced at Scarlet, and his mother looked like she wanted to stab him.

“Go away,” she said. He caught her wrist and held her steady.

“I’m not letting you go this time.”

“Why?” she whispered.

“Because I love you.” She stopped and turned back. A few of the other couples had stopped what they were doing to stare at the commotion happening at the front of the restaurant.