Entangled (Vice Games) by Alice Cooper Page A

to his wife. Lauren leaned over and her eyes grew wide with disbelieve.
    ‘The test was done yesterday and hence her absence from Annabelle’s math lesson. I’m sure you’ve been informed. It was also the reason why I was absent from my meeting with you at the office yesterday afternoon.’
    ‘Is this true?’ Karen questioned him. Elliot Vice’s silence only confirmed what Tristan had just said.
    Lauren could not take it anymore and immediately stood up. She left the dining room and when she was far away enough, we heard the echoes of her furious scream reverberate through the corridors. The butlers came in with the dinner - a serving of steak, potatoes, carrots and peas with the most glorious smelling gravy. But Karen was not in a mood to eat. She left as soon as the plates were placed down in front of us.
    ‘Bon appetite,’ said Anna as she grinned and began to cut into her steak.

Chapter 12 – The talk
     
     
     
     
    Anna has never enjoyed any sort of meal at the Main House since her birth mother passed away. She was bouncing like a balloon when we returned to Tristan’s house and decided to announce the news of my pregnancy to Lorraine and Jace.
    ‘I’m going to be an aunt!’ she screamed at the top of her lungs.
    ‘Off to bed you go,’ Tristan said to her. Anna squealed and gave me a tight hug before she bounded up the stairs. Lorraine and Jace came out of their rooms. They were old and wise enough not to be easily convinced as Anna.
    ‘Master Tristan,’ Jace began.
    ‘It is my day off tomorrow and I’m sure we can talk whatever it is you want to talk about then,’ he said to his trusted gardener and chauffer. ‘That goes to you too, Lorraine.’
    They looked towards me with an explanation but I was mentally exhausted from the intensity of the dinner lies.
    ‘I am going to bed,’ I said and quickly made my way upstairs.
    Anna was already in her pajamas and her mind bubbled with questions. However, she quickly held her tongue and continued with her grin when Tristan stood at my door, his arm above his head and rested against the frame. I turned and was taken aback by the appearance. His suit jacket buttons were undone and it showed his off his cream white shirt that fitted snuggly on his strong torso.
    ‘I’ll go and sleep in my room tonight,’ she said.
    ‘Anna,’ I started but the girl was already gone. Tristan stepped inside and closed the door after him.
    ‘What are you doing?’
    ‘What do you think I’m going to do?’ he asked as he narrowed his eyes playfully at me. It made my heart skip a beat. He approached me and something about his sudden movement made be back away defensively. It was undeniable that I was certainly attracted to him but everything that occurred in the past few hours was more than I could process in one night.
    I took the ring off my finger and held it out to him.
    ‘You can have it back now,’ I said.
    Tristan smirked and took a step closer towards me. It gave him a devilish sort of look upon his face and that made my pulse quicken. He picked up the ring off my palm and as I dropped my hand, he took hold of it and held it securely in his hand. Tristan slipped the dazzling rock back onto my finger again.
    ‘Keep it on,’ he said. ‘You’re going to be watched closely for the next few months.’
    ‘Few months?’ I found myself repeating.
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘And the matter concerning our non-existent child?’
    ‘You have at least a month or two before they begin to notice anything, though I’m sure that a false baby bump can be arranged.’
    ‘I’m not going to wear a fake bump.’
    ‘Would you like to make it a real one?’
    My mouth dropped at his suggestion and I immediately reached out with my free hand and grabbed the pillow on the bed. I hit him as hard as I could with it. There was a soft thud as the goose feathers deflated against the impact and only made Tristan laugh. The sudden change in the way he spoke to me surprised and terrified