Page 24 of Bryson

Barbara jolted and had to make a concentrated effort to put her cup down, but even so, it rattled hard enough to spill some of the liquid into the saucer.

"You did not discuss that with me. I-"

"What's there to discuss?" He gave her a hard stare. "Mother, I'm warning you now that if you start anything, make it difficult for her to be here, you will answer to me. You drove her away before and I stood by and allowed it to happen. I never fought for her. Now it's different. She's the woman I'm in love with and more than that, she's the woman carrying my baby. She's in a delicate state and I want her to want to stay. Am I clear?"

He watched as she lifted her chin, eyes bright. "She might not want to stay, has that occurred to you? She left of her own volition-"

"Did she?" he asked softly. Scooping up some eggs, he ate and chewed, his eyes trained on her. "I've been looking back on what happened in the past and remembering some things Julianne said to me. You objected to her from the very start and I never paid that any attention. I figured you would come around because I'm your son and you always said how much you wanted me to be happy. But I'm beginning to think that what happened with dad is still uppermost on your mind."

Pushing away the plate, he leaned his elbows on the table and stared at her intently. "I'm not him. Julianne is not the woman who was involved with him. I love her. Yes, Mother. I'm completely head over heels in love with her. She's the only woman I want, the only one for me, and if you cannot accept that. Well-" He shoved away from the table, determination stamped on his handsome face. "Please don't let me choose."

She sat there, her hands trembling as she watched him stride from the room, her heart breaking into pieces.

"You think you've won."

"Won?" he asked mildly as he took his position on the chair at the side of the bed. He had left to go back to the ranch with the instructions that he was to be apprised of any changes to her condition. But he was grateful to see her propped up on the pillows and wearing the pink and green robe he had had sent to the hospital among other things. "I wasn't aware there was a competition." Leaning over, he aimed for her lips, settling for her cheek when she turned her head to the side.

"I'm not staying in bed."

"Of course you are." There was a steely, determined glint in his eyes as he stared at her. "You're going to do everything the very talented and caring doctors tell you to do, and I'll be on hand to ensure that you obey their orders."

He lifted his thick brows as she glared at him.

"I'm not living at the ranch. I will be staying at the cottage-"

"I have already returned the keys. Your last day would have been this morning. I had your things moved into my suite at the ranch." He looked unconcerned at her malevolent stare.

"You think you can control me?" she hissed.

"I think I'm the father of that baby growing inside you. I'm also the man who had to run tearing from my bed to come and be a witness to you bleeding out, the blood soaking through your clothing and the sheets." His own eyes glittered with the awful memory.

"I was the guy who had to endure seeing your face twisted in pain and had to drive and try and concentrate on the road, streets littered with the aftereffects of a bloody furious storm to get you here on time. So, yes, if that's what you want to call controlling you, then so be it. I don't give a damn. All I know is that you're not going anywhere. You're staying put."

If she hadn't seen the aching look of pain on his handsome face, she would have reacted more, but it occurred to her that he must have been scared out of his wits, and he was here with her. He had left for a few minutes and was back. She had also heard talk about the damage done by the storm and knew he had a tremendous amount of work to do, but he was here with her.

"You don't have to stay," she said grudgingly.

"And miss the gleam of your smile that highlights my life? Not a chance." Grinning at the dirty look she gave him, he climbed into bed with her.

Chapter 8

It pained her heart to realize that she had to toe the line. Her son had made it plain that she had to fall in line or else. That woman was coming to live in her home. She had had to endure her being here at the ranch for a year until she had gotten rid of her. Now she was back and it seemed that she would be staying.

She had been forced to supervise the changes her son had insisted on with regards to his suite. He wanted things moved from his closet to accommodate hers. More towels had been put into the bathroom, and a maid had unpacked her clothing and stored them away inside the huge closet.

Her son had also ordered some things online at Romano's and they were being delivered tomorrow. She hardly ever saw him. He would attend to his duties on the ranch early in the morning and then he would be at the hospital. He was in and out, from the ranch to the hospital to check on her.

There was nothing she could do. She was going to have to pretend to welcome that woman in her home and try not to show her distaste for the fact that her son was going to be shacking up with her.

Sara-Lee had failed her, and she had wasted no time letting her know how much. But she was still hopeful. The woman was in a precarious situation. She was not out of danger yet. She was going to have to be extremely careful, or she would end uplosing the fetus. She would be basically bedridden, and Barbara knew that a woman like Julianne Merrywood with her driving ambition would soon find that to be chafing.

There was no way she was going to agree to that kind of arrangement for very long.

She would just have to wait patiently for the time when she simply left. Her son might have blinders on, but she was seeing clearly. She would get tired and want to leave, or she might just have a miscarriage after all.

With that in mind, Barbara firmed her lips and went about seeing to the decorating changes with a grim smile on her lips. She would endure the woman being inside her space. After all, it was a big ranch, and she would be spending most of her time in Bryson's suite. She would be polite and courteous. After all, she was a McNab and could tolerate an intolerable situation.

She would play hostess if it killed her and just wait for her to leave or for something to drive a wedge between her and Bryson. She had no doubt that would happen very soon.