Two Can Play (Celeste and Dominic) novel Chapter 557

I wanted the wedding, the whole thing, with Scarlett, but she did not want it. She was only ever worried about Tasha."

He paused. "I knew you were about to match me with that Imelda girl. I did not like the idea, and I did not want to hurt your feelings. So I decided to kill two birds with one stone, and gave Tasha a contract marriage.

She is my wife in name only. In public, people see her as my wife. In private, she has no rights at all. Scarlett is the one I love. Scarlett is the one who shares my bed and I want to spend my life with her. The contract with Tasha expires in a year or less, and then Tasha will be gone from my life. Until then, she and Scarlett will keep living with me, but only because I am helping her. I have nothing, absolutely nothing intimate with Tasha."

"But that is not what you told me." Granny's voice had gone thin. "You told me Tasha's parents were dead. You told me you saved her from from... you painted that girl as a victim."

"I know. I know." Sparrow raised a hand. "At the time, I did what I had to do. You were already lining up another girl for me, and I needed you to relax and stop trying to decide who I spend my life with, the way you tried to decide it for Dominic."

Granny's mouth pressed into a hard, thin line.

"Listen to me, Granny. I know you mean well. But even Tasha understands this is an arrangement. She signed the contract. She knows she is not my wife. So if I choose to bring the woman I love to my brother's engagement party, it is not an issue. It should not be one. Certainly not for you."

She shook her head slowly, back and forth, as if she could shake the whole conversation out of her ears.

"No. This cannot be. This is not what Tasha told me. I spoke with her. I could see how sad she was. I could see her suffering. She told me she loves you. I felt it, Sparrow. She made me feel it."

Granny stared up at him for a long moment. Then she sighed, and the sigh seemed to let all the air out of her, the burgundy silk and the diamonds suddenly looking like a costume on a very old woman.

"So that means no great grandchildren from Tasha." She said it quietly, to no one in particular."

"No," Sparrow said. "No great grandchildren from me at all. Don't expect any, Granny."

"What does that mean?" She looked up sharply. "You just said you love Scarlett. You said you want to be with her. Surely you will start a family with her and give me great-grandchildren. Right?"