Oliver nodded. “Keep an eye out for him. And don’t hesitate to work with the al Mussad guards.” Of course, they’d brought their own. “They’re some of the best in the world.”
He turned back and had to hustle to catch up with his prey. She wasn’t lollygagging about, waiting to talk to him. She marched straight for the ballroom, likely prepared to hunt down Callum and cause a scene—along with massive problems for the whole family.
Luckily, Rory blocked her path before she could rush in. “Hello.”
Thea eyed him as though weighing whether she could rush past him.
Oliver intended to shut down that line of thinking. “Why don’t you join us in the office? We’ll have a good chat.”
He tried to sound non-threatening, friendly even. Surely he could manage that for a few minutes. If they could pass the evening with only minimal damage, Tori might not even have to know anything had happened at all. She might believe the Thurston-Hughes brothers could make it through one night without being at the center of a tabloid-worthy story.
Thea’s eyes narrowed. “He’s in there with that whore, isn’t he?”
And just like that, Oliver abandoned the non-threatening approach. “You had better not be talking about the woman I think you are.”
Her lips curled up in a smirk. “She might be related by marriage to Middle Eastern royalty, but that pathetic American is nothing more than a whore looking to elevate herself.”
“That’s the pot calling the kettle black,” Rory said under his breath, scanning the area. “Oliver, we should move this somewhere private.”
When Oliver glanced behind him, he winced. Sure enough, the reporter from The Sun was talking to the guard. She wouldn’t get anything out of him, but if Thea didn’t keep her voice down, that professional gossip in the black dress would hear far too much.
With a scowl, Oliver took hold of Thea’s arm and began escorting her toward the security office.
She struggled. “You can’t keep me from Callum. He’s the father of my unborn child.”
Oliver dragged her into the little room and slammed the door, flipping on the glaring light overhead. He dissected the conniving bitch with his stare. Instantly, he knew his brother was telling the truth. Callum might make mistakes, but never one this big. Oliver sensed that Thea and Yasmin were kindred spirits, the sort of women willing to tell any lie to get their way.
“I don’t believe you, Ms. Palmer. I grant that my brother fucked you last year before his injury, but not since then. You cannot possibly be carrying his child.”
She had the temerity to look shocked by his bluntness. “How dare you!”
Oliver ignored her. “I’ll make you a one-time offer. I’ll write you a check for a hundred thousand pounds if you agree to recant the story that Callum is the father of your baby. You’ll have to sign paperwork to that effect, of course.”
“Oliver,” Rory barked. “You can’t reward her lies.”
“I’d rather not, but I won’t have this hanging over our heads for the next year.” They had enough problems to deal with. “Once she’s signed, if she comes after Callum in any way, we’ll sue her.”
“And if she’s truly pregnant?” Rory argued.
“Then she shouldn’t be doing cocaine. There’s a bit of it still on your nose.” A smudge of white powder clung to her nostril, and her eyes had gone a little glassy. The fact that he’d ever believed, even for a moment, that his brother might impregnate such a creature made Oliver sick.
Tori, on the other hand, was a different animal. He could imagine perfectly well Callum trying to get her with child. He would do it to secure a future with her, but Oliver refused to allow that. Callum might think it was all right to pursue her because her fiancé apparently neglected her, but he must see the dishonor in that play. Tori had chosen another man. The people in her life should respect that choice, no matter how badly they wanted her for their own.
Thea rubbed her free hand across her nose. “It’s not what you think.”
“It’s exactly what I think. You’re looking for a payoff. I’m offering you one.”
Again, she pulled out the mock distress. “I want Cal. I love Cal.”
“I seriously doubt that. I’ll do what I need to protect my brother. This is a one-time offer, Ms. Palmer. If you don’t agree now, I’ll come after you with everything I have and destroy your credibility. And I assure you, I have a great deal of pull.”
Tears filled her eyes. “You can’t do this to me.”
“I can and I will. I’m the head of this family. I protect it. I have no qualms about eradicating any future you have in order to help my brother. I’ve had a private investigator look into your basic background. I already know some very interesting things about you. If you refuse me now, tomorrow morning I’ll have him dig deeper, especially into your sexual habits these past few months. I have no doubt he’ll find enough dirt to make a mockery of you and your claims in every paper across the country.”
Her mouth pursed and her face turned purple with fury. “I want to talk to Callum.”
“You may be used to getting what you want, but I’ll make certain you don’t get anywhere near him.”
“Because he’s with that whore, isn’t he? I know exactly who she is. I’ve seen them at dinner together, watched Callum escort her around London as if she’s some fucking princess. If I see a single negative piece about me in the papers, I’ll make sure everyone knows what a slut Torrance Glen is.” Thea pulled away. “I won’t allow her to take my man.”