Michael's Father. Melinda Curtis
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by snaring those around him within his intricate plans for success, disregarding their personal goals or dreams while pursuing his own. If she allowed her grandfather to force her into marriage with her baby’s father, his life—all of their lives—would never be their own again. Proud and independent, her former lover would never forgive her. It would be a shell of a marriage, despite the love for him that she still guarded.
Rising unsteadily to her feet, Cori shook her head, unable to speak past the tangle of hurt and disappointment. She avoided looking at herself in the mirror, knowing what she’d see—a pale, straggly haired blonde with hollow cheeks and dull brown eyes that should be radiating happiness and hope for the future on this, her graduation day. Instead, everything about her was thin and sunken after two weeks of morning sickness.
On shaky legs, Cori almost made it back to the small red couch before Salvatore Messina spoke.
“I want you to consider this carefully, because I will not support a bastard.”
His words dropped heavily between them. A line was being drawn.
Slowly, Cori turned to face her grandfather, trapped by the determined look in his eyes, emphasized by silver brows drawn low.
“He doesn’t want me.” The words, no less than the truth, still had the ability to wound her. After the awful things she’d said to her lover, the hurtful way they’d parted, she was sure he never wanted to see her again. He certainly hadn’t called since the night their baby had been conceived. Cori was convinced that their love had blossomed at the wrong time. They were young; they each had goals. Goals that were too divergent for even love to overcome.
Cori hadn’t thought her grandfather’s expression could get any darker.
“Then, we’ll buy this baby a name. Everyone has his price.” Salvatore Messina pushed past Cori and began to pace the small room once more. “We’ll find his, just like we did with John Sinclair.”
“No.” Dismay guided Cori’s hands over the slight swelling of her belly as if she could cover the ears of the little one growing inside her. She’d picked up hints over the years that her grandfather and her long-estranged father, John Sinclair, hadn’t gotten along, but to have her grandfather confirm that Sophia and John Sinclair’s marriage had been forced shook Cori’s composure. Was that why John Sinclair left them without a backward glance, abandoning his young family and a promising career in the wine industry? Cori couldn’t let this happen to her—or to her baby’s father.
“History repeats itself,” Salvatore said, as if reading her thoughts. His pace quickened and his eyes speared madly about the room as if looking for a target. He pulled a slim, chrome cell phone out of his pocket. “You can’t represent Messina Vineyards on the wine tour this summer unmarried and pregnant. Tell me his name and I won’t totally ruin him.”
Cori drew an unsteady breath, knowing she couldn’t divulge his name now. Her grandfather didn’t make idle threats. Destroying someone’s career in the wine industry would be easy for him. He’d hound Cori until she slipped and told him what he wanted to know. How was she going to protect her former lover? Mama had intervened between Cori and her grandfather in the past. Cori grimaced, imagining the disappointed expression on her mother’s face when she realized Cori was repeating her mistakes. A forced marriage? No way. Yet what could she do?
And then Cori knew. There was only one way to protect everyone. But it would only work if Cori was brave enough to stand alone. It was what she wanted, wasn’t it? To finally be independent, not an appendage of Messina Vineyards? To make something of herself without standing in her grandfather’s shadow?
“There won’t be any unmarried pregnant women on the wine tour,” she said, hoping she could support her convictions, and follow her dreams.
“Good. It’s not the way of you young people, but it used to happen a lot. And in this case, it’s for the best.” Her grandfather took a deep breath and smiled at her. As smiles went, it wasn’t one of his warmer ones. “We’ll call the priest this afternoon, after the ceremony.”
He’d misunderstood her rebellious statement. “No, Grandfather. I’m having this baby alone.” Ignoring her roiling stomach, Cori drew herself up. “And I’m not going on the wine tour.”
His smile faded.
“I’ve taken a job in L.A. I start in two weeks.” Until that moment, Cori hadn’t found the courage to tell him she was accepting a job at a public relations firm. In fact, since she’d discovered her pregnancy, she’d all but given up on the job and her own goals. She just hadn’t had the heart to officially turn down the offer.
“Like hell you are!” His eyes found their mark. Her. “If you’re having that baby, you’ll be married and home where you belong.”
For the first time since Cori had admitted her condition, she felt the full force of her grandfather’s anger directed upon her. His scorching ire had her nearly breaking out in a sweat. Never having stood up to her grandfather before, Cori’s determination slipped. It would be so much easier to let him have his way. Her baby would never want for anything.
“Without me, you won’t be able to support that child alone in Los Angeles. You won’t see a penny from me.” He glared down at her, a triumphant smile on his face—as if he’d discovered her weakness. “His name, Corinne.”
Cori’s resolve wavered. What was she thinking? Single parenthood was going to be hard enough. How could she hope to launch a career at the same time? She did still love him. Maybe they could work out their differences. Maybe…
When she didn’t answer, her grandfather’s voice crackled with fire. “Didn’t you learn about birth control at any of those expensive schools I sent you to?” He waved a hand in the direction of her stomach. “Damn it, Corinne, I won’t stand by and see you ruin what I’ve built with this—this mistake of yours.”
“Ruin what you’ve built?” Cori’s words were a weak echo of Salvatore’s venomous declaration. “How could I possibly ruin what you’ve built?” In Cori’s estimation, nothing could shatter the success her grandfather had created. Certainly not an illegitimate great-grandchild.
Her grandfather leaned over Cori, his face coming within inches of hers. “Illegitimate babies tear families apart. This is a family venture, and you won’t destroy it because you let some boy have his fun. At least your mother recognized what she had to do.” Her grandfather pulled back and glanced at his Rolex. “Everyone’s waiting to see you graduate. Pull yourself together and meet me downstairs in five minutes. We’ll take care of this later.”
It took Cori a few minutes to collect herself after he left—a few minutes to try to erase the image of her grandfather walking out of her life.
CHAPTER ONE
“YOU’RE NOT HAPPY to see me.” Cori Sinclair could have sworn the house she’d grown up in stared down on her, dark and forbidding. “Maybe I’m not so happy to see you, either.”
It was a long time to be cast out of a family. Nearly five years had passed since that fateful day in June when her grandfather had issued his ultimatum. Since then, she hadn’t spoken to her grandfather, and had kept only limited, infrequent contact with her mother and brother, who were still as committed to the family business as she had once been. Her family’s dedication kept them immersed in the Messina Winery in Sonoma, California. For most of her life, Cori had thrived on that feeling of purpose and belonging. Until she realized she needed to prove herself on her own terms, without her grandfather’s guidance.
She wasn’t ready to face her past, wasn’t ready to step through the black, double doors into the depths of the three-story mansion with its multi-angled roof, dark-gray brick facings and coal shutters, wasn’t ready to step away from the small freedom her dented yellow Mustang represented. Cori hadn’t even been able to bring herself to park her car in the garage. She’d pulled up on the far side of the front entry as if she were a guest, then stood in the warm spring sun, waiting, fighting her