Italian Bachelors: Unforgotten Lovers. Lynn Raye Harris
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her luck had run out months ago. First, she’d gone to New York, spent every dime she had and come home empty-handed. Then she’d lost the house and property—and found out she was pregnant. God, she could still remember her utter shock when her period hadn’t started and she’d finally worked up the courage to buy a pregnancy test.
And she’d driven two towns over to do so, not wanting anyone in New Hope to wonder why she needed a pregnancy test.
She looked down at the sweet, soft baby in her arms now and knew for a fact he was not a mistake. But he’d definitely been a shock on top of everything else she’d had to deal with just then.
And now, of course, when all she wanted was the absolute best for him, when she needed to protect him and provide for him and keep him secret until she had this job sewn up, Mrs. Turner had heard her come home and brought him to her. What if Drago figured it out? What would happen then? She’d lose the opportunity to provide a better life for her baby.
Drago was looking at her with a mixture of disdain and what she thought might be utter horror. Resignation settled over her. She’d already lost the opportunity then.
But you can still tell him the truth.
Would he ignore his child’s needs if he knew? Could she take that chance?
“How old is the child?” he asked, brows drawn low, and her heart did that funny squeeze thing it did when she was scared.
“A couple of months,” she said vaguely, ignoring the voice. She couldn’t tell him. How could she take the chance after everything that had happened? Not only that, but why did he deserve to know when he’d thrown her out and left her to fend for herself?
Guilt and fear swirled into a hot mess inside her belly. She’d always done the right thing. But what was the right thing now?
“You wasted no time, I see,” he said coolly.
“I’m sorry?”
He looked hard and cool, remote. “Finding another lover,” he spat at her.
A hard knot of something tightened right beneath her breastbone. Of course he thought she’d gone home and gotten pregnant by someone else. Of course he did. Holly closed her eyes and willed herself to be calm.
It didn’t work.
My God, the man was arrogant beyond belief! Resentment flared to life in her gut, a hot bright fire that seared into her. “Why should I have waited? Thanks for showing me what I’d been missing, by the way. It was ever so easy to go home and climb back on the horse.”
She gazed down at Nicky, who was sucking the bottle for all he was worth, and willed the irrational tears gathering behind her eyelids to melt away. Drago di Navarra not only thought she’d intended to use her body to get what she wanted out of him, but he also thought she’d been so promiscuous as to run straight home and get pregnant by another man. As if she could have borne another man’s touch after she’d had his.
“Perhaps you should have been more careful,” he said, and a fresh wave of hatred pounded into her. Her head snapped up. She didn’t care what he saw in her gaze now.
“How dare you?” she said, her voice low and tight. “You know nothing about me. Nothing!” She sucked in a shaky breath. “Nicky is a gift, however he got here. I wouldn’t trade him for a million Sky contracts, so you can take your disdain and your contempt and get the hell out of my home.”
She was shaking, she realized, and Nicky felt it. He started to kick his little arms and legs, and his face scrunched up. The bottle popped out of his mouth, but before she could get it back in, he turned his head and started to wail.
“Shush, sweetie, Mommy’s here,” she crooned, her eyes stinging with tears and gritty from lack of sleep. She just wanted to put her head down and not get up again for a good long time.
But that wasn’t possible. It wasn’t ever possible these days.
“Forgive me. I shouldn’t have said that.”
Holly cuddled Nicky, rocking him softly, and looked up at Drago. Shock coursed through her system at those quiet words, uttered with sincerity. It was a glimpse of the man she’d found so compelling last year, the one who’d made her feel safe and who’d made her laugh and sigh and then shatter in his arms.
She’d liked that man, right up until the moment he’d proven he didn’t really have a heart after all. And while she told herself not to be fooled now, she was moved by the apology. Or maybe she was just too exhausted to keep up the anger.
Nicky continued to wail, and Holly stood and bounced him up and down in her arms. “Hush, baby. It’s okay.”
“You need help,” Drago said.
She didn’t look at him. “I have help. You saw Mrs. Turner. Gabi helps, too. It’s my turn now.”
“You’re tired, Holly. You should get some sleep.”
“I can’t sleep until he does.” She paced the floor, giving Drago as wide a berth as possible in the small room. “You should probably go. Your driver will be wondering if I bashed you over the head and took your wallet.”
“I doubt it,” he said. He eyed the room again and she could feel the strength of his contempt for their surroundings.
“Drago.” He looked at her, his nostrils flaring. He was acting as if he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “You should go. We’ll be fine. We’ve been fine for months. Nicky will fall asleep soon, and then I’m going to crash, too. I have another shift tomorrow at noon.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he said, and her stomach flipped. He took a step closer to her and she bounced Nicky a little more frantically. It seemed he didn’t mind the movement at all. His little eyes were starting to close.
“Of course you can,” she said. “You can’t stay here, for God’s sake. Nor would you want to, I’m sure. I’m afraid we don’t have silk sheets, milord, or room service—”
“Shut up, Holly, and listen to me,” he commanded.
And, as much as she wanted to tell him to go to hell, she did as he told her. Because she was tired. And scared he would walk out and take her last opportunity with him.
“I’m listening,” she said when he didn’t immediately continue.
“I’m returning to New York in the morning. You’re coming with me.”
Reflexively, she held Nicky a little tighter. “I’m not leaving my baby. Nor am I going anywhere without a contract,” she said tightly. Because she didn’t trust him. Because, as much as she wanted it to be true, she was too accustomed to bad luck to believe it was finally turning around for her.
Drago di Navarra wasn’t suddenly being nice and accommodating for no reason. Did he suspect? Or was he just planning to drop her from an even greater height than he had the last time?
“No, you aren’t leaving him,” Drago said. “And you aren’t returning to that casino, either. Pack what you need for the night. I’ll send someone by for the rest of your things tomorrow.”
Holly could only gape at him, her skin flushing hot with hope and fear and shame all rolled into one. Don’t trust him, don’t trust him....
And yet she wanted to. Needed to. He was the only way out of this hellhole.
Except, she had obligations.
“I can’t just leave,” she said. “This is my home. Gabi isn’t even here. I can’t quit the casino without notice—”
“You can,” he said firmly. “You will.”
Pressure was building behind her forehead. What should she do? What would Gran have said? Thoughts of Gran threatened to bring a fresh flood of tears, so she bit down on her lip and pushed them deep. Think, Holly.
“You’re