“It’s a boy?” Sara was one of the few investment brokers I trusted to recommend to friends. She’d lose a commission before doing something that wasn’t in the best interest of her clients and was known for brutal honesty. Although I’d have to ask for a paternity test, I doubted she was lying.
“Yes.” She went silent for a moment, then said, “I don’t want to be a mother, Giorgio. That’s never been my dream. I planned to give the baby up for adoption. Now that you know, I’d like to sign over my parental rights to you instead, on the condition that you never allow that awful woman near him.” Grimacing, she rubbed her stomach and added, “I’ll keep him myself before I let that happen and I want it written into our contract.”
Clenching my hands behind my back, I resisted the urge to ask Sara if I could touch her baby bump. “I don’t know if that will be possible. Proserpina has a great deal of power and influence.”
When the paramedics arrived, Sara got to her feet and rubbed her back. “I don’t care. You either fix it, or I’ll make sure you never see your son.”
“I’ll take care of it,” I promised. “You won’t see her again. Do you want me to come with you?”
“No. I’ll think about allowing you in for prenatal visits, but don’t bother me for a few weeks.”
The paramedics helped her to the stretcher then whisked her away, following the police from my house.
“Fuck!” I pinched my nose, feeling a headache coming on, then poured a double shot of scotch into a tumbler. Lifting it toward my aunt in one of the departing police cars, I said, “Thanks for fucking up my life, bitch.”
Remembering the little person inside Sara, I was immediately ashamed of what I’d said. Although I’d lost Carli unless I could convince her to forgive me, I’d gained a little boy. I didn’t know him yet and I was falling in love more deeply than I’d ever thought possible.
Even if Sara changed her mind and wanted to be involved in his life, we’d work things out. I had a fucking son and it was almost enough to make me forget my problems.
The Katie Project wouldn’t make up for the harm Proserpina had done, but I was going ahead with it anyway. I had a legacy to build for the tiny human resting under Sara’s slim hand, and I wanted to give him something more than a father who couldn’t keep his business out of the tabloids.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Carlina
Leonard was asleep in a kennel, his sides rising and falling as he slept off the remains of the ketamine Proserpina had given him. I hated seeing the IV line taped to his foreleg. Aside from purging his system, there wasn’t much the vet could do for him, so we’d have to wait it out. Thankfully, his heart rate was good and the vet thought he’d be back to normal in a few days.
“Are you okay?” Aubrey wrapped her arms around my shoulders, hugging me tightly. “We came the minute we heard.”
“I should have punched that bloke in the face months ago,” Chance muttered, pulling me into an embrace.
Leaning against his muscular chest, I burst into noisy sobs. I wasn’t a good crier. In fact, I didn’t cry much at all, but I couldn’t help it. Chance was there. He was my friend, and fuck it. I needed a good cry.
“There you go, love. Get it all out,” he crooned.
“You’ll have to get in line to punch Acardi,” Jeremy muttered, kissing the top of my head.
He handed me a handkerchief and I wiped my face. “No, it isn’t his fault.”
Chance and Jeremy both grunted and didn’t answer. I turned to Aubrey, and asked, “Is she being charged?”
She scowled and helped me to a bench next to Leonard’s kennel. “Yes, but the judge granted bail, so she’ll probably be out before the end of the day.”
“That leads us to another problem,” Jeremy said, sitting next to me. “Antonio doesn’t want to go back to Giorgio’s house or stay with the Dennisons. He’s terrified Proserpina will come back and he’s pissed at Giorgio for driving you away.”
“I don’t blame him,” I muttered. “Any ideas?”
“Yes. Your house is finished, except for a few cosmetic details. You need beds and linens, but you have three extra bedrooms now. Hunter and I will stay in one and Antonio can have another. We’re not interested in leaving you alone.”
“What? No, I don’t. I had one guest room, plus mine.”
“You have four now, and two additional bathrooms.”
“Holy shit,” I murmured. “Leave it to an Acardi to get carried away.”
“Party at Carli’s house,” Chance said, giving me an encouraging smile.
“Yeah, maybe soon.” I sobered. “All right. I guess I better buy some furniture. Can one of you pick up Antonio?”
“We’ve already arranged it. If you weren’t willing to let him move in, Hunter and I were going to take him to San Diego and put another guard on you. Hunter is helping him pack.”
“Okay.” I stood and scrubbed at my face. “Take me home and I’ll get started.”
My house smelled like cut wood, plaster, and paint. It took me a moment to get used to all the new stuff. Even though I had no idea how I was going to fill the empty space created by Giorgio’s renovations, it was beautiful, with plenty of natural light from the new windows. The only thing that remained from the original construction was the river stone fireplace, but it had gotten a new mantel and a gorgeous tile hearth. Instead of cheap, threadbare carpet, elegant parquet flooring gleamed in a starburst pattern. It fit the Spanish colonial theme, and I loved it.
A week later, I still had no furniture aside from beds, but at least I’d gotten to the supermarket and the department store for additional linens and towels, plus a couple of futons so we had somewhere to sit. Maybe I’d just leave it that way. I didn’t have the energy or interest in decorating, and since Antonio was at school during the day, and I was busy taking care of the farm, there was no point.
I sat down at my old kitchen table, staring blankly at the notepad in front of me. Although I was supposed to be making a grocery list, I couldn’t focus on a damned thing. Every time I thought about meals for Antonio and me, I kept wondering whether Giorgio would like it.
Maybe it was time to come up with some new recipes. I had a gorgeous kitchen, staples, and nothing more productive to do. Sighing, I rubbed my eyes. The thought didn’t appeal. I considered taking Max out for a good, long ride around the farm, but I was expecting a delivery of Leonard’s food and it had to be frozen. It was too expensive to let it sit out, and even though Giorgio was still covering the cost, I wouldn’t let it go to waste.
My back door rattled from a firm knock and I jumped at the sound. My delivery was early. But when I stood and turned, I didn’t see my normal delivery person.
Giorgio’s baby mama stood on my back deck, her hand resting on the frame. What the hell was she doing here? I considered ignoring her, but there had to be a reason she’d driven all the way out here. Besides, she’d already seen me.
As I opened the door, her eyes widened and she threw a hand over her mouth before racing to the kitchen sink. I winced and turned away from the sound of her retching. Although I’d have to bleach the hell out of everything, I couldn’t help feeling sorry for her.
The polished perfection I’d seen during our first meeting was gone. She was pale, with unwashed hair pulled into a messy bun and wore a t-shirt with stains down the front.
When she finished, she turned the water on and washed away the mess. Cupping her hand under the stream from the faucet, she rinsed her mouth and spat. “I am so sorry about that.”
“It’s okay.” I walked toward her and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, for at least another hour, anyway. Can I sit down somewhere?”
“Of course.” I helped her to the kitchen table, then set the wastebasket next to her. “Do you want some ginger ale?”
“No, thank you, but some water might help.”
“Sure.” I made her drink, then sat across from her, unsure of what to say. Hell, I didn’t ev
en remember her name.
She took a sip of water and swallowed hard. “You’re probably wondering why I’m darkening your doorstep and I wouldn’t blame you if you want to throw me out.”
“I am wondering, but I’m definitely not going to throw a sick, pregnant woman out.”
Laughing softly, she nodded. “We were never properly introduced, but I’m Sara Miller and I have the dubious honor of being Giorgio Acardi’s baby mama.”
“Carli Pérez. What can I do for you?”
“Not a thing,” she replied, then took another sip of water. “I came to apologize to you. I had no idea what that old cow was going to do. If I had, I’d have told her to fuck off and called the cops right away. I’d have also been a lot more insistent about talking to Giorgio. When I figured out he was seeing you, I gave up and decided not to bother.”
Leonard wandered into the kitchen, snuffling around for dropped food as usual. Finding nothing, he laid his head in Sara’s lap, demanding ear scratches.
Apprehension filled her face, and she looked down at him. “Um…”
“Just scratch his ears. The old beggar won’t give up until you do.”
Barking out a slightly hysterical laugh, Sara buried her hand in Leonard’s mane, and giggled when he chuffed at her. “I can’t believe I’m petting a lion. Is he always this friendly?”
“Pretty much, yeah. He loves everyone, especially if he thinks you might have food.”
Grimacing, she said, “Gross. No food. Not even the mention of food, please.”
“When was the last time you ate?” It was the chef in me, I told myself. My question had nothing to do with the obvious discomfort and fragility of the woman across from me.
“A couple of days ago. I managed to keep a scrambled egg down for a whole three hours.”
I made scrambled eggs. And surprisingly, a new friend.
Giorgio
“Linsey, I don’t give a damn about your son’s soccer game! You need to get your butt back behind your desk and—”
My secretary’s face darkened and she scowled, then turned off her computer. “It’s six o’clock. I told you three days ago I’d be going to my son’s game and I came in two hours early to make sure everything got done.”
“Do I look like I care?”
She turned to face me, shrugging her jacket over her shoulders. “No. You look like a man who needs to hire a new secretary. I quit.”
“You can’t quit! We still have to file the permits for—”
The door slammed behind her and I let out a breath, desperately trying to control my temper enough that I didn’t put my fist through a wall. “Damn it.”
My whole life went to shit the minute Proserpina Acardi opened her nasty mouth. Along with my secretary, I’d lost my brother, my lion, and my Carli. Julie refused to enter my house unless I was gone, and Clyde wouldn’t say a word beyond what was necessary to drive me to and from work.
The only thing that was going as planned was The Katie Project. It was on schedule to be completed in a little over a month, and Aubrey had worked her magic, getting donors with deep pockets lined up to support operating expenses.
I slumped in my chair and picked up the framed sonogram of my son. He was definitely not something I’d planned, but I couldn’t wait to meet him.
Sara had been surprisingly understanding about the whole thing, even inviting me to her prenatal checkups. I touched his little face and smiled grudgingly. My son was the only good to come out of the fiasco with my aunt.
Unfortunately, Sara wasn’t having an easy time of it. She was almost constantly sick, but still trying to keep her job. I sighed and rubbed my face, knowing I should visit her. If nothing else, I could bring her something to eat. The last time I’d seen her, she was pale and could barely get off the couch. It worried me, but her doctor didn’t seem overly concerned, aside from telling her to rest as much as possible.
I’m not sure how it happened, but we’d become good friends and I trusted her judgment. Besides, having been witness to the destruction of my life, she was the only person who understood what I was going through. Maybe she could give me some advice on how to stop being an asshole. I wasn’t sure I could afford to lose another employee.
After sending a quick text to Clyde telling him to stay home, I grabbed a set of truck keys and locked my office behind me. There was no point in exposing him to my bad mood. Besides, it gave me the opportunity to do something I’d been putting off for almost a month.
Instead of going south to Sara’s condo, I got on the freeway toward Diamond Valley. Carli probably wouldn’t talk to me, but I wanted to see Antonio and Leonard.
When I got there and tried to punch in the security code, it didn’t work. She’d obviously changed it to keep me out. I got back in the truck and let my head fall to the steering wheel, defeat overwhelming me. Why was I bothering?
Maybe I should do as my aunt wanted and marry Sara. I had no interest in her any longer, nor did she in me, but we’d be parents of an amazing little boy in a few short months. We got along well enough.
My phone rang, and I grimaced, then tapped the dash display to answer. “What do you want, Tomas?”
My uncle had called dozens of times, leaving increasingly apologetic messages. They meant nothing, considering he also asked me to reconsider marrying Sara.
“You don’t answer your phone.”
“Not for you or your idiot wife. What do you want?”
“Have you changed your mind about marrying Sara?”
“No, and I’m not going to.”
“Your son will be a bastard.”
Tomas’s voice was smooth and modulated, like a televangelist cautioning his audience against sin. Grimacing in distaste, I said, “I’m surprisingly okay with that. At least he won’t be an asshole.”
Tomas coughed, then said, “I see. Well, I’d hoped to convince you to marry the boy’s mother, but I suppose you’ll take your own path.”
“I will. And do me a favor. Keep your wife out of my sight.” Without waiting for an answer, I ended the call.
Sighing, I turned around and drove back into Temecula. Sara wasn’t going to marry me and I honestly didn’t want to marry her either. If I couldn’t have Carli, I didn’t want anyone else.
My phone chimed with the ringtone I’d set for Sara and I answered.
“Hi Sara, I was just on my way to see you. Do you want me to bring anything?”
The sounds of low breathing came through the phone for a few seconds, and I frowned. “Sara?”
“It hurts, Gio. I need help,” she finally whispered.
The phone beeped, indicating a dropped call, and my heart seized. Slamming my foot on the gas, I sped down the freeway. I had no idea what was happening, but the desperation in Sara’s voice gave me a bad feeling.
Twenty minutes later, I parked haphazardly in front of her condo and raced to the door, then wiggled the handle. It opened for me and I stepped inside.
“Oh, sweet Jesus.” I dropped to my knees next to her and scrabbled for my phone, my fingers shaking as I tried to punch in 9-1-1. Sara didn’t answer and the pool of blood continued to spread.
Her breath was faint and labored and I didn’t know what to do. “Sara, honey, wake up for me,” I begged. “The baby needs you to be strong, okay? It’s way too early.”
She didn’t respond, but thankfully I heard sirens in the distance. A few minutes later, an EMT burst through the door, his face losing all expression at the sight of Sara on the floor.
“How far along is she?” he asked, kneeling next to her. He opened a plastic box and withdrew several items.
“Almost eight months,” I replied. “Help her, please.”
“What’s her name?”
“Sara Miller.”
He set a stethoscope against her chest, and gestured to another EMT, who brought in a stretcher. “Are you the father?”
“Yes.”
“Next of kin?”
“Yes, damn it! Are you g
oing to help her or not?”
He gave me a look, and my stomach sank. “Follow us to the hospital. We’ll do the best we can.”
Working together, they got her on the stretcher and into the ambulance before I could say another word. Sirens blaring, they drove away, red lights casting shadows.
My limbs wooden, I got in my truck and followed. I couldn’t think about losing either Sara or my son. God, my son. My hands shook and for the second time in my life, I prayed.
God and I weren’t on speaking terms. He’d let me down when Antonio fell down those marble stairs and our aunt ignored him, but I didn’t know what else to do.
I pulled in behind the ambulance as they were unloading Sara. Leaving the truck running at the curb, I raced after her, but a nurse stopped me, blocking the door separating me from the mother of my son.
“Get out of my way,” I hissed. Unfortunately, the nurse, a man who looked like he ate puppies for breakfast, was too big to move.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Acardi. You’ll have to wait until we have your friend stable. What’s her name?”
“Sara Miller, and she’s carrying my son.”
His gaze softened and he squeezed my shoulder. “Have a seat. We’ll do everything we can.”
The door shut behind him, the lock clicking with finality. I sank into a plastic chair in the waiting room and rested my elbows on my knees. In an effort to pull myself together, I texted Sandy, telling her I wouldn’t be in tomorrow.
Aubrey would be expecting me at Park Street as well. I grimaced and looked at the locked door again, then dialed her number.
When she answered, I said, “I’m not going to make our meeting tomorrow. Everything has gone wrong. Sara is in the hospital, and they won’t let me see her.”
“Oh, damn, Gio. I’m so sorry. Is someone with you?”
“No. I’m fine.” I heard soft conversation in the background, but couldn’t make out the words.
“Chance is on his way. I’ll handle everything while you take care of her and your baby.”
She hung up before I could tell her not to bother. I didn’t need Chance or anyone else aggravating me.
Sexy Scoundrel: A Cocky Hero Club Novel Page 23
