She eyed the phone, and knew she should call the cops, but she was pissed that someone had invaded Amedeo’s space. This was his domain. She threw open the door to the bathroom. Stepping in, she saw the person in the shower.
That was not Amedeo.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” the woman said. Then she shrieked. “Put down that knife.”
The woman turned off the water, then wrapped herself in a towel. Violet got a glimpse of the most perfect body she’d ever seen. Down to the nicely shaved pubic hair. Shaped like a heart. Holy shit. Was that a white girl thing to do? She’d never seen that on anyone.
“Who are you?” Violet demanded.
“Who the Hell are you and what are you doing in Amedeo’s house?”
“I’m Violet and I live here.”
The woman gave her the once over. “You the maid?”
Oh, now she really wanted to stab this perfect blonde bitch. “No, I live here. With Amedeo. Who are you? Before I call the cops.”
She didn’t need to know that they slept in separate rooms. Or that he’d taken her in because she was pregnant with his child. None of that mattered right now.
“I’m Victoria Sheffield.”
She said her name as if everyone would know who she was. Like Cher or Madonna. “Okay. Who the hell is Victoria Sheffield?”
She brought herself up to her full height, making Violet hate her even more. She was tall and leggy. “I’m Amedeo’s fiancé.”
“Fiancé? “He never mentioned you.” Violet glanced at the woman’s left hand. No ring. “Where’s you’re engagement ring?”
This flustered the woman. She looked at her hand, then up to Violet. “I don’t wear it in the shower.”
“Then where is it?”
“I, uh, don’t have it. I gave it back to Amedeo and now I’m here to make it up to him.”
“I don’t think so. I’m calling the cops.”
“Call Amedeo. I was here to surprise him,” she said. “He’ll vouch for me.”
Without taking her eyes off of Victoria, Violet dialed Amedeo’s number on the house phone. It went to voice mail. “He’s not answering. I guess you can talk to the cops. I’ll bet they’ll be here in ten minutes. You might want to get dressed or they’ll get an eyeful.”
“Will you please leave?”
“I don’t think so. I don’t know who you are and I’m not turning my back on you. We’ve got the same parts, so it doesn’t matter if I see you.”
Victoria frowned then dropped the towel. Creamy white skin. She had it. The house phone rang. Violet picked it up.
“Violet? Is something wrong? I couldn’t get to my phone.”
“You have an intruder.”
“Did you call the cops? Are you out of the house?”
“No and no. The intruder says she’s your fiancé.”
“Tory?”
“It’s me, Amedeo,” the woman yelled as she wrapped herself in her coat. Guess she hadn’t worn any clothing underneath it.
“Put Tory on the phone, Violet.”
She handed the naked intruder the phone. “He wants to talk to you.”
Tory did a lot of listening and nodded. Then she handed the phone back to Violet. “Amedeo?”
“She’s my ex fiancé. She dumped me weeks ago. It was why I went out and picked you up. Don’t call the cops, but make sure you take the key to my house from her. I don’t want to have to change the locks.”
“Okay.”
“We’ll talk about her when I get home.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation, Amedeo.”
“Yes, I feel I do.”
She hung up with him, feeling warm that he wanted her to know what was going on. Not that they were in a relationship, but it was nice. Victoria gave up her key after Violet escorted her to the front door. She’d never seen a woman so crestfallen in her life.
Chapter3
Amedeo sat back in his chair, pondering why Tory would have come into his house. Was she waiting for him? She should know that he wouldn’t have been home for hours. What had Tory been thinking? She’d dumped him. He’d moved on. With the help of the baby that was coming in some number of months. He really didn’t know how far along Violet was.
He’d have to ask her tonight. Had she been to the doctor? She needed to get prenatal care. This was part of what he was providing. He’d pay the doctor bills. No worries. He wondered if he could put her on his insurance as a dependent.
Hm. He’d have to see about that. Either way, the bills would be paid.
See. He’d already forgotten about Tory. That didn’t take much. She’d broken his heart and he was now keeping it close to him. He wasn’t giving it away that easily this time.
His phone rang. Shit. Tory. Should he answer it? If he didn’t, she’d call back. She was that way.
“Hello, Tory.”
“Don’t call me Tory.”
He always called her Tory. Especially now that she’d dumped him. “What do you want?”
“I want to know who that woman is living in your house.”
“That isn’t any of your business. That stopped being your business when you handed my ring back to me. Three weeks before the wedding.”
It was going to be a big affair. Tory had insisted on the best. The chapel at Princeton University had been booked. Hundreds of people were going to attend. The reception was planned for a museum. All had to be cancelled. All deposits lost. He could afford it, but he didn’t want to. No need to marry again. He’d never ask that question of anyone.
“I’m sorry, Amedeo. I got spooked.”
“Spooked? You’d dropped hints for six months that you wanted me to ask you. I didn’t until I was ready. And then you run? You had ample time to choose not to marry me. Why did it have to be at the most expensive point in the process?”
“I didn’t time it that way on purpose.”
“You say that, but you’ve done that more than once. You are a selfish person.”
“Amedeo, I’ve changed. Really I have. I’m ready to commit.”
“I don’t want to marry you anymore,” he said.
Saying it to her was cathartic. He truly felt that way. His life had actually been better since she’d been out of it. His mother hadn’t liked her much. Maybe she’d been right. She’d done him a favor.
“You don’t mean that, Amedeo. We were great together.”
Probably because he’d given in to her too often. He’d lost himself. He couldn’t afford to do that again. In fact, he knew he’d never do that again. She’d taken over his life. She’d taken him over so much that he hadn’t known what her taste was and what was his.
“I do meant it, Tory. I don’t want to do that again. I’m done with you.”
“So you aren’t going to tell me who that woman is at your house.”
“Nope. None of your business.”
“I’m not done, Amedeo. I will get you back. I’ll have you.”
“I’m not a possession. I’m a person, Tory. You can’t have me, especially if I don’t want to be had,” he said.
And he didn’t. He liked his life. He liked sleeping with different women, though he wasn’t sure that was on the agenda for the next few months. He wouldn’t bring someone home to his house while Violet was there. That wasn’t fair. Not that she had any designs on him, but he saw it as rude. He might sleep in his penthouse or at the person’s house, but he would let her know if he wasn’t going to be home.
She was alone in the world and he didn’t need to make her feel worse by rubbing his lovers in her face. Besides, he was excited that she was going to have this baby. His baby. Even if he didn’t feel much beyond lust for her, he’d love the baby. He had no doubt that he could love the baby.
He also thought he’d be a good father. Well, when he had time, since he was a workaholic. That’s why he wanted Violet to raise the baby. He wanted to make sure his or her daily life was the best it could be. A mother would want that also.
“Whatever, Amedeo.
I’m not giving up and I’ll be the woman living in your house. Not that skank who’s there now.”
“She isn’t a skank, Tory. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t call her names.”
“Who is she? Are you dating her?”
“None of that is your business,” he said.
He wasn’t going to give Tory any ammunition against Violet who was an innocent in this transaction. She’d done nothing to Tory, but his ex would try to get to him through Violet. When he’d asked Tory to marry him, he hadn’t realized how vindictive she was. How manipulative. Why hadn’t he seen it?
Probably because she gave the best blow jobs ever. He’d been thinking with the wrong part of his anatomy at the time. Never again. He’d learned his lesson. Except that now he had a baby on the way, which should make him nervous, but he wasn’t. He liked kids. They said what they meant. He didn’t have to guess how a kid felt.
Kids were on his life plan, just not yet.
Tory huffed, then hung up on him. He was relieved that he wouldn’t have to listen to her whining anymore. It was enough to drive a man to drink. He leaned back in his chair, staring out the window.
He’d dodged a bullet with Tory. Of that he was sure.
***
Violet knew that the woman who came to visit was none of her business. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t curious. The woman had left and Violet spent the rest of the day a little unsettled. She’d written some code, but she wasn’t sure it was her best and would have to look it over again tomorrow.
It was too early to test the app, but she didn’t want to go further and have to debug this portion of it when she knew she’d been distracted. Now she waited for Amedeo to come home. Hopefully he would fill her in.
A casserole baked in the oven, but it wouldn’t be done for another hour or so. She hadn’t put it together when she’d planned. Once again, this woman had messed up her day. Pregnancy brain didn’t help. She could see her focus gone. This wouldn’t do as she had to work. She had to have clients. She couldn’t be unemployed even if Amedeo was paying for the baby’s expenses. She was still a freelancer and independent.
She would go back to being independent when the baby came. Assuming Amedeo took the baby. She couldn’t raise it. She had no role model from whom to take advice.
Didn’t matter. She’d make that decision later on. Nearer the birth.
She sat down in front of her computer again to look at the code she’d written earlier. None of it made sense, but she wasn’t ready to delete any of it. Her phone rang. Kalia.
“Hey, girl,” she said.
“Hey, Violet. Heard about your run-in with Reggie.”
“He’s a dick for sure.”
“He’s saying he got you to give him a blow job so he’d open up your apartment.”
“No blowjob,” Violet said.
“I didn’t think so. Who’d want to suck on that skanky penis anyway?”
Violet shuddered at the idea. She didn’t mind blowjobs, but only on the right man. She’d given Amedeo one during their night of passion, but he’d tasted good. She’d bet Reggie had diseases on his.
“Gross, for sure.”
“So how is life with the billionaire?”
“He’s not a billionaire,” Violet said. She figured Amedeo was rich, but not that rich.
“He is, Violet. I googled him. He’s one of the richest men in the country. He’s already built, then sold two companies and he just turned thirty this year.”
“Really?”
Amedeo didn’t seem that rich, then again this house was huge. Maybe she was underestimating his wealth.
“Really, Violet. I read an article in one of those business magazines a few years ago. He was considered an up and comer and now he’s made it.”
Well, then he could afford to take care of her. Not that she liked it any better because he was rich. No, it still bothered her to take money from him. “Wow. Interesting.”
“Does it change anything?”
“Not for me.”
“You aren’t thinking of him as husband material?”
The thought had never crossed her mind. “No. Of course not. I don’t want to get married. Give up my independence.”
“You’d have security.”
“I would, but I don’t like the price I would pay,” she said.
It would be far too high. She wasn’t willing to pay it.
“You’re nuts. You’d be set for life.”
“No, Kalia. It isn’t me.”
“Well, I have to get to work. Talk to you later.”
No matter how rough life had gotten, Violet knew she had to do it on her own. That was how life needed to be. She was only here until the baby came, then Amedeo could raise him or her, and Violet could go back to her life.
She sighed, looking at her coding and still none of it made sense. She shut down her laptop for the day, knowing that she wasn’t going to do any good work anymore.
Amedeo came in the front door at that moment.
“Violet?” he said from the hall.
She came out of the office and found him in the kitchen. “Hey.”
“Hi,” he said smiling.
He’d taken off his tie and unbuttoned one button of his shirt. He always looked sexy that way. She didn’t want to think of him like that, but she did. Hormones, she was sure. It meant nothing.
“Hi,” she said.
“I wanted to apologize for Tory’s interruption.”
“Oh?”
“She’s my ex fiancé. We broke up and I guess she’s decided that she wants me back.”
“I think she’d pretty determined.”
He waved a hand as if to dismiss what she said. “She’ll give up eventually.”
“I don’t think so, Amedeo. She was pretty determined. She was in your shower.”
“That’s nuts. Good riddance and I hope it’s the last I see of her.”
Violet wanted to know the story. What had happened? Might be a juicy tale. “Dinner will be ready in half an hour.”
“Thanks for cooking again.”
“I really want to ask you about that woman, but it’s none of my business.”
“I’ll tell you over dinner. How does that sound? Not my finest moment, for sure. I’m going to get changed. I’ll be back.”
He left her in the kitchen and she wanted to happy dance. She’d hear Tory’s story. Might be interesting in her dull day. Wow. This was gossip, but it didn’t count when it involved Amedeo. He was going to tell her and she wasn’t going to share it with anyone.
The time dinged on her casserole. She checked it then turned off the oven. She could keep it warm while she wanted for Amedeo. How domestic of her to cook again, she thought. She knew how, but she didn’t often cook for herself. It would be cheaper, so she really should start doing it again.
Usually she was coding into the night and realized later on that she was hungry. With the baby, she’d have to eat more regularly.
She pulled the salad she’d made out of the refrigerator. The table was set. She’d decided they’d eat in the dining room for a change. Once again, how domestic. Must be the pregnancy.
***
Amedeo hung up his tie on his rack. He had to admit, he liked coming home to someone. He’d thought it would be the hardest part of having Violet here. Instead, he didn’t see a downside other than he still found her sexy and he didn’t know how to approach her about it.
Maybe tonight would be the night. He wanted her. She was even sexier with his child in her belly. Not that he’d ever had trouble getting a woman in his bed, but this was different. He had to spend the next seven or so months with her. He couldn’t screw it up.
No condoms. She was already pregnant. No need for birth control. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gone without a condom. Tory had been on the pill, but for some reason he hadn’t believed her. He should have seen that as a sign.
He sighed as he pulled on jeans and headed back to the kitchen to find
Violet. She was in his dining room. Candles were lit on the table and she’d put on a tablecloth.
“Fancy.”
“I was going for homey,” she said.
He couldn’t help smiling at her. “To what do I owe this?”
“I was having trouble with some code.”
“Huh?
“If I can’t figure out a problem in my code, I get creative. I make food. I decorate. I color.”
“Color?”
She waved her hand. “Never mind that.”
He stepped into the room. She’d poured a glass of wine for him. The food on the plate looked delicious. His stomach rumbled. “I guess I better dig in.” He sat then glanced at her place. “You’re eating with me?”
“Yes. I waited.”
The idea warmed him, though it shouldn’t. They weren’t lovers. They weren’t even friends. They were two people sharing a house until a baby arrived.
“Thanks.”
“You going to tell me about Victoria?”
He laughed. “You had an ulterior motive.”
“I did, but that wasn’t the only reason I did all of this,” she said.
“No?”
“No. It was just like I said. I guess I’m feeling maternal, too.”
“How maternal?”
“Well, maybe not maternal, but a little horny.”
His eyebrows went up. He knew it. He cleared his throat. “Uh, horny? I’m sure I can take care of that.”
“I was hoping. Not like I can get pregnant. And you’re stuck with me until I have this baby. Might as well have some fun.”
He figured it was the hormones talking. Would he be a bad guy if he took advantage of those hormones? And give her what she wanted? Give him what he wanted. He hadn’t had sex since their night together. He wasn’t going to have sex anytime soon with her here.
This way they could both scratch an itch.
“Okay. Can I eat first?”
“I’m pregnant. I need to eat first,” she said.
His night was looking up. He never ate so fast in his life. “We can clean up the dishes later.”
He took her hand, then kissed it. Then he pulled her into his arms. Her lips were warm and she was pliant up against him. His body woke up with her there. Damn. He broke off the kiss then led her up to his bedroom.
The Billionaire's Secretly Fake Bride (MANHATTAN BACHELORS Book 3) Page 28
