His Pregnant Royal Bride

by Amy Ruttan

  They laughed together at that as the ferry pulled into the docks.

  It was a short walk from the ferry to the hospital. And there wasn’t any press around. Dante made sure she got to her office and was settled, before he headed to his.

  “Shay, if you need anything, please have me paged. I’m here for you, cara.”

  She nodded. “Thank you, but I’ve arranged to meet my friend today for lunch and talk to her about a few things, because I’m honestly not sure about this, Dante. I mean, a marriage of convenience...I can’t agree to that.”

  He held up his hand, cutting her off. “It’s for the best. Trust me.”

  “How can I trust you? We barely know each other.”

  He understood that. He understood about not trusting someone. His trust had been shattered when Olivia broke his heart.

  “You just have to,” he said, and he walked away.

  Not even sure that he could trust her either.

  * * *

  Dante made his rounds pretty quickly, which always gave him a bad feeling because when the emergency room was quiet it would inevitably become busy in the near future. Which meant trauma.

  After he did his rounds and checked on the stability of Mr. Sanders, who was doing well in the intensive care unit, he headed back to his office. He resisted the urge to go and find Shay to see how she was coming along with the simulation planning because he wanted to give her some space. He had a feeling that he was overwhelming her and he didn’t blame her one bit. He was feeling a bit overwhelmed himself.

  When he walked into his office, he saw Enzo standing in front of his desk, his back to him. The expensive suits his brother always wore gave him away.

  “Enzo, aren’t you supposed to be at the clinic?”

  Enzo turned around and flashed him that impish smile he’d had since he was a young boy. “Is that any way to talk to your brother? Not even a ciao and asking how I am doing, just straight to the point of why I’m here?”

  “Yes, usually it is. You’re a pain in my side.” Dante laughed.

  Enzo just shook his head. “I have some good news—”

  “Did you do what I asked?” Dante said, interrupting him.

  “Yes, I left a message with someone from the United World Wide Health Association who was at the house. I told her where Shay was and where she was going to be moving to. She said she would try to find time to pack Shay’s personal belongings, but I don’t know.”

  “Well, they haven’t yet,” Dante said.

  Enzo shrugged. “I can’t help that. I did what you asked me to. I wasn’t about to go into some woman’s room and rummage through her things. Especially if she’s rooming with another woman. I really don’t feel like being beaten up by a bunch of United World Wide Health Association workers. I have a practice to run and I’m going to be getting one of those United World Wide Health Association nurses in my clinic soon to deal with the tourists.”

  “You don’t sound very happy about that,” Dante said.

  Enzo shrugged again. “Am I ever happy about stuff like that? It is what it is. Maybe she’ll have a lighter hand with the tourists. Sometimes I don’t have enough patience with them.”

  “So intolerant,” Dante teased.

  “Look, I have some news. Do you want to hear it or not?”

  “Sì, I want to hear it.”

  “I have a friend who works for the civil court. I explained your situation and they are very aware of our situation with respect to our inheritance and the trust fund.”

  “Oh, yes?” Dante was now very interested.

  “And instead of the four-day waiting period to get your Nulla Osta they were able to give it to me today. All you have to do is get Shay to sign it stating that there is no impediment for you two to marry, and you can marry today, provided you have two witnesses.”

  “I hope you’ll be one of the witnesses.”

  “I’ll try. Truly,” Enzo said. “I want to make sure this is seen through. I’m still worried, Dante. I still have my misgivings about this.”

  “I know you do, but, trust me, Shay is pregnant with my child. The paternity result said so. I met her at that conference in Hawaii months ago. We had one night of passion. We did use protection, but you know that doesn’t always work. And now she’s expecting my child.”

  Enzo nodded. “Don’t you think it’s funny, though, that she came here? I mean, people know about us. The paparazzi follow us around even though we have restraining orders. Everyone knows our father is a womanizer and has sold off pieces of Affini land, just so he could pay for all his mistresses, and that he’ll eventually sell off our mother’s land too if he gets the chance. Affini men are cheaters, both in matters of money and women. It was the same with his father too. Affini men are a bunch of womanizers. What if she hears about that?”

  “What if she does?” Dante asked, getting impatient. He knew all this. Why was Enzo so worried?

  “Isn’t that why Olivia went after you? She could claim that you were not being faithful to her, even though she was ultimately not faithful to you. Women like that are just looking for a handout.”

  “I am aware of the situation, Enzo. Because it’s happened to me. It won’t happen this time. This is my child. With Olivia it was different. She was pregnant before we met—that’s how I knew the child wasn’t mine. It was better I found out. It hurt a lot at the time, that’s true, but Shay is pregnant with my child. I’m going to take care of them even if I have to give them a handout. I’m going to support her. I’m going to make sure my child is taken care of. That’s the kind of person that I am.”

  Enzo shook his head. “This is why I don’t want to get involved with any woman. Just give me casual relationships.”

  “Casual can lead to a baby too,” Dante said. “Look what happened here. Shay and I were only ever going to be a onetime thing and now she’s pregnant with my child. If it wasn’t for the fact that I was approaching my thirty-fifth birthday, I wouldn’t be pushing this marriage so hard. I would support the child, don’t get me wrong,” Dante said quickly. “Because, unlike you, I want to be a father.”

  There had been so many times when he was in that villa that he’d felt lonely. He wouldn’t admit it, but it was true. It hurt thinking about what could’ve been with Olivia if she hadn’t betrayed his trust, if that child had been his. He wanted a family. Despite the fact that his father was a womanizer who had broken his mother’s heart. He wanted what he’d never had as a child. A happy family.

  Love from both parents.

  What his mother had mourned, because she’d had that as a child and hadn’t been able to give it to her sons.

  Dante had loved his mother. She was a good mother. He loved Enzo and having a brother. He’d loved spending time with his maternal grandparents in Tuscany. Every summer they would spend their time there when they weren’t in school. Then there were the times his mother would take them to the dilapidated villa that was now his home. They would spend time running on the sandy beaches at the Lido, eating olives and picking fresh fruit.

  It was a happy time.

  On the Lido they had been away from the hustle and bustle. From the lonely nights when their parents had gone to parties and entertained. From the fights and arguments their parents had had. From the heartbreaking cries of their mother as her heart had broken more every time their father had cheated.

  He wasn’t going to do that. Enzo was more afraid of becoming a womanizer than Dante was, but Olivia had crushed every little piece of trust he’d had and he wasn’t sure he ever wanted to take the risk of having what he’d always wanted.

  Family.

  Shay showing up in Venice pregnant was scary. He was terrified, but he was going to do the right thing. Even if the marriage was for show and nothing was going to come of things between the two of them, he wa
s going to have a child. An heir. He was going to be a part of that child’s life forever. He didn’t take his duty lightly.

  He was going to make sure his child was happy. His child wasn’t going to suffer the way he and Enzo had suffered. He wasn’t going to hurt Shay, or his child.

  “Come on, let’s go get Shay to sign this.” Dante took the forms from Enzo. “Then you can meet her and see for yourself that she’s nothing like Olivia.”

  “I look forward to meeting her. Another time, though. I have work to take care of.”

  “You can come meet her here before you go.”

  They walked through the halls of the hospital to the other side where the simulation training was going to take place, but they found that Shay’s office was locked. Dante knocked, but there was no answer.

  A nurse walked by.

  “She went out for lunch,” the nurse said.

  “Do you know where?” Dante asked.

  “Sì, Braddicio’s, which isn’t far.”

  “Do you know when she’ll be back?” Dante asked.

  “I don’t know,” the nurse said. “The simulation is ready, but the trainees are still working with Dr. Carlo, so it’s been postponed until they are done working with Dr. Carlo.”

  Dante cursed under his breath. “Grazie.”

  “Well, now what?” Enzo asked. “I don’t have much longer before I have to get back to the clinic.”

  “How about we go to the restaurant? I need to talk to her privately away from here anyway. You can distract the girlfriend she’s having lunch with while I talk to Shay.”

  “No good,” said Enzo. “I’m truly sorry, but you’re on your own.”

  Dante cursed under his breath. “You’re a thorn in my side, Enzo.”

  And all Enzo did was grin.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  SHAY WALKED INTO BRADDICIO’S, which was tucked down a small canal, off the main canal near the hospital. She’d been here before. It was a nice Italian bistro, dark and romantic, and the food was good. Shay loved it here. When she went inside, Aubrey was already sitting there, waiting. She looked worried as she watched the door.

  Shay headed to the booth in the corner where Aubrey was waiting for her. When Aubrey’s gaze landed on her, she could see the relief wash over her face.

  “Oh, thank goodness,” Aubrey said. “I’ve been so worried about you. You didn’t go into too many details on the phone this morning and I figured you couldn’t speak freely. I hopped a train for you, I’ll have you know.”

  “I was fine, Aubrey. I was with Dante—the father of my child and a highly respected surgeon,” she teased. “I was in very good hands.”

  “I know, I know. I was just concerned when you weren’t at the house when I called last night. I know I pushed you to take this job here and to tell Dante about his child, but I didn’t expect you to run off with him.”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Clearly. Still, I was picturing all these horrible things happening to you.” Aubrey grinned. “I’m relieved.”

  “What kind of horrible things? The worst he could do is lock me up in his villa...”

  “He owns a villa?” Aubrey asked with surprise. “Where?”

  “The Lido di Venezia.”

  “He has a villa on the Lido?” Aubrey asked, impressed. “Wow, Venice is expensive.”

  “He’s a prince.”

  Aubrey’s mouth dropped open, her eyes wide, and she shook her head. “A what?”

  “A prince. The father of my baby is a prince. Yesterday when I tried to leave the hospital after my shift ended I was accosted by the paparazzi because my baby is the Affini heir.” She’d lowered her voice, not that there were many people in the restaurant while they were having their lunch break, but, still, she didn’t want someone to hear.

  “So that’s why he wants to marry you? Because he’s a prince?”

  “Something like that,” Shay said. “He said he could protect me. He has a restraining order against the press. Once he had me in his arms, they didn’t come back again. They didn’t follow us to the Lido to bother us either.”

  Aubrey frowned. “He wants to marry you to protect you? That sounds a little old-fashioned. What did you say?”

  “I told him no, of course, but he’s so insistent. Which is why I wanted to talk to you.”

  “Do you want to marry him? I thought you didn’t want to get married.”

  “I don’t, but he wants to give his child his name. And it would be more of a business arrangement. Dante said it need only last a year.”

  “You don’t need to be married for him to give your child his name, you know,” Aubrey said.

  “I know, right? I mean, it’s just that he’s royalty and their name is well-known—it’s a legitimizing thing apparently. And...with my work...well, I could continue to do my work if he was involved.”

  “You don’t have to be married for him to be involved in your child’s life. Or for you to be able to continue with your career, Shay.”

  “I know. I’m so confused. When I woke up in his bed this morning in his villa, it felt right being with him, but...I don’t know.”

  Aubrey’s eyes widened. “You spent the night in his bed, in his villa?”

  “Yes.” Shay winced as Aubrey groaned. “But he was the perfect gentleman and slept downstairs on the sofa all night,” she added quickly.

  “Oh, Shay, are you still attracted to him?”

  “Yes.”

  Aubrey looked even more concerned then. “And he only wants to be married for a year? That seems weird.”

  “I know.” Shay sighed. “It sounds a little too good to be true, but there you have it. I don’t know what to do.”

  “Well, at least he wants to be involved with his child’s life.”

  “Yes, that much he does,” Shay agreed.

  “That’s a good thing.” Aubrey had issues with her own father, just as Shay did. Which was probably why they’d bonded so quickly when they’d met in their first years during the UWWHA. Aubrey was the one who had been so insistent that Shay find Dante and tell him about the baby. Aubrey was also the one who’d found out about this job and suggested that Shay take it when Daniel dropped out.

  Shay didn’t know what to do, which was why she was glad Aubrey was visiting today. She needed to talk it out. That was how she rationalized things.

  “I wonder what’s in it for him,” Aubrey mused.

  “That’s exactly what I was thinking. I don’t understand. Couldn’t someone just offer to get the mother of their child on their restraining order without them having to marry?”

  “Yeah,” Aubrey said. “I’m not familiar with how that works here. I’m not too familiar with Italian laws.”

  “I don’t know what to do,” Shay said. “He promises that the marriage won’t interfere with my work and that it’s on paper only. Once the year is up, I’m free to go. He’ll grant me a painless divorce. No fighting over custody, which we’ll share. We’re going to have contracts drawn up and everything.”

  “It just sounds off, Shay.” Aubrey didn’t look convinced. “Please promise me that you’ll get a lawyer to look over everything. Especially when dealing with Italian laws as a foreigner.”

  “I know. I will. I just want my child to have their father in their life.”

  Aubrey nodded sadly. “I understand that. I get that, but you have to protect yourself too.”

  “There is nothing to protect myself from. I don’t own any assets. It’s Dante who should be worried, even though I have no interest in his money. Or his land. Or his title.”

  Or him? a little voice in her head asked. She shook that thought away. She did have an interest in him. A big interest, which was what had got her into this situation in the first place. Only she wou
ld never hang on to past relationships. Once it was over, it was over. With Dante, it wasn’t. There was something different about him.

  You’re carrying his baby, that’s why.

  She hadn’t known she was pregnant for weeks after conception, yet she’d thought of Dante every day since they’d parted. So what was it about him? Why was Dante different from her other few fleeting relationships?

  You’ve never been this attracted to someone before.

  And she was attracted to Dante. She still desired him. Just being around him made her pulse quicken, her blood heat, and the urge to kiss him again was strong.

  “I’m not just talking legal stuff.”

  “Oh?”

  “You’re attracted to him and yet you’re agreeing to this cold and loveless marriage.”

  Blood rushed to Shay’s cheeks and she groaned. “Yes.”

  “Tread carefully. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “Why don’t we order something? I’m starving,” Shay said, keen to shake away thoughts of Dante and kissing him. “I haven’t had anything to eat since this morning when he made me fresh fruit and yogurt.”

  Aubrey chuckled. “He made you fresh fruit and yogurt?”

  “He’s a good cook. I tasted the risotto he made the night before. It was delicious. He says he likes to do it.”

  “Well, that’s at least something, because you are a terrible cook.”

  They both laughed at that as the waiter came over to take their order. Shay ordered a glass of Italian soda, while Aubrey got to have wine.

  They continued talking about their work and how Aubrey’s work was going farther south in the country, and Shay talked about the simulations she was going to run the new trainees through. It was nice to chat like normal again. To not talk about babies or marriage.

  “Oh, my,” Aubrey said, perking up.

  “What?”

  Aubrey nodded at the door. “I think your husband-to-be just walked in.”

  Shay turned and saw Dante standing in the doorway of the restaurant.

  “What is he doing here?”

  Dante caught her gaze and then headed over to their table. By the firm set of his jaw and his tight gait he was on a mission.