The Baby Contract ((The women of Landry's Landing and the Fabrizio men))

by Quinn, Shelli

  Well there goes that theory.

  The father of her baby was in their lives and it looked as if he wasn't going anywhere. What in the world was she going to do about Pierce Fabrizio, the father of her baby? Why was he here and why wasn't a man this hot already married to a dim witted, pea brained, bimbo that looked like a super model?

  She knew that a man like him could have any woman of his choice.

  Egypt was quite sure that she couldn't be his usual type. She was attractive but she was no super model. Standing at only five foot, five she could never be mistaken for a super model.

  She was also African-American, whereas he was, well she wasn't sure what he was. With his deeply tanned, olive skin tone, light gray eyes and dark wavy hair. He was a gorgeous man.

  That accent of his was sexy as all get out.

  She could swear that she'd heard his name somewhere before. She couldn't remember when or where she'd heard it, but she could bet money that she had. His type was well known somewhere; she just had to figure out where.

  He could be a wanted criminal or a professional con man.

  It's not like she hadn't fallen for a lowdown, good-for-nothing, snake before. She'd almost lost everything that she and her sisters had worked so hard for, because of her poor judgment in character. She'd gotten some of their money back with the help of her sisters, Asia and India.

  They'd tracked down that crook and his deceitful little trick of a girlfriend. After a few threats and a little force, he had gladly returned the small amount of cash they hadn't spent.

  Now she was up to her eyeballs in debt.

  They'd had to take a second mortgage out on the Inn, in order to make payroll for the staff. She used the remainder of the money on the insemination procedure. She promised herself and her sisters that she would never fall for a handsome face, with a mouth full of pretty words again.

  Pierce was watching her with curious eyes. She hadn't said a word since he’d told her their marriage wouldn't be one of convenience, but a real husband and wife commitment. She was just sitting there in a daze, staring off into space.

  He wandered what she was thinking. Well only one way to find out. He cleared his throat to gain her attention. Confused eyes met his.

  “What are you thinking?” He asked with curiosity.

  “Frankly I don't know what to think, you came in here and laid this on me and expect, what? Am I supposed to jump at the chance to marry a perfect stranger I'm sorry but give me one reason why I should agree to this.” She waited for him to respond to what she'd said.

  “It looks as if you've had a long day, why don't I leave you to think about it and we can talk again tomorrow, after you've had a good night's sleep.” He said as he stood and extended a hand to help her up. When she put her hand in his she felt a small charge of electricity travel up her arm. He didn't immediately release her hand from his. Placing his free hand over hers he said in a calming tone.

  “I'm not here to trick you, con you or take your Inn from you, I just want us to raise our baby together, and marrying me could make things financially easier for you and your sisters. The three of you could turn this place into everything you've ever dreamed of. So think about it and I'll come by tomorrow. Now you need to get some rest do you want me to take you up to your apartment?”

  “No thank you I can manage. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “Until tomorrow, have a good night Egypt Landry.” He turned and walked out of the dining room.

  Egypt stood there her hand still hanging in mid air. His lips had felt warm and soft as he'd kissed her hand. That man was truly a hunk, she thought to herself as he walked away.

  Later that night after Egypt had taken a long warm shower and slipped into her fluffy, plush bathrobe, she sat on the couch in the living room area she shared with her sisters. They'd converted most of the top floor of the Inn into private living quarters. Each had their own suite as well as a couple of extra rooms but shared a living room area and kitchen. The old house that they’d grown up in located on the other end of the property had been destroyed in trouble storm a few years ago.

  The Inn and the property it was on had been left to them by their grandparents. Their parents had died in an accident when she and her sisters were still in school.

  India was the oldest of the sisters Egypt was two years younger and Asia one year younger than her. That accident had also claimed the life of their parent’s best friends the Cramer’s who’d left behind their only child a daughter named London.

  After the accident they’d gone to live with their father’s parents the Landry's, and because London’s only living relative was an ailing great grandmother she’d been raised right along with the three of them, by Trevor and Cynthia Landry. And she was always treated as a member of their family they’d even given her their last name making her legally a Landry.

  The Landry’s were wonderful and kind people. The two had been so much in love, being an interracial couple in their time hadn’t been easy, especially living in North Carolina. Trevor a Navy officer at the time had met Cynthia while on leave in Virginia. He’d always said that she was the most beautiful black woman he’d ever seen and had fallen in love with her instantly.

  Cynthia always said that it was his smiling green eyes that had grabbed her attention and how handsome he’d looked in his uniform. They’d had over fifty wonderful years together before Trevor had died of pneumonia four years ago. Cynthia being unable to get over losing her soul mate had died a few short weeks after her husband.

  Trevor and Cynthia had put all four of them through college including London. Each of them ran a business within the Inn everyone except London she traveled a lot because of her job she was buyer for a major department store in New York. London had a degree in fashion design and hoped to one day design her own line of clothes.

  Egypt had a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and was in charge of the Inn. India was in charge of their small winery, with her bachelor’s degree in applied science viticulture and wine science. And Asia was in charge of the restaurant, with her bachelor’s degree in culinary arts.

  They all contributed to the profitability and success of the Inn as well as the businesses within the Inn. Lending a hand when and where, needed which is why Gigi had been working in the dining room. One of the waitresses had a family emergency.

  So she'd volunteered, ignoring protests from both her sisters. Now as she sat on the sofa with an aching back and swollen feet, she wished she’d listened. Then maybe she wouldn't have been around for Pierce Fabrizio's visit. Yeah right he would have found her even if she'd moved all the way to Timbuktu. She had a feeling he didn't give up easily.

  Egypt lifted her laptop, from the coffee table and settled it on what was left of her lap. She was just about to type Pierce Fabrizio into the search engine, when her sisters entered the living room.

  They were both smiling liking Cheshire cats.

  “So Gigi who was that fine looking guy you were sitting with tonight?” Asia asked in a squeaky school girl voice.

  “Good gracious, Asia you are so nosy.” India said as she took a seat on the sofa next to Gigi.

  “Oh don't act like you don't want to know who he was, just as much as I do.” Asia remarked sarcastically.

  “I'm not sure if either of you wants to know who he was.” Gigi replied as she placed a hand on protruding stomach and rubbed gently.

  India and Asia exchanged looks of confusion before one of them replied.

  “Uh-oh what's going on who was he, and why don't we want to know about him.” India asked in a concerned voice.

  Gigi took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before she answered. “His name is Pierce Fabrizio.” India's mouth gaped open as she stared at Gigi. Asia squealed excitedly as she took a seat on the other side of Gigi.

  “Did you say Pierce Fabrizio, as in the Fabrizio's from Italy?”

  Gigi raised one of her neatly arched eyebrow
s. “I'm not sure, but he does have a very sexy accent.” She said with a smile as she thought of the way he'd said her name.

  Gigi glanced over at India whose mouth was still gaped open. “Why were you talking to a Fabrizio, what business would he have with you, please don't tell me you borrowed the money we made payroll with from the mob?”

  “What are you crazy? India have you been drinking too many bottles of the wine your making?

  I would never borrow money from the mob, and I don't think Pierce Fabrizio is with the mob? Is he?” Gigi turned to laptop and began typing. India and Asia looked at each other, confused. India spoke first.

  “What are you doing? You're supposed to be telling us about your visit with Pierce Fabrizio.”

  “I will but right now I'm searching the web, to see if I can find out anything about him.”

  Not sure of what she would find or if she'd find anything at all, after typing in his name, to her surprise it returned multiple results.

  “I’m pretty sure that an internet search won’t tell you if he’s with the mob Gigi.” India said sarcastically.

  What she did find was information on Fabrizio Investments, Fabrizio Shipping and Imports, and a Fabrizio Winery and Vineyards.

  She was certain that this could not be the same Fabrizio that had proposed marriage to her. She clicked on images to confirm, that this couldn't possibly be the same man that had been here tonight. The images that popped onto her screen were too many to count, but one in particular caught her eye, that of four men all similar in looks. The four stood arm and arm like they were celebrating and having a good time.

  One of the men caught her attention more than the others, the one standing between two of the shorter men. He was a bit taller and he looked older than two of them but not by much and maybe the same age as the one standing on the end to his right.

  His grey eyes shined brightly, as he flashed his pearly whites at the camera. She read the caption underneath the photo out loud.

  “The next generation of Fabrizio’s inherits family Empire.”

  “You have got to be kidding me?” she said staring unblinking at the computer screen.

  India urged her on. “Click on it so we can read the article.”

  “Yeah, come on we want to hear what it says.” Asia said excitedly.

  Clicking on the caption the article opened and she begin to read.

  “Italian business Tycoon Giuseppe Fabrizio steps down as president and CEO of Fabrizio Industries, amidst accusations connecting him with the disappearance of several business rivals who’ve gone missing over the years, which no one to this day have ever been able to prove. It has also been rumored for some time now that Giuseppe Fabrizio has deep connections with the mob which has also never been proven.

  Yet still after more than forty years as head of Fabrizio Industries the parent company of the Fabrizio Empire with subsidiaries consisting of Fabrizio Investment Corp, Fabrizio Shipping and Imports, and finally Fabrizio Winery and Vineyards, he feels that stepping down is in the best interest of the company. His oldest son Pierce will be taking over the reins as head of the corporation, leaving his other three sons, Gabriele, Luciano and Giovanni to head the remainder of the Empire. Giuseppe has been grooming the four young men since they were teenagers.

  Pierce the oldest of the four at the age of thirty three and a corporate attorney was as quoted as saying, “He was honored that his father felt confident that he could lead the family company into the future, alongside his three brothers.”

  Giovanni who is actually his cousin and the son of Giuseppe's sister who die giving birth, never telling her family the name of the man who fathered her baby, so he was left to be raised by her family. The thirty two year old Giovanni who holds a masters degree in science and is a licensed private investigator, was raised as one of Giuseppe's sons.

  Gabriele who is thirty one years old and an accountant with master’s degree in Accounting and Business administration and Luciano who is twenty nine years old and a licensed pilot also with a master’s degree in business administration.

  The four men are very close and look forward to running the company together as

  They’ve been groomed to do for all these years. We along with the rest of the world wait with baited breath to see what the Fabrizio men do with this billion dollar empire.

  “Well that was interesting.” Asia said.

  “Yeah but it still does not explain why he was here, talking to Gigi.” India replied.

  “You're right, it doesn't.” Asia added.

  “Okay Gigi, spill it why was Mr. Too-sexy-for-words here and what were you two talking about.” India demanded.

  Egypt pulled her bottom lip between her teeth wandering if she should tell her sisters what Pierce had told her about the baby. She remembered what happened the last time she kept something from them. Deciding she'd better tell them before they found out some other way.

  “Pierce was he because he wanted to talk to me about the baby.”

  “What does he have to do with your baby?” India asked looking very confused.

  Egypt looked at both her sisters for a moment before averting her eyes as she rubbed her large stomach.

  “Well it seems that it was his sperm that the clinic used for the insemination procedure.” Both India and Asia jumped to their feet as they yelled simultaneously.

  “What? He's your baby's father?”

  “Yes, he's my baby's father, and he wants me to marry him.”

  Chapter Four

  “He wants you to do WHAT?” India exclaimed loudly, as she stared down at Gigi.

  “This is awesome, when is the wedding?” Asia asked excitedly. Gigi and India both turned their wide eyed gaze to their little sister.

  “Have you lost your mind?” India yelled before turning her attention back to Gigi, who’d

  returned her gaze to the images on her laptop. Both sisters reclaimed their seats on either side of Gigi.

  “So what are you going to do about your baby daddy?” Asia said with a very ghetto accent as she giggled.

  India and Egypt began to laugh uncontrollably.

  “That's not funny.” Egypt said once she stopped laughing. “I don't know what to do about him I mean I'm not sure why he wants to marry me. We don't even know each other.”

  India took Egypt's laptop and placed it on the coffee table.

  “Well at least you know that he's not after your money, one because you don't have any and two because he's a billionaire tycoon. I'd say you have a lot to think about.”

  “Think about, what's there to think about. Your baby’s father wants to marry you. He's fine as all get out and he's rich.” Asia said in a serious tone, which earned her a hard stare from both her sisters.

  “What I'm saying is the only thing Gigi should be thinking about is what she should wear to the wedding, and about the wedding night.”

  “Okay you need to stop talking now, Asia.” India replied. “Let's give Gigi some time alone, why don't you go take a warm bath so you can soak those swollen feet of yours.” Gigi smiled at her big sister who was always trying to take care of her and Asia. Every time she or Asia got into trouble it was always India who was there to bail them out. She was the best big sister anyone could ask for.

  When she'd told her about wanting to get the artificial insemination, she’d understood her desire to be a mother, and her not wanting to get involved with another good-for-nothing, man in order to have the baby she wanted.

  “Thanks Indy a warm bath would be great, even though I just had a quick shower that didn’t help my swollen feet.”

  India looked at Asia. “Would you be a doll and go run Gigi's bath, remember don’t get the water too hot.” Asia hopped up from her seat on the couch, and headed to Gigi's suite to run her bath, stopping halfway there. She glanced back over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes at India.

  “Oh, I get it send baby sister out of the room so that the grownups can talk. Well I am not a baby anymore,
India so stop treating me like one.”

  India stood from her seat on the sofa, crossing both her arms over her chest. She raised one of her eyebrows as she looked at her little sister. “Look here little girl, I was not treating you like a baby, but if you keep acting like one I can change that. Now go run Gigi's bath.”

  Asia turned away mumbling her displeasure as she left the room. Gigi and India giggled as they heard her mumbled complaints.

  “We love you too, Asia.” They both said in unison.

  “Whatever!” Was the only comment she tossed over her shoulder before disappearing into Gigi's suite.

  India seat down next to Gigi, taking one of her hands in both of hers, she gently squeezed. “I have always stood behind you and I always will, whatever you decide I will support you.”

  Gigi pulled India in for a sisterly embrace. “Thank you, Indy that means a lot to me.”

  Pierce was meeting with Giovanni, the man that was not only his cousin but, he’d been raised as his brother and was also his best friend. If it hadn't been for Gio's keen detective work, Pierce would have been tricked into marrying a lying, little gold digger. Being forever doomed to an unloving, cold hearted, conveying, selfish little witch, whose only concern was for herself.

  Pierce had promised to let him know what happened with Egypt Landry. After finding out all he could about the Landry sisters, Giovanni had given him photos of Egypt and her sisters and as much of their family as he could come up with. He'd even found information on the low-life ex-boyfriend that had stolen money from her and her sisters.

  Pierce planned to deal with that situation at his earliest convenience. That little detail Gigi didn't need to know anything about. Pretty sure that she wouldn't approve of the way he intended to handle the little thief. Needless to say he wouldn't be conning any more innocent women anytime soon.