VITTORIO'S RUNAWAY BRIDE

by Kimberley Reeves

  Logan glanced at his brothers. “Do you think I should…intervene?”

  “Only if you wish to have your eyes scratched out,” Dante replied, then shook his head. “And to think I was concerned what it would do to her when she found you with Alicia.”

  “What do you mean, found me?” Logan demanded. “Tell me you did not let her come up without explaining why Alicia was here!”

  “I tried, but she would not listen. When she arrived unexpectedly and I attempted to persuade her to wait in your office, she guessed you were up here and who you were with.”

  “She must have gotten my message then,” Logan said more to himself than to his brothers.

  He grimaced when Alicia made a snide comment about the time she’d spent with him during Shelby’s six month absence. But when his wife was able to recount where he’d taken Alicia and who else had been in attendance, it took the wind out of Alicia’s sails. She’d apparently assumed Logan had kept their outings a secret and had hoped to broadside Shelby with it. For a moment, the two women simply glared at each other and Logan bravely took a step towards them, intending to put an end to it, but Shelby beat him to the punch.

  “You’re a married woman, for God’s sake act like it! I want you out of here, out of our lives, and if you so much as bat an eyelash Logan’s way again I’ll run straight to your husband and tell him what you’ve been up to.”

  Alicia’s eyes narrowed. “Try it and I’ll rip you to shreds.”

  Shelby’s smile was lethal. “Keep stalking my husband and we’ll see who welds more power. I am a Vittorio,” she said proudly, “and no one messes with family.”

  Alicia had remained relatively unaffected by the things Shelby said to her up until then, but that certainly seemed to rattle her. She opened her mouth then clamped it shut again, settling for a haughty flip of her head as she stepped around Shelby to make her exit. It was the audible gasp as much as the abrupt halt Alicia came to that made Shelby turn around. They looked liked mountains, the three Vittorio brothers standing side by side, and if she didn’t know any better, the dark scowls they were all wearing would have scared the hell out of her.

  Alicia took another faltering step before mustering enough courage to speak. “I’d like to leave now, so if you don’t mind…?”

  “Not at all,” Luca said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “As a matter of fact, it will bring my brother and me a great deal of pleasure to escort you to your car.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” she sniffed indignantly.

  “I assure you it is quite necessary,” Dante told her as he lightly gripped her arm and ushered her towards the door.

  Luca paused long enough to flash a genuine smile at Shelby. “I have never had occasion to be envious of my brother until this moment. You are an amazing woman, Mrs. Vittorio.”

  The minute the door closed and they were left alone, Logan turned to Shelby. “He’s right, you are an amazing woman.”

  Shelby crossed her arms. “Don’t even think about trying to sweet talk me. I’m very angry with you right now.”

  “Just let me explain…”

  “Oh, Logan, you don’t have to explain. I know you probably brought her here to avoid a public scene, but did you honestly think she’d listen to reason or concern herself with threats to tell her husband? What upsets me most is that you kept it from me. If you’d only told me she’d started coming on to you again, we could have…”

  “What?” Logan went to her then, enfolding her in his arms before she could offer a protest. “You thought she was after me, that this meeting was to warn her off with threats to expose her to Richard?”

  Shelby’s brows drew together. “I just assumed…I mean, why else would you…and then when I saw the way she was dressed…” she swallowed hard, the first tiny thread of doubt beginning to wind its way through her head. “I’m afraid I don’t understand then,” she said feebly.

  “It is I who do not understand, cara mia. I thought you came here because of the message I left on your cell phone.”

  “No, I came here because…well, it doesn’t matter now. I didn’t get the message, Logan. I was running a little late for my doctor’s appointment and accidentally left without my phone. That’s why I didn’t call before I got here. I stopped by your office first but Margaret said you’d been called away for a short meeting and then when Dante was trying so hard to keep me from going up, I just knew you were here with that woman.”

  “You presumed it was because I was trying to talk some sense into her?”

  “Well, I…I might have had one tiny moment of concern…”

  “You really did not get my message?”

  “Why do you keep asking me that? And why does it sound like there was a different reason for Alicia Delatorre being here?”

  “Ah, carissima,” he laughed, “there is no reason for that frown on your pretty mouth. I will explain everything, but there is something I must do first.”

  Shelby’s frown deepened. “What is so important it can’t wait until you explain what’s been going on?”

  “This,” he whispered.

  It was like stepping out into the sunshine after being locked in a cold, dark basement for days. His mouth came down hard and hungry, spreading the warmth from her lips to every part of her body and bathing her it’s delicious glow. Locked safely in his arms nothing could touch her, not even that horrible woman and her insane claim that she’d been more intimate with Logan than he wanted Shelby to believe. In spite of Alicia’s outward beauty, Logan would never have been drawn to someone so self-absorbed and superficial. Not even for a onetime roll in the sack.

  Logan dragged his head back grudgingly. “I am sorry, mi amore, we shall have to continue this later. I will explain in greater depth tonight when I get home but right now I must make it brief because of a conference I cannot get out of.”

  Shelby’s disappointment showed on her face but she couldn’t help it. She’d envisioned his reaction to being told he was going to be a father along with the joy they’d share and the passionate kisses that would undoubtedly follow. It wasn’t fair and she resented having to shove the news of her pregnancy aside. She pulled away from him and sat down on the sofa, childishly thinking it would serve him right if she kept it a secret until he could spare time for his wife.

  Logan seated himself next to her, arching an amused brow. “You are irritated with me because I do not have time to tell you everything.” He reached out and cupped her chin, gently but firmly forcing her to look at him. “May I remind you, Mrs. Vittorio, that had you not gotten into a cat fight with Alicia I would not be so pressed for time right now.”

  “She deserved it,” Shelby said defensively.

  “More than you think,” he said with heavy sigh.

  For the first time since she’d walked in, Shelby saw just how deeply upset he was. Well, maybe upset wasn’t the right word, not for a man like Logan, but he was definitely worried and she had the unsettling feeling it was more than just Alicia’s obsession with him. The lines that were etched in his forehead coupled with the obvious tension in his broad shoulders was enough to cause her some concern but it was the carefully guarded expression on his face that really alarmed her.

  “Logan, what is it?”

  “It is nothing…no, that is not true. I was very proud of the way you stood up to Alicia, it is important for you to know that, but when you first walked in and found her hanging all over me…” he stopped and drew in a deep breath, expelling it slowly. “Shelby, I have to admit that I was terrified you would turn around and run, that you would leave me again.”

  “Oh Logan,” her voice was tinged with sadness, “haven’t I proven yet that I trust you?”

  “I suppose you have,” he agreed, “but I want you to understand something, Shelby. When you left me before, it almost killed me and I cannot go through that again. As much as I love you and need you in my life, if you run away from me a second time, I will not go after you.” Loga
n took her hand when he saw her eyes misting with tears. “I do love you, cara mia, with all of my heart and soul but if we cannot trust one another then we have nothing. I know it hurts you to hear me say this but it must be said. I will not spend my life chasing after a woman who is so unsure of my love for her that she bolts without giving me the chance to waylay her fears.”

  “But isn’t that what I did today, Logan? Didn’t I push past my fear of losing you and see things for what they really were? I’m still here,” she said softly. “After finding you alone with Alicia and getting next to no explanation as to why, I’m still here. Doesn’t that tell you how much I love you and that I’ll never make the mistake of leaving you again?”

  Logan lifted her hand to his lips. “Yes it does, my love, and now I owe you an apology as well as an explanation. The reason I asked Alicia to come here was because I discovered she has been following you.”

  “Me? Why on earth would she want to follow me?”

  “That is precisely what I intended to find out. Unfortunately, we had not gotten that far into our conversation when you arrived.”

  “I wanted to tear her heart out when I saw the way she was cozying up to you,” Shelby said venomously. “I’ll take what I can get,” she mimicked. “She deliberately misconstrued what you said as an excuse to press up against you.”

  “I am sorry you had to see that, cara. If any man had done that to you…” his eyes blazed with the very idea of another man putting his hands on Shelby.

  “Maybe now she’ll leave us alone,” she offered hopefully.

  “Who knows what a woman like that will do? She is unbalanced to say the least so until I am sure she is going to maintain her distance, I will continue to have her watched.”

  “Continue? But you said…oh, I see. That’s how you knew she was following me.” Shelby tilted her head. “Wait…why were having someone watching her?”

  “Simon hired a private investigator. I know this is confusing,” he said before she could ask any more questions, “but there is no time to explain everything right now. Just promise me you will go straight home and stay there until I get off work.”

  Shelby’s eyes widened. “You think she might try something?”

  “I do not know, just…promise me.”

  “Okay, I promise.”

  “Good. I could not conduct a conference if I did not know you were safe at home. And now,” he leaned over and kissed her, “I must go, tesoro.”

  Bitter disappointed washed over her in droves when he got up and headed for the door. The worry lines were still evident, although her promise to go straight home had alleviated some of them, and the smile that he gave her just before he left the room was tinged with concern. Would telling him about the baby make it better or worse? She rose to her feet, uncertain as to what she was going to do until the slap of her purse against her thigh reminded her of the small box inside. Gripping the shoulder strap to keep it from flying off, Shelby raced after Logan as fast as her high heels would allow.

  “Logan, wait,” she shouted, then expelled a soft whoosh when their bodies collided. Strong arms held her close as she lifted an exalted face to his. “You were coming back,” she breathed.

  “For this,” he said, before slanting his head and giving her a passionate kiss. “I could not leave without telling you how much I love you.”

  Shelby’s smile was radiant. “And I couldn’t let you leave without telling you…”

  “Tell me what?” He eyed her curiously when she pulled away from him and dug a small gift box from her purse. “You bought me a present?”

  It didn’t even matter what it was, the thrill he got from knowing she’d been thinking of him when she purchased it was enough. He bought her things all the time, not just because he enjoyed showering his wife with gifts that expressed his love, but because he was rewarded with an adoring look that made his heart swell each time he surprised her with something new. Whether it was an expensive piece of jewelry or a book he thought she might like to read, she loved them all simply because they came from him. But Shelby’s gifts to him had been given sparingly, after all what do you give a man who has the money to buy whatever he wants and never hesitates to do so?

  Logan held the box in his hand for a moment, relishing her obvious anticipation almost as much as his own. He teased her by inching the lid back slowly, his heart slamming against his rib cage when the lid fell away and he saw what was inside. His fingers were shaking as he lifted the snow white booties out and let the box drop to the floor. Logan held them in the palm of his hand, a maelstrom of emotions hitting him all at once because now he truly had everything he’d ever wanted.

  His fingers curled around the knitted booties, his gaze shifting to his beautiful wife. She was gnawing at her bottom lip, her slender body trembling as her troubled eyes met his. Dios, she was worried that he wouldn’t be pleased? How could she think otherwise, he berated himself, when he’d been standing there just gaping at the booties and no doubt looking as if he’d been sucker punched. Indeed, it did feel as if the wind had been knocked out at him because even now he couldn’t seem to force any words out. So he showed her instead.

  Logan grabbed her around the waist and twirled her around, showering her face with kisses, his joyous laughter half muffled because he couldn’t stop kissing her long enough to let it all out. When he finally set Shelby back on her feet, she cupped his face in her hands and drew him down for a much longer, thorough kiss that had him panting and aching to strip her naked right where they stood. Somewhere in the back of his mind, responsibility beckoned but it was drowned out by the thunderous beating of his heart and the throbbing ache deep in his belly.

  “I do not have much time, cara mia,” he whispered.

  “I know,” Shelby rasped out even as she reached to loosen his tie.

  ****

  All four of Logan’s brothers cornered him outside the conference room where Jameson Lombardi waited with his executives and attorneys. With only three minutes to spare, he’d shown up looking a little disheveled and had to stop and put his briefcase down so he could make himself presentable. His brothers emerged from the conference room just as he was attempting to straighten the tie that had been hastily draped around his neck by a giggling Shelby while his trembling fingers had fumbled with the buttons on his shirt.

  “I take it your talk with Shelby went well after we left,” Dante said with a knowing grin.

  Logan responded with a grin of his own. “I managed to give her a brief account of what was going on before more…urgent matters needed to be dealt with.”

  Luca, who spared little time for anything but business, fixed his brother with a reproving stare. “You seem to have forgotten that you are leading this conference and should have been here before Lombardi arrived. As for Shelby, perhaps you should have been more concerned about her emotional state of mind rather than your own physical needs.”

  Logan raked his fingers through his hair and grabbed up his briefcase before replying. “Believe me, little brother, I left my wife with a smile on her face and a mind that was blissfully blank of all worries.”

  Luca snorted but the other three were chuckling as they followed Logan into the conference room. He managed to keep the silly grin off his face during the introductions and even maintained his focus during the first thirty minutes of the presentation. It was only when Jameson interrupted to ask a question that Logan’s train of thought derailed. Absently shoving his hands into his pockets, his fingers brushed against something soft and fuzzy. Without thinking, he pulled the foreign object out and once again found himself gaping in wonder at the baby booties.

  “Logan? Logan, are you okay?”

  He lifted his head, glancing from one concerned face to another because in truth, he wasn’t quite sure who had spoken to him. He should have been disturbed by his lack of professionalism, and perhaps later when he recalled how silent the room had grown and the way Jameson looked to his brothers for an explanation he would
admonish himself for it. But right now, Logan couldn’t feel anything but an overwhelming desire to be with his wife. He wanted to climb into bed with her and run his hand over Shelby’s flat belly while he basked in the knowledge that his child was growing inside the warmth of her body.