“Hey, Blue.”
He turned towards the sound of the soft voice and smiled at Ebony. “Hey, yourself, gorgeous. Everything okay?”
She smiled at him. “Yes, the baby is fine.”
Blue smiled and kissed her cheek, shook Atlas’s hand. “Congratulations to you both. And don’t let anyone tell you it’s too fast – I wanted to marry Romy and have kids with her the minute I met her.”
Atlas nodded. “Thanks, man.”
Blue looked at him. “Hey, while Ebony is in with Romy, can I grab a couple of words? No biggie.”
“Of course.”
When the two men were alone, Blue repeated what the detective had told him. Atlas’ good mood disappeared. “Fuck.”
“Yep. Look, it goes without saying, security is a priority.”
Atlas nodded. “Considering our combined wealth, we can throw everything at it.”
“Agreed. Look, I think the more we coordinate our plans, the better. Is your mansion secure?”
“It is now,” Atlas said grimly. He sighed, rubbing his face. “Look, there’s no way else to say it, but I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything about the threats.”
“Atlas, there’s no use in brooding over that – at least that’s what I’m telling myself now. Romy’s alive…I’m sorry. I liked Mateo very much, he was a great man.”
“He was. It’s Fino who I’m scared for. Ebony has been so great with him, as has Molly. Now this thing with Cormac…”
“He’s a jackass,” Blue said, angrily. “Anyone who could do this…” He trailed off. “Cormac, we can handle. Atlas. You need testimonies, witnesses, we’re there for you. But Franks is a different prospect entirely. He threatened to kill my kids. He threatened to kill them as he was butchering my wife. Franks doesn’t get to buy his way out of this.”
Atlas nodded slowly, holding Blue’s gaze. “Agreed.”
“I swear…Romy, my family, your family…I’ll do whatever it takes to make them safe. Whatever it takes.” Blue could see Atlas followed his deeper meaning as the other man, his eyes dangerous, nodded.”
“Oh yes,” Atlas said in a low voice. “Whatever it takes.”
Chapter Seventeen
Ebony felt Atlas slip his arms around her waist as he got into bed beside her and she turned, smiling at him. “Strange day.”
“Very.” He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her tenderly, and then sighed, burying his face in her hair. “Today, I got so excited about the baby, and yet when we were looking at the scan, I thought – how can this baby not be mine? I feel like it is and yet I also feel strange saying that. I’m rambling, I have no idea what I’m talking about,” he added with a laugh and Ebony chuckled.
“Yes, you are, but I get it. Atlas, I wish with every cell in my body that it was your child growing inside me. Today was a wake-up call. I really do know nothing about the child and maybe…maybe I should try and find the father.” She looked at him with worried eyes and saw the slight hurt in them. “Atlas, I love you, as far as I’m concerned, you, me and the baby are a family. Don’t you think though it would be better to know? Isn’t that what Mateo discovered when he found out about Fino?”
Atlas sighed and closed his eyes, pain flashing across his face. “Of course, I know you’re right. We should try to find out who the father is and give him the chance to be involved.” He grinned at her sheepishly. “But I really hope he doesn’t want you back.”
“Ha, first, he never had me, so to speak, and secondly, no one could take me away from you, Mr. Tigri. Despite everything that’s happened, loving you and this baby are the only things I know I’m sure of.”
“Good.” He took her hand and kissed the top of her fingers in turn. “So, if I asked you to marry me, that wouldn’t be too fast?”
The breath caught in Ebony’s throat. Marriage? Now? Soon she realized her hesitation had grown to more than was appropriate and that the hurt was back in Atlas’s eyes.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to answer that question. Forget it.”
Ebony crushed her lips against his. “Atlas, you are my everything. I just think we should slow down, take things one-by-one. You ask me that question a year from now? I promise I’ll say yes.”
Atlas half-smiled. “I told you, I’m impetuous. You’re right, of course. Again.”
She stroked his face, lightly scratching at his dark stubble and kissing him softly. “I love you so much.”
Much as she would have loved to make love with him, she was as exhausted from the day’s events as was he. They wrapped around one another and were soon fast asleep.
Later, when Atlas was still asleep, Ebony woke with a dry throat and got up to get some water. As she padded down to the kitchen, she stopped and listened. She could hear crying. Worried in case it was Fino, she followed the sound of it until she heard a young woman’s voice. Bella. Bella was crying as she talked to someone. Ebony inched closer to the door, raising her hand to knock when she heard Bella groan.
“No, you can’t…no, that’s not fair, it isn’t right. But…I cannot believe you’re going to do this. No…no…I won’t. No, fuck you.”
Ebony heard the splintering of glass against a wall and guessed Bella had hurled her phone across the room. She knocked tentatively. There was a hesitation then, “Come in.”
Ebony pushed opened the door and smiled at Bella. The red-haired girl was sitting cross-legged on her bed, her face tear-stained. She wouldn’t look Ebony in the eye.
“Are you okay, pumpkin?” Ebony went to sit by her and Bella shrugged.
“Just my mom being my mom.”
Ebony peeked over at the smashed iPhone on the floor. “Being extra-Mom, I would say.”
Bella half-smiled. “She just gets to me.”
“Want to talk about it?”
Bella shook her head. “But thanks.”
“Anytime.” Ebony got up and went to the door before Bella called her back.
“Ebony…just…be careful. People sometimes aren’t who they say they are.”
Ebony frowned. “Who do you mean?”
“No one in particular. Just…be careful.”
Ebony went back to bed after looking in on a sleeping Fino. The boy had lost weight and looked so tiny and vulnerable in his bed that Ebony wanted to cuddle him, wanted to promise him that nothing bad would ever happen again. Of course, she couldn’t promise that, couldn’t bring Mateo back for his son.
As she crawled back into the warmth of Atlas’s arms, she couldn’t help thinking about that terrible day. Mateo, his handsome face not comprehending at first what had happened, then understanding and grief for his son. His last thought had been for Fino, Ebony knew, and suddenly she was crying, trying not to wake Atlas, but she couldn’t stop the tears. When she felt his lips against her forehead, and his arms tightened around her, she let go, sobbing out her grief.
As her sobs subsided, she looked up at Atlas, her eyes determined. “Atlas, ask me that question again. Ask me now.”
Atlas looked confused. “Which one?”
Ebony smiled, but her face set with resolution. “Yes, Atlas Tigri, I will marry you. I will marry you because I love you now and one year from now nothing will have changed in that respect. I will marry you and and together we will fight for Fino, fight for our children. No one else is going to hurt this family again, do you understand me? No one.”
Gathering her into his arms, Atlas’ kiss said everything his heart was too full to reply.
Chapter Eighteen
Gracie Allende plucked her twin siblings away from their mother’s abdomen. “What did I tell you?” She said to them primly, and Romy had to hide a smile. Gracie patted the twins on the head gently. “You can’t crawl on Momma’s tummy. It’s sick, and we have to be careful.”
Gracie looked at her mother with wide, green eyes. “That’s right, isn’t it, Momma?”
“It is petal, just for now. Just until I feel better. Then all five of us are going to go have fun. Daddy�
��s already talking about going somewhere hot for a vacation…maybe somewhere you would like…maybe somewhere with a fairytale castle?”
Romy laughed as Gracie whooped. All the money in the world, Romy thought fondly, and all my daughter wants to do is go visit Mickey Mouse.
Gracie frowned at her. “Do you think the castle has a library?”
“A library?” Romy asked in confusion, aware her young daughter loved to read but still not connecting that with Disney.
“Beauty and the Beast,” Juno stuck her head around the door and grinned at her sister. “Come on, Romulus, keep up.”
Gracie giggled at her mother’s nickname, and Romy rolled her eyes. “Hey, twins, you can’t crawl on Mommy, but Aunt Juno loves it.” She grinned at her sister’s expression as Gracie, taking her mother’s joke and running with it, handed Juno the twins. Rosa immediately spit up on Juno’s sweater, grinning widely afterward as if she’d achieved something spectacular.
Blue followed his sister-in-law into the room, and Romy saw in his eyes that he had something to talk to her about. “Hey, Gracie boo, why don’t you go help Juno clean up, then she might take you all for some hot chocolate?”
Juno, taking the hint, nodded, and bore the children out of the room. Blue closed the door behind them then came to sit by Romy. He leaned over to kiss her. “Hey, Piccolo.”
“Hey, gorgeous.” She stroked his face. “You look tired.”
“It seems to be my default position these days, so I’m used to it. Don’t worry about me, Piccolo.”
“Not an option,” she said and pulled his face closer to kiss him. “I love you, big guy.”
Blue sighed and leaned his head against hers. “I love you too, baby, which is going to make what I have to tell you harder.”
Romy searched his eyes. “Franks?”
Blue nodded. “He’s in the wind. Atlas and I have people searching for him, but for now, you’ll notice extra security around.”
“As long as the kids and you are safe, that’s all I care about.” Romy shifted and winced as her torn stomach muscles pulled painfully. Blue placed his hand gently on her belly.
“God, Romy…I swore I’d never let anyone hurt you again after Gaius…”
“This wasn’t your fault. It was the act of a mad man, Blue, and that’s all it was. Working at Haven, we’ve seen the results of a twisted mind so, so many times, Blue, we should have suspected something might happen like this.”
Blue closed his eyes. “I know it’s wrong, but the thought of you going back to work there…”
“But, don’t you see, this is exactly why I have to go back to Haven. They don’t get to win.”
Blue stared at her with unhappy eyes but nodded. “You’re my heroine.”
“Ha,” Romy grinned at her husband. “Well, the second I’m better, you can show me just how much you admire me, all night, every night.”
Blue chuckled. “That, my love, is a guarantee. Sexy woman.”
“Yeah, real sexy in my sweaty nightgown and with greasy hair. I would kill for a shower.”
“Might be a little while before that happens, baby.” He touched her thighs. “How are the pins-and-needles?”
“Still there but less, I think. At least I can move my legs. I got lucky.” Romy regretted her words as soon as she saw the pain on Blue’s face.
“Lucky,” he choked out and struggled to contain his emotion. Romy tangled her fingers in his black curls and drew him down to her.
“I misspoke,” she murmured, her lips against his, “I just mean…I’m still here. I’m still with you.”
“You always will be,” he rasped, framing her face with his hands. “I’ll never let you out of my sight after this, my love, my life.”
Ebony couldn’t help but tremble as she held onto her brother’s arm. Obe steadied her and made her look at him. “You don’t have to do this, Ebs. We can go into that courtroom and tell Atlas it’s too soon, or you’re not ready. Just say the word.”
They were standing out in the hallway at City Hall and, in a few moments, Ebony would join Atlas in front of the judge, and they would be married. She sucked in a deep breath and glared at her brother. “I am ready, Mr-I-Got-Married-After-Three-Weeks.”
Obe grinned, shrugging good-naturedly. “Just checking, sis. I couldn’t be happier for you, I just want to make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons. Having a child out of wedlock is no problem in this day and age.”
“It’s not because of that,” Ebony felt guilty that she and Atlas hadn’t told anyone that the baby wasn’t his, “it’s because we love each other, and providing a solid family for Fino will help us in the court case. All the right reasons.”
“Then all power to you both. You ready?”
Ebony nodded, and they walked together to the courtroom. Ebony smoothed her dress down over her knees, a simple but elegant cream tea-dress which brought out the gold tones in her skin. A single scarlet hibiscus was placed behind her ear, and she carried no bouquet.
Atlas, glorious in a dark blue tailored suit, smiled widely as he saw her walking to him. As she reached him, he shook Obe’s hand and bent to kiss his fiancée’s cheek. “You look sensational, baby.”
The navy blue of the suit made his dark hair and light green eyes even more startling and Ebony sighed over his sheer physical beauty. This god-like man was about to be her husband, and she could barely believe it.
Fino, giving her a genuinely happy smile for the first time in weeks, stood next to Atlas as his best man. Ebony bent to kiss the boy’s cheek. “Handsome boy.”
The wedding vows were over in a flash it seemed to her, but she didn’t care, Atlas was kissing her with so much adoration, and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she’d made the right decision.
She gazed up at her new husband when they came up for air. “Our family,” was all she said and Atlas, smiling, nodded.
“It’s everything to me.”
Juno, Obe, Bella, and Fino joined them for a celebratory lunch. Stanley, still in New York, had sent his best wishes, and Blue and Romy had called Ebony that morning.
Ebony sat next to Atlas, his arm locked around her, both unable to stop smiling at each other. “Atlas, Fino…I wanted to share this with you,” she said, “but I thought I would wait until now, in case either of you found this upsetting.”
She opened the locket on her necklace and showed them both the picture of Mateo she had placed in it. “I wanted your father, your brother to be a part of our day. He will always be with us, Fino, and if we are lucky enough to become your adoptive parents, we will never seek to replace him, but carry on the fantastic way he was bringing you up.”
Fino nodded, his eyes filling with tears and he launched himself at Ebony and hugged her tightly. Atlas smiled at her, his gorgeous eyes shining at her. “Perfect, baby. Thank you.”
“Oh!” Bella exclaimed loudly, making everyone start. “Sorry,” she grinned sheepishly, “it’s just I made some handmade confetti at home, and of course, I forgot it.”
Ebony laughed. “We can use it for something else, don’t worry.”
A movement across the restaurant caught her eye. One of their huge security guys talking into his phone. Atlas’s attention was caught too.
“Say, how about we take this party home?” He asked the question lightly, but they were all alerted to the fact that even on such a happy day, they were all still in danger.
As they got up to leave, a commotion began with one of the guards and a sharply-dressed man. “I have to bring this to Ms. Verlaine.” He was waving an envelope, but the bodyguard wouldn’t let him near her. He frisked the man then looked at Atlas who nodded. The newcomer, looking annoyed, walked over to them. “Miss Verlaine.”
“Mrs. Tigri now,” Ebony said coldly, “but yes, that’s me.”
The man handed her the envelope. “Congratulations, both on your marriage, and the fact that you’ve been served. Have a lovely day.”
He left the party stunned a
nd walked out of the restaurant, throwing a glare over to the bodyguard.
Ebony opened the envelope and read the letter. “What the hell?”
“What is it, baby?”
Ebony looked up at Atlas, confused. “It’s Cormac. He’s demanding a paternity test.”
“For Fino?”
She shook her head. “No…for the baby. He thinks you’re not the father.”
Atlas stared at Ebony, and they shared the same sense of impending dread. How the hell did Cormac know…and what would he do when he found out he was right?
Chapter Nineteen
“Can he make me do this?” Ebony asked her lawyer, her voice trembling.
“If he can prove to us that he has a good reason for thinking Atlas isn’t the father. He may be attempting to prove that you are an opportunist, that you are claiming Mr. Tigri is the father to fool the court into thinking you are a family, that living with you would be the best for Fino.”
“Fuck.” Atlas spat and stood, pacing behind Ebony’s chair. “Ebony is no gold-digger, and as far as I’m concerned, that is our child growing inside her. How the fuck did Cormac even suspect?”
Ebony groaned. “He must have been listening when I had the scan at the hospital. Shit, why didn’t that even cross my mind?”
“It’s not your fault, darling. Damn it, he’ll stoop to anything.”
“Well, we have a preliminary hearing to ascertain whether he can force you to do this. I seriously doubt the judge will grant it, but we have to go through the motions. If you are willing to attend the hearing, it’ll look good for you. Cooperating, showing you have nothing to hide. These things will strengthen our case.”
The day of the hearing was less than a week later. Ebony, hampered by morning sickness, held Atlas’s hand as Cormac’s lawyer outlined his request for Ebony to take a paternity test. Ebony was cheered by the skeptical look on the judge’s face, and when he stopped the lawyer, her heart soared. He’s going to shut this down…
“If I might ask Mr. Duggan directly,” the judge said, his tone even, “Mr. Duggan, why on Earth would Mrs. Tigri’s child have any bearing on this case? It seems to be a left-field attempt by you to embarrass a young mother-to-be for no other reason than spite. Could you clarify your reasons?”
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