by Tessa Radley
Rico didn’t say a word.
She rushed into speech. “I can’t promise you a boy. Or that there’ll ever be another child. With my medical history if I’m pregnant, it’s already a miracle.”
“Do you really think it matters to me whether you’re carrying a boy or a girl?” His face held a strange expression.
She spread her hands. “I thought you’d want a boy to carry the D’Alessio family name, you being the last of the line and all that. Heck, I shouldn’t be telling you anything. I first wanted to go for a test, confirm it. Perhaps I’ll even have to stay in bed for a long time.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m talking too fast—I’m overwhelmed.”
“You’re not alone.” At last his hands rested on her shoulders. “But what I was trying to say was that it doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or girl. Simply knowing you’re pregnant—”
“What do you mean?”
He was pale, his face grim. “I don’t think I can walk away. However much I think it’s the right thing for me to do.”
“The right thing to do? How can you even think that?”
“It’s a life sentence, you realise that, don’t you? I’m too Catholic to ever consider—”
“—abortion? Are you mad? This may be my only chance—”
“I was going to say divorce but that’s not an option now there’s a child involved.” The hands on her shoulders looped around her neck. He gave a soft tug.
She resisted. “Who said anything about divorce?” she challenged.
“You did—you said you wanted to get on with your life. That’s why I was leaving, to give you space until you decided what you wanted. But I can’t walk away from my child.”
She wanted him to love her. Truly, deeply, madly.
Like she loved him.
But that didn’t mean he could walk all over her. “I’m not giving the baby up,” she said, setting her jaw and squaring her shoulders.
“I know that. I’m not a monster.” His fingers stroked the soft skin of her nape under her hair. The familiar warmth winnowed over her skin. She wanted to throw herself into his arms, to take him on any terms she could have him.
But she wasn’t telling him that. Yet. “But the contract said I’d give the baby up to you.”
His gaze was very direct. “We both know you never had any intention of falling pregnant, so how could you have intended to give up your child…and fulfil the contract?”
She simply shrugged.
“I’m not going to take your child.”
“What about being the last of the D’Alessio line?”
“It doesn’t matter. I can’t take the baby from you.” His voice was incredibly gentle. “Danielle—”
But she’d started to hope again. He must love her! Why else would he walk away, but stay near? She raised her eyes. “Yes?” she whispered, suddenly terrified of being wrong.
“I no longer crave revenge. All I want is your love. And a baby would be a miracle to seal it.” His eyes were dark and vulnerable. “But a child is not essential to my happiness. Your love, however, is essential.”
“Oh, Rico! Don’t you know you’ve got it?”
“I need to hear you say it again.”
Confused, she asked, “Again?”
“The last time I heard you say it I thought the pain would never go away. I wanted to hold you, kiss you. But I had to rescue you before I could do it.”
The ransom call! Her face cleared. “You didn’t think I meant it, did you?”
“No. I knew Jim had forced you to say it, to up the stakes. But I discovered, more than anything in the world, I wanted to hear you say it one day with meaning. For it to be true.”
“Rico,” she lifted her face to his, like a flower searching for the morning sun, and said, “I’ll always love you. I thought you’d never forgive my deception.”
“Dio.” His eyes were velvet-dark with the intensity of his emotions. “I gave you little choice. I was so focused on revenge I’m not surprised you tried to give me my comeuppance. I behaved abominably. I deserved everything you dished out!” He drew her close. “I love you. How did I ever get so lucky?”
His arms tightened around her. The kiss that he gave her was gentle, nurturing, promising that he’d never leave her, that he’d always be by her side, to guard her from any fear and uncertainty.
As they came up for air, Danielle said slowly, “I think I’m the lucky one.” And then leaned forward to concentrate on matching the kisses the man she loved more than life was pressing against her lips.
Slowly the familiar pounding started to pulse through her, and she murmured against his mouth, “I told Kim I needed rest, perhaps it’s time to go up?”
“How I love you, Princess.” For an instant, deep wonderment glittered in his eyes, then he laughed. “In fact, I believe we’re both about to get lucky,” Rico said, then swept her into his arms and headed for the stairs.
Epilogue
“I ’ve brought you a present.”
“Another one?” Danielle rose clumsily from where she’d been kneeling to pot seedlings for the coming summer as Rico burst through the sliding door. The familiar joy at the sight of him caused her heart to skip a beat.
He frowned in concern. “You should’ve waited for me to help you with that.”
“I wanted to get the plants in.” But her back ached with the heaviness caused by the last month of her pregnancy. “The baby and I are fine.”
Rico had been stubborn in his refusal to allow the doctor to reveal the sex of the baby. Danielle couldn’t help worrying about how he’d react if the baby turned out to be the girl she suspected lay within her womb…rather than the boy Rico’s father desired. And they both knew this might be the only child they’d ever be blessed with. A miracle of their love.
Umberto and Bianca would be arriving in six weeks. Months ago Danielle had flown to Italy with Rico to meet his parents, and they were ecstatic about the baby’s imminent arrival. Her father had been unexpectedly pleased, too—doubly so, with the news that Kim was also expecting a baby.
“Aren’t you going to open it?”
She reached for the package, wondering what he’d bought her this time. “You spoil me to death, do you know that?”
“Not to death—I celebrate your life, my love. I love you.”
Her heart turned over at the intensity in his eyes, the passion in his voice. “I know. And I love you, too.”
He moved to stand behind her, and wrapped his arms around her. “Happy?”
She rested against him, drawing on his immense strength while she clutched the brightly wrapped gift. “Every day of my life.”
She spoke the truth. Life with Rico had brought her love and a sense of security that she’d never known. Totally in control of his environment, Rico had even managed to get Jim Dembo’s kidnapping sentence reduced to a year’s imprisonment followed by intense counselling and community service. Danielle had been relieved. She’d been granted a second shot at happiness with Rico—and she’d also reestablished a relationship with her father. Jim deserved another chance, too.
“Good.” He gave her stomach a pat and stepped back. “Now open the gift.”
She tore the wrapping away to reveal a box. Slowly she removed the lid. “Annabelle!” Her throat tightened and tears pricked. “It is Annabelle, isn’t it?” The doll wore a dress almost identical in style and colour.
“Yes. I searched until I found someone who could restore her. But she looks a little different. No one can survive what she did without some changes.”
“She’s beautiful.” The doll’s lips were rosier, her smile more natural, less coy. “She looks happy.” Danielle hugged Annabelle close, catching a faint hint of the scent that had always reminded her of her mother.
“Thank you, Rico.”
“My pleasure.”
She tried to explain. “She’s more than a doll. My mother gave her to me. She told me every girl should have a special baby. Annabelle was mine.”
Below her heart her unborn daughter shifted. Danielle rubbed her stomach and the baby quietened. Their special baby.
“I knew how you felt about Annabelle—I couldn’t dispose of her. I couldn’t give you your mother back, but I could give you Annabelle. And…if you want…one day soon we can go look for a doll for our daughter. A piece of us she can keep forever.”
Our daughter.
Rico knew! Everything was going to be all right. She smiled at him, absorbing Rico’s love and the sunshine of the morning. “She’ll like that.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-0208-9
RICH MAN’S REVENGE
Copyright © 2007 by Tessa Radley
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