Page 29 of Italian Baby Shock

A jolt went through him. Why was he thinking about his parents? They had nothing to do with this.

‘Maya’s mother will not be pleased,’ he said, trying to get his thoughts back in order. ‘But I’m sure we can work something out.’

‘Take her to bed,’ Aristophanes said. ‘I’m sure that will make her more conducive. Either that or offer to marry her.’

Cesare scowled. ‘I assume you know why marriage is the last thing I would offer?’

Aristophanes, who knew Cesare’s past, only sighed as if the topic was of the most utter disinterest to him. ‘It would give her some legal protection and also money, which I’m sure she’d like. Also, I’m sure you’d like Maya to have your name.’

Cesare came to halt in the middle of his study, thinking.

He hadn’t thought about marriage. Why would he? Marriage had never been something he wanted, not after the battleground it had become for his parents. Marriage seemed like a glass case, a trap where two people who couldn’t get out turned on each other and destroyed each other, not caring if they took other people down with them.

‘I didn’t know you cared about my name,’ Cesare growled.

‘I don’t, but you do. You being a Donati and all.’ Aristophanes was a self-made man and had a healthy disdain for such things as family history and legacy. He’d long told Cesare that it was his considerable financial acumen that Aristophanes respected, not his name, and certainly not his history.

Cesare couldn’t blame him. He didn’t respect his own history either.

Still, now that Aristophanes had mentioned marriage, he couldn’t let go of the idea. Marriage to Lark... There would be benefits to it, he had to admit. She’d obviously live with him and that would be useful. Maya should have her mother close and if Lark lived at the palazzo with him then they wouldn’t need any messy custody arrangements. Also, yes, then Maya would take his name and legally be a Donati.

If he really thought about it, it wasn’t marriage that was the trap, it was love. Love that could turn to hate in the blink of an eye, love that could make people do the most terrible things. He wanted nothing whatsoever to do with love. The good thing about his relationship with Lark was that he didn’t love her. She certainly didn’t love him, which meant they’d be spared that hideousness. Of course there was the issue of sex and how that would work between them since she’d told him she wasn’t going to sleep with him again. Perhaps marriage might change her mind?

Then again, if it didn’t, it was no problem. They could each have discreet lovers.

Really? You’re saying you wouldn’t mind Lark having a lover?

Something hot tightened in his gut at the thought, but he shoved it away before he could name it. Lark could have a lover. It wouldn’t be an issue.

‘Perhaps,’ he said. ‘It is important that Maya be a Donati.’

‘I thought as much.’ Aristophanes was clearly not interested in further discussion. ‘Well, it’s your funeral, my friend. Let me know when the happy occasion is and I’ll make sure I have time in my schedule.’

Aristophanes lived or died by his schedule, Cesare knew. If it wasn’t in the schedule it didn’t happen. ‘Of course,’ he said. ‘I’ll let you know as soon as I have a date.’

He disconnected the call and then paced around a bit more, going over a myriad of plans.

Then the door opened and one of his assistants came in with the results of the test.

It was as he’d thought. Maya was his child.

He stared down at the piece of paper and the satisfaction that had settled down inside him became solid rock. There would be no more argument. No more discussion. Maya was a Donati and she would be raised one. She would be his hope for the future, a new generation rising out of the ashes of the old, and he had the opportunity to provide a better legacy for her than what his parents had left for him.

Are you sure she’s not better off without you? Your parents certainly would have been.

The voice in his head was snide, taunting, but he shoved it away before the doubt had time to take root. No, she wasn’t better off. She was heir to a difficult history and someone needed to help her come to terms with it. Someone would also need to teach her how to deal with her considerable inheritance, and he was the best person to do that.

He was her father, and although he didn’t know how to be a good one, he’d certainly had experience of a bad one. He’d never be like his own father, never ever.

Cesare left his study and went down the stairs to the front room, pausing in the doorway.

Lark was on her knees next to Maya, both of them playing with the large plastic truck he’d bought. Lark was pretending to drive it around while Maya squealed with delight as she tried to grab it. And a peculiar sensation caught at him as he watched them.

His daughter playing with her mother, full of laughter and joy. Lark smiling at her child, her face shining. They were both enjoying themselves, clearly happy.

He’d never had that, he realised. Not in his own life. His childhood had been nothing but tension and hatred, a cold war with him in the middle. His childhood had been stolen from him by his parents and he wouldn’t do the same to Maya.

His child would have a different childhood. He would give her joy and laughter and happiness, and he knew that the best way to do that was to make sure Lark was at his side.

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