Page 50 of Love or Tequila in Unexpected Places

But then doubts crept in. Would Allison see it that way? Would she understand that his desire to keep her close was rooted in protectiveness, not possessiveness? He didn’t want her to feel trapped; he wanted her to feel safe and valued.

If Angelo were honest with himself—and in this moment, he really wasn’t—he would acknowledge a deep, primal urge to stake a claim on Allison. Though he knew she wasn’t truly his, the fact that she was carrying his child ignited something feral within him.

He growled, a true animal, as he pushed the damn paperwork away.

There’s no way I’ll finish these at this rate.

Angelo’s dangerous thoughts were interrupted by the chime of a text. He huffed at his own ridiculous behavior, and checked his phone. In an instant, his breath caught, heart hammering inside his chest and all his blood rushing south as he noticed that one little word pop up on his screen.

Pinkie.

He took a minute to calm both his heart and his cock down, as he ran his company strategy in his mind.

Diversifying the company’s portfolio would mitigate risk and capture new market opportunities. This could involve identifying potential acquisitions or investments in emerging industries that align with the company’s long-term strategic goals.

After his very annoying erection went away, and his heart rate returned to normal, he unlocked his phone and tapped the notification.

Allison

Hi.

Sorry to bother you, but I need your help.

It’s an emergency.

His heart raced once more, but for an entirely different reason. This time, it wasn’t desire—it was fear.

He cursed himself for foolishly delaying opening the text. Now, as he stared at the screen, anxiety surged through him like a jolt of electricity. The words he read loomed in his mind, each syllable a potential threat.

What if there was something wrong with the baby? What if Allison was in pain? What if it was something he couldn’t handle? He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, but the pit in his stomach only deepened.

The message unfurled before him, and his heart sank further as he reread the terse lines. Panic threatened to overwhelm his thoughts, but he forced himself to focus. He couldn’t afford to let fear paralyze him.

Angelo Taylor was not a man who lost control; he didn’t like the feeling. He always thought everything through again and again before making any decisions, avoiding impulsivity like the plague.

But the mere thought that Allison could be in danger made him throw all that control out of the window.

He needed a plan, and he needed it fast, but first, he needed details. He had to know what was wrong.

With trembling fingers, Angelo called her and prayed she picked up.

Allison did so on the first tone. “Hi, Angelo.” Her voice was loud, but there was no sign of fear or pain. She didn’t sound happy, but not exactly in danger.

“You’re okay?” Angelo asked her, needing the reassurance as badly as he needed his next breath.

He heard a small wince, before she said, “Yeah, I guess my text was a bit misleading. I’m fine.” She sounded apologetic, but Angelo didn’t have it in him to be mad at her. He was just relieved.

This woman will be the death of me.

“Alright. Continue,” he said bluntly.

“Okay, I’ve been thinking about this for the past few days, and I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to tell my dad alone. Given his reaction when I told him I was pregnant, I can’t imagine how he’ll react when he finds out you’re the father. He might really lose it.”

Her voice was heavy with concern, each word laced with anxiety. He could almost envision her biting her full bottom lip, a nervous habit of hers he had located during their coffee run. Her jade green eyes would be darting around the room, reflecting her unease as she weighed her options. The way she must be fidgeting with her hair, twisting the strands between her fingers, only added to the intensity of the moment and made his cock come back to life.

Fuck, stay down. Now is not the time.

Angelo quickly shook his head and stood up, walking over to the floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the hazy Seattle skyline. He took a moment to collect his thoughts, the sprawling city below a stark contrast to the war brewing inside him. “We can tell him together if that would help, but honestly, I don’t see how it would turn out any better,” he offered.

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