Page 37 of Surprise Pregnancy for Villain

“I’m not the one who left the doors open,” I throw back.

“How many times am I supposed to tell you?” He's furious now. “You’renota prisoner here. You don’t have to be. I can’t force you to trust me, I know that. But for fuck’s sake, Nicki, don’t try to kill yourself beforetheydo!”

I stay silent. I’ve never seen Ezio this angry before, not even when I spit on him for taking me.Maybe he’s right. If it weren’t for him, I would have been dead already, either tortured and killed by rival mobs or cold and starved to death in the middle of the woods. I should give him a bit of my faith. He’s earned it.

“Listen. I’m not going to close the door, but I need you to behave. Stay here, it’s too dangerous to go outside. I’m going to get some supplies.”

Before he turns away, I stand up and approach him. With my wet clothes clinging to my body, I stand on my tippy toes to give him a kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you.” I draw back, letting him know with my eyes how sincere I am. “You saved my life, and I’m grateful. I can never repay you for that.”

Ezio’s jaw works, then he swallows and nods. “I’ll be back.”

I watch him go, then return to the fireplace, finally removing my wet clothes and lying curled up on the carpet until I’m warm and toasty. I don’t know what happens next. I’m not sure if I even want to know. For the first time in a long time, I’m done with fighting. Done with resisting. Whatever happens, I’ll go along for the ride.

Chapter Sixteen

Ezio

I’m not a coward. Never have been. Ask anyone who has known me since I was a kid, and they’ll tell you how gutsy I was, even then. I still remember when I was eight years old, and Stefano bought a pet python then dared me to lift it from the tank. I remember the gasps that came from his mouth when I complied at once. Alessandro, not so much. My brother ran from the room in a fit of screams and tears.

I made my first bomb at fourteen and killed my first target at sixteen. I’ve gone into the belly of the underworld without blinking, destroying every adversary I’d gone there for. Yes, I’m far from being a scaredy-cat.

At least, that’s what I thought until I met Nicki.

Tonight made me question how brave I really am.

A brave man would stay. A brave man wouldn’t be gunning above the speed limit, hastening to put a clear distance between me and that temptress. I needed to get away from the room, away from her magnetic presence and the memory of the sweet taste of her pink lips. If I stayed there any longer, I would have risked putting myself in deeper shit than I already am.

It’s nearing three in the morning, the rain pouring heavier than before, its fat drops knocking incessantly on the roof of my Maserati as if mocking my cowardice. I turn the volume up on my stereo, rock music blasting around me until it drowns the sound of the rain. I spot the city lights ahead.

Earlier, after entering her room and seeing it empty, I experienced a terror I’d never known. Crazy thoughts cross my mind, the best being that she noticed the unlocked door and escaped, the worst being that someone took her. Right away, I disregard the latter. There’s no way Nicki would get taken without letting out a scream or two. Besides, from my place at the entrance to the property, I’d notice the appearance of any vehicles or even moving bodies. What I didn’t expect was for Nicki to sneak out the back door while I installed the surveillance cameras.

I highly doubt she’s aware of how effortlessly she’s got me wrapped around her little finger. She’s a master of her craft. Frozen and detached when I found her—after several hours and worried searching, I might add--, then burning hot and feisty by the time we got back. Whatever game she’s playing in her head, I’m afraid that I’m already losing — and I hate to lose.

I bite my lower lip. Even after so many days, I can still taste her. Our first kiss is still stamped on my memory. I’m craving for more. I’m tempted to take even more than that kiss, which is why I had to leave.

If my father caught a whiff of my sins, it will all be over for me and for her. There’s no coming back from this. The only punishment for betrayal is death. It doesn’t even matter that I’m his firstborn son, Stefano still has my brother, and if not him, then the large number of bastards he has lined up to take my place.

I finally arrive at the Rossi manor, or as I like to call it, the gates to my own personal circle of hell. I don’t even bother to park my car in the garage. I leave it resting outside the gates as I walk the unreasonable distance to the front door. The other mafiosos guarding the gate quickly let me in. They know better than to piss off an already pissed-off son of the Don. The rain immediately soaks my clothes, but I don’t feel cold. Inside, I feel burning hot, and my feet have turned into lead. I want to turn back, get into my car, and be withher.

But I’m not brave enough.

The door slams with a heavy thud behind me, loud enough to wake up any sleeping resident. But I don’t care. I don’t give a flying fuck. I tread in my soaked clothes up the grand staircase and find my brother at the top wearing his robe, a cocky grin plastered on his face. He’s clearly forgotten the beating he almost got the last time I saw him.

“Well, well, well,” Alessandro greets me. “Look who’s back.”

“I don’t have time for your bullshit,” I snap at him, continuing up the stairs that leads to the third floor.

“Whoa, someone’s in a foul mood,” he sniggers. “I guess my news won’t help matters any.”

I keep going.

“Sofia is pregnant.”

I stop. I’ve never met a Sofia, but from those three words, it’s not hard to deduce that she’s a woman he’s been fucking. “Congrats,” I mumble without looking around.

“You know what that means, right?” he asks as I move off again.

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