Page 36 of The Nicolaides Baby

With that declaration, his father left his office.

His parents had seen she loved him?

“I was a blind fool.”

Seconds later his phone rang and he hurriedly moved to answer it.

“Leo Nicolaides.”

“Yes, sir. This is Hector Anastas. I have Terrence Winston with Seaborn and Winston Investigations in North Carolina.”

“Hello, Mr. Nicolaides,” the American investigator said as Leo’s heart thundered so loudly he wouldn’t have been surprised if the two men heard it.

“You have news,” Leo said, almost breathless.

“Terrence?” Hector said.

“Yes. I have quite a bit of information for you.” Leo nearly came out of his chair at the other man’s pause and the sound of papers rattling filled his ears. “I have to tell you, I’ve never seen someone cover their tracks this well before. Everything had literally been scrubbed clean.” The other man snorted. “They had to have had lots of professional help and used a shit-ton of money. Because, I’m telling you for it to take me—”

“But youdidfind something?” He was losing his patience.

“Right. Okay. I’ve located where Ms. Stallings landed when she reached the states. She’s in Colorado.”

“Colorado?” She’d never mentioned knowing anyone that far west. “And?”

“And, we have her pinned down in one location—Ft. Collins. I have a man there now checking various properties, but he hasn’t gotten back with me. But we should know something within the next few hours.”

“I knew you were waiting on our call,” Hector interrupted. “So I insisted we go ahead and tell you what we had. And Mr. Nicolaides?”

“Yes?”

“We found even more.”

Leo listened intently as both men laid out what they had discovered. He’d wanted answers and they’d provided all of them—actually more than he’d anticipated. Because one particular revelation had him both relieved on one hand and ready to shake Rowan for her deception with the other. But at least he finally had his answer for why Rowan had fled—leading to a new question.

Why hadn’t she trusted him with the truth?

“Thank you, gentlemen,” he said once everything had been revealed. “You’ve done well, and you’ll each find a bonus in with your fees.”

He hung up on their profuse thanks, turned his chair toward the window behind him, and stared out over the now darkening city. He’d been on the phone longer than he’d realized.

But regardless of the time, it wasn’t too late to take care of some unfinished business.

* * *

“Well, this is a surprise,” Gia purred as she stepped back from the door of her apartment and allowed him to enter. “Can I hope you’ve finally come to your senses?” She shut the door and then ran her fingers down his arm as she stepped in front of him. “Forgotten all about that stupid American girl?”

He couldn’t bear her touch, so he shook it off. “Where is she?” He saw no sense in prolonging this, not even as Gia moved into his body and pressed herself against him.

“She? I’m here and that’s all you need,erastí.”

Leo grabbed her upper arms and pushed her back. It was hard, but he kept himself from squeezing her biceps when all he really wanted to do was shake her. “Quit playing games with me. I know about what you did to help Rowan leave the country.” He narrowed his eyes on her. “I know the town, but you’re going to give me the address. And don’t you dare tell me you don’t know.”

Leo released his hold when she shrugged from his grasp before she whirled around toward him, her eyes spitting fire. “Why do you care? She’s a liar.” Then she laughed and shook her head as she turned her back on him and went to the wet bar at the back of the room. “She’s not the woman you think she is,” she told him over her shoulder before she poured herself a glass white of wine, the glee in her voice unmistakable.

“She’sexactlywho Iknowshe is.”

She laughed as she made her way to a low sofa and sat down. “So, Leo, you gullible, foolish man. Let me tell you whatIknow.” She took a sip of her wine. “I know she’s lied to you from the moment she stepped off the plane. Hell, well before that. BecauseIknow that darling little redheaded bastard of hers belongs to you and she had no intention of telling you.”

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