Page 28 of Modern Romance March 2025 (5-8)

And even after the debacle of their temporary separation—he refused to call it anything else—they had managed to keep the news of her pregnancy out of the media. Now, all of it was moot with her dramatic arrival. He frowned at that uncharacteristic behavior.

She was here, looking like a ripe cherry he wanted to sink his teeth into. Every instinct in him urged him to get her away from the curious, covetous gazes in the room.

“Hi, Adriano,” she said hesitantly, her gaze meeting his, oblivious to the grasping attention on her.

Only she wasn’t oblivious. With each step he took toward her, he saw the strain of her smile. The tight grasp of her knuckles over the strap of her handbag.

“Surprise,” she said, the gap between her front two teeth flashing at him with her wan smile. In the fading sunlight, her golden skin gleamed like some rare metal. Her mouth was painted a vivid red he’d never seen on her and her eyes…clearly made up to look even bigger, shone with a feverish resolve. The scent of her coiled through him—rose and vanilla, and even that felt different, as if it was laced with…something new.

“Nyra,” he said, walking around the massive desk toward her. Taking her shoulders, he shuffled her to the side, shielding her with his large frame. “Is something…?” He nodded toward her belly, almost lifting his hands protectively.

His large hands hung in midair uselessly, until he pulled them back to his sides.

“Everything’s fine,” she said, putting her own palm there.

“Why are you here?” he said, slowly coming out of the shock of seeing her.

She looked healthy and well, he told himself, the knot in his gut loosening. Actually, she looked fucking amazing. A sour sense of defeat curdled in his stomach as he wondered if this was the result of his leaving her alone.

“I wanted to…” Pink crested her cheeks. Her gaze drifted to his mouth and lingered. “See you.”

“Why didn’t you call? I’d have flown over—”

“I did. Multiple times since the news…came out. I was told you were busy dealing with the scandal.” She said it like it was a curse word. “Your personal cell phone went straight to voicemail.”

“You tried to reach me,” he repeated like a fool, before casting a glance over to his personal assistant. Who lost all color in her cheeks immediately. “It’s been a madhouse here, and I don’t know even know where my cell phone is.”

Nyra’s chest rose and fell. “So you didn’t tell her to cut me off?”

“Of course not,” he said, clasping her wrist.

Her pulse quickened under his fingers. And beneath the resolve and the smile, he saw the fear she was fighting very hard.

Sweat beaded her upper lip, even though it was cool in the boardroom.

She had thought he’d cut her off? Or even that he would throw her out again? His fury at his assistant and himself was so great that he pulled back from her.

And yet she’s here, his mind repeated.She sought you out.

“Nyra, you know I wouldn’t do that, right? Especially in your condition?”

She shrugged, refusing to meet his eyes. And he had a feeling he shouldn’t have tacked on the pregnancy. “Is this the shooting squad, then?” She shifted around him to face them, even as he could see the tremble in her shoulders. “Should I stand in front of you and save you?”

Laughter burst out of him. His chest and his throat felt raw from the force of it. He didn’t remember the last time he’d laughed like that. Not since she’d started acting strange with the discovery of her twin, in fact.

Her gaze latched onto his mouth, her breath coming in a soft gasp. “I forgot how much I love your laugh,” she said, touching his lower lip. For a second, it felt like the last few months hadn’t transpired at all and he had the old Nyra back.

She pulled away, coloring. “I’m sorry for bringing this down on you.”

“I told you,bella. You’re not responsible for your father’s actions.”

“Even if I was the one who leaked to the press my full identity? Even though I brought this stain on your prestigious bank and your name?”

Chapter Seven

Adrianorearedback, confused. With one shouted command, he had the boardroom empty. But even the expansive space wasn’t enough to contain his shock.

The truth of it was written on her face.

---