Page 60 of Twin Surprise for the Italian Doc

‘Yes, Matteo. They’re yours.’

‘You’ve been lying to me every minute of every day that I’ve been with you, then, haven’t you?’

How could she even begin to try and explain why? Or to tell him that she’d just been waiting for the combination of the right moment and enough courage? That she loved him...

He wouldn’t want to hear any of it. Not now.

It was too late.

‘I’m...sorry,’she whispered.

Another huff of sound came from Matteo. The note of something like despair in it took her down to a new low.

‘You’ve stolen something from me that I can never, ever get back.’ There was a moment’s silence where she could see that Matteo was fighting for control. ‘The knowledge that my first baby was being born. My firstchildren...’ His control slipped and his voice cracked. ‘Iheld those babies as they took their first breaths and...and I didn’t know that...that they weremine...’

There was nothing that she could say. He was right. Shehadstolen something so huge it was unforgiveable. It made no difference at all now that she hadn’t intended to. That even a few hours more would have changed everything.

The silence was unnerving.

‘Have...have you been to see them?’

‘Not yet. I had to come here first. To find out the truth.’

Not to find out how she was?

Did that mean he didn’t care any more?

Had this revelation changed everything between them to that extent?

The emotion of everything that had happened today and what was happening now were becoming too much. A heavy weight that was pressing down on Georgia and making it hard to breathe. The fear that shewas losing Matteo was the final straw and she had no resources left to fight the painful prickling behind her eyes.

She never cried.

But right now a huge, fat tear was slowly trickling down the side of her nose.Sheshould be caring for those babies.

With Matteo by her side.

It was never going to happen, though, was it?

‘I can’t trust you.’ The words were weighted with sadness. Disappointment.Heartache. ‘You’re the mother of my children and the woman I love but...but I can’t trust you. You told me that you loved me... But maybe you lied about that, too.’

Georgia rolled her head from side to side, denying his assumption, but Matteo wasn’t looking at her now. He was turning away.

And then she rewound the words she had just heard a little further. He could still say he loved her? Atiny flare of something like hope flickered in the darkness of her fear.

‘Please don’t go... Stay...’

Matteo shook his head. A single, sharp movement. ‘I can’t. I need time to think.’ He stepped towards the door. ‘And...I need to go and meet my children.’

Georgia nodded slowly. ‘Of course.’ She rubbed at the unfamiliar moisture on her face and started to slide off the bed. ‘I’ll come with you.’

She needed to be there when Matteo was with their babies. To share his first moment with them knowing he was their father.

Because it was huge. As big as their first moments in the world.

‘No.’The single word was like a physical blow. ‘I don’t want you to come with me. I... I can’t think straight when I’m near you. I need to do this on my own.’

She pulled in a shaky breath. ‘Will you comeback...later?’

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