Page 42 of Secret Match
Gio stared at the door like he wanted to see his son.Good.The detective stood beside her and said, “We’re still investigating,signora, but this seems to be a suicide.”
Signora.And no one threatened Gio or her at all. The police clearly served Gio and his family so would they even look closer at this situation? She ignored her beating heart and asked, “Can Gio get his son then?”
The detective patted Gio on the back. “Wait here while we talk to child services and tell them about your generosity.”
“Absolutely.” Gio stepped back and met her gaze. His feet were fidgeting but he walked over and kissed her forehead. “Kiwi, I didn’t know.”
“You said that already.” And she believed him. She quickly hugged him.
The detective walked out and waved for him as Gio said with his back turned, “I don’t know what to do.”
If anything happened to her, she hoped Gio would take care of their daughter. She then pointed for him to join the detective and go get the baby while she said, “Go and protect your son from all of this. Take him home and keep him safe.”
He nodded and accepted that this was his responsibility, his job. He brushed his hand on her side as he went to the other room toward the boy and said, “Yes. You’re right. Wait for me, here.”
“Okay.” She stayed in the kitchen area to give them a few minutes.
She bounced on her feet and then noticed the other note on the other counter. She walked over and glanced down at the open letter that read,
Gio,
Thomas, my little Tom, is your son. I was so afraid you’d take him from me, but then giving birth ruined my career anyhow. I was too fat and now only qualified for ‘mom’ roles. This wasn’t supposed to be my life, and now I don’t have the money to pay for my cancer treatments. You deserve your son. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. I knew your honor and you’d insist we marry and I wasn’t ready for that. You always do the right thing. I love Tom and I know you’ll give him the best home. Please let him know I’m doing this because I love him. I know family means the world to you and you’ll ensure Tom has everything.
Piper
Fireworks exploded in her brain. Marry? The moment she’d told Gio she was pregnant, he’d insisted on that. Gio was honorable. Piper was right on that.
And Piper thought he’d do that to her? Kiwi stepped back without touching the paper that her fingers ached to rip to shreds. Her willpower came from her baby and she held her stomach though her skin buzzed with electricity.
At the same instant, Gio came out of the bedroom carrying a baby boy wrapped in a blanket. “Kiwi, this is Tommaso.”
Right. The birth certificate had said he was three months now and that smile of his was infectious. She hugged her waist and tried to smile at the baby who just stared at her with unblinking eyes as she said, “Your dad came to get you.”
Gio bounced him up and down. “I don’t think he speaks. He’s awfully small.”
The detective walked them both toward the hall, which meant they must be getting kicked out of the crime scene. She waited until they were in the hallway but goosebumps grew on her arm. Gio rocked his son as they walked toward the elevator. She pressed the button and asked, “Does he have a car seat?”
He shook his head no. “Not that I know of, but the social worker with the police left one for me at the front desk.”
This “donation” was clearly worth a lot. Goosebumps grew on her arms. If this was how it worked for Gio, then he could easily do whatever he wanted and get away with it. Life never worked like that for her. Ever. They hadn’t left the floor though the doors to the elevator opened. Unable to even vocalize her feelings, she focused on the now and asked, “The police just give you things?”
“My family has always been generous. They aren’t hurting anyone in giving me my son,” Gio said as the doors closed.
If she didn’t say anything as they descended, it was like she accepted that he’d only married her for her daughter.
It wasn’t okay. This wasn’t how law and order worked. She wasn’t ready to let go of her reality this much, was she? Her heart hammered as the doors opened to the lobby floor. She let him leave the elevator and she followed behind him. But once they were outside she backed up like she’d run as she crossed her arms and said, “Look, we don’t know anything about each other.”
He still swung his son in his arms and he was a naturally good father but he pointed with his thumb to the front door. “Kiwi, let’s head back home.”
Her ears heard ringing like she heard Piper whispering that he would have married her last year if he’d known about Tom. No. She needed to show her daughter to value herself and her dreams. Gio had plenty to offer, but they’d never be in love. She shook her head. “No. You have a family, a baby, and it’s clear to me Piper left the sex tape so you couldn’t deny your parental role. I want my daughter to know she needs to figure out her own life and not depend on proving paternity. She needs to know she is capable of taking care of herself, no matter what happens. It’s what my mother instilled in me.”
His gaze narrowed but he didn’t move. “She could have just told me she was pregnant.”
Tom’s cry made everyone in the lobby stare in their direction. She let out a visual sigh but she lowered her head. It was time to tell him. She swallowed and then met his gaze. “If she told you she was pregnant when she found out, before we met, what would you have done?”
He hugged the boy who quieted down some as Gio said, “Insist on being part of my son’s life.”
Fair. That wasn’t all though. Gio would have married Piper. The zip in her pulse was on fire. And she didn’t want to marry anyone just because she was pregnant. Maybe Kiwi was the fool for walking away, but she needed her daughter to be smarter than she’d been. She stepped back and stuck out her lip. “It seems she wanted you to have the boy, but that is where we’re different.”
