Page 8 of Baby Mine

The thought of being one of many women sharing his bed surged through her mind, and she fought him harder, forgetting about the glass in her hand until the pain registered. She winced at the sting, and Renzo released her in an instant. Tiny strands of blood dripped over the side of her clenched fist, and she eased the hold.

“Cara, what have you done?” The concern in Renzo’s tone made her heart ache.

He yanked her close and bent over her hand. The gentle touch as he unfolded her fingers and picked the shards of glass from her palm brought tears to her eyes, but she blinked them away.

“Come, we’re going to the hospital,” he announced.

“It’s just some tiny cuts, Renzo. You don’t need to panic.” She tried to pull away, but he held on, and the next instant they were in the bathroom with her in front of him at the sink while he ran cool water over her hand. She had no choice but to wait in silence while he cleaned her wounds and searched for any more glass. In the mirror, she studied his handsome face. He drew her to him without a word. She wanted to be

near him, hear his voice and see his smile. His touch sent her into orbit, but this man could consume her whole in more ways than one. If she gave in to him, she’d lose herself. Of that she was certain.

Back in Venice, they spoke often, but she couldn’t remember anything of consequence. She’d known nothing of his family except that he had siblings. She’d not learned his father had passed, and there was only his mother and an uncle left. Not that she’d asked him. She didn’t want to know because she viewed it as a step toward falling in love. In the same way, she never told him she was an only child and that she’d lost her parents within a year of each other a decade ago. That time had been hard because she’d been only nineteen. Yet, it made her strong and more determined to make her own way in the world. She had, as a paralegal. She enjoyed most of it, doing legal research, drafting documents for court, and most of all interviewing people. She couldn’t give legal advice since she wasn’t a lawyer, but she had a great repertoire with the men and women in her office who were, and she had connections with others associated with the field like private investigators. That was how she’d been able to find Renzo. She loved her life and didn’t need anything from her former lover or his family.

“Renzo, I think we’re done here,” she said, meeting his reflected gaze.

“I’m not marrying her, Jada.”

She shook her head. “What you do is your business. I just came to tell you about the baby.”

“You keep saying that, but if all you cared about was meeting an obligation you felt about telling me, a phone call could have sufficed. You came across the country to see me.”

She chewed the inside of her lip. He wasn’t supposed to notice that, and she kicked herself for the millionth time for giving in to her emotions. She’d done so well leaving the first time. Well, I’ll do it again and get it right.

Renzo turned the water off at the sink and raised her hand. She started to protest, but he touched his lips to the sensitive skin before she could stop him. Tingles of pleasure vied with the sting of the cuts and raced over her arms and down toward her pussy. She resisted snatching away so he wouldn’t suspect how he affected her.

“Don’t you think you need to be out there setting your little girlfriend straight?” she demanded.

He caressed her cheek and then raised her chin. “I’d rather be in here, setting you straight.”

She opened her mouth to tell him where to go, but he covered her lips in a searing kiss that drew her up to the tips of her toes. She forgot about the pain in her hand as she slipped her arms around his neck and pressed in close to his chest. Her nipples tightened, and Renzo brushed her side with his hand until he reached one aching peak. His thumb plucked at the small bud through her blouse, and she whimpered.

Sanity flooded back when he squeezed her ass and slid fingers lower until they just reached her pussy. She jerked away, panting, and dragged a hand over her mouth. “Stop it, Renzo. I told you we’re not doing this anymore.”

She stepped past him, expecting to be halted, but when he didn’t lay a finger on her, she kept moving as quickly as possible until she made it back to her room. While she folded the clothes she’d taken from her suitcase into the carrier, a knock on her door interrupted her. She grunted and rolled her eyes. “Come in.”

When she turned, instead of Renzo this time it was his sister standing in her doorway. Jada searched her memory for the woman’s name.

“I’m Zita.” With a determined step, Zita strode into the room and shut the door behind her.

Here we go again.

Chapter Four

“Was there something you needed? I’m about to leave, and I don’t have a lot of time.”

The frown put her in her place without a word. Jada was being rude, but she didn’t give a damn. These people had smiled in her face while they thought she was a lost tourist. Now they all seemed to think she was beneath them because she’d had an affair with Renzo. They could think what they liked.

“I wanted to ask you to stay.”

Jada blinked. “Come again?”

Zita shrugged and floated over to the window to peer out. Jada had a flashback to the historical romances she used to read for years. Zita could be one of the heroines, exotic and beautiful, and there was an innocence about her too.

“I don’t care why you’re here and if you’re just trying to get my brother’s money. It doesn’t affect me at all. My inheritance can’t be touched. My father made sure of that.” Zita swung to face her. “What your presence does do is get my brothers and my uncle’s focus off of me. I saw that in one night, and it’s great. With all their arguing last night, I was able to… Anyway, stay. Get whatever it is you want. After all, doesn’t your baby deserve the best life it can get?”

Jada stared at her. “You know about the baby?”

Zita laughed. “Like I said, they were arguing half the night. I don’t know why any of them bother, though. No one has ever been able to make Renzo do what he doesn’t want to. No one except Dad maybe, but even then he came with a good argument because I think my big brother was born knowing exactly what he wanted, and nothing ever stopped him from getting it.”

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