Page 59 of Bound by Their Christmas Baby

Abby looked at his face and there was such confusion there that she almost pitied him. ‘I’m not marrying someone who doesn’t love me. You might think it’s childish, but I believe in love. I want to be with someone who adores me and that’s never going to be you, is it?’

For once, Gabe was the one who seemed lost for words.

‘My mother loved my father,’ he said finally. ‘And it killed her. I swore to myself I’d never love anyone.’

‘You love Raf. You love Noah.’

His lips twisted. ‘Those I couldn’t help.’

She turned away from him and nodded. He didn’t love her; he never would. She exhaled a shaky breath, a wave of sadness threatening to drown her. She had to be courageous—if she didn’t leave him now she never would, and she’d be miserable.

‘You don’t love me either,’ he said softly. ‘That’s why this marriage makes such perfect sense. We get on well enough and we both adore our son. We’re great in bed together and we’re intellectually well-matched. You know all about my business, courtesy of your father. This marriage has everything I want.’

Abby pressed her fist against her mouth to silence a sob. ‘That sounds like a perfect recipe,’ she muttered.

‘I’m glad you agree.’

‘I don’t! I was being sarcastic! I just told you I won’t marry if there’s no love, and you’re enumerating a sensible list for a perfectly loveless marriage. It’s not what I want for my life.’

Only the sound of his breathing punctuated the air. Abby kept her back to him so she didn’t see the look of visceral pain that crossed his face. Being left was nothing new to Gabe—he’d been abandoned by almost everyone his whole life. He’d kept himself closed off for a reason, and Abigail was reminding him exactly why now.

Only this wasn’t just about losing Abigail.

r /> He thought of Raf leaving the castle, Raf no longer being within arm’s reach, and his whole body felt as though it had caught alight.

‘Our reasons for marrying haven’t changed. I want to raise my son, and I want to raise him here. If you won’t stay, then we have to face the reality of a custody dispute.’

Abigail squeezed her eyes shut and when she turned to face him she was as pale as a sheet. ‘Are you actually threatening to take him away from me?’

‘No.’ His frown deepened. ‘I don’t want to do that, Abigail. But he’s my son and I want to be in his life.’

‘You can be. That’s not contingent on us marrying.’

‘I want to be in his life all the time. I won’t be a part-time father.’

‘So what do you suggest?’ she asked, numb all over.

‘I’ve made my suggestion—that we get married. It seems to be the best way forward. But if you disagree, I believe it’s your turn to come up with an alternative.’

She ground her teeth together. ‘I won’t give up my son.’

‘And nor will I.’ He thrust his hands on his hips. ‘And when you contemplate your future, perhaps you should remember the resources I will bring to any custody battle and ask yourself whether staying here mightn’t be easiest.’

She dipped her head forward, breathing in sharply, trying to inflate her lungs without success. It took several moments for the feeling of dangerous light-headedness to pass. Finally, she pinpointed him with her gaze, her eyes holding his.

‘You’re threatening me?’

Gabe thought about denying it, but what was the point? He was giving her an ultimatum, knowing full well what she’d choose. That knowledge sat inside him like a heavy, sharp rock, but he didn’t back away. He glared at her for a long moment, ignoring the shot of pain he felt to see the hurt in her face. ‘As I’ve said, it’s your decision.’

Tears welled up in her eyes. His stomach lurched.

‘I’m going to Rome for a couple of days. You can tell me what you’ve decided when I return.’

* * *

The phone call came early the next morning. He awoke disoriented with a banging head and a throbbing low in his gut, as though the fine blade of a knife had slid along his chest all night long. He pushed up groggily, noting with a frown that he was in his Rome apartment.

But why?

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