Page 115 of Beautiful Desire

My eyes bounce between the two of them. The energy in the room is now cold and tense compared to the panicked and adrenaline-filled energy it was mere seconds ago. I open my mouth to ask what the hell is happening, but Dom doesn’t allow me the chance.

“I’m going now. Stay here. Stay safe. I promise I’ll bring our little girl home.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, trying to hold back another wave of tears as Dom presses one last kiss on my forehead before turning and walking right out of the house without saying another word to anyone.

“Fabi, what thehellwas that?” Gia demands, standing from the couch, but he doesn’t reply.

Instead, he stands in the doorway, his arms and feet crossed, with a scowl I’ve never seen before on his face.

This can’t be good.

As he turns his attention to me briefly, his voice is cold and clipped when he speaks. “You’ll get your daughter back, Elle.”

Then he walks off in the direction of his office, leaving Gia and I oblivious as to what we just saw.

* * *

I’ve watched every minute pass on that clock since Dom left. Gia tried to ask me why I hadn’t told her Dom was Lily’s dad, but I didn’t answer, and thankfully, she didn’t push.

I know I shouldn’t have kept it from everyone like I did, but I didn’t want Gia getting involved and trying to push us to be together. Then Dom just disappeared out of the blue, and I didn’t know if or when he was coming back. What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t exactly call him up and say, “Hey, so I just wanted to let you know I’m pregnant with our baby. Okay, thanks. Bye.” For starters, I didn’t have his number, and I couldn’t ask Fab or G for it without telling themwhyI needed it. It didn’t feel right to let them know without Dom knowing first. As far as I was aware, Fabi and Gia hadn’t heard from him the entire year he was gone.

As the saying goes, if he wanted to, he would. And obviously, for that year, he didn’t. But then, why did he come back to Boston? What made him come hurtling back into my life like a whirlwind? The feeling of a hand resting on my shoulder and gently shaking me disturbs my thoughts.

“Do you want something to eat or drink, dear?” I hear Maria, Fabi and Gia’s housekeeper, ask in her heavily accented voice.

I shake my head in response. I know she’s trying to be helpful, but the one and only thing I want right now is my baby back in my arms. My stomach swirls with the worst feeling of nausea I’ve ever experienced.

I need to know where she is. I need to know she’s safe. I need to see it to believe it. Tears collect in my eyes, and I feel bile rise a little in my stomach.

“Elle, you need—” Gia starts before I cut her off, turning my head briefly in her direction.

When she sees my eyes, she stops talking and puts her arm around me, pulling me into her side and squeezing tightly.

My eyes are red and stinging from the number of times I’ve cried. I’m surprised there are any tears left to fall. Once again, they fall freely, and my body wracks with the force of my heartache.

* * *

Dom

Storming out of Fabi’s house, I practically run down the steps, hopping into the waiting car, not giving Bill enough time to get out and open the door for me.

“Where to, sir?” he asks in a quiet, somber tone.

I let out an exhausted sigh and reply, “Home, Bill. Take me home.”

As he nods his response, the car starts, and we drive out of Fabi’s compound and head in the direction of the city. Relaxing back into the seat, I allow my head to fall back on the headrest and close my eyes.

The shock of finding out I have a daughter runs through my head, bringing too many questions to even consider right now. All I know is that I need to find her and bring her back soon. Seeing Elle so distraught breaks my heart. Every time a tear rolled down her cheek, I wanted to be able to comfort her and take away the pain, but I know nothing will do until Lily is back. Her red, puffy eyes looked a miserable gray color instead of the sky-blue they’ve always been.

I know time is of the essence here, and I need to get the ball rolling. Reaching into my jacket pocket, I pull out my cell and dial Enrico’s number.

He answers on the second ring. “Hello?”

“I know why he stayed in the city. He’s takenmy daughter,” I bite out through the phone, my anger starting to take over as I grip my phone hard.

“I…I tried to tell you about the baby the day Nero bumped into her. I looked into it after that. I only got the confirmation on the DNA test I ran yesterday, and I couldn't get a hold of you.”

What is he talking about?

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