Page 109 of Beautiful Desire

“I’m sorry, Dom. I’m so sorry. I tried to tell you, but I…I…” Her sobs take hold of her, leaving her unable to finish her sentence.

“Shhh. We can talk about it later. I’m not going to let anything happen to our baby, okay?”

“Bring her back to me, Dom,” she whispers through her tears.

Walking away from Elle, I head to my desk to collect my things while I try to figure out how this happened and how I’m going to get her back. I pull open the top drawer to find the copy of the photo from Elle’s desk that I made is gone.

Stronzo.

Lifting my phone, I find Fabi’s number and hit call.

* * *

We arrived at Fabi and Gia’s house a little over half an hour ago. After I called him from the office, I told him what happened. We decided it would be best to come here and work to figure out where they took Lily. He sent Santino to Elle’s place to go pick up Melinda and bring a bag with clothes for Elle to change into.

The four of us sat in silence as we waited for Melinda. She arrived ten minutes after we did, and as soon as she walked through the door, Elle jumped up off the couch where she was lying curled in a ball with her head on Gia’s lap. She ran toward her and threw herself at Melinda. They stood holding each other, weeping, and no matter how I’m feeling right now, I know it doesn’t compare to how Elle is feeling.

An hour ago, I didn’t even know I had a daughter, and now I stand here praying with every fiber of my being that I’ll be holding her safely in my arms and meeting her for the first time, sooner rather than later. I’m doing my best to keep my anger at bay right now. Not just for the bastard who took Lily, but also at Elle for keeping such a huge secret from me.

I know I was gone for the past year, so I not only missed out on Elle’s entire pregnancy, but also the birth of my child and…it dawns on me that I don’t even know how old she is. Wait. The picture of the baby on Elle’s desk looked a lot older than what our child would be. The math isn’t adding up.

“How old is Lily?” I blurt out to no one in particular.

The room goes quiet as all eyes focus on me. Great. Doeseveryoneknow Lily is my daughter except me? Elle picks her head up from Melinda’s shoulder and wipes the tears from her eyes.

Clearing her throat, she says, “Five months.”

I start shaking my head as I begin pacing. No. There’s no way. I must have said that out loud, because the next thing I know, Elle is in front of me with her hands on my biceps, keeping me in place.

“Look at me, D. I wouldneverlie to you about this. Lily was a preemie.” Her voice breaks as she chokes out another sob.

I feel like a total dick. Here I am questioning my paternity when her daughter –ourdaughter – has been kidnapped.

“Um, you would never lie to Dom about what?” Gia pipes up in the background, her face contorted in confusion.

“Gattina, I don’t think we were meant to hear this conversation,” Fabi says.

“Don’t yougattiname,Fabrizio,” she spits back at him, wagging her finger in his face.

Shaking my head, I look over Elle’s shoulder when I speak to the room. “It’s okay, Fab. I’m guessing you guys already know anyway. I’m Lily’s father.”

I’m greeted with a chorus of shocked tones, all replying, “WHAT?!”

“WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?” Gia screeches. “Elena Rachel Parker! You told me you didn’t know who Lily’s father was. You said it was a drunken one-night stand and that you didn’t even know his name!”

Elle continues to bury her face in my chest.

I lower my mouth to her ear and whisper, “Your name is Elena?”

I feel her head gently moving up and down.

“And I’m guessing I’m the drunken one-night stand Gia is talking about?”

Again, she nods her head against my chest.

“Yes,” she replies in a quiet whisper.

Knowing now is not the time to discuss this, I file it in the back of my head on the list of things to ask her later.

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