Page 20 of His Violent Vow

“Good.” Angelo exited the pizzeria, feeling sticky and a little dirty. He needed a shower to wash the stink of Tomas off him completely.

Chapter Ten

Kat was too nervous to eat, so she told the maid who brought up her lunch that she was feeling ill. She wrung her hands nervously as she paced the length of the bedroom. Kat felt like a trapped animal.

She needed air and some quiet time. She made one stop first. Kat opened the bathroom connected to the bedroom, walked to the sink, and splashed some water on her face. She finally looked at her awful face and saw a ghost. She looked far too pale and dark circles ringed her eyes.

After throwing up twice last night, she hadn’t slept a wink. Angelo, in comparison, slept like the dead. Kat’s gaze slid to the innocent-looking device on the counter. Feeling anxious again, Kat left the bedroom. She bumped into Maria while on her way to the garden.

“Is something the matter, Miss Kat? Dianne mentioned you weren’t feeling well. Can I get you anything?” Maria asked rather kindly.

Maybe Kat really did look that sick. She certainly felt like crap.

“Just going outside for a breather,” she answered.

Maria must’ve sensed that was the end of their conversation because she left Kat alone. No doubt the old housekeeper would report this to Angelo. Let her. It was no fault of the household staff that they were extremely loyal to her husband. They meant well, Kat knew.

Kat finally stepped foot out in the garden. Like the rest of the house, this area was well-maintained. This was one of her favorite areas in the entire estate. Kat walked past an old fountain which had a naked cherub sculpture at the top. Her phone beeped in the pocket of her dress but she ignored it. Kat knew it was probably a message from Angelo, but right now, she wanted to be alone to collect her thoughts. Kat wandered past rows of manicured red and yellow rosebushes.

She sat on a bench shaded by an ancient oak tree to cool her head. She rubbed her palms over the fabric of her dress. Worry ate her alive. What was going to happen to them now? How would Angelo react to the news?

The afternoon heat soon made her dizzy so Kat decided to lay her head down, even for a little while. The next time she woke, she expected her entire body to ache. Only her lower half did.

To her surprise, her head lay on something soft and grey. Blinking, Kat turned her head only to realize she was lying on her husband’s lap. Angelo had been reading an email. He set his phone down when he noticed she was awake.

“How long have you been there?” Kat asked.

“About thirty minutes. When I noticed you were sleeping on a bench, I debated moving you but decided against it. You looked so peaceful,” Angelo said.

He ran his fingers through her tousled hair and she sighed, relaxing against him. This was time. The two of them alone in this magical place that felt removed from the real world. Kat had forgotten why she was worried in the first place, until her husband spoke again.

“I saw the pregnancy test in the bathroom. Is that why you pretended to be sick?” Angelo asked her.

Dread curled in her, but Kat and Angelo agreed there would be no lies between them. Kat had to fess up.

“I threw up twice last night.”

Angelo now looked at her with concern. He frowned.“Why didn’t you tell me this morning?”

“You had plenty on your mind and I was scared,” she admitted.

“Of me?” Angelo asked.

His expression turned unreadable and Kat knew one unkind word from her could push him away. She didn’t want him to misunderstand, so she did her best to explain.

“No, I’m scared for our baby,” she told him.“With Tomas Barbaro hell-bent on destroying us, it’s dangerous bringing a new life into the world.”

Kat had considered all her options. She wanted this baby, truly, but did that mean Angelo had to send her somewhere far, to a place where assassins couldn’t touch her and their child? What would that mean for their relationship? Things were going so great between them. They not only reached an understanding but Kat was genuinely falling for her husband. Angelo closed his fingers over hers and gave them a squeeze.

“Tomas will no longer be a problem,” he said. At first, Kat thought he was pulling her leg but Angelo looked dead serious.

“What do you mean by that?” Kat asked, suddenly sitting up. Angelo still hadn’t let go of her hand.

“I took care of him today,” Angelo said.

He gave her a brief explanation of what happened earlier in the day. Her heart started beating fast. She had worried about having a baby when both her and Angelo’s lives were at risk but now that the danger had passed, a wave of relief filled her.

“I take it you’re happy,” Angelo said, tucking a stray strand of hair that had fallen across her face.

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