Page 29 of Playboy Billionaire's Secret Baby

Burning hot tears fall from my eyes. I can’t hold them back any longer. I shouldn’t have come; I’d been feeling that in my gut increasingly throughout the party. After my disastrous date with Frederico, I promised myself that I wouldn’t ignore my gut again, but I did. For Allegra and her party, yes, but that didn’t work out for me.

He’s guessed. Frederico has taken one proper look at James and worked out the truth. I donotwant to have that chat here. I don’t know if I’m ready for it at all, and spending time with Frederico doesn’t help. He confuses me more every single time I’m anywhere near him. With the way that man behaves, I don’t know what to think and what to do for the best outcome. He didn’t react well to thinking that James belonged to another man, and he appears to be even more furious that my child could be his. This is the one nightmare that I never wanted to happen. It makes me feel that I should have stayed in England.

“Allegra, I have to go.” I grab my friend’s arm and stare at her fearfully. Things are getting a little awkward with me and Frederico now. He’s asking way too many questions.”

Allegra’s eyes almost pop out of her head. Since she’s the one who reassured me that he probably wouldn’t even think twice about me and James - he wouldn’t even notice - and she’s wrong. One look at my son, and he knows everything. He’s fucking put two and two together, and now he wants to know why he’s come up with four. Why I didn’t just tell him the truth in the first place. I can’t be honest with him here; who knows how he will react!

“I will help you find your mom and get you out of here,” Allegra offers and snaps into action, just as I knew she would. “Do you want to wait in the car? I guess you don’t want to be here now.”

I nod. “Yes, please tell Mom that I don’t feel very well. Don’t tell her anything else.”

I know she won’t. Allegra wouldn’t do that to me, but I feel compelled to explain clearly, anyway. Not being clear with my communication isn’t working out too well for me. I struggle to tell Frederico the truth about everything, but Allegra is different. I can say everything to her. I can tell her whatever I need to, and I know she will always be there for me, no matter what.

The moment my best friend spots the inevitable tears starting to flow down my cheeks, she sends me out the door, so I can cry in peace. And that’s exactly what I do. I hold my head in my hands and sob. Everything has been so great - Italy is everything that I want - but because I can’t hold it together…and due to my own actions - everything is falling apart.

What am I going to do?I think hopelessly to myself.What can I do?

“Lexi, what’s going on? Are you okay?” Mom calls out the moment she steps outside the building. “Allegra said you’re sick. Is that right? You’re very pale.”

“I need to get out of here,” I gasp desperately. “Please, I think I might throw up again.”

That isn’t exactly a lie. I really do feel like I could puke at any given moment. That horrible moment with Frederico is really troubling me; I don’t like it one bit: the look in his eyes, the anger flashing across his face, the way he spoke to me with pure hatred…It makes me want to get on a plane back home, so I don’t ever have to do that again.

Mom, thankfully, doesn’t ask me anything as we make our way home. I’m sure she has lots of questions, but much to my relief, she focuses more on James, even putting him to bed as soon as we get in. I don’t have the strength for any of this. I am mixed up and confused, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. If Frederico knows, he might ask Adam and Allegra what they know. My best friend might stay mum, but if she’s told Adam, he might have to be honest. His loyalty will be with his friend, after all. I don’t like the idea of Frederico learning the truth from someone else. That won’t make our already tumultuous relationship fare any better.

I should have told him myself. We shouldn’t have gotten to this point. This is all my fault. I don’t know how to fix it, either. I suppose I should call him now - arrange to meet with him and talk to him. But I don’t have the courage to do that.

“Are you okay?” Mom finally asks me once she has a moment to sit down. “Are you feeling any better? Do you know what happened?”

“I just started to feel sick, that’s all.” I shrug, trying to play it down now. “But I’m fine. I will be in the morning anyway. I think I need sleep. I’m just tired, that’s all…”

If I don’t sleep this shit off, I won’t be in the right mood for work in the morning, and I didn’t come to Italy for partying and guy drama. I came for the job. I have to do right by my work, or Evan will never trust me again.

There’s too much… I’m absolutely overwhelmed. I don’t think this is better than my life before. I’m starting to think that none of this is worth the hassle. It isn’t making me as happy as I thought it would. I’ve just made a mess of things all over again.

Chapter 20

Frederico

I can’t concentrate. I can’t focus on anything, even work, which isn’t like me at all. I think that’s what has captured my brothers’ attention.

“Come on then, Frederico. Let’s sit down and talk,” declares Vicenzo in his typical straightforward manner. He never likes to let things slide if they can be dealt with in the moment. He even gets frustrated when others might not feel the same way. “What the hell is going on with you? You’ve had a face like a wet weekend all morning.”

I scowl at him, but, of course, that doesn’t affect my brother. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Just because I’m being a bit quieter than usual…”

“Vicenzo is right.” Much to my irritation, Elio agrees with our brother. “You aren’t acting like yourself, Frederico, and it’s weird. It seems like it might be a woman causing you problems… but that’s weird, because women never cause you problems.”

I would join in with my brothers’ laughter if I wasn’t so caught up in my own head. I can’t get over what happened at the party, and it’s giving me a headache.

“I don’t know if it’s a woman problemexactly,” I try, but neither of my brothers are buying it. They both shoot me suspicious looks. “It’s just…” I shift uncomfortably in my seat. But I’ve started now, so I guess I might as well get it all out in the open. I don’t want to keep being distracted at work, and I do need some advice. Even if it comes from my brothers, who haven’t ever shown signs of a serious relationship in their lives. “Well, a woman I met a couple of years back, at the wedding of Adam and Allegra…”

“Wait, a couple ofyearsago?” Elio asks, shocked. “This is something that has been going on for a couple of years. How the hell do we not know about this?”

I shake my head no. “It was more of a one-night thing. One that’s kinda carried on over the last couple of years, only very rarely, but basically whenever we cross paths…” They both makeuh ohfaces. “I guess I’ve liked her all that time, but nothing has ever happened because she’s been living in England until recently.”

“And now she’s here?” Vincenzo asks. “That’s interesting…”

“She’s come with a child that I didn’t know about. One I thought was going to tear us apart because I just can’t see myself raising another man’s child.”

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