Page 54 of How to: Seduce Your Wife

Her pain blended with confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“It seems every conversation we have revolves around the issue of honesty,” he said, frustration underscoring his words. “Your being Carina’s cousin. Your being Juliet and keeping the mask all these years. And now your pregnancy.”

She stared at him for a long moment. “You’re wondering if this isn’t some sort of con.”

“Yes.”

“Do you want a divorce?”

He shot a hand through his hair. “Yes. No.”

Trust came hard. Damn hard. But at this moment he had to decide. The wrong decision would put an end to his marriage. The right one could mean something he no longer believed in … happily ever after.

He took a deep breath and considered. For years he and Carina had been at odds. Even before their marriage, they’d been like oil and water. The Juliet he’d met in the garden hadn’t been the woman with whom he’d indulged in a brief, passionate affair. Now he understoodwhy.

Would he have ever considered marrying Carina if not forToni?

Not a chance.

And yet, he couldn’t help wondering. How alike were Mia and Carina? They were cousins. Maybe their personalities were similar, as well. Bitter apples from the same wretchedtree.

But then, how similar were the personalities of his brothers? Hugely different. Even the twins, Matteo and Dante, were two vastly different apples from the same tree. The difference between him and Soren? Massive. Like night andday.

Had Mia done anything to indicate a similarity to Carina? No. Just the opposite. Where Carina was a taker, Mia gave. Where Carina used everything as a bargaining tool—everything from Toni to sex to money—Mia never asked for anything. At least, not for herself.

Carina had spat the truth at him in his last conversation with her, that she didn’t love him, had never loved, had married him because of what he could give her and the Salvatore name. And she’d used Toni as leverage.

He tried to picture Mia doing the same and came up short. No way. No way would she use their baby to force him to give into her whims and demands. She didn’t even have whims, let alone demands.

He looked at his wife, saw her teetering on the edge of breaking down. The mix of pain and despair nearly destroyed him. “No, Mia. No, sweetheart, Idon’t want a divorce.”

She didn’t say a word, simply buried her face in her hands and wept. Not the pretty, crocodile tears of her cousin, but huge, ugly, gut-wrenchingsobs.

He instantly snatched her into his arms. “I’m sorry, Mia. I’m sorry. Please don’t cry. You’re where you belong.”

She struggled to speak. “Because of the baby?”

“No. Because of us. Because we’re a family. And when you’re in my arms, you’re home.” He reached for a tissue and helped mop up herface.

“I didn’t know, Brand.” More sobs tore from her. “I swear I didn’t know it was possible to get pregnant. Iwould have insisted on protection if I’d heard the doctor correctly. No one in their right minds would take such a risk when we’d only just met.”

“Your cousin did.”

He’d shocked her. “Oh, Brand. She didn’t.”

“She sure as hell did. Carina claimed she was on birth control and I was young and stupid and believed her.”

Mia closed her eyes for an instant, before focusing on Brand. “But Toni was the result. We need to focus on the outcome, not Carina’s scheme.”

He tipped her head up and kissed her. “And we need to focus on the outcome, not on the misunderstanding that caused your pregnancy.”

“Are you sure?” she whispered, searching his expression for any hint of doubt or uncertainty.

“Very sure,” he confirmed. “It’s Christmas and we’re going to have a baby. Toni will be a big sister and you and I are going to stop being foolish and realize that what we have isn’t temporary.”

Without giving her time to reply, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to their bedroom. She burrowed against him, which he supposed was answer enough.

Shadows filled the bedroom, but they weren’t filled with darkness and grief. As Christmas Eve eased into the first moments of Christmas morning, they stirred through the room and embraced with gentle fingers of protection.

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