Page 43 of The Italian's Pregnant Enemy (A Diamond in the Rough)

“It’s traditional,” she said.

“And you are not traditional. He may bluster about it, but he would rather I consult you than him. You know that, surely.”

“I don’t. But I’m glad that you do. Since he is clearly such a good friend to you.”

“Don’t be snappish,” he said. “Go home and change. I will procure a ring for you, and then we will meet for dinner.”

And that was how Lyssia found herself unofficially engaged, and stunned into complete silence.

CHAPTER NINE

DARIO’SMINDWASworking overtime to try and solve the intricacies of the situation. Of course, Nathan Anderson wouldn’t be thrilled that Dario had gotten Lyssia pregnant out of wedlock, but he was a practical man, and he wouldn’t be shocked by it. It wasn’t as if he expected either of them to be chaste.

Pregnant.

She was pregnant with his child.

It had been all he could do not to threaten her. Threaten to take custody of the child, threaten to kidnap her. Beat his chest and climb the Empire State building like King Kong.

The problem was, this had hooked into something he hadn’t known was in him.

He needed to make sure that there was every legal protection available to his child. He needed to make sure that no one could write scathing things about his child.

He needed to protect that child in all the ways that he wasn’t protected, and marriage seemed the first step to doing that. Making sure that the circumstances surrounding his child’s birth seemed clear. And he also didn’t want to compromise his relationship with Lyssia’s father. That was true too.

What does love mean to you?

There was no such thing as love. There was either care or no care. And he cared. He cared about that child. About its future. And he knew what it was like when a parent forfeited that care. It was unconscionable.

It was cold and lonely and memories he refused to have.

How long were you on the street?

Maybe a year.

He knew every night but he refused to name them.

He called a private jeweler immediately and had them bring a tray of engagement rings into his office.

Likely, he should have asked Lyssia what she wanted. But this was not about her.

It wasn’t.

His body had reacted strongly when Lyssia had first come into the room, but after that, everything had been red.

Because the only thing that really mattered was doing the right thing for their child.

And yes, he would have her. Why wouldn’t he? He was certainly not going to leave her celibate so that she could go off and make planned love to Carter.

No.

The child was his. She was his.

It all made perfect sense to him.

He chose the largest and most ostentatious ring. He thought she would probably like it. There was nothing subtle about Lyssia. He thought about that white lingerie she’d worn the first time they were together. And the other outfits she’d worn in the times after.

He’d taken her in hot pink next to the shower. He’d stripped her of flimsy emerald green by the bathtub.

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