Page 52 of The Baby His Secretary Carries

“That’s why Molly is having this baby,” he said in realization. “She wants to give her sister’s mother a child.”

CHAPTER TEN

ITHADBEENeight weeks since he’d seen her.

At first, Gio had walked through a noxious fog every day, unable to see colors or feel anything but the weight of existence.

After meeting with her mother, and learning Molly’s real reason for agreeing to surrogate, things had changed. He had clarity, but that only brought the world back into focus, so everything felt sharp now. Painful. He wasn’t sure why. Perhaps because, when he’d thought Molly’s motivates were mercenary, he’d been able to put up a wall between himself and the things they’d shared. He’d dismissed his attraction and affection as something he’d felt for a woman who was an illusion.

Now he knew it had all been real. When she had promised to keep her friend’s pregnancy a secret, she had meant it. When she told him she couldn’t marry him, she had meant it.

When she had said that she loved him, she had meant it.

And then she had left.

The pain of her absence was both fresh and agonizingly familiar. No one should have this effect on him. He simply couldn’t allow it. It was too debilitating.

He continued to use Genoa as his home base because his time with his grandfather was finite. He curtailed some of his travel for the same reason, but otherwise, he became the man he’d been before Molly had entered his life. He attended benefits and forced himself to at least go through the motions of taking a date with him. He had zero interest in starting a relationship of any kind with anyone, but he still had to legacy to secure.

He tried to convince himself that Molly was a chapter in his past. Not even a whole chapter. A footnote.

“Signor, the lawyers are asking again if we’re scratching the Athens deal or...?” Nelo ventured warily.

“Enough,” Gio said aloud. He refused to have that ever-present reminder hanging over him any longer. “Set up a meeting with Zamos. Tell him my last offer stands. I’m not interested in negotiating. Take it or leave it.”

Two days later, Rafael came to him, walking into Gio’s office without so much as a trace of a limp. He was completely alone.

“No lawyers or assistants?” Gio asked, jerking his head for Nelo to leave and shut the door so it was only the two of them.

“Legal has read through everything. We both know I need this deal to close and I don’t have room to negotiate, especially given all you know about my personal business.” He didn’t bother to sit, staying in the middle of the room. The leather portfolio he’d brought dangled from one hand.

“I’m not extorting you,” Gio snarled. “All of this was negotiated in good faith before your crash and the rest.”

Gio did know things, though. Things even Rafael didn’t know about his wife. It was a startling moment of comprehending exactly how much power he wielded over the other man. On the other hand, Rafael knew things Gio didn’t.

Gio bit the inside of his cheek, refusing to ask...How is she? Where is she?

Presumably Rafael saw her every day. He wanted to hate him for that, but he couldn’t seem to.

If you do anything that causes harm to my child, my retribution will be swift and very final.

Rafael was protecting his unborn child and had stood up for Molly, too. Gio couldn’t help but respect him.

“Let’s sign it and I’ll get out of here,” Rafael muttered.

Gio rose and they both sat down at the small table. Rafael opened the folder and, aside from initialing a handful of adjusted dates, they made no changes. It was completed with silence and a final flourish of their signatures.

If Rafael was relieved, he didn’t show it. He ought to be relieved, considering this would take a lot of pressure off his cash flow and signal to his investors that if Gio had faith in his operations, they could, too. It also made an attack on Rafael’s company an attack on Casella Corporation. Most would think twice before embarking down that road.

“She’s well, by the way,” Rafael said as he rose and secured the contract in the portfolio.

“I didn’t ask.”

“I know. I wanted to know if you were serious about her or just using her for your own purpose. Now I do.” His lip curled with contempt.

“I’musing her?” Gio said with outrage.

“At least I care whether she’s well, Gio.”

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