Page 58 of Sin and Seduction

We head outside to the event, and I greet all of our guests. Some are Dante’s family members; some are members of his business. There must be at least seventy guests here, and instead of mingling with all of them, I walk to where Gabriela sits at a lone table under one of the black tents.

“Penny for your thoughts?” I ask as I sit down, and she sighs.

“I really want a fucking drink,” she says. “You look beautiful, by the way.”

“So do you, Gabriela,” I say, admiring her amazing figure in her silver, strapless gown.

“I look fat,” she says sadly, and I hush her.

“You’re eight weeks pregnant, and you look like you could be on the cover of a magazine. Stop it,” I say, and she smiles at me.

“I think it’s a girl,” she says quietly, smiling fondly as she rests a hand against her small stomach.

“What makes you so sure?” I ask, sipping my champagne.

“Because she’s already giving me hell,” she groans, and we laugh loudly.

I stop abruptly when I look behind her and notice James Rowen standing with a shocked expression on his face. His eyes flick rapidly between Gabriela’s face and the hand that she holds on her stomach.

“You’re pregnant?” he says between his teeth, and she goes rigid, turning slowly to face him before standing.

“Yes,” she says after a while, sounding defeated.

“Eight weeks…” he says, his eyes full of anger as he stares her down.

“Yes, James,” she says weakly, tears shining in her eyes.

“And you didn’t fucking tell me?” he roars, and she flinches, tears falling down her beautiful face.

“I couldn’t! With everything going on, with Diego and—”

“We’ve been living in the same fucking house, Gabriela! You’ve had time! You’ve had plenty of time. But instead of facing me, you chose to hide away and make me think that I was the problem when the problem was that you were keeping the news of my fucking child away from me.” He tosses back his beer and walks away from us.

Gabriela lets out a sob, and I rush to her side, holding her in my arms as she weeps.

“Shh, Gabriela, It’s okay. He’s angry for now; just let him be. Don’t work yourself up,” I say into her ear, and she nods, wiping her tears on the napkin that I hand her.

“Let's go wash up in your room. Come on,” I say, pulling her from the canopy tent and to the house.

We climb the stairs toward her bedroom, and I sit her down as I reapply her makeup. She stopped crying, but the expression on her face saddens me.

“What a mess I’ve made,” she says quietly, and I hug her tight.

“Listen to me. You did not cause any of this. Things like this happen, and there’s no turning back now. All we can do is move forward and give this child the best life imaginable,” I say, and she hugs me tight.

“What would I do without you, Emmie?” she says, and I hush her.

“Lucky for you, you’ll never have to worry about that,” I say, and we sit together in silence.

I give her all the time she needs before she tells me that she’s ready to go back downstairs. I look around for Dante outside and come up short, wondering where he is and praying that he’s not down in his office and dealing with more work bullshit. I just wanted one night.

An hour goes by, and I am tired of idle chatter. I walk in the house and look around for him before stopping in the family room when I see Dante, Sergio, and their team of men walk up with bags in their hands. Dante has a dark and determined expression on his face, and I worry instantly.

“What’s going on?” I ask, and he pulls me close.

“Rowen found Diego’s location and decided it would be a smart move to take him out on his own like a fucking idiot. We’re leaving now.”

“Now! Dante, the party. There’s too many people here you can’t—”

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