Amedeo, Her Italian Billionaire (9 page)

Violet’s mouth moved, but she couldn’t make any sounds. Amedeo jumped in. “She hasn’t made that decision yet, but we’ll appreciate you respecting that.”

Janice pressed her lips together then finally a smile broke the tension. “You’ll need diapers.”

“Diapers, check,” Amedeo said.

Violet was still pondering the idea of breastfeeding. She should probably want to do that, but she wasn’t keen on the idea. This child was going to be so dependent on her. What a concept. Someone depending on her that wasn’t paying her.

“Clothing of course, but they live in onesies for the first few weeks so you’ll need a lot.”

“Then we’ll stock up on those first,” Amedeo said. He stood, reaching out for Violet’s hand.

She took his hand, following him to a rack of the smallest clothing she’d ever seen. In terms of Amedeo’s size they looked miniscule, but then she realized that she was going to push that human out of her in the future. Holy shit.

“What colors, Violet?” Amedeo said.

“Uh, I guess yellow and blue. Girls can wear blue, but a boy looks odd in pink,” she said.

Amedeo rifled through the rack. He picked out several onesies in different colors. “We should probably get them in several sizes, just to be prepared. You could have a big baby. He or she might start out in six month clothing.”

“Were you a big baby?”

He was a tall man so he must have started out tall.

“I was ten pounds.”

“That’s a small turkey,” she said.

He shrugged. “My father was tall and my brothers are tall.”

“Yikes. I hadn’t thought about that.”

Janice, thankfully, had left them alone with their list.

Amedeo had his arms full with onesies. “We need a cart.”

Violet returned with one from the front of the store. They found the diapers and loaded up the cart with those. Next they looked at bottles. “We should get some just in case you don’t breastfeed.”

“Okay. I hope you don’t care which I do.”

“It’s your body. You choose.”

“Thanks.”

Amedeo pushed the cart to the checkout line. It was taller than Violet with all the stuff in it. Once they checked out, he filled the trunk and the front seat of the car. His driver didn’t say anything, but Violet could only imagine what he was thinking. Bet he’d never hauled baby gear before today.

Ensconced in the back seat of the car, surrounded by diapers and onesies, they headed home.

***

Amedeo’s ex had been barred from his company, but apparently she wasn’t done with him. He stepped out to get some fresh air. He needed to clear his head. The shopping trip from last night had brought home some truths for him. He hadn’t slept well, finally leaving a snoring Violet in his bed to go work.

She’d disappeared as soon as they arrived and he hoped she would be free for lunch. He expected not. She could be as much a workaholic as he was.

He stood on the sidewalk outside his building, his face to the sun, when he heard her voice. He opened his eyes to see Tory charging toward him. Shit.

“What do you want, Tory?”

She shoved some papers in his face. He pushed them away. “What are these?”

“Your new skank of a girlfriend has a past.”

“She isn’t a skank. You don’t even know her.”

“She stole you from me.”

He was tiring of pointing out that Tory had broken the engagement off and that Violet wasn’t in the picture then. He pressed his lips together instead. No need to engage the crazy person. “That’s not what happened.”

“Read these. She’s been arrested.”

Amedeo blinked. He didn’t know much about Violet’s past so it was possible that she’d been arrested. Maybe unpaid parking tickets? He doubted she was a murderer. He also didn’t want Tory to know that he was unaware of Violet’s past. This was none of her business.

“Tory, you exhaust me. Go away.”

“Read it, Amedeo. Read about the woman you’ve let into your house,” Tory said.

He took the papers, but only to get her away from him. “Go away, Tory. Or I’ll have the cops escort you.”

She backed away. She didn’t like scenes or so she said but she was certainly making one. “You read it then call me.”

“No matter what is on these papers, I won’t be calling you.”

“You’ll come back to me, Amedeo. She isn’t your type. She isn’t from our world.”

Was that a reference to Violet being black? Was Tory a bigot? Another reason he was glad he hadn’t married her. He didn’t care about the color of Violet’s skin. It was just window dressing. What mattered was on the inside.

Tory left and it took Amedeo a few minutes to get back to the calm of a few minutes ago. He still had the papers in his hand while he contemplated putting them in the garbage. Maybe he should know about the mother of his child. What type of DNA was she contributing to his child?

He entered the elevator to take him back to his office, but he wasn’t sure if what she’d done in the past mattered. She was still carrying his child. Her past had no effect on the future in this case.

Unless she’d killed someone and not in self-defense. That would be a game changer. He would have to get custody of the baby. He would raise him or her. He couldn’t let a murderer raise his child.

When the elevator doors opened, he was sure he was going to read what Tory had given him. He settled at his desk, but he had misgivings. He and Violet had never spoken about what had come before their night of passion. Was any of this his business?

Yes it was. She carried his child. She was possibly going to raise his child. He should know what he was in for.

“Or should I ask her first?”

He was torn. He wanted to know and didn’t want to know at the same time. He wasn’t usually this indecisive. Finally he smoothed out the papers on his desk and set about reading them.

This was a juvenile file. How did Tory get ahold of it? She must have done something illegal because this should have been expunged or at least sealed when Violet turned eighteen.

He sighed. Armed robbery. An accessory to armed robbery, really. That could mean a lot of things. She could have just been in the car or she could have masterminded it. That wasn’t the woman he knew. She was kind and funny and sexy.

Damn. Now he was sorry he looked at this paper. He should have talked to Violet first. This was an invasion of her privacy. She wouldn’t expect this to come back to haunt her. She’d been younger than eighteen when it happened.

He rose from his desk, feeling guilty, but knew he had to talk to Violet. With it being almost lunch time, maybe he could coax her out. He needed to know her side or the story.

She didn’t look up when he entered her office. He sat and waited for her to notice him. Not his usual stance, but he felt bad about seeing her arrest record. She was a grown woman now and shouldn’t have to answer for what she’d done as a teenager.

“You just going to stare at me?” she said.

Her gaze had connected with his for a moment as her fingers danced across the keyboard. She hadn’t paused.

“You ready for lunch?”

“The department has already ordered something for me.”

They could talk in her office. He would close the door.

“I saw Tory,” she said.

Her office did overlook the front sidewalk. Maybe this was his opening. “Yes, she was here.”

Violet nodded, but didn’t ask him anything else.

“I need to talk to you about something,” Amedeo said.

She sighed, her fingers pausing over her keyboard. “Can this wait until tonight? I’m on a roll here.”

“I guess.”

She was right. It could wait. Her answer didn’t impact anything she was doing for him. He rose. “We can talk tonight.”

“Thanks, Amedeo.”

He nodded then left. He should leave her to her work and they could talk tonight. He hoped he liked what she had to say.

Chapter7

Violet was dog tired and fell asleep during their ride home from work. This pregnancy stuff was taking a bite out of her ass. She’d always had plenty of energy to get through her day. She woke when Amedeo put her on the couch in his living room.

“What?” she said, blinking?

“Shh. Go back to sleep. I’ll wake you for dinner.”

She snuggled down into the couch, but didn’t go back to sleep. She couldn’t have moved if the couch had caught fire. Damn. This was going to be a long pregnancy.

Amedeo came back later, putting his hand out. “Dinner’s ready.”

“Thanks for cooking,” she said.

She took a moment to get her bearings before she stood. He led her to the kitchen. The food smelled good. Pasta sauce of some kind over spaghetti.

“No problem, Violet. Are you doing too much at work?”

She slid onto the stool next to him. “No. I guess I’m just tired from being pregnant.”

“I looked a few things up on the Internet while you were sleeping. It’s normal to be this tired in your first trimester.”

She nodded then dug into her food. Her stomach felt like a pit that was never going to be filled. She knew they had to talk about something, but she had no idea what it was. Not important until she fed herself.

When she finished her second plate, Amedeo was lounging in his chair, rolling wine around in his glass. He looked relaxed.

“More?”

“No, I think I’m full finally,” she said. “I’ll do dishes.”

“That can wait a minute. I have something to ask you.”

She wasn’t looking forward to this. He looked serious with his knitted brow. “Go ahead.”

She wanted to lie, even without knowing what he was going to ask, but she promised herself she had to be honest with Amedeo. He was taking care of her. He’d taken her into his home. Without knowing much about her. For all he knew, she could be a thief.

“I talked to Tory today. She said that she found out that you’ve been in jail. I wanted to hear your side of the story.”

Her words froze in her throat. She couldn’t lie, but that had been when she was a teen. No one should have been able to access that. What had Tory done to get that information? Was it going to color how Amedeo saw her?

“Uh.”

“Are you denying it?”

She wiped suddenly sweaty hands on her pants. The past threatened to come back up so she swallowed hard in an effort to keep it down. She didn’t need to be sick. “No.”

“You want to tell me the story?”

“First off, how did she get this information?”

“I don’t know.”

“I was a juvenile when it happened. Those records are sealed.”

“Tory knows some influential people. I’m sure she did something bad to do it. So it’s true?”

Violet swallowed again. “Yes it is.”

“Tell me what happened?”

He put a hand on hers. She needed his warmth. He didn’t seem mad, only curious. She licked her lips. Here goes. “My boyfriend robbed a convenience store. I had no idea he was going to do it. He said he was stopping to get a soda. I was waiting in the car. I was driving because I had just gotten my license.”

“He robbed the place. Was he an adult?”

“He was eighteen at the time.”

“You must have been scared,” Amedeo said.

“I was. My mother had no money for bail so I spent two weeks in the juvenile detention hall.”

Amedeo wasn’t mad? He squeezed her hand. “What happened to the guy?”

“He went to jail. I never saw him again. I never wanted to. That time in jail scared the crap out of me. I wasn’t going to depend on a man.”

“Ironic that you have to depend on me,” Amedeo said.

He sipped his wine. Violet watched as his Adam’s apple went up and down.

“Yes it’s difficult.”

“You can stop worrying. I believe you. I’m going threaten Tory with a restraining order to leave us alone,” Amedeo said.

Not only had he believed her, he was siding with her. Tory was going to be history. Violet let out a breath. The food settled in her stomach. She smiled at Amedeo. “Thanks for believing me.”

“Not a problem. You haven’t lied to me yet.”

She nodded. “Shall I do dishes?”

“I have something better in mind.”

He led her to the bedroom. Her body was ready just thinking about it. He undressed her like a fragile doll. No one had ever seen her that way. She felt cherished as he kissed her up and down. He lit fires as his lips touched her.

“You’re so soft, Violet,” he whispered.

His voice came out ragged. She liked that she could do that to him. She had barely touched him. She took his erection in her hand. He gasped. He was hard. “You’re so hard, Amedeo.”

“Then things are as they should be,” he said, chuckling.

“I can’t wait any longer. Get inside of me.”

He braced himself over her the slid into her. She arched up to meet him. This man who was powerful, but so vulnerable when she was naked. She knew he couldn’t resist her. “I want to be on top.”

He rolled them both so that she was straddling him. She set up a slow, torturous rhythm. His eyes fell closed. She couldn’t help smiling. Then she was close. Damn. She’d done that. He lifted his hips to meet hers, but she was in control and her orgasm was just on the horizon.

She had her hands on his chest her hips moving up and down, faster now that she was close. He put his hands on her to move her fast. She fell off the cliff as he scrunched up his face and followed her. She slumped onto his chest.

They were so good in bed. How would she ever leave him?

***

Amedeo left Violet sleeping in his bed. He liked that she would be there when he returned. He shouldn’t get used to her being there. Her presence was temporary. He had to remember that. Not that he would fall in love. He doubted he’d ever love anyone again. Not after how Tory had treated him.

He had to insist that she stop harassing him. He had his driver take him to her apartment. This was done. After his visit, she would either agree to leave him alone or he would get a restraining order. He didn’t want to see her again and he didn’t want Violet to be upset. Not in her condition. He wanted his child happy and healthy.

Tory coming around wouldn’t help that. Besides, Violet had a job to do. Amedeo didn’t want her distracted.

Tory lived in a cottage on her parents’ estate outside of Princeton. They’d met at a Christmas party three years ago. Her parents and his mother had nudged them. He’d been attracted to her, but it took him awhile to really get to know her.

Tory worked at a public relations firm her father had started fifteen years earlier. She’d never had a job that her father hadn’t gotten for her. That fact had never bothered Amedeo until now.

Violet got through life on her own. Tory didn’t know how to stand by herself. The woman had done him a favor when she broke the engagement. She might have been too clingy. She might never have appreciated how much he worked.

She’d talked about quitting her job and he hadn’t been able to talk her out of it. What would she do all day? She would shrug her shoulders. “Take care of you.”

He didn’t know how much of that he really needed. Meals and that was it. He could cook so even those weren’t crucial. He had a cleaning person and someone to stock his refrigerator. Where would Tory have fit in?

He didn’t know and it didn’t matter. Violet had fit seamlessly into his life. She would probably leave a hole when she left, but he couldn’t think about that. Her leaving was inevitable.

They hadn’t resolved the issue of custody of the baby, but they had time.

Amedeo’s driver took him past the main house on the estate. He hoped no one was looking out the window. He didn’t want Tory’s parents to know that he was visiting her. They might get their hopes up. They’d lobbied on their daughter’s behalf for him to take her back.

He figured they wanted to be rid of her. A grown woman, living that close to her parents. He didn’t understand it. He loved his mother and he did see her once a month, but they had separate lives

That’s how it was supposed to be.

He knocked on Tory’s front door. She opened the doors dressed as if she’d just come from the office. She probably hadn’t, but that was how she looked. All. The. Time. She’d get up after sex and brush her hair.

No snuggling. No afterglow. Just primping. As if having sex with him had been a chore. He hadn’t looked at it that way until his night with Violet. She’d stayed in his bed. She hadn’t seemed to care what she looked like.

Of course, at that point, she hadn’t expected to see him again. Then again, she wasn’t self-conscious having sex with him.

Her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“Amedeo. Come in.”

She moved aside so he could enter. This wasn’t going to take long. He hoped at least. “We need to talk.”

She grabbed his arm with both hands. “I’ve been hoping you would say that. I’ve been waiting for this.”

He tugged his arm from her grip. “I’m sure I’m not going to say what you want to hear.”

The smile fell off  her face. “Why? Aren’t you coming back to me?”

“No, Tory. I’m not. Please leave me alone.”

“I think you still love me, Amedeo. I’m sure of it.”

“I’ve already moved on, Tory.”

She clenched her hands, then stamped her foot. She looked like a tall toddler. “You have not. I forbid it.”

Damn. He’d forgotten how she insisted on getting her way. Always. If he didn’t give in, his life would have been Hell. What had he seen in her? Why had he wanted to marry her? Had he just been giving into pressure from her and her family?

Never again. He wouldn’t marry. He wouldn’t love. No one. He’d lived so much of his life on his terms. Why had he stopped?

Must have been the blow jobs. Tory was phenomenal at them. She’d managed to never mess up her hair when she did them.

He sighed. “I have, Tory.”

Should he tell her about Violet? Might get Tory off of his back. She’d be pissed.

“I already have a new lover, Tory,” he said.

Her eyes widened and tears moistened them. Were they real? He doubted it. Tory didn’t do anything unless it benefited her. Now would be no different.

“That woman I saw at your house? I bet she didn’t even graduate from college.”

Violet’s education, or lack of, was not a concern for him or Tory. It was none of Tory’s business.

“Yes. Violet is her name.”

“Bitch.”

“No, she isn’t a bitch. In fact, she is the mother of my child.”

Tory gasped. “She’s pregnant?”

“Yes, she is, Tory. And I’m happy about it. I’m looking forward to being a father.”

“Don’t you see, Amedeo? She’s a gold digger.”

“I’m a good judge of character, except for you, she isn’t. I’ve had her checked out.”

“Then why didn’t you know she was in jail?”

“Because that was part of her juvenile record. You had no right seeing that.”

Tory shrugged. “Whatever. She’s going to take your money then run back to whatever hole she came out of.”

“Either way, I’ve moved on. Leave me alone, Tory.”

He left her standing in her living room.

***

Violet sat in the doctor’s office wondering where Amedeo was. He was supposed to meet her here. He’d gone into work and she’d slept in. She had her first appointment with the obstetrician who would deliver her baby. And they were doing an ultrasound.

A nurse opened a door to the back. “Violet Taylor?”

Violet glanced at the entrance to the office one more time before she rose to follow the nurse.

“I need to weigh you. Do you have any idea what your normal weight is?”

She told the woman before she stood on the scale. This might be the only time in her life she would look forward to being weighed. Gaining weight was healthy in this case. The nurse wrote down her numbers, then led her to an exam room.

“Remove everything from the waist down. Here’s a paper to drape over your lap. Do you require a nurse with your during the exam?”

“No.”

The nurse left then Violet undressed. She sat on the exam table swinging her legs. She wished Amedeo was here. She was nervous and a little scared, not that she expected bad news.

Someone knocked on the door. “Come in.”

A smiling young woman entered with a folder in her hand. “Hello. I’m Doctor Baron. You must be Violet.”

Violet shook the woman’s hand. “Hello.”

“Well, so you’re having a baby. Do you have any idea how far along you are?”

“I’m guessing eight weeks.”

“Then we’re doing this ultrasound at the perfect time.” The doctor perused her chart. “Your blood pressure looks good. That’s important. You ready?”

Violet nodded.

“Lay back then.”