For Better or Worse (10 page)

From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed
Valentina, Emilio, and the doctor coming down the hall. The two women walked
side by side, and Valentina, much calmer now, nodded her head in understanding
as she listened to the doctor’s words. Even though it caused him problems at
home, he was glad he’d come to give her his support because she’d been a wreck
when he arrived at the hotel.

“He’s going to be fine,” the doctor said
with a benign smile. “First-time parents often panic when their little ones get
a fever, but I’ve thoroughly examined him. There’s no rash, and he doesn’t have
any difficulty breathing. I see no cause for concern. Keep in mind a fever is a
good thing, because it means his body’s fighting an infection.”

“She said I should make sure he stays
hydrated,” Valentina said to Antonio.

With a nod, the doctor confirmed the
comment. “Yes, plenty of formula or breast milk if you’re still breast-feeding.
As I explained, his body’s fighting a mild infection. Keep an eye on him. If
you notice any change in his behavior, such as he won’t go back to sleep or he
won’t eat, call me. But based on my exam, you have nothing to worry about.”

“Thank you. We appreciate it.”

When the doctor walked away, Antonio
cupped Valentina’s shoulder. “Better?”

“Yes.” She lifted grateful eyes to his.
“Thank you. I was so worried.”

“I understand. One day, when Cassidy and
I have children, I’m sure I’ll behave the same way.”

Turning toward the door, Antonio froze,
cursing under his breath because he saw his brother Ernesto across the lobby
with a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. He hadn’t approached them, for
which Antonio was grateful.

“Stay here,” he instructed Valentina. He
marched over to his brother, whose gaze remained on Valentina and Emilio. He
didn’t even look at Antonio when he approached. “What are you doing here? Get
out of here before someone recognizes you.”

Ernesto finally looked at him. “Did you
think after you called me I wouldn’t come?”

“I didn’t call so that you’d come out
here. I thought you should know. Had I known you’d come—”

“How could I not, Antonio? That’s my
son. If he’s ill—”

“You have a game tomorrow, Ernesto. You
should be at home, getting your mind right for that. If it were serious, don’t
you think I’d tell you?”

Ernesto gave an impatient snort. “I want
to see him.”

“No.”

Ernesto stepped closer, getting in
Antonio’s face, eye to eye with him. “Are you going to stop me?”

Antonio didn’t back down. “No, I’m not,
but I’m going to remind you of how far you’ve come, and how close you are to
messing up everything we’ve worked so hard for over the past few months. You
want to see Val and your son? Fine. I won’t stop you. But think about what
you’re doing. Two more days, Ernesto, and it’ll all be over. Think about the
money.”

“I don’t give a damn about the money,
Tony! I can make more.”

Antonio clasped his brother’s shoulders
in a tight grip. “Think about it this way—that money is your son’s future, and
the future for any more kids you’ll have. It’s the future for you and Val. If
you draw attention to yourself now, you’ll give your wife leverage. We’ve been
through this, and as I’ve told you before, she may have someone following you.
Like that guy.” He inclined his head toward a man who’d walked in and stopped
at the reception desk. “It could be anyone, and all they’d need is a picture of
you and Val together with your son, and it’s all over because it’ll be easy
enough to figure out. She could drag out the divorce even longer, and it won’t
be only your name and face plastered all over the papers and the Internet.
Val’s and Emilio’s will be, too. Is that what you want?”

Ernesto’s eyes held his, and Antonio
wondered for a moment if he’d been able to get through to him. Then, Ernesto’s
shoulders sagged as he mulled the words. He swallowed, a pained expression
coming over his face. “No.”

He looked across the room, and the
longing in his eyes tore at Antonio. He knew how much his brother loved Val and
his son, but he was allowing emotion to override common sense right now, and
they couldn’t afford it. Not when he was so close. Monday morning, after the
divorce papers were signed, he’d be a free man. Until then, he had to remember
what was at stake.

Antonio pulled out his wallet and
removed the key card for the suite at the Four Seasons. “This is against my
better judgment.” He handed his brother the card. “You can see them tonight.
Go, and we’ll follow behind you. Pay attention to your surroundings, and make
sure no one sees you going into the room.
Do not spend the night.
The
last thing we want is for someone to snap a photo of you coming out of the
hotel—or even worse, that room—in the morning. If your wife finds out, there’s
no telling what she’ll do. Val’s been there for a long time, and hotel staff
will notice if you come out of there.
Be careful.
”

Ernesto nodded. He looked over Antonio’s
shoulder again, his eyes drawn to the woman who’d held his heart for years. The
woman he should’ve married.

Antonio clasped his brother’s face to
drag his attention back to him. “Do you trust me?”

Ernesto swallowed. “Yes. You haven’t led
me wrong so far.”

“In a couple of days, you can be with
your son and the woman you love. You can have your family, but you’ll
jeopardize it if you don’t get out of here now.”

Ernesto swallowed again, nodding his
agreement. “All right.”

“We’re right behind you.”

Antonio watched his brother walk away
and then turned around to face Valentina. Walking back to her, he saw the tears
in her eyes.

“It’s going to be okay.”

She nodded. “I know.” One tear slid down
her cheek, and she swiped it away. Emilio was cradled against her chest with
one arm. “It’s been so long . . . very little contact, and the only time I can
see him is on TV. Just now, I . . . I didn’t expect to see him, and it took me
by surprise.”

“It’ll be over soon. I gave him my key
to the suite. He’s going to spend time with you tonight.”

Right away, her spirits lifted,
brightening her eyes. “Really? Tonight?”

“Yes.” Antonio smiled. It was
unfortunate his brother hadn’t married her instead. Their love for each other
was so obvious. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

He placed a hand to the small of her
back and escorted her across the room. They didn’t make it out, though, because
a small tornado blew in, dressed in high heels, skinny jeans, and a sleeveless
tunic.

Cassidy.

Chapter Nine

The worst thing that could happen had happened.
Cassidy couldn’t believe her eyes. Antonio stood only feet away with his arm
around a woman who held a child that looked suspiciously like him. She’d been
right all along. He had been up to something, and it was worse than she ever
imagined.

Like déjà vu, she was her mother
reincarnated—finding out about her husband’s affair and his love child.

“What are you doing here, and who is she?” she
demanded, stabbing her finger in the direction of the woman.

Antonio came to her with his hands
outstretched. “Don’t make a scene.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Cassidy said
louder, starting to shake. “Whose baby is that? Whose baby is
that
?”

The people in the lobby looked up from their
magazines, and the staff behind the desk eyed them with guarded curiosity.

“He’s not mine,” Antonio said through pinched
lips. “The woman is a friend. Her name is Val. I was helping her out.”

He hated scenes, but too bad. They were about
to be front-page news. Disbelief burned through her, and Cassidy marched around
him to confront the other woman. “Are you sleeping with my husband?”

“No, I . . .” The woman looked wildly at
Antonio, clutching the baby and turning sideways in a protective stance to
cover him.

Antonio took Cassidy by the arm and pulled her
around to face him. He looked down into her eyes and spoke very slowly. “I need
you to listen to me. Let’s go outside so I can explain everything away from all
these people.”

Turning her attention to the woman again,
Cassidy demanded, “Who are you?”

“Talk to
me
,” Antonio insisted,
tightening his fingers around her upper arm.

She yanked and twisted out of his grip, anger
flooding her blood. “Did you know he was married?”

She heard Antonio curse under his breath right
before he grabbed her around the waist and started propelling her toward the
door. She tried to twist away again, but he was too strong, steamrolling her
across the sleek lobby floor to the automatic doors.

“Take these and go to the car,” he said. The
woman had followed them, and he handed her the keys.

At that moment, Cassidy lost it and slapped him
hard. She followed up with another, and another, her hands moving in rapid
succession as she pummeled his face. Each blow she landed stung her palms, but
she ignored the pain because it satisfied her to know she was hurting him, too.

Antonio grabbed her wrists. “I swear, one of
these days,” he ground out.

“Let me go!”

He half lifted, half dragged her the rest of
the way out the door to the parking lot.

“I swear, if you don’t let me go—”

“Are you going to stop hitting me?”

Her answer was an elbow to the ribs, which
resulted in him temporarily loosening his hold. Taking advantage of the
situation, Cassidy slapped him across the face again.

He wrestled her onto the hood of the nearest
vehicle and slid between her legs, using his hands to hold down her wrists.
“Look at me, Cass,” he said between tight lips, but still annoyingly calm. How
could he still be so calm after she’d hit him so many times in an attempt to
inflict bodily harm? “You didn’t see what you think you did.”

“I didn’t see you with your secret girlfriend
and a baby on the night we’re supposed to go out for a romantic evening? I’m
not stupid, and I won’t let you make a fool out of me.” She struggled, but he
easily held her down.

Antonio took two deep breaths and proceeded to
speak slowly, in the same voice people used to calm skittish horses. “I’m not
making a fool out of you. She’s not my girlfriend. She’s a friend, and her name
is Valentina Rodriguez. The little boy’s name is Emilio. He’s my brother’s
son.”

“You’re making that up.”

“I’m not making it up. No one was supposed to
know. We wanted to keep it out of the media.”

She wanted to believe him, but it didn’t make
sense. Why hadn’t he mentioned it before? Why hadn’t Lorena, her best friend?
“I don’t believe you.”

“If that’s my son, why would I lie now that I’m
caught?”

“For the same reason you’ve been lying all
along.”

As if in search of divine intervention, Antonio
rolled his eyes heavenward and shook his head.

“Ma’am, do you need some help?”

A security guard behind Antonio had his hand on
his holster, and a frown of concern on his face. He looked ready to take deadly
force if necessary.

Antonio immediately stepped back and lifted his
hands to show he meant no harm. For obvious reasons, a big, muscular man
holding down a petite woman on top of a car did not look good. “This is my
wife. We’re having a conversation.”

“Which is over.”

Startled, Antonio swung his gaze back to her.
“We’re not done talking. I’m trying to explain what you saw.”

“I’ve heard your explanation, and I don’t
believe you. Now I want you to leave me alone.”

“Cass, don’t do this.”

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave the
young lady alone.”

“Cass—”

“Thank you, sir.” Trembling, Cassidy slid from
the top of the vehicle. Her head was pounding, and a large knot of pain filled
her stomach. “Save your phony stories for someone who doesn’t know better. You
forgot I’ve seen this before. I knew you were up to something. I knew it. My
gut’s never been wrong.”

“Cassidy!”

She rushed away from him, her heart filled with
so much pain it felt ready to burst.

Out of sight at her vehicle, a sudden light-headedness
overtook her. Her arms reached out for balance but caught the nothingness of
air. She fell to her knees beside the passenger door, pain shooting up her
thighs when she hit the pavement. She took deep, labored breaths. 

Chest burning, she grappled to pull oxygen into
her lungs. This had happened before and she knew the steps to take. The first
thing to do was force down the anxiety. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on
controlling her reaction and took slow breaths.

She wasn’t new to hyperventilation. The first
time it happened was the day she overheard her aunt talking about the death of
her parents. When she learned the reason her mother had died was because of the
shock of her father’s death and the discovery of his affair, Cassidy had fallen
to the floor, fighting to get air into her lungs and sending the family into a
panic. She’d had attacks other times over the years, whenever she experienced
acute stress.