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‘I can’t just live with you,’ she finally burst out.
Larenzo arched an eyebrow, all arrogant assurance. ‘Why not?’
‘Because...because...’ Because she was afraid of this man, and it had nothing to do with any criminal connections. She was afraid of his power over her, her need for him. ‘I need to have my own life, Larenzo. I was planning on moving out of my sister’s house for that reason. I’m twenty-seven years old and I’m not going to freeload off people for ever.’
‘So this is a question of money?’
‘Not just money,’ she returned. ‘It’s about independence and autonomy. I need to be my own person—’
‘And you can’t do that living in my apartment?’ He made her feel ridiculous, and yet she couldn’t just fall in with his plans, fit into his life without having one of her own.
‘I can’t believe I’m even thinking of moving in with you,’ she said, shaking her head slowly.
‘It makes sense.’
Emma didn’t answer. It did make a certain kind of bizarre sense, which both aggravated and alarmed her. Three days ago she’d thought Larenzo Cavelli would spend his life in prison. Two days ago she would have fought tooth and nail to keep him out of her daughter’s life.
And now she was thinking of living with him? She pressed her fingers to her temples and closed her eyes. ‘This is so crazy.’
‘Maybe so,’ Larenzo agreed with a shrug, ‘but it’s our reality. I won’t take no for an answer, Emma.’
She opened her eyes and stared at him, saw that coldness in his eyes, the hint of how hard he could be. ‘What would you do if I did say no, Larenzo?’
‘It won’t come to that.’
‘But if it did?’
He hesitated, then stated flatly, ‘I’d sue for custody.’
Emma jerked back, appalled. ‘So this is basically blackmail.’
‘No.’
‘Then what would you call it? “Live with me or I’ll take your child.” That’s what you’re saying, Larenzo.’
‘And what are you saying?’ he answered, a hint of anger in his voice. ‘“You’re my child’s father and I don’t want you involved in her life,” even though you know I am innocent.’
‘I didn’t say that—’
‘You’ve been saying that for ten months, Emma.’
She took a deep breath. Arguing would get them nowhere. ‘Things have changed, Larenzo. I recognise that. But you can’t expect me to fall in with your plans without a second’s thought—’
‘I haven’t. I told you, you have until tomorrow.’
‘Well, thanks for that,’ she answered sarcastically. There was no reasoning with this man. No swaying him. So what was she going to do?
The waiter came with their meals, giving Emma a few minutes’ respite from the intensity of their conversation.
She picked at her chicken, her gaze lowered; she didn’t think she could swallow a single mouthful. Then, to her shock, she felt Larenzo’s hand on her own, his palm warm and strong just as it had been a year and a half ago, when he’d covered her hand with his own and she’d felt, for a moment, closer to this man than anyone else on earth.
‘Why are you fighting this, Emma?’ he asked quietly, and his voice was as sorrowful as it had been back on that night. His touch and his words catapulted her to that time when she’d felt so much for this man, had longed to comfort him. Had seen tenderness and understanding in his eyes, had felt it in his arms.
A lump rose in her throat and she blinked rapidly, swallowed past it. ‘I don’t know,’ she whispered, and it sounded like a confession.
‘I want to be with Ava. I never had a family of my own, except...’ He stopped, his voice choking, and shook his head. ‘I don’t want this to be acrimonious, God knows. I want to get to know my daughter and love her. Please let me do that.’
She gazed up at him, saw the sincerity and emotion in his eyes, and felt her last reservations melt away. She believed Larenzo. She believed he was innocent, but, more importantly, she believed he wanted what was best for Ava.
She only hoped it was best for her too.
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘I CAN’T BELIEVE you’re doing this.’
Meghan stood behind Emma as she finished packing her suitcases—just one for her and one for Ava, really not much at all to bring to her new home. Her new life.
