AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Jessie
IDASHEDALONGthe corridor, towards the lavish adjoining suites we shared at the casino.
The fact that Renzo had requested adjoining suites only spurred my determination to run, as soon as I could get out of this dress, as I scrabbled around for the key card.
But then I heard uneven footsteps thudding on the carpeting behind me.
I turned, and saw Renzo approaching, his face determined... His expression concerned.
My insides knotted with nerves and my heartbeat thumped against my ribs like gunfire.
‘Jessie, where are you going?’ he asked, his voice gruff with concern and confusion.
As he reached me, he pressed a palm to my burning cheek.
A dozen different lies to explain my disappearing act raced through my brain, but got caught in my throat when he said, ‘Belle said you had something you needed to tell me.’
His voice was soft and persuasive, but also raw.
I wanted to hate Belle. How could she have betrayed me, but even as I tried to blame her, I knew I couldn’t. This was a mess of my own making.
I shook my head, stared down at my hands. My knuckles had whitened as I clutched the key card. The truth locked inside me still.
He took the card out of my numb fingers, cupped my elbow, then slid the key card through the lock and shoved the door open to draw me into the suite.
The moonlight shone off the luxury antique furniture—the glitter of light outside outlined the view of the bay. He didn’t let go of my hand though as he threw the card on the table. The same table where we had made love so frantically less than two hours ago.
I began to shake as he led me towards the suite’s balcony, his limp barely noticeable now. He tucked a knuckle under my chin, raised my face. His gaze searched for the answer I didn’t want to give him, because it would leave me so exposed. But when I saw the grim determination in his eyes, I knew my time was up. I couldn’t lie, couldn’t hide any longer.
But the air got trapped in my lungs.
‘Breathe,Principessa,’ he said gently.
Something about that regal endearment, which reminded me so much of the man he used to be, the man I had trusted when I shouldn’t have, had the air bursting out.
I gulped down another breath, trying to ease the burning in my chest, the stinging sensation in my eyes from the tears I had held in for what felt like a lifetime.
‘Whatever it is,’ he said, ‘I want to know.’
I blinked furiously, but the tears slipped over my lids. He brushed them away with his thumbs.
‘I... I got pregnant,’ I said. ‘That night.’
‘Che cosa?’His hands dropped from my face, his eyes widening in shock. Then his gaze jerked to my stomach. ‘Mio bambino?You had my baby?’
I shook my head, struggling to find the right words. But it had always been a baby to me, I realised now. Even though it had only lived for a few short months inside me.
‘I had a miscarriage,’ I managed, swallowing around the pain that would always remain in some hidden corner of my heart.
‘You did not tell me this? Why did you not?’ he asked, his voice so raw now it was barely audible, but all I could hear was the slice of accusation. The reaction I had feared.
‘I tried to tell you, when I found out, but I didn’t have your number... And none of your employees would put me through to...’
‘Not then,’ he cut me off, his eyes darkening. ‘Now. Why did you not tell menow? When I discovered who you were? When we made love, so many times? When I asked you to stay with me? Why did you not tell meanytime over the last few weeks?’
His voice wasn’t soft anymore, but the slice of anger was doing nothing to disguise the hurt in his eyes.
