Modern Box Set 5-8 June 2020 by Cathy Williams

Author:Cathy Williams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mills & Boon Modern
Published: 2020-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

IT WAS PANIC.

It was sheer, unadulterated panic that sat like a boulder in his chest, that crawled up his throat like nausea at regular intervals, which had made him lose his head. Which had made him chase her halfway around the world—the wrong way.

Of course, she hadn’t been in New York. Nor in Milan. Nor in Beijing sourcing fabric.

She was at the place where it had all started. Where, by some stroke of fate, he’d tangled with the woman who would end up becoming his saving grace.

The lush greenery surrounding the small village of Ubud hit Vincenzo with an onslaught of memories as he walked through the villa they had stayed in the last time to the private beach area behind it.

He found her sitting on the massive deck, a glass of water on the table next to her and a paperback on her stomach.

She was sleeping. But not peacefully. Even from the length of the deck, he could see her eyelids fluttering. Her body tensing up.

Guilt raked its fingers through him.

He made his way to her softly, loath to disturb her rest. He was about to sit down when she startled awake.

Her golden-brown eyes found him, only half-awake.

“Hello, Princess.”

“V...?”

She rubbed her eyes, an innocent action that made his chest ache. When she realized he wasn’t a figment of her imagination, she sat up. And her mouth took on the stiff slant he hated.

“You ran away again, bella,” he said, finding that his voice was scratchy. As if he hadn’t used it in months.

“But I told you I was leaving this time,” she said in a low voice. Her chin lifted. “What are you doing here, V? I already told you the hearing for Charlie’s custody is in New York in two weeks.”

“I thought I would accompany you there.”

“I appreciate the consideration but I don’t need it.” The silence bore down upon them. He saw her swallow, as if she was bracing herself. “This polite courtesy needn’t be extended when it’s just the two of us. Hopefully, it will all be over soon. I’ll get custody of Charlie and we don’t need to see each other again.”

“Cristo, Alex! Don’t talk to me as if I’m a stranger.”

“I’m not. I just... I need to be strong. I can’t keep seeing you and stay sane.”

He nodded, that strange fear swallowing away the one thing he needed to say. Instead he said, “How are you feeling?”

“Good. I...I have morning sickness, except it’s all the time. Like morning, noon and night. I...but apparently, it’s normal. For some people.”

“Alessandra—”

“But I’m lonely, you know.” She rubbed her chest as if she could dislodge that ache. “I miss Greta and Leo and Massimo. And Natalie. And Neha and the babies. Did you know she had the babies?”

“Si,” he said, smiling despite the pain in his throat. “They are...healthy and thriving. They are naming them Maya and Matteo. The girl child is especially beautiful, just like her mother—”

“Wait, you went to see them?”

“Si. I...I asked Leo if I could and he said yes.

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