Italian Billionaire's Black Love (BWWM Interracial Romance) (8 page)

“Why do you think I’m here, Carla?” His arms were crossed and he stared down at her with a hard look on his face.

“I’m assuming you came to explain why she didn’t know you were
married
this whole time.”

“Of course, that’s why I’m here.” Both hands raked through his dark locks. “At the risk of sounding like
that
guy, it isn’t how it looks. But there’s no way to make her understand without explaining the whole sordid mess.”

Carla looked up at him closely, her head leaned to the side. He squirmed under her observation, but he accepted it because he would need her help. “You love Eve.” Her voice was breathless with excitement. “Oh my God, you
love
her!” She jumped up down with, gripping his arm with glee. “This is so great!”

It might be alright – if they could find Eve. “It’s great that I love her and she probably never wants to speak to me again?”

“She loves you, too, or she wouldn’t be hurt. It might take some time, but if you think she’s worth it…”

“I do.”

“Then, we’ll figure it out.” She smiled up at him. “Go home. I’ll let you know when I know something.”

“Why are you helping me, Carla?”

Her smile was wistful. “Eve hasn’t liked a man in a long time, a really long time. If she’s crazy about you, Alessandro, you must be something special.” She shrugged. “That’s good enough for me.”

That was two days ago and he’d heard nothing from Eve and nothing from Carla. His guilt was slowly turning to anger at her refusal to hear him out, so drastic measures were required.

If she wouldn’t come to him, he’d go to her.

***

Eve’s week of isolation was over. She had to get back to work and she needed a change of clothes. Alessandro’s calls hadn’t stopped or even slowed down, which was why she was sneaking home in the middle of the day. It was her best shot at avoiding him until she could bear to look at him without breaking down. She would run in and grab enough clothes for a week, and then she’d be gone again. In a few weeks, she would call and meet him for coffee someplace public. They would talk and part like adults. No harm, no foul.

She needed to get through this week and then she could deal with Alessandro, with being pregnant, and with being in love. Once the salon’s grand opening was over, she would deal with the rest of her life. Until then, she chose avoidance.

Inside her house, she made a beeline for the bedroom where she dumped her clothes into a hamper and began to refill it with clean ones. The key was speed. The quicker she packed, the faster she would be in her car and on the road to Diamond Bar.

“In a hurry?”

“Oh, shit! Damn!” She spun around at the sound of the deep voice she knew all too well, eyes alight with fire. “What are
you
doing here?”

Alessandro leaned casually against the entryway. “I figured you’d have to come back here eventually.”

“Seeing as it is
my
house, yeah, that was a safe bet.” She turned around a little too quickly and leaned on the dresser until her head stopped spinning. Alessandro grasped her arm in worry, but she yanked out of his grasp. “I’m fine.”

“Dammit, Eve,” he growled and pulled her in for a hug. She struggled and then leaned into him. It felt so good to have her in his arms again, he nearly cried in relief. “God, I’ve missed you. So much.”

That broke the spell quickly. “You miss the sex, Alessandro.” Her bearings about her, she continued pulling items from the drawers and closet to put in her bag. “Don’t make it out to be more than it is.”

He couldn’t believe she was saying this when he knew she loved him. “We both know this thing between us is more than sex.”

Her laugh was loud and bitter. “We both know that I was the other woman. Your little piece on the side.
That’s
what’s between us.” She couldn’t even look at him without wanting to scratch his eyes out and feel his arms around her.
Damn, I hate this
.

“You were never my other woman, Eve. Not ever. If you let me explain, you’ll understand.”

“Let me guess,” she said as she went in and out of the bathroom for toiletries, “it’s not how it sounds. It’s complicated. You were going to tell me. Am I close?”

“Dammit, Eve, yes. But you have to listen, please.”

“No, Alessandro. I don’t have to listen to anything you have to say to me. The time for talking would have been
before
finding out I was your mistress.” She laughed, but it was shrill and without emotion. “I guess I should have gotten more from you while we were together, seeing as I was your side action.”

“Will you stop saying that!” He twirled her around and planted his hands on her shoulder so they were eye to eye. “You were,
are
so much more than a piece of ass to me.”

“Yeah, I was also easy and convenient. I made it so easy for you. I’m just glad I never…you know what, never mind.”

Told you I loved you
. He knew what she was going to say and it killed him he’d never heard the words from her lips. He probably never would. “Believe me, Eve, you were never easy.” He smiled thinking of their first disastrous date.

“I was never a lot of things, Alessandro. Your girlfriend, your wife, a legitimate companion. I was just a one night stand that lasted too damn long,” She turned to him, tears in her eyes. “There’s one thing I am to you though, Alessandro.”

“The woman I love.”

“No, that would be Sabrina. Your
wife.
Me, I get the distinction of being a cliché, a goddamned joke. I get to be everything I never wanted to be. A single mother.”

Alessandro opened his mouth to speak and froze. Her words sank in.
A single mother
. She’s pregnant. “But we were so careful.”

She shook her head and laughed, zipped up the suitcase, and set it on the floor. “Were we? Don’t worry about it. It’s my fault, I should have been more diligent about birth control.” She let out a long breath, releasing the stress that kept her body tense. “It’s fine, Alessandro. Despite your millions, excuse me
billions,
I’m not asking for anything. I don’t want your money and don’t need to be involved. Just please, leave me alone.” Grabbing the handle of her bag she lifted it and slowly walked out the door with tears streaming down her face.

A baby. The thought was scary as hell, yet he couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his face.

Alessandro was going to be a father.

Chapter Ten

“It’s been two weeks, Eve. You need to talk to him. You
have
to talk to him.” Carla yanked the blanket off her friend’s curled up body and gave her a stern look.

Eve covered her face with an arm. “Yeah, okay, Carla. Beat up on a poor, heartbroken, pregnant woman.” She peeked under her arm to see if her friend was buying it.

“Yeah, I don’t think so, Eve. The time for fun and games is over.”

“This has been fun and games?”

“Okay, well, whatever you want to call it, it’s over. You need to get up, get dressed, and call your baby daddy.”

The glare Eve sent her would have been scary if she wasn’t wearing pajamas with dancing pigs on them. “Not funny, Carla. Not even a little bit.”

She shrugged and stared her down.

“Fine. Fine, I’m getting up and getting dressed. I have a doctor’s appointment today, anyway.” This would be her first real appointment and she didn’t want to think about it. She would take a shower, get dressed, and get there. The doctor would tell her all vital information and she would listen and then come home.

Carla’s eyes widened. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“Nah, I better get used to doing this alone, anyway.” She avoided Carla’s gaze because she didn’t want to see the pity her comment obviously evoked. “Plus, you need to work. As much as I love you, you can’t keep missing work to look after me. This is my mess of a life and I can handle it.”

There was so much Carla wanted to say, but she didn’t dare. She just promised she would be there for whatever her friend needed. “Well, I’m here, so just say the word.”

“Okay,” Eve mumbled and covered her mouth as she ran to the bathroom. Morning sickness. It was the worst thing she’d ever felt in her entire life. And, it was just starting.

Twenty minutes later, it was still going. The toilet bowl was her new best friend, as evidenced by the death grip hug she had on it. Sweat dripped down her face and neck, her teeth clenched together in the chill of drying sweat. She was positive there was nothing left to give to the toilet gods, but they were greedy. “Carla,” she whispered, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to hear over the music playing in the kitchen. Finally, after nearly an hour had passed, Carla banged on the door.

“Eve, are you still alive in there?”

She shook her head even though the door divided them. She was too weak to open the door so she gave it a weak smack twice. “Carla,” she rasped out.

“Eve! You okay?” She banged on the door. “Eve, open up!” She jiggled the handle and the door opened. “Oh my goodness, Eve!” She gathered her chilled body in her arms, feeling her forehead, her pulse, anywhere to make sure she was okay.

“Carla,” she rasped again. “Please.”

“Sweetie, you’re freezing. We need to get you into a hot shower and then to the doctor.”

They tried the shower, but the retching and dry heaving made it impossible. So Carla wiped her down with a hot towel, helped her get dressed, and took her to the hospital per the doctor’s orders. She was admitted right away and in the middle of questions from the nurse, she passed out.

***

Alessandro rushed through the hospital doors for the second time in the past month. And for the second time, he had to argue with the nurse behind the desk to tell him what the hell was going on. “I’m not family yet, but we’re having a baby. Together.” Exasperation dripped from every syllable.

She gave him a condescending smile and said, “Be that as it may,
sir
, the only way you can gain access to her is if she gives you permission, which” she cut him off before he could interrupt, “she cannot do as she is unconscious.”

Unconscious? Christ!
“Can you tell me what happened, please? I’m going out of my mind here.”

The nurse released a frustrated breath, but there was sympathy in her eyes. “She came in with excessive vomiting, low temperature, and severe dehydration. That’s all I know. She passed out shortly after, so there are no updates, sir. She was brought in by someone. She’s in the waiting room on the third floor.”

He flashed her a smile so big and bright, even the overworked nurse took a moment to stare and blush at his good looks. “You’re a saint. Thanks so much,” he called as he ran to catch the elevator.

On the third floor, he immediately spotted Carla getting crappy vending machine coffee. “Carla! How is she?”

She was tired and pretty sure she looked it as Alessandro approached. “I’m not really sure yet. All they’ve told me is that she’s severely dehydrated and she passed out.”

“Dammit. How has she been?” He was eager for any morsel of information about Eve. Two weeks had gone by since he’d seen her, spoken to her, and touched her. He was suffering from withdrawal. He needed to see her and know she was okay.

They sat in two uncomfortable chairs side by side. “She’s tired as hell, always sleeping. Her morning sickness lasts all day. She’s sad as hell, always crying when she thinks no one is around.”

That answer gutted him. He wanted her to want to be with him, not utterly miserable without him. “That sucks.”

“You don’t have to watch it.”

“You’re right and I’m sorry for that, but I’d rather us be together than her hiding out at your place.”

“Are you family of Eve Chambers?”

Carla nudged Alessandro out of the way with a piercing look. “Yes, I’m her emergency contact, Carla Macklin. What’s wrong with her?”

“For starters, she is extremely dehydrated. It doesn’t appear as if she’s been taking care of herself.”

“She has a new business opening soon and she’s been working crazy hours so, probably not.” Carla had warned her that running herself ragged just to forget Alessandro would come back to bite her in the ass.

“We’re likely going to keep her for a few days to see if her hyperemesis gravidarum improves at all. Her OB/GYN will check her out fully, and then-”

“What the hell is that,” Alessandro interrupted gruffly.

The doctor frowned at his tone and raised an eyebrow to Carla. “He’s the father,” she clarified.

He nodded. “It is a complication of pregnancy resulting in extreme vomiting, nausea, and dehydration. She’s lost more weight than she should at this point in her pregnancy and her blood pressure is slightly elevated.”

“Shit,” Alessandro spat out, worry written all over her face. “Is she going to be alright?”

The doctor smiled at him. First time fathers were always overprotective. “She should be, yes. We need to feed her, hydrated her, and reduce her stress.”

“Can we see her?”

The doctor’s smile dimmed and he readjusted his glasses several times before looking at each of them. “She has requested to see Ms. Macklin. I’m not sure she knows you’re here, sir.”

“Let me go see her first, Alessandro, and talk to her, please.”

Between the pleading in her voice and all he’d just learned of her complications, Alessandro did the only thing he could. He sat and he waited. And waited.

And waited.

***

“No I don’t want to see him, not yet. I can’t, Carla.”

Carla released a long patient breath. “Eve, he’s been out there this whole time and he’s worried sick about you. You can’t do this to him.”

“To him? I’m doing something to him? Because I could’ve sworn that I was the unwitting mistress.” She looked away. “Fine, tell him everything, but I don’t want to see him.”

“Eve,” she pleaded.

Dr. Baker breezed into the room. “Are we feeling better now, Eve?” She didn’t look up for an answer, just kept her eyes on the chart.

“If I say yes, can I get out of here?”

Her smile was sweet and placating. “You know you can’t. Are you still feeling nauseous?”