Secrets and Seduction Las Vegas (Sexy Italian Imports Book 1) (39 page)

Ryan’s question about terminating the pregnancy popped into her head every once in a while. Antonio wouldn’t want her to have an abortion, would he? No, he’d love this baby as much as she did. She knew him well enough to know that. Or at least she’d thought so until she’d seen him dancing for money.

She wandered around the room, looking for dishes, but he’d picked up before he left. He was definitely thoughtful. She went upstairs and slid into bed. Antonio Daniato, the multi-millionaire. What was he doing dancing for a few hundred dollars a night? She was anxious to talk with Dan. Find out what would drive someone like Antonio to do something so odd.

****

“Holy crap! Are you kidding me?” Dan asked, his eyes as big as poker chips.

Great. He was just as mystified as she was.

He promised to research the topic and get back to her, but her time was running out. “I’m pregnant, Dan.”

“Congratulations, Valerie. You’ll be an excellent mother.”

“People keep telling me that, but I’m so stressed out right now, I can’t imagine myself handling it well.”

“All right. Let’s start with the basics. The most important thing for you and your baby is to reduce your stress level. Close your eyes.”

She complied, then opened her eyes again. “You’re not going to make me do the technique, are you?”

“This one is different. It’s a relaxation technique especially for pregnant women. Imagine the baby cocooned in your womb, loved, protected, and nurtured, the most important thing in the world right now…”

He talked her through the method, and when Valerie opened her eyes five minutes later, she felt like a new person. “Amazing. Thank you, Dan. That is exactly what I need.” She felt able to face her realities head on, keeping herself as calm and relaxed as she had to be for her baby’s sake—their baby. She could foresee no problem dealing with Antonio. A complete turn-around from how she felt just minutes ago. Dan was good. Really good.

He handed her a printout of the method he’d just walked her through. “What’s next?”

“I’m going to see Antonio’s therapist tomorrow.”

“Hm. What is that going to entail?”

She smiled wickedly. “I’m going to use my professional involvement to pry some answers out of him.”

He stared at her. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“Fair enough. It’s difficult to maintain my standard of ethics when it’s my own life on the line. I need to know what Antonio’s been telling Jarrodd. Does he want to stop dancing? And if he does, I want Jarrodd to tell me the best way to confront him.”

“Well, I can’t say it’s exactly professional, but I agree it’s your best option.” He made a slashing motion with his hand. “No more talk about that. I don’t want either of us to lose our license.”

“Okay. But I know you’re extremely curious, so I’ll stop back when this whole thing is done and tell you what happened.”

Dan nodded, his sparkling eyes and smile confirming he definitely wanted to hear the outcome. He changed the subject, his face becoming a mask of professionalism. “Let’s talk about what I can do to help you. What are your choices? What are his possible reactions and your reactions to his reactions?”

“I’ve given it some thought.”

“Go ahead.”

“I could wait and see if he tells me. The problems with that are, one—he might never tell me, and two—I have a baby on the way, so I’m under a deadline.”

“It’s an option. What else?”

“I can confront him and ask him to stop.”

“Do you want him to stop?”

“I do. I thought I might be able to let him continue if that’s his choice, but I don’t want him to dance.” She frowned. “I’m jealous, selfish, and I want a normal family life for the three of us.”

“Good. You’re in touch with your emotions and your needs. Now, what if he refuses to stop?”

“I would end it. I would tell him it was over.” Her spirits dropped.

“And the baby?”

“I would wait a few months and then tell him.”

Dan tilted his head. “Why a few months?”

“To give him time to change his mind. To give up dancing for
me
, not just because of the baby.”

“Very good. Now, if he agrees to quit dancing?”

She thought a moment. “I’m not sure.” She tried to imagine the scene, but nothing visualized.

“When will you tell him about the baby?”

She remembered Ryan’s thoughts on withholding information from Antonio. “Right away. It’s been difficult keeping this from him.”

“When is this all going to happen?”

“Depending on what Jarrodd says, I’m hoping this weekend.”

“I’ll keep you in my thoughts, friend.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate your help, Dan.”

They shook hands, and Dan promised to get back to her with anything he found out about rich, thrill-seeking men.

She left his office feeling empowered. She headed back to her office, asked Sally to buzz her in an hour, and snuggled in on her shrink couch, as Antonio called it, for a quick nap. Empowerment was tiring.

****

Her appointment with Jarrodd was so critical to her, she asked Sally to move her patients’ times around to accommodate his schedule. She arrived at Jarrodd’s office early and spent time questioning his office staff about their software, billing procedures, filing requirements, and little things she could use to make her own office run more smoothly. No sense in wasting an opportunity.

Jarrodd called her into his office. “My staff is delighted that you’re taking such an interest in their procedures. They recognize you as one of Las Vegas’ best. If you ever want to combine offices—open a joint practice—we should talk.”

A thought sprang to her mind. “I am planning a leave of absence soon. Perhaps we could discuss your seeing my patients while I’m out.”

He looked surprised. “Absolutely.”

“You’re known around town as
the
best psychologist. I wondered why your name didn’t appear in the magazine.”

He offered her a chair in front of his desk. “I’ve asked not to be included. I have too much work as it is.”

“Wise choice.”

“So, Dr. Kane.” He sat, lacing his fingers together on the desk. “I’m assuming this is a professional call? Not personal?”

Here was where the untruths started. “Yes. My patient, Antonio Daniato. You’ve been seeing him?”

He paused then nodded. “Yes. Let me pull his file.” He turned to his computer and typed. “He’s one of my favorites.”

“Anger management issues?”

“Yes. He’s doing very well. I saw him two weeks ago, and he’s got good things to report.”

“Fantastic. I knew you’d be the perfect therapist for him.”

He slid a glance her way. “May I ask why you didn’t keep him on as a patient?”

She cleared her throat as the fib stuck in her mouth. “At the time, I was overwhelmed with new patients. His is a unique case. I usually counsel performers. A reclusive writer is out of my knowledge base.”

He stared at her. “Right.”

She sensed he didn’t believe her.

He looked at his monitor and concentrated on Antonio’s file.

She worked up her courage. “What I would like to discuss is the dancing.”

Jarrodd’s eyebrows arched up, and his gaze shot to her. “Dancing?”

“The strip club. I know he’s been doing it for five years.” She threw out what she knew, hoping to railroad her way through this.

“Yes. He told you this?”

“I
am
the first psychologist he spoke to, after all.” Those words were true, but evasive.

He laced his fingers and set his hands on the desk, leaning forward. “Meaning what, Dr. Kane?”

Damn. He wasn’t buying her story. She took a deep breath and blew it out. “Meaning I’m lying to you?”

He nodded. “Yes, you sure are.”

“All right. What gave me away?”

“Antonio let your name slip a few times during our sessions. Just your first name, but it didn’t take me long to figure out who he was talking about once he said you were a psychologist.”

She made a face. “Not many psychologists in Vegas named Valerie?”

“Just one.”

That changed everything. She had to think of another way. “Okay—let’s do it this way.” She bit her lips and worked out the plan for a few moments, then slid to the edge of her chair. “Let’s make this a therapy session. I’m a patient coming to you with my problem.”

“Mm hm?”

She told him what she’d pieced together. “My boyfriend has been hiding a secret life from me. Until last weekend, I didn’t know anything about it. He’s a male stripper. He’s been doing it for years. At first, it was to make money. Then, after he became excessively rich, he continued to dance for whatever reason—I don’t need to know why.”

“Yes. Continue.”

Thank God he was playing along. “I happened to see his act last weekend.”

“How was that for you?”

“Really, really shitty.” The last word came out broken, and a wave of emotion washed over her.

He nodded. “I can imagine it was.”

“I need to know if he wants to stop.” Her eyes filled with tears. “If he doesn’t want to stop…” Her voice went soft. “I can walk away from him. I want him to be happy.”

Jarrodd leaned forward, his eyes sincere. “He does, Valerie. He loves you so much, it scares him. He just needs a reason to stop. A push from someone who truly cares about him.”

He did want to stop dancing. “I love him.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. Tears of joy.

She took a tissue from the box Jarrodd set in front of her.

How many tissues had she used since she’d met Antonio? Probably more than she’d ever used in her whole life before meeting him.

She blew her nose. “I need your help. Tell me how to do this. How do I confront him?”

He paused. “I’m going to think about that for a few minutes.” He looked at his screen again.

Valerie never used that “I need a minute” technique with her patients. She imagined herself saying,
Please stand by
.

She got up and walked around the room, looking at his certificates and diplomas, and his library of books, which was similar to her own. She sat on his shrink couch then lay down and closed her eyes. It was comfortable. She could almost fall asleep.

After a few minutes, she got up and looked out the window at his view of the mountains. Peaceful. She stepped out and used the restroom then returned, sat in the chair and waited.

He finished at the computer, took out a tablet, and wrote. “Here’s what I would recommend to someone in your position.”

She sat forward in her chair.

“I’m guessing you want to do this right away?”

“Yes. It’s already put a strain on our relationship.” She had no intention of telling Jarrodd about the baby.

“Hmmm. You’ve seen your own therapist, I assume?”

“Yes, I’m stable.”

“I have no doubt.” He looked at her, and she noticed a flicker of a smile. “Anto—Sorry. Your boyfriend is a lucky man.”

She smiled. “I hope to make him happy for the rest of our lives.”

“Happily ever after. That’s what makes this job worth the effort.”

“I agree.”

He detailed his thoughts on how best to confront Antonio. They discussed all the possibilities, he gave her suggestions, she gave her opinion, and they agreed on a strategy.

She shook his hand and thanked him. “I really appreciate your help. I know it’s on the edge of ethics, but I needed to know what’s going on in Antonio’s head.”

“As long as this stays between the two of us, we won’t lose our licenses.”

The second person in two days to worry about losing his license because of her. “It’s our secret.”

“And your other secret? When are you going to tell him?”

She furrowed her brow. “What are we talking about?”

“If I’m not mistaken, there is a baby involved.”

She let out a loud laugh. “Are you psychic?”

“No. Just putting it all together. You’re planning a leave of absence after practicing for only a year. You made two trips to the bathroom in less than an hour. And when you lay on the couch and closed your eyes, your hand went automatically to your stomach.”

“Wow. You are observant.”

He nodded and laughed. “That’s why I’m known as the best.”

She enjoyed his immodest sense of humor. “I thought I’d tell him about the baby after he agrees to stop dancing.”

“And if things don’t go the way you plan?”

A tiny shadow of doubt clutched at her heart, but she forced it aside. “I think I know this man. I’m confident, thanks to you.”

“Anything for true love.” He laughed as he showed her out. “And call me when you’re ready to discuss your leave of absence. I’m guessing in about eight months?”

“Fantastic skills of deduction. You should be a detective, Jarrodd.”

“Don’t remind me. Antonio wants me to consult with him on his next book.”

She laughed. “Watch out. That’s the same line he used on me. And now look at me.”

****

Valerie had too much time to think, and over-think, how to confront Antonio. She checked her calendar. She would talk to him and ease back into a happy relationship before the engagement party. She’d probably scared him to death with her bitch act on Sunday.

She called his home Thursday. He wouldn’t be there, so she could take the coward’s way out and leave a message. “
Caro
, I want to apologize for my behavior Sunday. I was out of control. I had a session with Dan, and he worked through some relaxation techniques with me, and I’m much better now.

“Call me if you have time tomorrow. Otherwise, I’ll see you at the Mirage at six. It’s black tie, of course, thanks to Mom. I love you, and I want to make it up to you. I’m looking through the new
Cosmo
, and I see a naughty trick I want to try on you.
Ciao
, sexy!” She hung up. That should get his blood flowing.

Still holding her phone, she accessed the photos she took of Monica trying on wedding dresses. Valerie had tried on a couple too, just for fun, and her sister took pictures of her in her favorites. Valerie looked at the photo of herself in a Vera Wang creation that cost more than her car.

They’d played bride when they were little girls, and she’d dreamt of the fancy ceremony she’d let her mother arrange for her. She shrugged. She’d never have the big church wedding Monica was planning. But that didn’t even cause her a moment’s longing. There were much more important things in life.