The Billionaire Baby Bombshell (14 page)

“That night we were together…when I came home…” He dragged a hand over his face, raw emotion carved into every line, every muscle.

“Tell me, Alex. Tell me what happened.”

“I don’t know!” He banged his fists softly on the dashboard. “I came home and he was in the pool. And Mum…”

“She didn’t fall asleep watching television like she told the police.”

Still he said nothing, just stared out the window, a faraway look on his face. Yelena placed a tentative hand on his leg, a gesture aimed at soothing, consoling. Yet it was like touching fire-forged steel.

“Alex. You’re not alone in this. I want to be here for you.”

His head snapped up so quickly she jumped.

“How can you when you lied to me?” His jaw tightened, eyes narrowing. “When you
still
lie.”

“I…”

“You let me believe Bella was yours.”

She faced his disappointment, small and still with the burden of guilt he’d unexpectedly laid on her. “How did you know?”

“No scars or stretch marks.”

“I see.” She sighed.

“Is that all you have to say?”

She shot him a fierce look. “She
is
mine, Alex, in all the ways that count. My name is on her birth certificate. I raised her, I love her.”

“But you are not her natural mother.”

Her heart ripped from her chest, sending a screaming ache into her brain. “No.”

“Whose is she?” He paused, considering her as a beat passed. Then his face contorted with realization. “Gabriela’s.”

“Yes.” One word yet she could barely get it out.

“So why didn’t you tell me?”

She felt sudden tears well in her eyes before she quickly blinked them away. “Because Gabriela made me promise before she died. That night I left you, the night your father died…” When she dragged her eyes up to his, his frozen look broke her heart a little more. “Gabriela was involved with Salvatore Vitto.”

He frowned. “The Spanish drug lord?”

She nodded. “Gabriela had no idea—they’d been on and off since they’d met a few years back, at some agency party in Madrid.” She couldn’t meet his eyes, knowing her distaste for Gabriella’s multi-boyfriend habit was not the issue right now. “When she returned in June she found out and broke it off, which was when he abducted her. She…” She swallowed. “She called me on the run and I met her at the airport. To make sure we weren’t followed, we crisscrossed Europe for weeks. Then we ended up in Germany.”

The horror of those few months flooded back, sending her hands trembling. She clasped her fingers firmly together and placed them in her lap.

“Bella was born on the eighteenth of March, one week before her due date, in a small German hospital with Gabriela registered as me. In order for the dates to fit my pregnancy, I had to claim she was two months premature when I applied for her passport. You can’t fly with premie babies so I had to wait until May to return home.” She took a breath then continued, “Vitto is a vicious, ruthless man. Gabriela had no doubt he’d kill her and take Bella if he ever found out.”

A small, strangled sound. When she looked up, she thought she saw something more on his face, a small crack in that perfect shield of composure he showed to the world.

“Why didn’t you come home before Bella was born?”

“Vitto had Gabriela’s passport. We couldn’t risk getting a new one in Spain, not when he had government officials in his pocket. When we finally got to the Australian embassy in Germany, we’d been anonymous and trouble free for a month. By that time Gabriela was showing and didn’t want to come home. I tried talking her around but you know how stubborn she could be.”

Despite the gravity of the moment, he gave a brief, spare smile and a curt nod.

“And you could imagine my parents’ reaction if she came back pregnant and unwed.” Well-worn frustration sparked, stiffening her posture. “My father and Carlos, demanding to know who the father was, horrified the Valero name was again tarnished. My mother, mortified and disgraced in front of all her social peers. My God—all the questions, the accusations, the yelling, on and on and on.” She tightened her grip on the files and pain sliced her fingers. “Of course, I was the shining example of all things good and proper. I cannot remember one single lecture to Gabriela when her exploits weren’t followed with ‘why can’t you be more like your sister?’ She made out like it didn’t matter, but the comparison killed me every time.”

She stared out the windscreen, too afraid to meet his eyes, to see that familiar icy shield shutting her out.

“And yet you willingly posed as an unwed single mother.”

“I had to protect Bella. A blemish on my sterling reputation was a small price to pay for her life.”

This was it. This was the moment
. She took a deep cleansing breath. She was afraid, of course—willingly sacrificing control went against everything she’d struggled for since Gabriela had died. She’d had to be strong, strong for Bella, strong for her dead sister.

Yet as she finally looked up into Alex’s eyes, that strength began to bend like a tree caught in a hurricane.

“Alex? I need to tell you something else.”

A dry laugh, full of tight irony, emerged from his lips. “Oh, please. Be my guest.”

“Upstairs.”

He glanced towards the elevator bank, then back to her. Yelena nodded. It was time for her, too.

I
n her living room, amongst the well-loved collection of books, antiques and modern comfy furniture, he paced. He reminded Yelena of Canberra Zoo’s tigers—majestic, proud yet ultimately aggravated with containment.

She approached him slowly. “Did you and Gabriela ever sleep together?”

He stopped dead in his tracks. “What kind of question is—”

“Please, Alex. I need to know.”

His frown became darker. “Once. At the Christmas in July ball. It was after our kiss. You’d shot me down, I got drunk and she was there…”

She knew the moment he trailed off. He paled.

“You think Bella is mine?”

“I assumed Vito was the father. And from her actions, so did Gabriela. She never even mentioned you and her…” Yelena felt her cheeks warm as she broke off. “But the dates fit. And
your mother mentioned a resemblance to you and Chelsea when you were babies.”

He stepped back so quickly it left Yelena breathless. Then he spun, one hand on his hip, one diving into his hair.

She struggled in silence as he began pacing again. She heard him groan as he whirled then suddenly slammed his fists on kitchen counter. They made a terrible hollow sound, one that stabbed straight into her heart.

“I can have a DNA test back in as little as ten days,” she said softly. His hands braced wide on the cold, marble surface, head dipped as her every nerve ending teetered on a thin tightrope, waiting for him to say something. She’d done the right thing. So why did it feel as if she’d ripped her world apart?

When the knock on her door came, they both jumped.

Melanie stood on the doorstep, holding Bella. “I thought I heard you come in and…” She trailed off as she spotted Alex.

Yelena ignored the question in her eyes, instead cupping Bella’s warm head with a smile. “Could you give me some time, Mel? I’m in the middle of a situation here.”

“You okay?” Yelena’s nod only brought forth a frown. “Are you—”

“I’m fine,” Yelena said softly. “Half an hour, okay?”

“Okay.”

After her neighbor left, Yelena gently closed the door and turned back to Alex. He had his back to her, studying her photo array on the armoire.

Curious, she moved closer.

He held a silver frame with a picture of a smiling Bella in a pink romper suit.

She glanced up at him, expecting a scowl. But what she saw flipped her heart in her chest, making her breath stumble.

“I thought she’d killed him.”

Confusion fuzzed her brain. It took a moment to realize he was talking about his parents.

“Alex.” She reached for his hand, her fingers enveloping his. “Pam did it for you, to clear you once and for all. She found him floating in the pool at eleven-fifteen p.m. From the autopsy report, his time of death was eleven-twenty.”

“So if she’d called an ambulance, he’d still be alive,” Alex said softly.

“Maybe. It's hard to say.”

“I thought…”

“That she’d pushed him into the pool?”

He nodded, staring at the picture of Bella before putting it back.

“And you were covering for her with your silence.”

He didn’t respond, just pulled his hand free and sat heavily on her sofa.

“Alex. Your mother’s going in to make an official statement tomorrow and we have a top criminal lawyer on the case. But what she really needs is your support.”

When he looked up, the bleak look in his eyes squeezed the breath from her chest.

“Of course.”

The desperate urge to throw her arms around him, to soothe his pain until he was her old Alex, the laughing, teasing man who’d flirted with abandon and made love to her with wild passion, swamped every muscle in her body.

“Alex…” She paused, the words hovering on her tongue. But the longer the silence lengthened, the more fear took over. Instead, she said, “Do you want to do the DNA test? To make sure that Bella…” She flushed as he looked up. “Of course, I’ll completely understand if you choose not to.”

He quickly stood, an oddly graceful movement for such a big man. “Yelena. Do you honestly think I could live with myself not knowing?”

The raw honesty blazing from his bright eyes humbled her. “I thought maybe…”

“That I’d ignore my own child?”

The horrible truth slammed into her full force. She may be Bella’s mother on paper but if Alex wanted to fight for custody, blood would win out every time.

“What?” Alex frowned as he watched Yelena’s face drain of all color. “Yelena?”

She shoved her hair back, flicking it off her neck with an efficient sweep. With hands on hips, she looked him straight in the eye, the cool expression belying her compressed lips, the worry lines creasing her brow. “What?”

Clarity dawned, softening his expression. “I’m not going to take Bella from you.”

Her eyes sparked. “No, you’re not.”

A small involuntary smile escaped him. He’d no doubt she would fight him with every breath in her body. That was his Yelena.

His heart soared then, forcing his body into a familiar thrum, even as his grin made her frown. It just amused him more.

“I love you.”

From the frozen look on her face, he’d stunned her. Hell, he’d stunned
himself.
He hadn’t meant to own up to it right here, right now, but somewhere in these last few minutes he realized he’d be a coward if he didn’t.

Yet she whirled away, arms crossed, head bowed as if seeking divine guidance. The silence grew—an uncomfortable, expectant silence that gnawed at his control. He’d said it and all he’d gotten was a big fat nothing.

Finally, with her back still to him, she broke it.

“Don’t, Alex. My brother is trying to destroy your family and—”

“This has nothing to do with Carlos.”

She spun back around, her dark eyes riddled with skepticism.
It wounded him, knowing he’d put that look there. He said, “I called him this morning and offered him a deal. He could buy me out in exchange for me not charging him with slander.”

“And?”

Alex raised one eyebrow. “He took it. With a few choice curses.”

She said nothing, just considered his words in wary silence.

“Can we stop talking about your brother now?” he finally said. “This
really
isn’t about him. I…” He paused, cleared his throat, straightened his shoulders and took his first ever leap of faith.

Gently capturing her wrists, he waited until she looked up. When their gazes met, his heart began to thump in earnest. Moment of truth.

“This is about you and me. You’re fierce, loyal and passionate.” He cupped her cheek, her soft, warm skin heating his palm. “My mother and Chelsea adore you. You were more than just a hired consultant—you were their friend.”

“I still am,” she choked out, blinking. To his surprise, Alex felt his eyes well in response. Dammit! Here he was in one of the most important moments of his life and he was about to stuff it up by
crying?

He took a breath, wrestling for control. When he finally had it, he grasped both her arms and drew her closer. Tension tingled beneath his fingers, telling him her entire body was ready for flight. Her dark eyes held a stark vulnerability that touched him deep in his soul, called out to every primitive male instinct to protect her, keep her from pain and harm.

He’d willingly lay down his life for this woman.

“Yelena. I love being with you, love making love to you.” He paused, alarmed to see a tear track slowly down her cheek. “I’d love to wake up with you every moment of my life. I love you.” He brushed his thumb across her cheek, catching that tear in the silence.

With taut nerves and held breath, he waited. Finally, Yelena looked up through big, watery eyes, her mouth stretched into a wide, traffic-stopping smile. His heart stopped.

Yelena took a breath, a deep, jagged breath that felt like the first true one she’d taken in a long, long time. He looked so concerned, studying her with those bright blue eyes that held so much emotion, so much passion that she felt she’d explode with joy.

“Yes,” she managed to say. “I love you, too.”

When he cupped her face, her breath stuttered to a halt, her world shrinking to this one room, this one moment.

“I’ve loved you from the first moment I set eyes on you, Yelena Valero.”

Love, hope and desire all surged up, threatening to choke her. But in the next instant his mouth came down on hers and joyous, life-giving breath filled her lungs.

Her lips parted beneath his, taking everything he offered with unabashed pleasure. It was more than she’d ever expected, had ever hoped.

Her desire ramped up as his mouth and tongue slowly explored hers, her breath and blood racing through her body, matching the joy in her heart.

“Please,” came her breathy plea. “Please, Alex.”

He cut her off with another kiss, just to feel her tremble beneath him. Then he cupped one generous breast, his fingers curling around the soft flesh, and deep male possessiveness surged up.

“Yelena, do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?”

“Yes.” Her satisfied smile sent his blood boiling, made his groin so hard he was amazed he didn’t lose it right then.

He fumbled with her skirt, bunching it up around her waist as she went for his belt buckle. When the zipper slid down and her hand closed around him, the world seemed to stop spinning.

“Yelena,” he managed to get out, his breath hoarse with
need. He needn’t have said a thing—she stepped from her shoes, and pulled off her pantyhose in record time, then went down to the sofa, pulling him with her.

They kissed again, at first languorous, then more urgent, before Alex quickly stood and tugged off his pants, then pushed her down into the soft cushions.

Quickly he nudged her legs apart with his knee. She spread them willingly. He paused above her, weight straining on his arms as he stamped her passionate features in his brain. Bruised full lips, flushed high cheekbones, eyes black with desire. And that mass of curly dark hair, spread across the floor.

Then he thrust and she gasped, her eyes springing open before pleasure closed them again.

“Alex,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck, his name on her lips rocketing his need.

Together they moved, a slow, sensual motion that gradually surged and built until they were both slick with sweat, panting for release.

With her frantic breath in his ear, Alex gathered her up and rolled, and suddenly she was on top and he was deeper than he’d ever been.

She let out a gasp, her thighs tightening around his waist before quickly finding his rhythm. His hands grabbed her waist, rocking her back and forth. He was entranced by the look of utter pleasure on her face as she rode him.

A deep groan ripped him apart, pleasure afire in every muscle, every nerve. She kept the pace, her teeth biting down on her swollen bottom lip, her rapturous expression urging him on until he finally leapt over the edge.

Yelena collapsed on his chest, sweet satisfaction thrumming as their sweat and heat mingled. And as their breath heaved, the aftershocks hit, reverberating through her body, trembling every muscle.

Her cheek rested on his chest, his pounding heart in her
ear, the echoing beat still throbbing between her legs. When his arms tightened around her, blatantly possessive but still deeply satisfying, she took in a deep breath, their earthy scent of lovemaking filling her senses.

All hers
.

They lay there as their heartbeats gradually returned to normal, until the sounds from the outside world began to filter in—the faraway hum and beep of traffic, the gentle whir from her fridge.

After a few moments Yelena reluctantly rolled onto her back with a satisfied sigh.

A deep laugh of realization rumbled in Alex’s chest.

At her quizzical look, he grinned. “One day, my love,” he said, placing a tender kiss on her forehead, “promise me we’ll actually make it to a bed.”

Yelena smiled back at him, her heart tight with happiness.

His mouth met hers in a laugh. “Deal.”