Lusty Billionaires Bundle(96)
The writer went on to say it appeared Dimitri now accepted his role as father and ended the article with a pithy comment regarding a possible marriage between them.
Alexandra felt sick and she made a mad dash for the bathroom. When she finished retching, Dimitri was there with a cold wet washcloth for her face and a glass of water to rinse her mouth. When she was done, he swung her into his arms and carried her back into the main room of the suite. He set her gently on the cream colored sofa.
“I’m going to order some food, all right moro mou?”
She couldn’t take it in. She couldn’t even look at her mother, knowing how furious and disappointed in her Cecelia was bound to be. She’d spent years living two lives to protect her mother from embarrassment and possible scandal, only to have it all torn apart with one sleazy newspaper article. “Dimitri, they know…Everyone knows about us, about the baby, about Xandra Fortune.”
He laid his finger against her lips. “Shh. All will be well. You must trust me. Now what do you want to eat?”
“Dry toast and maybe a little fruit.”
He shook his head, his expression wry. “That is not sufficient sustenance for you and the baby. I will order your dry toast, fruit and some food besides, I think.”
“Why ask me if you plan to do what you want anyway?” she asked petulantly, glad to focus on something less volatile and damaging than the newspaper article.
He chuckled. “Perhaps because I like to hear your voice?”
Her mother gave a most unladylike snort, reminding both Dimitri and Alexandra she was there.
Dimitri turned to Cecelia. “I understand your concern and will do everything in my power to mitigate it, but I will not allow you to harangue your daughter. She is in too fragile a state right now.”
“How dare you?” her mother demanded.
“Can I order anything for you?” Dimitri asked, ignoring her mother’s outraged question.
Apparently realizing when she was faced with a will stronger than her own, Cecelia subsided. She took a seat in one of the armchairs opposite the couch, her expression dour. “Tea might settle my nerves.”
“Then I shall order you some without delay.”
He went to the phone to do so, but kept his body toward them as if he were watching her mother to make sure she said nothing to upset Alexandra. His concern felt nice and Alexandra had to admit she was glad she wasn’t alone to face her mother’s recriminations. When he finished making the order, Dimitri returned to sit next to Alexandra on the smallish sofa. He took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly then turned the full force of his charm on her mother.#p#分页标题#e#
“Mrs. Dupree, allow me to introduce myself. I am Dimitri Petronides.” His smile would have melted stone. He stood and leaned toward Cecelia, extending his hand. “It is an honor to meet the mother of the woman I intend to marry.”
Alexandra sucked in air so fast she choked on it while her mother’s “just sucked on a lemon” look turned to calculated charm in the space of a single heartbeat. Cecelia patted her perfectly coiffed ash-blond hair and smiled at Dimitri.
“Please, you must call me Cecelia. Marriage will be just the thing to alleviate the scandal. I’m so glad you’d already thought of it. Alexandra’s been so impetuous these past six years and I declare the last three months have been the worst.”
Alexandra gritted her teeth at her mother’s digs. “I haven’t agreed to marry him.”
Cecilia dismissed Alexandra’s words with a wave of her hand. “Of course you will, dear. Now let’s start making plans. It will have to be a quiet affair if there’s any hope of avoiding more scandal.”
Alexandra hadn’t told her mother anything about Dimitri, including the details of their breakup. But she doubted it would have made any difference in the older woman’s current outlook. In Cecelia Dupree’s mind, babies came after marriage. Therefore, to preserve appearances, Alexandra had to be married.
“This isn’t the Middle Ages, Mother. You cannot give my hand in marriage to a man without my permission.” She turned her head to meet Dimitri’s eyes. “And you can’t take it.”
“Alexandra, is that reporter correct? Is this man the father of your child?”
Alexandra’s vocal chords froze. An affirmative answer would be her downfall with her mother.
“Yes,” Dimitri said when Alexandra refused to.
“Then there can be no question that you will marry him.”
“On the contrary.” Alexandra didn’t like the feeling of pressure emanating from both her mother and Dimitri. “I’m perfectly capable of having this baby alone. If that upsets you, I’m sorry.”