‘Drink that.’ His voice was gruff, scraping across her exposed nerves. His every movement was a further indication of his distaste at being there.
Hoping he wouldn’t notice the tremor in her hand, she took a sip and then put the glass down with a clatter. She forced herself to look up to where he was standing, far too close, literally towering over her. It was too much. She scooted out of her seat and quickly walked to where she could stand behind the mismatching armchair in the far corner, unaware of how hunted she looked.
Vicenzo stuck his hands deep in his pockets and said tersely, ‘You could have lied about dates to the doctor. How can I be sure that you carry my baby?’
As soon as he spoke his words had a curious effect on Vicenzo. A surge of something deeply primal struck him suddenly: his baby; his seed. An assertion of his own manhood. And even before Cara answered, as he saw the expressive look of outrage cross her face, he felt that same sinking feeling he’d felt just moments ago. It was becoming annoyingly familiar.
As much as he wanted to reject it, in that instant he believed that she was carrying his child. To his chagrin he couldn’t articulate why he was so certain, and it irritated him intensely. He despised not being able to rely on concrete facts. But the instinct was overwhelming.
Cara shook with emotion, and restrained her urge to fly across the room and smack that supercilious look off his face. ‘I’m not even going to dignify that question with an answer. If it’s any consolation you can’t know how much I’m cursing my decision to go and confront you.’
She kept her eyes on his but awfully, betrayingly, could already feel that emotion and anger turning into something much more vulnerable under his steely glare.
‘I just…’ She hated the naked hesitancy in her voice. ‘I’m having a baby as a result of what happened—of what you did—’
He stepped forward, barely leashed anger reaching out like crackling electricity. ‘What I did? There was two of us in that bedroom that night.
Do I have to remind you that you walked away? And then all but ran back—straight into my arms? There was no force or even cajoling on my part.’
He took another step, and Cara regretted putting herself in the corner of the room. Bitterly regretted that moment when she had gone back to him in the street. And hated being reminded of it—of how coolly he’d stood there, as if he’d known that she would turn around and come back. How he must have been laughing inside.
Vicenzo tried desperately to reject his instincts, to apply logic to this situation. ‘Do I also need to remind you that I used protection? And let’s just say that I don’t recall any… malfunction.’
Cara colored. How would she know? She certainly hadn’t had the depth of experience he’d had. She was suddenly reminded of that intensely exquisite moment, when she’d felt the gush of his release within her. She frowned even as her treacherous body melted inside, down low.
‘Look, are you sure? I mean, how can you be so sure…?’
Everything in Vicenzo reacted to her husky plea. And to the fact that he’d just felt the strongest need to have her admit that it was all a big joke.
That she hadn’t been a virgin. That she hadn’t made love with such natural abandon that he’d believed—Ruthlessly he shut his mind down.
He was shamed to recall that at the zenith of his orgasm with Cara he’d experienced a minor blackout—the pleasure had been so intense. And then afterwards he’d not even checked to see if the protection had indeed been intact because he’d been so incensed. That hitherto unexposed chink in his armor was something he couldn’t fully articulate to himself.
And yet, now, holding the very evidence on a piece of paper in one hand, he had to finally admit that he had been less than careful that night. It nearly killed him, the possibility that he could have fathered a child. His determination not to have a family had been born of a vow made long ago. Even his father had known not to make that demand of Vicenzo after everything that had happened in their family. But then, he reminded himself grimly, his father had been depending on Allegra to fulfill that role…
Until now. And now this woman, Cara Brosnan… His belly tightened.
She had something that he couldn’t fight. Vicenzo could think of countless women he’d been involved with who would be more welcome facing him right now. He could deal with their hard, brittle shells, their blatant avarice. Cara was different. She was more dangerous.
He lashed out at finding himself here, with her, and gave a brief harsh laugh. ‘You didn’t even have to come find me—I came to you. A little convenient, wouldn’t you say?’
Cara’s hands clutched the back of the seat, her whole body tense. ‘I only found out I was pregnant a week ago. Then I saw the report in the paper saying that you were coming to Dublin.’
Arrogant derision marked his features. ‘But undoubtedly you would have informed me of my impending fatherhood sooner or later?’
Cara went very still inside as she had to question herself. What would she have done if he hadn’t come to Dublin? She looked into the middle distance and spoke faintly, almost to herself, as if she couldn’t deny the deep-felt instinct within her. ‘Yes…I would have told you.’
Vicenzo’s eyes glittered fiercely. ‘Of course you would.’
She focused on him again, and saw from his expression that his interpretation of her words was the polar opposite of what she had meant.
She would have told him because—again—she felt that no matter what had happened he had a right to know. Not because she wanted to profit from his largesse. But he wouldn’t believe that, so she said nothing and hitched up her chin.
Vicenzo regarded her, saw the determined tilt to her small chin and the steely glint in her dark green eyes. She was not going to back down, and not going to admit that this baby was anyone else’s but his. It left him with no option. As much as he hated to say it, he had to. ‘Well, then, we have no choice. I cannot leave here without you.’
Cara looked at Vicenzo warily. A muscle pulsed in his jaw, which she’d just noticed was dark with stubble. His raw masculine virility reached out to grab her and she had to fight it.
‘What do you mean?’
Why couldn’t he just walk out of here right now? Cara wished again for a desperate moment that she could pretend that she’d lied, that the baby wasn’t his. But she couldn’t. Her moral backbone and her respect for her unborn child wouldn’t let her.
‘What I mean is this.’
An icy finger of apprehension traced its way down Cara’s spine.
‘You could have slept with someone after me, but let’s assume that you are pregnant with my child. That changes everything. I won’t have you attempt to threaten or blackmail me with this.’
Cara’s fists clenched and she gritted out, ‘It is your baby. And you can walk away. I’m sorry I even told you.’
Vicenzo laughed harshly, belying the fact that her assertion again that the baby was his had struck home like an unwelcome arrow.
‘Walk away? Oh, I just bet I can. And the minute you’re left to your own devices your story will be sold and splashed all over the tabloids in an attempt to manipulate me into a corner. If I’m not seen to acknowledge you or the baby you can sue me for millions and drag my family name into the gutter.’ He shook his head grimly. ‘No way, no how.’
Cara flinched minutely, and her hands tightened on the back of the chair which was offering little protection against the man in front of her. Fear trickled through her veins. A felling of déjà vu gripped her. It was like the moment when he’d revealed his full name.
‘What are you talking about?’
‘My father has seen the news reports. He is from old stock—traditional.’
Vicenzo’s mouth twisted in distaste. ‘He wants to meet the mother of my child—the woman who managed to make his son change his ways. He is recovering from a stroke; you and your brother have caused enough chaos and heartache in his life. I won’t have you cause even more by not granting him his wish to meet you. Needless to say he is unaware that the woman who was instrumental in causing his daughter’s death is now purporting to be the mother of his grandchild.’
His words flayed Cara, but she stood strong even when he flicked a searing glance up and down her body. ‘If you carry my child, as you state emphatically that you do, there is only one course of action. In half an hour we will leave for Rome, and as soon as possible we will be married.
Much as the thought of marrying you turns my insides, it’s not an institution I’ve ever held in any esteem. So it won’t cost me any emotion.
It’ll ensure legitimacy from the outset for the Valentini heir, and I can keep an eye on your every move. It’ll also save my reputation; our shares have already been dropping in value on the back of this potential scandal.’
Cara felt the color draining from her face as she struggled to take this in.
‘Never. I’d never marry someone like you,’ she breathed with horror.