“Agreed.
” He straightened off the window. “Let’s not bring anyone else into this child’s life that doesn’t need to be here.”
“Certain people, like my family, are already in my life. They will be affected.”
“What are they going to do? Disown you?” His pitiless gaze dismissed them either way.
Her chest constricted. No, her parents wouldn’t yell or reject her, but she would lose her chance to win their approval. For once.
Was that what she was holding out for? As that unpleasant truth slapped her, she knew that Angelo had won. Their baby had won. She was no longer the child. She was the parent and it was time to give up the fantasy of earning her parents’ affection and show the sort of concern and unconditional love that she’d longed for all her life.
Damn it.
“My mother will need to be informed,” she said with defeat. “Immediately.”
* * *
“I’ll go with you,” Angelo said as she exchanged a few brief texts with her parents and announced she would visit their home on the way to her own.
“It’s not necessary.” Pia dropped her phone back into her purse.
“It is.” Angelo didn’t need approval from her parents. From anyone, for that matter, but the influence her parents exerted over her shouldn’t be underestimated.
Pia was such a mystery. Coldly analytical, then flaring hot. Fascinating, but frustrating.
She moved to the mirror in the hall and set her purse on the table as she searched through it. “My parents are aware of your name in relation to the painting. They’ll want to know your motives. How you came to be at the ball.”
“Tell them you invited me.”
“I don’t lie to them.”
“Then tell them you had no idea who I was and made love with me anyway.” He shrugged it off, sidestepping what she was really asking.
He would have to tell her eventually, but he would wait until she couldn’t back out of their marriage. That was partly tactical, partly selfish. He wanted his revenge on his brothers and it would carry so much more flavor if he was marrying up. Marrying spectacularly well, in fact.
But his ever-present aversion to dredging up his mother’s situation rose in him. He never discussed her with anyone, ashamed to admit what he was. He carried a lot of guilt, too. His very existence had contributed to her agony. He had burdened her and ultimately let her down. He hadn’t seen her suicide coming, but should have. He hadn’t had many resources at the time, but he should have done something. In his heart, he was convinced he could have stopped her had he been there.
Pia pensively refreshed her lipstick, casting him a look with her reflection.
“Is this the sort of marriage we’ll have? One where we keep secrets? Because I was prepared to start mine to Sebastián by telling him I was pregnant with another man’s child. The least you could tell me is how I come to be refusing him.” She began pulling the pins from her hair.
“Never say that name to me again,” he suggested pleasantly, moving to stand behind her in the mirror.
He picked out a few pins himself, concentrating on releasing the twist without causing her any discomfort.
She held very still, eyes downcast, her exposed nape begging for the press of his lips. He combed his fingers through the mass, watched the play of light through the silken strands, enjoying the smooth caress between his fingers.
“I don’t know what sort of marriage we’ll have,” he admitted. “Marrying and starting a family has not been on my radar. I spent most of my life rootless, my own security tenuous. Until a few years ago, I was in no position to support anyone but myself. When I finally began making money, it was buckets of it. I had to pivot to defend against a different kind of predator, not the kind who eat the weak, but the kind who challenge the strong.”
He let his hands rest on her shoulders and lightly dug his thumbs into the tendons at the base of her neck. Like magic, the stiff, aloof expression on her face melted. She closed her eyes and her expression grew so sensually blissful, he nearly picked her up and carried her to his bed.
But he had to make her understand.
“Mistrust is ingrained in me. I don’t know yet if you’re friend or foe, Pia. I certainly have no illusions that your parents will be on my side.”
Her eyes opened, the shadows in them difficult to interpret.
“I only know that you’re carrying my child. That our child will need you. That makes you as much my responsibility as the baby is.”