A minute later, he’s seated upfront with Matteo.
“What the hell was that?” I ask as we drive away from the hospital. I glance in the back window at the media frenzy we left behind.
“You weren’t honestly thinking no one would find out that you gave birth to billionaire Jace Barone’s child?” Matteo says. There’s an air of defiance in his tone.
“I was hoping not to have my face plastered to the front-page news,” I say. “Do they know that your mafia?”
Matteo shoots Jace a glare.
“Relax, she knows to keep her mouth shut about the family. I’ll deal with the media,” Jace says.
“Right, like you dealt with them today,” I mutter.
He ignored the reporters. If that was his way of dealing with the media, it didn’t seem to work.
“Maybe you don’t mind being hounded, but what happens when they track me down?” I ask.
He shifts in his seat and glances over his shoulder at me. “You’ll remember to keep your mouth shut,” Jace says.
“Is that a threat?”
“Consider it a warm suggestion,” Jace says.
I have no intention of speaking to the press, but the nerve of him, to think that he can control what I say and do! When I return to the house, I’ll pack my things and head out. I’m done with Jace Barone and his family.
Matteo clears his throat and reaches for a set of keys in the cupholder. He tosses them back at me. “We have an apartment lined up,” Matteo says. “I already swept the place to make sure there weren’t any bugs or other surveillance equipment.”
While I’m still angry, I appreciate the little things, like privacy. “Thank you,” I say. I don’t plan on living under his roof forever. Even outside of his house, it’s still one of Jace’s properties. But I haven’t spent time looking to rent an apartment or purchase a condo. And most places that I’d move into would require notice unless they have a vacancy.
Jace turns back around to face the front. “You are welcome to stay as long as you like.”
I don’t feel very invited by his body language. He’s not so much as looking at me with his invitation. It feels like a formality. Well, don’t worry, I won’t accept. “That wasn’t the agreement, Jace.”
“I just thought if you’re not ready to leave Astrid yet, you don’t have to.” Jace emits a soft sigh and glances at me briefly over his shoulder.
Astrid begins to fuss in the backseat as we come to a crawl from traffic.
“She’s your daughter, not mine,” I say.
He wanted this baby. He chose me as the surrogate. I only went along with it for the money. At least that’s what it was about in the beginning, desperation. I also thought Luka had wanted me to agree to surrogacy to erase my debt.
A misunderstanding.
“Right,” Jace says. There’s a coldness and distance between us. It’s time for me to go.
After a few minutes, Astrid’s crying settles as we’re moving through traffic.
* * *
I pack my belongings. I want to see Astrid, spend as much time with her before I say goodbye, but the longer I hold her, the more it hurts to leave.
And I have to leave. This isn’t my home, and Jace is a liar.
Should I take Astrid with me, far from the demons who chase after Jace?
If I do, his men will come after me.
Jace will hunt me down. He’s a cold-blooded killer. Having murdered my husband and son, he could easily do it again.