Once a Ferrara Wife...

‘Cristiano?’ Carlo’s voice was more urgent this time but Cristiano lifted a hand to silence him.

‘I need to make a call. Excuse me.’ Leaving Carlo to keep the conversation going, Cristiano stepped out of the room and dialled Laurel’s number but there was no reply.

Cursing under his breath, he checked his watch. She was supposed to be sitting by the pool gossiping with his sister.

Frowning, he played the message again and this time he heard the change in her tone. The long pause between saying his name and wishing him luck.

He played it again.

‘Cristiano?’

Something was wrong.

He called his sister but, predictably, her phone was engaged.

‘Cristiano?’ Carlo was standing in the doorway. ‘What the hell is going on? They’re waiting for you. It’s taken five years to get to this point.’

Cristiano tried Laurel’s number one more time but her phone was switched off.

Laurel never phoned him when he was working.

She’d only ever done it once before.

Following an instinct that he couldn’t even identify, Cristiano was already on his way out of the door. ‘You’ll have to handle this without me.’

His lawyer looked stunned. ‘But—’

It was too late.

Cristiano was gone.

Laurel was sitting in a shivering heap on the floor of the luxurious bathroom when the door to the villa crashed open and she heard Cristiano thundering her name.

Purposeful footsteps echoed in the distance and then the bathroom door flew open.

He swore when he saw her. ‘What’s happened? What are you doing in here?’

Her teeth were chattering and she felt pathetically relieved to see him. ‘You came.’

‘Of course I came, although next time I’d rather you avoided the cryptic and went straight for the direct approach. Your message was total nonsense.’ Brows locked together in a concerned frown, he scooped her off the floor and carried her through to the bedroom. She expected him to deposit her on the bed but he didn’t. Instead he sat down, holding her securely on his lap. ‘Now tell me what’s wrong, tesoro. Is it your asthma?’

‘No.’ She couldn’t stop shivering but instantly she felt better inside just because he was there.

‘Laurel?’ He held her firmly while he waited for her to talk, but talking wasn’t easy.

Her teeth chattered. Her insides churned. She felt horribly sick. Sick?

Oh, God.

‘I’m pregnant.’

He turned to stone. ‘I thought you told me—’ ‘I told you what they told me. That I couldn’t get pregnant. They said it wasn’t possible.’ Her voice rose and he spoke to her softly in Italian, his own fears carefully hidden as he tried to calm her.

‘Laurel, I know you’re afraid but it’s going to be all right. You have to trust me. This is good news, angelo mia.’

‘No.’ Her eyes pooled with tears. ‘I can’t have a baby, Cristiano. Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t mean I’m capable of having this baby. Last time—’

‘This time will be different.’ He said that with an absolute certainty that at any other time would have driven her to tease him for his arrogance but right now she was past teasing. ‘You don’t know that.’

‘And you don’t know that it won’t be.’ He smoothed her hair with hands that were strong and capable.

‘The doctors told me I couldn’t get pregnant. They said it wasn’t possible or I would have made you use contraception.’

‘So I don’t think those will be the doctors whose advice we are seeking now.’ He didn’t release his hold on her as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

Her breath juddered. ‘You need a new phone.’

‘I am quite attached to this one. The crack in it reminds me of what is important in life.’ He dialled a number, spoke in rapid Italian and then ended the call. ‘I already told you I had done some research. This doctor I have found has extensive experience of your condition. I am arranging an appointment immediately.’

‘What if he can’t fit me in?’

‘It’s a she,’ Cristiano said mildly, ‘and if she can’t come to us then we will go to her.’

For the first time since she’d discovered she was pregnant, Laurel felt herself relax slightly. ‘You were in the middle of a meeting. I can’t believe you came.’

‘Did you really think I wouldn’t?’

‘Today was so important to you.’ She felt a rush of guilt. ‘I’ve ruined everything.’

‘No, you haven’t. But I’m confused as to why you didn’t just ask me to come in your message? You said my name in such a desperate voice and then wished me luck. I was left playing guessing games.’