His Dirty Bargain (Dirty Billionaires 3)

Chloe

The next few weeks are a repeat of the first week of our marriage. I’m so miserable for a few days I seriously consider leaving, only I don’t really want to. Damn Dominic to hell. I’m doing it. I’m putting myself on the line, I’m turning myself inside out, and it hurts more than I ever thought it could. I also have no doubt if I did leave, Enzo would track down his child—not me, but his child—so it would be a waste of time and energy. I can’t talk to Bethany, I can’t talk to Russell, who is incredibly happy as he and Adam plan their own wedding for Christmas. For two whole weeks I manage to not see Enzo once.

I’m in the doctor’s office readi

ng on my cell phone when Enzo sits down beside me. He doesn’t say anything but his scent identifies him, along with the silk of his black suit. We sit, not speaking until the nurse calls me.

“Can I come in?”

A part of me wants to refuse but I find myself nodding anyway.

The nurse gets my weight and my blood pressure then takes my temperature. Her questions keep coming, and she writes down every word of my answers. Finally she stops and tells me the doctor will be in.

This time it’s only a few minutes before the doctor knocks before opening the door. “All right, Chloe, talk to me, my dear. You’ve managed to lose twelve pounds since I saw you last. I have to tell you that is not good, not at all. Still with the morning sickness?”

I shrug; the nurse asked the same thing. “Not really, it stopped a week or so after our last appointment.”

“So, what’s going on? Please tell me you aren’t afraid of gaining weight. True, you are considered medically, slightly overweight. As a doctor, I feel you were healthy; now I’m needing to make sure you don’t keep losing. The baby will take what it needs from you. At the same time, I need you to remain as healthy as possible. How many times are you eating a day?”

“I have breakfast, I don’t always eat lunch, but I have a snack or something. I have dinner every night.”

“But are you eating everything, or are you pushing the food around on your plate? Dad, anything to add? How is she eating?”

Shaking my head. “I eat fine.” I’m not, and guilt is mounting. I will eat better. “I’ll eat better. Lunch every day.”

“Not just anything you want good fats, those are really important for the development of the baby. We’re talking avocados, olive oil, nuts all kinds, wild-caught salmon is good, at least twice a week.”

Nodding, “Yes, okay. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Good, how is your sleep?”

Shit. “Good, I get at least eight hours in bed.” I only sleep for about five of them though. “Really good.” I will though, from now on, starting tonight.

She doesn’t believe me. “Hm, okay. Maybe shoot for a nap in the middle of the day when you come home from work. Make sure you put your feet up when you get home. Your blood pressure is still high. We don’t want that. I want you to get a wrist cuff and take it three times a day, record it for me. You need to bring it in the next time you see me. All right, let’s take a look and make sure everything is good.”

At least this time I can see the tiny light gray speck without her pointing it out on the screen. More gray paper comes out, and Enzo takes it with a thank-you.

“I want to see you in two weeks.”

“I thought you said every month?”

“When your numbers are where they need to be, it’s every month; for now it’s every two weeks.”

Message received. “Yes, okay.”

“All right then, Mr. Sabatini, a word.”

I wonder what she’s talking to Enzo about, then shrug as I change back into my clothes.

***

Enzo

I lean back against the wall as the doctor slams out of the room. I’m pretty sure even when I was in the Army I’ve never had my ass ripped so badly then handed back to me. All I could do was stand there and take it because I deserved every bit of it.

At every turn I’ve failed Chloe and our baby. All because I was a pussy with hurt feelings. When she refused to take a honeymoon, it hurt. I worked hard to make it happen; my staff hated me as I pushed them to deliver so I wouldn’t have work on my mind while I was gone. Then Chloe told me to go away, she didn’t want to be with me. So I went. Hell, I even moved into the spare bedroom because I was sure she didn’t want me to touch her, and there was no way I could honor that if I slept in the same bed with her. In all my attempts to protect myself, now it seemed I was hurting her and our baby.

All of it stops today. Whether she likes it or not. I find Chloe at the reception desk setting her next appointment. When she turns, her surprise at seeing me is clear.