Virgin Mistress, Scandalous Love-Child

She called him Diogo? Ellie bit her lip.

“You are a lucky woman, Miss Jensen,” the woman continued.

The fear in Ellie became intolerable. “And you know this how?”

The slender, dark-haired woman glanced at her. “Ah. You think I was his lover?” She gave a merry laugh. “I am his sister—or the closest he's ever had.”

Relief flooded through Ellie. “But I thought your last name was Carneiro.”

“It is. I'm no Serrador!” the doctor replied indignantly. “Those half sisters of his don't deserve to shine his shoes. No. My mother brought him home to live with us when he was eight. She found him shivering on the streets.”

“Your mother saved him?” Ellie blurted out. “After his own mother abandoned him?”

The doctor nodded grimly. “But he's saved all of us since then. He paid for my college. He hired my younger brother Pedro as his most trusted bodyguard. He would even have helped Mateus, if he'd been willing to leave the favela.” She sighed. “But my older brother is too proud. He refuses Diogo's help.”

Carneiro. The same name as the leader of the men who'd attacked Ellie in the favela. “I…think I might have met him.”

Dr. Carneiro looked sad. “Diogo will win him over eventually. It took him years to win Pedro's loyalty, but Diogo never gives up. He funds my free clinic which helps thousands of people every year, people in desperate need of care. New mothers. The elderly. Sick children who would die without the medicine he provides.” She looked at Ellie. “You are fortunate. Not all men are so honorable—or so strong. And after what happened at Christmas—”

“Talking about me, Letícia?”

Diogo stood in the doorway, looking none too pleased.

“You know I can't stop praising you.” Dr. Carneiro gave her adopted brother a warm smile. “And you're just in time. Look.”

Moving the wand against the goop on Ellie's belly, she pointed at the monitor. Ellie looked, as well, and instantly forgot everything as she saw the tiny flicker of her baby's heartbeat on the monitor.

Diogo's hand suddenly reached for hers. He sank into a nearby chair, his eyes similarly riveted on the monitor. “That little light…. that's our baby?”

“That's the heartbeat,” Letícia said. “And there, you can see the legs…the spine. The head. Do you see?”

“A boy?” he asked.

“It's early to be absolutely sure, but do you see that? Yes. A boy, I think.”

“A boy!” Diogo exulted.

“And there, you see…” She suddenly frowned. “Wait. That's not… It can't…”

The doctor's voice trailed off as she stared at the monitor with her brow furrowed. Ellie felt Diogo's hand tighten around her own.

“What is it? What's wrong?”

Ellie glanced at him. His handsome features were anxious and vulnerable as he looked from the monitor to the doctor. Ellie realized he was trying to hide his fear.

And the thought struck through her like lightning: he loved this child as much as she did.

“What is it?” Heart in her throat, Ellie could barely manage to whisper the words. “What's wrong with our baby?”

Dr. Carneiro turned to face them, her thin face lit up with a smile.

“You're going to have a girl.”

“A girl!” Ellie crowed happily. She turned to Diogo triumphantly. “Ha! You see? I told you it would be a girl!”

“Not a boy?” Diogo said, frowning.

“Yes,” the doctor said.

“What?”

“A boy…and a girl. The girl was hiding behind her brother.”

Ellie and Diogo both blinked at her, uncomprehending.

The doctor gave a laugh. “Look.” They stared where she was pointing. In all the unrecognizable lines and blurs of the monitor, Ellie at first couldn't see what she was talking about. Then she saw it. Another tiny flickering light. Other arms and legs. Another shape of a head. Another baby.

“Two heartbeats. Twins. Congratulations!”

“Twins?” Ellie gasped.

Two babies to love. Two babies to care for. Two babies who would need everything their parents could give them!

Sucking in her breath, she glanced at Diogo. Just a few months ago, he'd had a vasectomy to prevent having a child. Now he was going to be father of two. A ready-made family. How would he take the news?

“Have you picked any names?” the doctor asked.

Ellie shook her head. “It's all happened so suddenly. We haven't really thought about it.” She tried to see Diogo's face. “We could call the girl Lilibeth. Or maybe Lily?”

He finally turned to face her. Ellie was shocked to see his dark eyes were bright with unshed tears in his handsome, rugged face. “She will be called Ana.”