Amedeo, Her Italian Billionaire (12 page)

“No problem. Just please stay in bed tomorrow.”

“I will. I promise.”

“Have you thought about names, Violet? I’m thinking we should bat some around,’ he said.

She had been thinking about names. Ever since she heard that heartbeat and the situation became real. She knew they needed to think this through. “Are there any names in your family that are important?”

My father’s name was Vincenzo. I kind of like it,” he said.

“How about Vincent?”

“Could work. What about Amelia for a girl?” he said.

“Amelia Taylor.”

“Taylor? Why would the baby have your last name?”

“Oh, right. I guess the baby could have your last name. I have my mother’s, but my father wasn’t in the picture.”

“Then I’d like the baby to have my last name. Amelia Killiano.”

“That sounds pretty.”

“I like it, too. Vincent Killiano works also.”

“Okay. Vincent and Amelia.”

“That was easy,” he said. “What other problems can we solve?”

She laughed. “I’m not sure world peace is so easily solved.”

“You never know. We haven’t put our minds to solving it.”

“I don’t think I’m up to that tonight. I shouldn’t be tired. I’ve just been in this bed all day.”

“Maybe the spotting you experienced was your body telling you to slow down. You’ve been under some stress because of Tory.”

She waved her hand. Tory didn’t really stress her that much. Well, okay, maybe she had. “I should be able to handle it.”

“You’re pregnant, Violet. You aren’t at your best because you’re tired and your hormones are nutty.”

Nutty? “Have I been nutty?”

“No. I don’t know how you are getting on so well. I think I’d be a mess.”

She was feeling off her game. “I’ll be okay. Plenty of women work during pregnancy.”

“True.”

“I’ll be back on my game after tomorrow. I promise.”

“I’m not concerned. You made a lot of progress while you were in the office. Carl is excited about what you’ve done to find the hacker.”

“He is?”

She hadn’t thought that she did much, but if Carl wanted to be happy, he could go ahead.

“He is.” Amedeo put his empty plate onto the tray. “You underestimate your abilities. If Carl is happy then things are good.”

“Okay.”

Maybe she had been taking crappy pay for jobs that she shouldn’t have. It was just tough to hold out for the right price if you needed to pay rent.

“Do you have any other clients at the moment?”

“No. I finished with everyone that first day I moved in here.”

“Then you should raise your prices,” he said. “You have some flexibility right now to pick and choose your jobs. Do it and start making more money.”

His advice seemed sound. He was a businessman who knew what he was doing. He’d sold two companies already. Maybe she had been underestimating her income potential.

With a baby on the way, she couldn’t afford to do that anymore.

***

Fresh off bedrest, Violet was back to work in time for it to be Friday. Amedeo had tried to talk her into staying home one more day, but she was having none of it. Afraid her brain would go to mush, she insisted on going to work with him.

Ensconced in her office, she was knee deep in code when her phone rang. Kalia?

“Hey, girl,” Violet said.

“Nice to hear from you. I’m down in your neck of the woods for something and I wanted to see if you could come out for lunch.”

“I can. What time and where?”

“Noon. Pick a place and text me. I don’t know exactly where you are.”

Three hours later, Violet met Kalia at a restaurant in downtown Princeton. The town was a mix of rich people and rich students. Violet had never seen anything quite like it.

Some of the architecture was new and some old.

Kalia hugged Violet. “You’re looking good. You really are glowing.”

“Thanks.”

The hostess led them to a table in the back.

“Tell me what’s been going on,” Kalia said when they had ordered.

“Where do I start? I’m living with Amedeo. We’ve heard the heartbeat and I’m working at his company to track down a hacker.”

“Wow. That’s a lot for one sentence,” Kalia said.

“In such a short time, right? It’s been a whirlwind.”

“How’s Amedeo been?”

“What do you mean? He’s been great.”

“Is he pushing for a paternity test?”

“I’ve already agreed to it. I have no fear that he is the father of my child. I didn’t have sex with anyone else,” Violet said.

“So he’s a man and he’s sticking around.”

“Maybe it’s because he’s had a European upbringing.”

Violet shrugged. Whatever it was, she was thankful. She’d probably be out on the street at this point if he weren’t around. Amedeo was being very good to her. She would never be able to repay his kindness, but she had a feeling he didn’t expect her too.

“I don’t know what it is, but he’s made it clear, he wants to be in the baby’s life if I end up deciding I want custody.”

“You don’t know if you want to raise your own child?”

“What experience do I have? My mother was nuts. I have no role models. Her mother threw her out so I’ve never even had a grandmother,” Violet said.

She’d refused to try and contact her grandmother when her mother died. The woman should have been in her life. Just like her father should have, but she didn’t know who he was. Her mother had never told her.

“But you could do it.”

“Maybe. There are days when I think I can. Other days I think that visitation rights might be a good idea. Let Amedeo worry about the day-to-day stuff.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“You would keep a baby if you had it?”

“Yes.”

Kalia had been pregnant, but had an abortion. Violet surmised that her friend regretted it daily. “I don’t know. My brain is all a jumble these days.”

“Pregnancy hormones.”

“So Amedeo hired you also?”

“Yes he did. He has a hacker that has broken into his system. I’m pretty close to tracking down the person.”

“He’s paying you?”

“More than any client I’ve ever had. The money is good if I go after the right people to be my customer.”

“Are you sleeping with him?”

Violet paused at the question. She usually shared everything with Kalia, but this seemed too personal. “Okay, we are.”

“How is he in the sack?”

“He’s pretty amazing. Best lover I’ve ever had.”

“He’s hung?”

Violet chuckled. “Yes.”

Kalia smiled. “Lucky you. He sounds like the real deal. You need to hang onto this man.”

“Why? We’re just having fun until the baby comes. Then we’ll return to our lives.”

“It won’t be that easy.”

“Why not? We’ll have the baby in common, but that’s it.”

“That’s it? Violet, do you hear yourself?’

“What?”

Kalia shook her head. Violet didn’t know what she was thinking.

“You’re in love with this guy.”

In love? “No I’m not. We had a one night stand and now we’re having sex. It’s all good. I’m not in love.”

“You keep telling yourself that, girlfriend.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Violet said.

She didn’t have feelings for Amedeo. Okay, she liked him, but not that way. Not in a romantic way. She’d miss the sex, that was for sure. Kalia was reading too much into the situation.

“Whatever.”

Their meals arrived. Violet’s was a cheeseburger. Kalia ate a salad. She eyed what Violet was eating. “Must be nice to eat what you want.”

“It is. I don’t eat bad stuff all the time, but sometimes I really crave meat.”

“You must be having a boy.”

“Why?”

“Don’t men like meat more than women?” Kalia said.

“I don’t know. I don’t know that much about men.”

“You know how to land one for sure.” Kalia laughed.

Violet hadn’t gotten pregnant on purpose. She didn’t feel she’d landed Amedeo either. They weren’t in love. They weren’t going to be in love either. They were having fun while they could. That was the end of it. Anything else that Kalia saw was her own imagination.

“I didn’t land Amedeo. He just happens to be the father of my child.”

“I’ll bet he does everything in his power to keep you happy because of that.”

“It’s just his nature.”

“Whatever.”

Violet was beginning to hate that word. Kalia was so sure she was right. Her friend always thought she was right. Violet let out a breath. She didn’t want to fight with her best friend, so she chose not to.

“Let’s not fight, okay? I don’t get to see you that often.”

“I’m not trying to start a fight. I’m sorry,” Kalia said.

Violet nodded, knowing everything would be okay between them.

Chapter9

Amedeo had been thinking about the future all day. The idea that he was going to be someone’s parent was becoming more and more real as time progressed. . Violet would eventually be showing. He’d see an ultrasound that looked like a baby.

He had to stop and catch his breath. Having a child was nothing like running a company or even selling a company. He would have to figure out something new. Not that he wasn’t up for the task, he just couldn’t do as much research as he normally did when he embarked on a new venture.

Running a company was the same no matter what the business was. The models were all the same. Raising a child was a very different prospect. Madge had faith that he could do this and she knew him better than even his mother.

Damn. He still needed to talk to his mother. She wouldn’t want to find out from someone else, but no one in his circle of friends would reveal anything. Most of them didn’t know. He hadn’t been forthcoming with anyone, but Dante and Salvatore and he knew they wouldn’t want to tell his mother.

He sighed. His life was about to get even more complicated.

Then he had a thought.  His child would be born out of wedlock. His child would be a bastard. No. He didn’t want that. He would have to marry Violet. Then they could divorce and she would get a settlement from him. They could have a prenuptial agreement. That’s how the paperwork would work out.

She would have to be his wife when she delivered the baby. She could be on his insurance then and he wouldn’t have to pay so much out of pocket. Why didn’t he think of that before?

Madge came in with some papers to sign. “You look triumphant.”

“I just solved a few of my problems.”

“Oh?”

“I don’t want my child to come into this world a bastard.”

She waved her hand. “That doesn’t hold any stigma anymore.”

“It does for me. I’m old-fashioned.”

“So what’s the answer?”

“I’m going to marry Violet. I can put her on my health insurance. We can draw up a prenuptial agreement and then she’ll be set when we divorce.”

Madge looked at him like he had two heads. “So you think this independent woman is going to just up and marry you?”

“Yes. Why not? It makes the most sense.”

“You think a woman wants to get married because it’s practical?” Madge said.

“We’re not in a romance.”

“What are you doing then?”

“I don’t know what you’d call it, but we aren’t in love. Violet will see the benefits of what I’m talking about.”

Madge shook her head. “She’s not going to like it.”

“Well, I think she will.”

Amedeo shook his head. He knew women. If he and Violet were married, her life would be even more secure. “I’m going to ask her.”

“I would pay to be in that room.”

“You can’t. You have work to do.”

Madge left him. Amedeo found Violet in her office. She was intent on whatever she was doing. Her face held a frown. Maybe this wasn’t the time, but he was a man of action. He couldn’t wait to put this plan in motion. It was a good one.

He waited for her to look up.

“Is it lunch already?”

“No. I have a question for you.”

She took a deep breath, then stretched. “Okay. Go ahead.”

“I was thinking about the future and I think it would be a good idea for us to get married.”

“Married? You and me?”

“Yes. I can put you on the health insurance plan. We can draw up a prenup so that when we divorce after the baby comes, you’ll be taken care of. You can consult a lawyer and make sure nothing is amiss. What do you say?”

“You think we should get married so that I have health insurance? Isn’t that health insurance fraud?”

“Not if we’re really married. We’re living together. Who would question it?”

She rubbed a hand down her face. Why wasn’t she more excited? This made perfect sense. “Okay. If not healthcare fraud then why would I want to marry you?”

He stumbled over that. “This isn’t a romantic request, Violet. This is a practical one.”

“Just what a girl wants. Let’s get married so we can be practical together.”

“This isn’t a romance, Violet. We both know this. This thing between us has an end date. You know that. I know that.”

She nodded, her jaw set. She wasn’t happy about this. He didn’t understand it. This would give her more security. Isn’t that what women wanted?

“Then there is no reason for us to get married.”

He sighed. She wasn’t seeing the point. “You get healthcare. You get a settlement when the baby comes.”

“You think I’m in this for the money?”

He stood up straighter. That didn’t sound good and he noted an edge to her voice. What had he said wrong? They weren’t going to be romantic partners. They were great in bed together and she was having his child. That wasn’t enough to base a relationship on. “Uh, no.”

“That’s what it sounds like. You’ve only talked about the money. As if that’s all I’m getting out of this.” She stood, pacing away from him. “Yes, I need you to pay for the doctor visits, but I never asked you to pay for anything else. You volunteered.”

“And I don’t mind that. I have more money than I know how to spend.”

“Right. So you might as well sprinkle the poor girl with it. You know, maybe this whole thing was a mistake. Maybe I should have never let you know that I was pregnant. All I wanted was for you to pay for the abortion.”

Amedeo felt like he’d been slapped in the face as she stormed out past him.

***

Violet didn’t know where she was going, but she had to get out of that room. Amedeo was talking nonsense and not listening to her. She was livid and might have said something she would regret.

So she got out. She didn’t have her purse so she couldn’t go far, but around the block might cool her off enough. She’d been seeing red as he spoke. Was he an idiot or just clueless?

She strode around the block, mumbling to herself. She arrived back at Amedeo’s building, but she wasn’t done being mad. Not in the least. She needed more time. So she walked around the block again. Still mad.

She crossed the street, but she guessed that the combination of not being in a cross walk and the fact that she hadn’t looked both ways, caused a car to clip her. Shit.

She fell down in the street. It wasn’t even the whole car that hit her. Nope. The side mirror and knocked her off of her feet. The person stopped the car and jumped out.

“Are you okay?”

“Uh, I don’t know.”

Her body hurt. She tried to sit up, but her body hurt too much. She could just rest here for a few minutes. Hopefully no one would mind.

“Don’t pass out.” The person had a phone to her ear. “I’m calling 911.”

Violet didn’t think she was going to pass out. She just wasn’t ready to get up yet.

“The ambulance is on the way. Can I call someone for you?”

Violet motioned in the direction she thought the building was. “Amedeo.”

Hadn’t she been mad at him? He might want to know that something happened to her. The woman talked into her phone then she pointed to a person who had walked up. “Go in that building and find Amedeo.”

The woman driver sat down next to Violet.

“What’s your name, honey?”

“Violet,” she whispered. She couldn’t produce much more sound than that. She was tired.

“That’s a pretty name. Does anything hurt?”

“Everything.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you step out between those cars.”

She wanted to tell the woman that it was okay, but at that moment a cop car pulled up. He blocked traffic from where she lay. She really probably should get up. She was in the street and that wasn’t safe.

Then Amedeo’s face appeared in her vision. “Violet? Honey?”

He held her hand. It was warm and a just a little calloused. She hadn’t noticed that before. He should have office hands. Soft and manicured. Why didn’t he?

She wanted to tell him that she was hurt, but he seemed to know that.

“Are you her husband,” the cop asked.

“Boyfriend.” Amedeo turned back to her. “It’s going to be okay, Violet. The ambulance is on the way.”

Of course he would say that. Amedeo always wanted to make it right. That’s who he was. She closed her eyes.

“Violet, stay with us,” Amedeo said.

She wanted to sleep. That’s all she wanted. Maybe the pounding in her head would subside. She couldn’t take anything for it because of the baby. She wouldn’t want to, anyway.

“Violet?”

“I’m here,” she said.

Her voice sounded weak and creaky. Very odd. She heard a siren approach then strangers pushed Amedeo out of the way. They poked and prodded her, then rolled her onto a stiff board. They put her on the stretcher. It rolled past Amedeo.

“I’ll be at the hospital right after you, Violet,” he said.

She smiled, but it must have come off as a grimace because Amedeo said “she’s in a lot of pain.”

He patted her hand before they put her in the ambulance. She closed her eyes when the doors closed.

“You still here, Violet?” someone said.

The voice sounded a little far away so she opened her eyes to see who it was. She couldn’t move her head because she was strapped onto the board. Someone’s face appeared in her line of vision. “We’ll be at the hospital in just a few minutes.”

“Okay.”

“Sit tight. You aren’t bleeding anywhere. What hurts?”

“Everything.”

“You’re bruised, but that may be it.”

Violet tried to nod, but just flashed the man a wan smile. As promised she was at the hospital a few minutes later. They wheeled her into a room and was transferred to a gurney still strapped to the board. It was becoming uncomfortable.

Amedeo appeared at her side. He must have followed the ambulance.

“I’m here, Violet.”

“You’ll have to leave, sir. We need to examine her,” a nurse said.

“Okay. I’ll be right outside.”

She tried to nod again, but instead she just blinked. Hopefully he got the hint. People bustled around her. They took some x-rays then they unstrapped her from the board.

“No signs of spinal or neck injury so we can take you off of this.”

She was happy to be free and tried to sit up.

“No, Violet. Let me raise the bed a little. The doctor will be in to examine you.”

“Amedeo.”

“The man is right outside. He refused to wait in the waiting room. He’s very concerned about you,” the nurse said.

“Yes,” was all Violet managed.

She’d bet that Amedeo was giving everyone who walked out of the room an interrogation. He wouldn’t take easily to being out of control. He’d want answers and action. That was Amedeo.

Finally the doctor came in. He examined her. “I think you have a slight concussion. Your husband said that you were pregnant.”

“Yes.”

“There’s no bleeding so the baby is fine. I’ll have them do an ultrasound just in case. Okay?”

“Fine.”

That was what mattered.

“I’ll need you to stay in bed for a few days.”

Crap. Bed rest again. She’d go out of her mind, but right now it sounded good. “Okay.”

“Good.” The doctor raised the bed up a little so she could sit up. “The nurse will bring you some paperwork to sign and I’ll let your husband in.”

He wasn’t her husband, but she wasn’t going to argue. Her head hurt too much.

***

Amedeo strode into Violet’s room. The doctor had finally come out and told him that she was fine. The baby was fine and that Violet would need to rest for a few days. It was Friday so he could be home with her for the next two days.

She looked so small and ashy sitting in that hospital bed. She was bruised and battered and he’d made her mad enough to walk out. He must make this up to her. No two ways about it.

“Hi,” he said.

He took her hand. Her eyes were half-mast and she looked like she could fall asleep.

“Hi.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired and achy.”

“I’m sure that will pass.”

“I hope so,” she said.

“I can take you home as soon as the papers get signed,’ he said.

“You going back to work?”

“No, it’s Friday. I’ll knock off for the week. You won’t have to go home alone.”

“Thanks,” she said.

It was the least he could do for her. He’d made her so upset that she walked in front of a moving car. He thought the plan was still solid, but obviously she didn’t. They’d have to talk about it.

A nurse bustled in. “Okay. The doc thinks you have a slight concussion. He wants you to rest for the next few days. It may take longer for the headache to go away. As soon as that is gone, you can drive and go back to work. Until then take it easy. Bed rest for two days. Rest until the headache is gone.”