The Billionaire's Baby (The Romero Brothers, Book 5) (21 page)

 
“Congratulations, bro,” Dion added.

“Thanks, Dion. I couldn’t have done it
without everyone’s support. It means a lot,” Jules said.

“Yeah, I know.
And,
congratulations again with Amber, too.
Are you two planning on having a
big wedding ceremony where Grandpa won’t be complaining every year on your
anniversary how he wasn’t even invited to the original nuptials?”

Jules grinned. “Very funny. I don’t think
he’d like the idea of being in a labor and delivery room. Besides, you saw how
nervous the JP was. And he’s Grandpa’s age. When the time is right, we’ll have
a big reception. Besides, why don’t you give him what he wants? You know he
wants us all married off before he puts one foot in the grave.”

“A wedding? I don’t think so. You know I’m
not a marrying man,” Dion felt uneasy. There went his heartbeat again. Pounding
hard in his chest. Dion had done the engagement thing once before but caught
his now ex with his
BFF
– backstabbing freaking
friend.
Currently, ex-friend.
He knew then, betrothal wasn’t
for him. It was a good thing they hadn’t walked down the aisle yet.

How could he ever trust that a woman wasn’t
going to rip out his heart from his chest again after he figuratively handed it
to her on a silver platter, with a diamond engagement ring on the side? “Don’t
get me wrong, I’m happy for you, Lucas, Zack and Carl but I really don’t see
myself tying the knot.”

“I know you had it rough, man. But really,
when you meet the right one—”

“Jules, I’ve been down that road before.
I’m not going there again. I dodged that bullet! It’s lucky that you and the
others found someone special. And I say blessed luck! But I’ll continue to keep
my relationships temporary, thanks.
Physical, hot, and wild, nothing
more.
As long as I let the pretty ladies know up front I’m not a
marrying man, they can take it or leave it.”

“Fine. You say that now…”

“And I’ll be saying that until my dying
breath.”

Jules play punched his brother Dion. “Yeah,
right. I’ll believe that when I see it, man.”

Just then his
sister-in-law, Amber, showed up beside them.
Dion excused himself and headed for the refreshments table. Another man walked
over to where Jules and Amber were standing.

*
     
*
     
*
  

 
“Hi, honey,”
Amber
said when she got close to Jules.

“Hey, beautiful, have you met Mr. Jackson
from the Regent Center?” Jules said, turning to the man beside him.

“No, it’s nice to meet you,” Amber said.
Mr. Jackson took her hand and kissed the back of it.

“Your wife is very gracious and beautiful,
Jules. Congratulations.”

“I know she is. Thank you.”

Amber was happy to see Jules in good
spirits. It was a trying month for them.

When she pulled him aside away from the
crowd, she couldn’t wait to tell him the good news.

“We’re having a baby?” He beamed.

She nodded joyfully. “I just got the message
and couldn’t wait to tell you. It looks as if you’re okay after all, baby.”

“Amber, you don’t know how happy I am to
hear that.” He wrapped his arms around her and practically picked her up.

“I can’t wait to share the good news.”

“Neither can I.”

“You said you wanted to speak with me
tonight about some good news. Well, even though it’s not as good as mine.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Oh, come on. What could be more thrilling
than us having a baby … together, honey?”

He leaned her against the wall and looked
deeply into her eyes, hunger and passion filled his dark, sexy eyes. “Do you
remember the ski accident I had?”

“Of course. That’s when the doctor said
erroneously you couldn’t make babies.”

“Yeah, well, at that time, he also told me
I could have my sperm surgically removed and stored and so I took him up on the
offer at the time and then forgot about it.” A wicked grin touched his lips.

Amber’s heart fluttered hard in her chest,
her throat closed up with emotion. “J-Jules…what are you t-telling me?”

“I didn’t want to say anything until I got
the confirmation but…as it turned out, the lab staff accidentally took my
sample and got a local woman pregnant with it. I should be totally pissed, but
turns out, there’s more to it.”

Amber eyes widened. She was crestfallen another
woman could be out there with a little Jules or Julie that was not theirs!
“A-and?”

“Well, I had them track down this mystery
lady and according to DNA tests, Crystal happens to be my biological daughter!
Can you believe that?” Emotion filled his dark, lovely eyes.

Amber could not help but let out a scream
of joy, turning heads for a moment. “Ah, that’s amazing! The universe
definitely works in mysterious ways, doesn’t it?””

Amber wrapped her arms around Jules and
hugged him with all her strength. They embraced and to their surprise a cheer
and round of applause erupted from some of the guests who could not even begin
to imagine what they were celebrating. Not just yet. Right now, Jules and Amber
were going to enjoy a private victory and memorable celebration of their love.

One
month later…

Dion Romero couldn’t believe his ears. He
hated to be deceived, especially by a beautiful woman he trusted. A woman who
was
close
enough to him to hurt him. “Jenna-Lynn?”
Dion asked incredulously. Dion looked at his private detective, JoJo, a man who
once worked as a bodyguard. “My executive assistant? Are you sure?” he finished
his sentence.

“Yes, boss.”

“There’s gotta be a mistake. I checked her
background before I hired her,” Dion continued. He should be angry as hell
right now because it wouldn’t be the first time he’d been stabbed in the heart
by a pretty face. But it would be the last time. His mind kept trailing on
pretty-faced Jenna-Lynn. She was so cute and innocent in all outward appearances.
Yeah, they were the worst kind. When would Dion ever learn?

 
“I know, boss, but there’s something
about her that just doesn’t check out,” JoJo said in a rough voice. The man was
a leviathan and looked like a giant at six foot-seven. Considering that Dion was
six foot four and
well-built
, JoJo was still the
equivalent of Goliath.
Not exactly inconspicuous.
But
he’d worked for the Romero family for years and always got the job done.

 
“Like what?” Dion said, pacing in his
office, unbuttoning his business suit jacket. “What doesn’t check out?”

 
“Her background doesn’t fly. It seems a
bit too…perfect.”

 
“That’s it?”

 
“It’s too perfect, boss,” the man said
without smiling. JoJo never smiled. Dion couldn’t remember the last time he
even smirked. Was he even capable of mirth?

 
“You mean like fabricated?”

JoJo
nodded slowly, his eyes narrowed. “Yes, boss.”

Dion remembered all too well, the trouble
his brother Carl went through when they found out about the past Venus, Carl’s
former assistant and now wife, had been hiding.
  

 
“And that’s not the only thing, boss.” “What
else is there?” Like Dion really wanted to hear more.

“She’s been watching you.”

Dion got
all soft
inside for a moment until he read JoJo’s expression.

 
“You mean…?”

 
“Bingo! We found out she’s had you under
surveillance this whole time. You and your family.”

Dion felt his core body temperature scorch
his body inside. What was she?
Some sort of spy?
Or
cop? Boy, did he know how to pick ‘em. Hot babe or not, she was out on her
butt. “That’s it. She’s fired!”

Coming soon…Dion and
Jenna-Lynn’s story!

For
the next sizzling installment of The Romero Brothers join Shadonna Richards’s
email signup at
www.shadonnarichards.blogspot.com
and join her list where it
says “Email Sign Up” so you can be the first to be notified of hot new romance
novels. ***As an added bonus, you will also receive a free romance novella once
signed up.

Dear Reader: Sign up for Shadonna Richards’s email
updates to be notified when new books are released
by clicking here!

*One subscriber per month will be selected to win a
$50 eGift Card! Sign up today!

Books by Shadonna Richards

THE ROMERO BROTHERS

The Billionaire’s Second-Chance Bride, #1 (Antonio III & Lucy)

A Bride for the Billionaire Bad Boy, #2 (Lucas & Maxine)

The Playboy Billionaire, #3 (Zack & Blue)

The Billionaire’s Island Romance, #3.5 (Christian & Arianna)

The Billionaire’s Proposition, #4 (Carl & Venus)

The Billionaire’s Baby, #5 (Jules & Amber)

The Billionaire’s Assistant, #6 (Dion & Jenna-Lynn)

Snowbound with the Billionaire, #7 (Troy & Pamela)

The Billionaire’s Marriage Proposal, #8 (Dr. Alonso & Britney)

THE BRIDE SERIES

An Unexpected Bride
 

The Jilted Bride
 

The Matchmaker Bride

His Island Bride (Free)

An Unexpected Baby
(The sequel to
An Unexpected Bride)

The Billionaire’s Second Chance Bride

The Belmont Christmas Bride
  

THE BRIDE SERIES COLLECTION (Books 1-5 and other stories)

WHIRLWIND ROMANCE SERIES

Accidentally Flirting with the CEO (Free)

Accidentally Married to the Billionaire

Accidentally Falling for the Tycoon

Accidentally Flirting with the CEO 2

Accidentally Flirting with the CEO 3 

THE BILLIONAIRE’S WHIRLWIND ROMANCE (Books 1-3)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SHADONNA RICHARDS,
USA Today
Bestselling Author

Shadonna
Richards enjoys reading and writing about the magic of romance and the power of
love. She has sold over 300,000 copies of her bestselling romance novels. Born
in London, England, she has a B.A. Degree in Psychology and a Diploma in
Nursing. Winner of Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write 2010 Day Two
Challenge, she is also a member of Romance Writers of America. She's a proud
mommy and wife and lives in Canada with her husband and son.

AUTHOR
CONTACT:

Email: [email protected]
Website: www.shadonnarichards.blogspot.com
Facebook
:www.facebook.com
/authorshadonnarichards

SOME INTERESTING FACTS
:


* All books in her Bride Series (as of May, 2012) have
hit the #1 spot in their categories


* Three of her Bride Series novels simultaneously
occupied the Top 5 Hot New Releases in Romance Anthologies in May 2012
*

Five of her Bride Series novels were simultaneously
listed in the Top 20 Bestsellers list in Romance Anthologies in May 2012


* Her novels: The Matchmaker Bride, His Island
Bride and The Bride Series (Novels 1-4) made the Top 100 Most Wished For list
in April 2012 & May 2012 in the top 10 spots


* She made Amazon's Top 100 Most Popular Authors in
Contemporary Romance at #48 in March 2013


* She made Amazon's Top 10 Most Popular Authors in
Contemporary Romance in November 2013