For all his doomsday predictions and fear mongering and showing her his poor brother’s picture,safetywas something that could be arranged for them outside of marriage. But she did want this child to know it was wanted. She wanted that more than anything.
His attitude towards the baby confused her. He wanted the wedding, wanted to keep it ‘safe’, while at the same time he wanted to remain personally distanced from the child. Why? Didn’t he want to take on that responsibility? Was it that he didn’t believe hecould?
When she’d been a child, her parents hadn’t just insisted upon her being self-reliant, their absence had dictated it. She’d tried to be strong like them—to push through pain and carry on. And when she’d fallen and hurt herself, they’d not kissed it better. They’d not even been around. She’d learned to carry her own plasters.
The afternoon they’d collided, Edo had takencareof her. He’d been commanding and compassionate and yes, funny. Maybe it was only because he’d wanted to get into her pants that afternoon, but it showed her that he was capable of care. In his way he cared now—constantly feeding her, providing safe shelter—he nailed the basic necessities of life. She had no doubt that hecouldbe a good father, the problem seemed to be that he didn’t want to be.
‘I want the baby to feel wanted,’ she breathed. ‘To believe in that fairy-tale.’
She wanted it to feel secure inthat. Her parents were passionate—focused, driven extremists. They had their dreams and didn’t let anyone get in the way of them. Not even their child. Phoebe could understand it, but she didn’t want to be the same. Because she’d fallen into that extremism in her relationship with Ryan—submerged herself in a dream that wasn’t real. She couldn’t let that happen again. And she knew she couldn’t go to her parents for help with having this baby. They wouldn’t deviate from their path for their grandchild either. She would break that cycle. Shewould put her child first—ahead of her own discomfort. And she would take the time—the resources—that Edo was offering her to make a better plan for both her and the baby’s future.
And the child deserved its birthright as his heir—to have a connection with him. She did want it to think it had been conceived, if not in love, at least in passion. Its father wanted to do his best for it, even if his best wasn’t allshewould desire from him, this wasn’t about her. Their marriage would only be for long enough to cement that security and that story.
‘Then let me arrange the fairy-tale,’ he said gently. ‘You can always back out at the last minute.’
‘What, jilt you at the altar?’ She glanced at him.
It was a mistake. His looks alone were stunningly seductive. How could he look intensely determined but tender at the same time? She didn’t want to sacrifice anything in her life to follow a husband who cared little for her, but this wasn’t that. There was no lie here, he wasn’t promising her the moon.
‘It’s not for ever, Phoebe, but it will create a solid foundation and give you both security on several levels. And me too.’
Maybe she shouldn’t make such a mountain out of the marriage molehill—it was another form of extremism, right? Maybe she could compromise. She just needed to be careful—not confuse lust for anything else. Notfallfor him. But to make a sacrifice for her child? Then yes, she would consider that.
‘Okay, then. We marry.Briefly.’
He released a long breath. ‘Can I arrange ante-natal care for you while I’m at it?’
She should have known he wouldn’t stop there. ‘I’m the picture of health and you know it.’
‘Even so. You’re months along Phoebe, you need to be checked out. There are things you might need.’
‘You really worry that bad things might happen.’
‘Bad things do happen,’ he said calmly. ‘So we take precautions and alleviate as much risk as possible.’
‘Hence why you work in the insurance industry.’
He was all about preparedness…preparing for worst-case scenarios. He ensured he had the ability to cover all kinds of costs—even to pay a ransom.
‘You trying to figure me out, Phoebe?’
‘Maybe some things are falling into place.’
He shrugged. ‘You should have a check-up. Don’t you want the best for the baby?’
‘Don’t use that to get your way in everything.’
‘Don’t you want what’s best foryou? Your health matters,’ he growled. ‘At least let me do what Ican.’
There it was again, that implication that there were things he couldn’t do. But this was a shock to him too, right? Maybe, given time, he might want to do more than he currently thought he did. And he was right, her health did matter—even more so now. ‘Fine.’
He picked up his phone and tapped a brief message. Next second the car pulled into a side street, turned around and went back in their previous direction. Phoebe frowned and glanced out the window. Now she thought about it, it had been taking them for ever to leave Milan. It looked like they were still in the central city. Shouldn’t they be on some motorway by now?
‘You said we’re going to the estate, right?’ she asked.
‘We’re seeing a doctor first.’ He kept his focus on his phone. ‘Heading there now.’
She stared at him, anger blooming. ‘Have we been going in big circles this whole time?’
