It would have been almost funny, having two men at opposite ends of the spectrum in her life. Except it was horrible. She stifled a sob. She’d let her friend Eduardo down and she’d let herself down, swept up in her feelings for Gio when this couldn’t end well.
She owed it to her child and herself not to become a martyr to a man who could never give them what they needed.
A tall figure stepped in front of her, gaze boring into hers. ‘You can’t—’
‘It’s time I left.’ Her voice sounded strangled but she’d finally got the words out.
‘No! You don’t want to marry him. He can’t make you happy.’
Months ago she’d have snapped that Gio had no idea what made her happy. Today she was too desolate for anger. She’d feared this day would come, when she’d have to face facts. Love him as she might, staying with Gio was breaking her apart because he was right, he couldn’t give her what she craved. She needed to be whole for her child’s sake.
She was about to say she wasn’t marrying Eduardo when strong hands gripped hers. ‘Marry me instead.’
‘Sorry?’ Surely she’d imagined those words.
‘You want stability. Marry me. We’re having a baby together. I’ll look after you both.’
Stella searched his face. His dark eyebrows arrowed down in a frown. His jaw was set, his mouth tight and his eyes glittered with a hard light.
Like a man who’d screwed up his courage to do something he loathed. Gio had vowed to protect her. He felt an obligation to their child. So though he shunned the idea of love, he’d give them his name and support.
But there’d be no love, not from him. They’d probably lead separate lives once the first flush of passion died.
She didn’t need the support he offered.
Stella yanked her hands free and stepped back. ‘I can look after myself and my baby.’
She was capable. She’d get by. Maybe she’d go to Australia, far from her interfering father, and start over again.
‘It’sourbaby, Stella.’ Gio stood tall, shoulders thrust back and hands in his pockets. ‘You wouldn’t deny me access.’
She scowled, folding her arms. ‘Since when did you want access? You’ve said you’re not cut out to be a father. You don’twantto be a father.’
He would have spoken but she hurried on. ‘I know what it’s like to live with a parent who can’t give love. It’s poison, Gio. You know it too. Why would you want to inflict that on my baby?’
She withdrew another step, one hand protectively over her abdomen. ‘I like you, Gio.’Like!A bitter laugh curled her lips but she refused to let it escape. ‘I know you don’t choose to be this way. I don’t blame you.’ At least she tried not to. ‘But I want a partner who loves me and my child. That’s not negotiable.’
‘Morosi won’t give you that, whatever he says,’ Gio hissed through clenched teeth. ‘If he loved you he’d have followed you instantly, not waited a month. Can’t you see?’
‘This has nothing to do with Eduardo!’ She shook her head. ‘He’s a friend. This is about me and my baby and what we need.’
‘Me.’ Gio pulled his hands from his pockets and moved closer. ‘Our baby needs its father. I should be there for it. Iwantto be there.’
Stella looked into that scorching gaze and felt her determination tremble. Distress welled. She’d known it would be hard to leave Gio but this tore her heart out.
‘And I want to be there for you, Stella. I want to be with you.’
He raked his fingers through his hair and something bright fluttered to the ground. She barely noticed. She was transfixed by his expression, as tortured as she felt.
‘I love you, Stella.’
Her throat constricted so it felt like glass shards shredding her throat. ‘Don’t say that. Don’t lie, Gio.’
She’d thought the pain couldn’t get worse but to hear him lie made a mockery of everything they’d shared. She’d told herself while he didn’t love her, he was honest, caring in his own way. To have him play on her emotions…
‘Don’t look at me like that, Stella. It’s true. I should have realised long ago but it’s hard to move past things you’ve believed most of your life. I didn’t think I could feel love, but I do.’
He held his arms out towards her, palms up in a gesture of openness. ‘I can’t imagine life without you, Stella. I want to be by your side for the rest of our lives, raising a family—’
