“Shall we try it again, then?” I chuckled when he turned away. Surprisingly, he didn’t move off me and I took a moment to watch the two of them relax. Reaching out, I ran a hand through Jardin’s curls. The sudden tightening in my chest grew more intense when Rayden looked at me again. I knew what he was thinking—I could read it in his eyes, in his solemn expression. That we might’ve indulged in a threesome with Zena but she and I shared something—someone special. Fuck. I cringed at the hurt he must suffer and the agony of looking at the baby, thinking I’d stolen the woman he loved. If only he knew.
Jardin lifted his head, sluggish with sleep, eyes drowsy and slurred, “Jar...din love da..da,” before his head fell back to Rayden’s neck.
The sudden declaration shocked the two of us. Rayden paled, I wasn’t sure if it was because Jardin called him dad or that the baby did it in front of me and Rayden assumed I’d be angry. Emotions, I couldn’t read fast enough, flashed across his face. This time, he moved to get up and I knew he was running.
With a hand to his shoulder, I stopped him. “Don’t go.”
He tensed and seemed to contemplate my words. I wanted to offer him comfort without coming across as dictating what he should and shouldn’t do. I’d learned two things about him so far, he hated being challenged and decisions being made for him. Lifting my hand, I gave him the option to move away. Another surprise, he didn’t but kept his gaze glued to the ceiling before his eyes closed.
I stared at the newspaper in my hands, searching my mind for something to say and just when I opened my mouth, Rayden’s even breathing told me he’d dozed off. Silently, I watched the two of them sleep, their soft exhales almost in sync. It’d been a while since I sat around doing nothing, actually relaxing and while the circumstances weren’t ideal, the view in front of me calmed me, made me want to lie down next to them and pass out into a blissful sleep. The nagging at the back of my neck, though didn’t allow me that satisfaction. It urged me to do right by Rayden, to give him what he truly deserved. Happiness. A part of me wished I could change the circumstances. I knew there’d be repercussions if I did.
Zena chose that moment to walk in and my thoughts stalled. She took in the way I sat with Rayden’s head on my lap and the baby on his chest. Her smile faltered. Fuck it. Repercussions be damned. Didn’t I live by that? Easing Rayden’s head off my lap, I placed a cushion under his head and stood.
“Let’s talk.” I gestured to the door and Zena paled. Her throat worked a swallow, and I knew she dreaded what was coming. Expecting a stubborn refusal, I was surprised when she nodded and preceded me out the door. I guided her into the study, lowered myself into my leather chair behind the desk and motioned for her to take a seat opposite me. When she did, I folded my arms across my chest and studied her features, waiting for her to say something. “Where would you like to start, Zena?” I asked after a moment of silence.
She lifted her eyes to my face. “Start what?”
“How you ended up in Bianca’s bed for starters?”
She chewed her bottom lip, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for the right answer. “We’d gone out that night. I got drunk and Bianca offered me to stay at her place.”
“So, you had no idea I’d be visiting?” I asked. She shook her head. “Did you know I was fucking Bianca?” Again, she shook her head. “Did Bianca know that I knew you prior to that night?”
“No.”
“Did you know Bianca set me up that night, that she planned the ambush to take me out?”
She narrowed her eyes at me. Anger painting her cheeks a telltale pink. “You know I didn’t. Like I said, I had no idea you were even fucking Bianca, how the hell would I plan an ambush, more importantly, why would I plan one in the first place,” she muttered. “And how did you know it was me in the bed and not Bianca?”
I sat back and studied her flushed features. “You know, Zena, the first time I saw, there was just something that drew me to you. I didn’t understand what it was, until now.” She arched a brow, waiting for me to continue. “There’s this strength about you that tells me there’s more to you than meets the eye.” I grimaced.
Defiance suddenly shone in her eyes. “Seeing as your words don’t quite match your expression, I’m not sure if I should be flattered or insulted?”
“The fact that you neglected to tell Rayden about your pregnancy leads me to believe you’re either incredibly good at lying or manipulation. Which is it?”
A distinct change washed over her placid features. She walked in a meek woman, now rage burned hellfire behind those green eyes. “If you have something to say, Lorenzo then by all means, spit it the fuck out. I have had it up to my eyeballs with you Rossi brothers.”
I could see she was testing my restraint and I chose not to give her that satisfaction. Opening a desk drawer, I withdrew a tiny recorder and set it front of her. Her brow creased, her gaze shifted between my face and the recorder.
“Hit play, Zena.”
“Why?”
“Humor me.” I smirked and received a scowl in return.
She stared at the device, doubt making her appear nervous, before reaching for it. The second she hit play, Bianca’s nauseating voice filled the room. I watched Zena’s face as the recorded conversation began. I had a feeling that crease in her brow would become deep ridges that no Botox needle would fix, by the time the recording ended.
“Lorenzo, it’s Bianca.”
“Yes?”
“Um...are you coming over tonight?”
“No.”
“Um...I think you should.”
“Why?”
