LUCY MONROE: Pregnancy Of Passion

His body went taut, his attitude one of extreme alertness. “You’ve taken possession of them already?”

“Yes.”

“Your father thought they were not being transported from Mukar for a week or more.”

“That is what the former crown prince wished. He told everyone they were being transported just before the auction. He hoped to make the transfer in secret. It worked.”

“Just because I did not know you had them does not mean no one is aware they have been brought here.”

“They’re safe in the vault,” she repeated stubbornly.

“Perhaps, but you are not safe.”

He kept harping on it and she knew he was right, but she didn’t know what to do about it. And frankly, when she’d negotiated for the auction, she hadn’t really cared about her safety one way or another.

The numbness after losing the baby and Salvatore had worn off, but a certain malaise of spirit lingered on. Sure personal happiness was out of her reach, she would risk anything, do anything to ensure it for a man who had been so good to her. Signor di Adamo.

Salvatore had moved without her realizing, while her mind had been off in its own little world. His hand brushed her cheek and she felt the gentle touch like a branding that both burned and physically hurt.

“I will never leave you alone.”

Leaving her dazed from that small interchange, he spun on his heel and left her office.

SALVATORE waited for Elisa to come out of her office. She’d spent the remaining hours of the afternoon working on the auction while Salvatore and Signor di Adamo discussed new security features for the store and measures to keep both the old man and Elisa safe until the crown jewels were sold. Signor di Adamo handled customers as well, showing his grandson the ropes of the business, while Salvatore made phone calls on his mobile and ordered necessary equipment to be installed immediately.

It had been a pleasant afternoon, but the next few minutes did not promise to be so pleasant. He had to tell Elisa that he was going home with her. He had no choice, but he doubted very much she would see things that way.

She didn’t.

Five minutes later she was glaring at him as if he had suggested something obscene. “No way.” She shook her head so hard part of her hair slipped out of the French twist on the back of her head. It fell over one green eye and she impatiently shoved it aside. “You are not going home with me.”

“If anyone knows of the jewels’ whereabouts, neither you nor your employer will be safe. He will be staying with his daughter and son-in-law. You have no one.”

An expression came into her eyes when he said that, a bleakness of spirit he did not like and one he did not associate with the fiery woman who had been his lover. “I don’t have you either. Wouldn’t have you. Even as a misguided gift from my father. You aren’t going with me and that’s final.”

With that she marched past him and out the door, leaving Signor di Adamo to lock up. Salvatore cursed and followed her.

“At least allow me to drive you home.” He would take care of getting in the door of her apartment once they arrived.

“I’ll catch the bus.” And then she was running to do just that and Salvatore felt a wave of shock as he realized she’d thwarted him with less effort than it would have taken a five-year-old.

Furious, he rapped out orders to one of the men he’d brought in during the afternoon. He would see to Signor di Adamo and his grandson’s safe journey home.

Salvatore slung himself behind the wheel of his black four-wheel drive and followed that damn city bus all the way to Elisa’s apartment.

He was not in a good mood when he got there.

Elisa stepped off the bus and a very unpleasant word slipped past lips stiff with frustration.

Salvatore waited for her in front of her building with the look of a man ready to do violence. Only, if she knew anything about him, she knew he would not physically harm her. Even in the midst of his rage over the baby, he had kept his blows to the verbal variety.

All the same, she couldn’t help the shiver of apprehension that skittered down her spine.

She approached the entrance warily, her eyes fixed on the spot of the red-painted door visible to the left of Salvatore’s tall frame. If she could just get inside that door and away from the man in front of it, everything would be fine.

She stopped a foot away because he hadn’t moved.

Nor had he spoken, but his body language spoke volumes and all of it bad.

“Do not ever run from me again.”

She allowed herself to meet his gaze, pretending not to feel the shards of pain such a motion caused her deep inside. “Go take a hike. You don’t dictate to me.”

“Someone needs to. You have no concern for your own safety.”

Her eyes widened at that. “What could possibly happen to me on the city bus?”

“If you don’t know, you are more naïve than a woman of your age should be.” Then he proceeded to spell out in graphic detail what could have happened to her, covering the range from a sex fiend accosting her to being kidnapped and forced to give her kidnappers the crown jewels.

When he was done, she fought both nausea and irritation.

“And if you think you are any safer in your apartment, you are a fool,” he added when she remained silent.

“You’re assuming other people know the jewels are at Adamo Jewelers, but there’s nothing to indicate that is the case.”

“Assume the worst and plan accordingly.” He made no apologies for his cynicism and she hadn’t expected him to.

Even when she’d loved him she’d recognized that he had a very pessimistic view of the world.

“Even if someone does know and wants to steal the jewels, the vault is on a timed lock mechanism,” she said with satisfaction. “Signor di Adamo cannot open it before nine in the morning, no matter how much he might want to.”

“That will not prevent you from being used as a pawn in procurement of the jewels.”

She sighed, knowing that in the most extreme scenario he could be right, but she was unwilling to believe the risk was all that great. “Please move.” She dug for her door key in her purse. “I want to go inside.”

“Have you heard nothing I have said?”

“I heard. I just don’t believe.” Aha. She’d found it. She withdrew the key and looked pointedly at the door behind him.

“Tough.” Then in another one of those moves that always took her by surprise, he took her key. It was like the first time he’d kissed her. She hadn’t been expecting that either.

She grabbed for the key ring, but he was already unlocking the door. Stepping back, he ushered her inside, her keys still firmly in his hand.

She stepped just over the threshold and then put her hand out. “Give it to me.”

He ignored her outstretched hand and followed her inside, forcing her to move backward or be in the unenviable position of touching him again.

“It’s a secured building, for goodness’ sake.”

“A locked entryway is not secure. Particularly one with a lock as old and easy to pick as that one.”

The whole building was old and she liked it. Her apartment had character and the rent was cheap. She refused to live off of either of her parents, and Signor di Adamo could not afford to pay her what she was worth.

“Stop showing off your security-guard skills and give me back my key. I’m hungry and tired. I want to get to my apartment, make my dinner and go to bed.”

“I am a security specialist, not a guard.”

Not to mention being heir apparent to the whole company when his father decided to abdicate the throne.

“Whatever.” She wasn’t going to ask for the key again.