Rome for Always (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection) (4 page)

“I wouldn’t recommend it,” Vittorio retorted. “Not after
this trick she just pulled on you."

“It was not a trick. She’d been turned down. She had no
idea they would then come back and offer the child to her.”

“When they did, she could have said no.” Vittorio’s
response was abrupt and devoid of emotion.

“No, she could not.” Rome knew Arie and that was the
last thing she could have done. Not after meeting the child. Not after falling
in love with her.

“Rome, listen to me.” Vittorio’s voice was stern.”
There’s something wrong with this picture. I don’t think you should trust this
girl.”

“No, you listen, Papa. The baby doesn’t change anything-”
Rome stopped abruptly as a soft knock sounded on the door and Iyana pushed her
head in.

“Your meeting,” she whispered, tapping her watch. “You’ve
only got four minutes.”

“Thank you.” He only mouthed the words and then he was
scowling again, his attention focused on his father’s words.

“Before you marry her,” Vittorio was saying, “I need to
meet her. I need to see what kind of woman you’re bringing into the family.”

“That’s not necessary,” Rome said, his voice just as
firm. “I think you know you can trust me.”

“You, I can trust. It’s her that I’m worried about. Rome,
I know you’re a man who makes his own decisions but just humor an old man. Before
you walk down the aisle bring her to Italy. Let me see the woman who’s so
mesmerized my son he can’t think straight.”

“Fine. If that’s what it will take to get you off my
back, then you got it.” Rome gave a snort. “But you’re going to see you’re
wrong. You’ll fall in love with Arie. Just watch.”

“That remains to be seen.” Vittorio’s voice was skeptical.
“I just want to figure out if this Arie of yours has any more surprises up her
sleeve.”

His tone made Rome realize there was no point in
continuing the conversation. There was nothing he could say that would make his
father change his mind. It was time to wrap this up before both of them got so
riled up they ended up saying things they’d later regret.

“Listen, Dad. I’ve got to go. Time for my meeting.”

“All right, son. Let’s talk again tomorrow.”

The phone call ended on a civil note but several seconds
after his father had hung up Rome just sat there, his forehead still furrowed
in a frown. It was only when Iyana stuck her head in, this time with her face
sporting a frown of her own, that he made any attempt to move.

Because, try as he might, he couldn’t shake the thought.
What if there was some inkling of reason to what his father had said?

What if Arie held more secrets behind those brilliant
blue eyes of hers?

CHAPTER THREE

“Isn’t this exciting? We’re going to get to see her.”
Arie was grinning as she gazed over at Rome.

He gave her a quick glance and a slight smile.  “I
thought you saw her already.”

“I did, but she was only five months old then. Now she’s
all of ten months old.” She sighed. “She’s such a big girl now. I can only
imagine how much she’s changed.”

“Hmm.” That was Rome’s reply, a noncommittal response
that had Arie tilting her head to get a better look at him.

She couldn’t put her finger on it but something was not
quite right. As soon as she got the call that she could visit the baby she'd
told him about it.  He'd insisted on flying her there but since they'd set off
he'd seemed preoccupied, even distant, and each time she’d started talking
about the baby he’d either been nonresponsive or had changed the subject.

This was one of those non-responsive times.

It made it seem like he was totally uninterested in the
conversation but she would try again. Maybe he had a lot on his mind. He might
even be nervous about meeting Maya. That must be it. A case of nerves, plain
and simple.

“Would you like to name the baby?” she asked, trying to
draw him out.

“Hmm?” Rome almost sounded bored.

“Name her. Give her a middle name. I already gave her
the name Maya so it would be nice if you chose her middle name.”

He shrugged. “Okay.”

Arie looked at him askance. “Okay? Is that all you have
to say?”

He glanced at her. “What? You want the middle name right
now?”

“Well, no, but you could at least sound interested. It’s
like I’m nagging you or something.”

“Your words, not mine.”

“So I’m nagging you? Talking about little Maya is
nagging?” She gave him the full focus of her glare. “Come, be honest with me. Are
you sure you’re up to this adoption? Because, if not, nobody’s holding a gun to
your head. You can always back out.”

He threw her a frosty glance. “Don’t even go there.”

“But I have to. You’ve been acting so weird, I don’t
know what to think. I…” She lifted her hand, almost in a pleading gesture, then
she dropped it back onto her lap. “I’m sorry, Rome. I didn’t mean to upset you.
It’s just that you’ve been so cool lately, I don’t know what to think.”

She glanced over at him, expecting him to defend
himself, but he said nothing. She saw when he drew in a breath then let it out.
She saw his brows knit as if in deep concentration but still, he said nothing.

Finally, despite the fear that gripped her heart, she
decided to ask the questions that would determine the course of the rest of her
life. She swallowed. “Rome,” she said, her voice low and tight, “do you want
out? Are you having second thoughts?  Do you want to call off the wedding?”

It was that question that finally got a rise out of him.

She saw when he gripped the armrest between them and his
jaw clenched. “Arie,” he said, his voice hard as flint, “don’t ever ask me a
question like that again. That’s bull and you know it.”

“But I have to know,” she threw back at him. “I need to
know how you feel. You’re not talking. And in the last couple of days you’ve
been so weird.”

Rome glanced at Arie then away again but in that quick
second she could see the depth of emotion in his eyes. When he spoke his voice
was low and firm. “No matter what, Arie, always know this. I love you and there
is nothing that will make me walk away from you.”

And those words were so simply spoken, but with such
conviction, that she could no longer doubt that they were true. Her lips
softened in a tremulous smile and she reached out to lay a hand on Rome’s
shoulder. “And I love you,” she said softly. “I love you so much.”

He looked at her again and this time, to her relief, he
was smiling. “I have the perfect name for our little girl.”

Arie’s eyes widened. “You do? But I just asked you about
it. You haven’t had much time to think.”

He shook his head. “I don’t need to. I want to name her
after a very special lady in my life.”
            “Oh? Who?”

“My grandmother, my
nonna
. Her name is Agnesia
Ismirelda Belaflore Milano.

Arie looked at him askance. “And you want to name Maya…which
one?”

Please, God, don’t let him say Agnesia
. The fact was, Arie didn’t like any of the names, but how could she
tell Rome that, after she’d jumped on him for not seeming enthusiastic about
giving Maya a name?

“Agnesia,” he said and gave her a proud grin.

Arie almost fell back in her seat. Never gonna happen. There
was no way she was going to name her daughter Agnesia. How could she break it
to him? She sucked in her breath. She would just have to be brutal. It was the
best way. “Rome,” she said with a shake of her head, “I’m sorry but I’m going
to have to go back on my word. You are not naming our baby Agnesia.”

Instead of the protest she’d expected Rome burst out
laughing. “Got you, didn’t I? Come on, Arie. Give me some credit. I wouldn’t be
so sadistic as to saddle a twenty-first century kid with a name like Agnesia.”

That made Arie sink into her seat in relief. “Whew!
Thank goodness you were only kidding.” Then she punched him on the leg. “And
don’t do that again.”

He chuckled. “Oh, come on, honey. A guy can have some
fun.” Then as he sobered he said, “But I do want to use one of those names.”

Arie’s grin disappeared. “You do?” It was going to be
Ismirelda. She just knew it.

“I’d like to name her Bella. You know, from Belaflore.”
He gave her a gentle smile. “I know she’s going to be
bella
, just like
her mommy.” 

That made Arie’s heart melt. “Aaw, that’s so sweet.” She
leaned over to touch her lips to Rome’s cheek. “Thanks, honey.”

The mood lightened, for the rest of the journey Rome and
Arie exchanged light banter, with Arie teasing him about diaper-changing duty
and Rome throwing it right back at her. On the outside she was laughing and gay
but inside she was nervous as heck. Soon she would have Maya in her arms and
she didn’t know what to expect.

What if the baby didn’t like her? What if she cried?
What if she refused to even come to her? And, even worse, what if the baby sensed
that she knew next to nothing about being a mother?

She glanced at the man sitting beside her. And what
about Rome? What did he know about being a father? And then the thought made
her smile. Rome would make a wonderful father. She just knew it. She could imagine
him holding Maya to his chest, rocking her to sleep, humming soft lullabies as
she drifted off into slumber.

Surprisingly, it was that thought that finally put her
at ease and for the rest of the journey she was her normal self. With Rome by
her side she was sure everything would work out just fine.

And it did. When they finally arrived and Arie walked
into the reception lounge of the orphanage Rome was holding her hand, and when
the associate escorted them down the hallway to the nursery he was with her
every step of the way.

But when they walked in and she saw the nurse holding Maya
all dressed in pink, Arie slipped her hand from his, her heart thumping, an
involuntary smile on her lips. She was finally seeing her baby again.

And she was beautiful.

Little Maya Bella soon-to-be Milano, all pink-faced and
chubby with black curls peeping out from under her bonnet, was smiling and
bouncing in the nurse’s arms and when she saw Arie approaching she showed no
fear, only curiosity. Instead of turning away or crying at the approach of her
visitor she bounced even harder, almost jumping out of the nurse’s arms. She
was like no other ten-month-old Arie had ever seen. By this age most babies had
developed a healthy fear of new faces, but not this one. Maya Bella was all
smiles.

“My baby,” Arie whispered as she crept closer. “My
pretty little baby.” There were tears in her eyes as she reached for her and
her heart breathed a soft sigh of relief when the baby released her grip on the
nurse’s neck and leaned over to fall into her outstretched arms.

And it felt so good.

It was the most wonderful feeling in the world to have
Maya in her arms, to feel the soft cheeks pressed against hers and the tiny
hands patting her face, exploring her eyes then the bridge of her nose then her
lips. Maya was no longer a memory she’d clung to in the stillness of the night.
She was real.

Arie lowered her face to plant a gentle kiss on top of
the little girl’s head and as she did she was rewarded with the softly sweet
fragrance of baby. Her smile widening, she turned with the baby in her arms and
looked over at Rome who still hovered in the shadow of the associate. “Do you
want to hold her?” she asked.

Rome looked curious and made to step forward but then he
hesitated. “Do you think that’s a good idea? I might scare her.”

The nurse shook her head and gave him a reassuring smile.
“Don’t worry,” she said. "She’s one of the most outgoing babies I know. Give
it a try. Let’s see how she responds.”

She waved him over and he took a tentative step, his
eyes never leaving the rosy-cheeked tot in Arie’s arms. When he saw that he
hadn’t caused an explosion of tears he took another step and then he was right
next to them, his face now soft and gentle, his eyes so full of wonder that
Arie could not help but feel touched by the effect the baby was having on him.

“Here,” she said. “You can hold her.”

He began to shake his head but then the baby made all
objections null and void. Taking the decision out of his hands she leaned over,
fat little arms outstretched, leaving him with no alternative but to gather her
into his arms.

And then he was snuggling her close to him, his eyes
closed, looking for all the world like he’d found his heaven.

And that was when Arie knew it was going to be all right.
Everything would work out just fine.

Because, if the look she’d seen in Rome’s eyes was
anything to go by, he was already falling in love. And Arie wasn’t jealous at
all.

***

“Maya Bella Milano.” As the words rolled off his tongue,
Rome nodded. “Sounds good.”