Page 202 of Falling for the Wife

Haggard, exhausted, dehydrated, and purely on the verge of a breakdown, I jumped out of my skin when I saw Anton waiting on the couch for me the second I walked into the house. It was a total surprise yet not unexpected.

“Anton?” I whispered as I dragged my feet to greet him.

He eyed me with a frown, noting the state I was in. “Is everything okay?” he asked, his frown deepening as he looked at my beyond exhausted state. “I’ve been calling you, but it sent me directly to voicemail. Where have you been? You look rather pale, cara.”

Tears rimmed my eyes as I gave him a wan smile. “I finally got my closure.”

“Oh …” He paused before coming towards me and giving me a warm, reassuring embrace. “It’s going to be okay.” He gently brushed my hair, hoping to calm me down.

I made a small nod, mimicking his confidence.It’s going to be okay. The little one and I had Anton and my family. That’s all we needed.

I had thought carrying Luca’s child was going to be easy. Back then, I had thought that at least I got to keep a small, tiny part of him. After all, a man like him couldn’t be tamed. He was the beloved son of Italy. Everyone adored him, including myself. Keeping him for my own benefit would ruin him. Not only that, but it would have ruined me, too, and everything I loved. I couldn’t risk any of that.

Luca was better off living in his world, living in his element. It was where he belonged, after all…

And I belongedhere… away from him, just as it should be.

Nove

SIX MONTHS LATER…

Standing on the starting grid of the famed Monza circuit, I frowned at the new car that carried the names of my sponsors with my father’s company at the front and center of the wide-open cockpit that hosted a single-seater, open-wheel racing machine.

Today was one of those tedious days where I had to do some marketing aspect of my job, and on the bloody agenda was a tiresome photo shoot.Por Dio! But who really has the patience to be barked at by some short-fused photographer?It was not how I had pictured my day unfolding. Alas, it was my job, and so I endured it until I could go find solace in the bottom of an expensive, aged whiskey.

We were prepping for the Italian Grand Prix. Then I was off to Asia and America, followed by Brazil and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Resuming my old life was not what I had pictured, but it was the only choice I had left. It was all I had left. Therefore, even though I wasn’t completely happy about it, I had to keep going.

I had made a tough call that would shape not only my life, but the baby’s, as well, and I had to do what I felt was the right thing. The baby was better off without me. So was she.

Maybe someday I would finally come to terms with everything that had happened. Maybe then I could move on and be with someone again. As of right then, I had to keep women at arm’s length, or they would become like rabid dogs marking their territory.

From my peripheral, I could see Gino making his way towards the carefully thought out shoot. There was a determined look about him, which easily told me he couldn’t care less about what the sour-puss of a photographer was going to do to him.

“Vaffanculo!Move out of the way, you imbecile!”

I smirked at the way Gino shrugged his way into that insult as he strode towards me. Whatever information he had, it was important, and he wasn’t going to let anyone, not even the terrifying photographer whom I didn’t even dare cross, stop him from delivering it to me.

In retrospect, Gino was beyond brilliant as an assistant. He deserved a raise. I made a mental note as my smile got bigger before giving him a nod when he reached me.

“Che cosa succede?” (What’s happening?)

“È il bambino, Signore.” (It’s the baby.)

He need not say more. After hearing his words, I blasted my way out of there at the speed of light with my heart pounding so hard against my chest that one would consider I was having a mild heart attack.

The second the car doors closed, I looked out the window, seeing nothing as I took in a lungful of breath.

“Go on,” I said in a low, baritone voice.

“I couldn’t really grasp what Signora Gallo was saying since she was speaking in a rush, but from what I gathered, you’re needed in the hospital because of the baby, and time is of the essence.”

Gritting my teeth together didn’t ease all the horrendous images that were running through my mind.

“She already gave birth, didn’t she?” I carefully asked, clarifying it once more just to make sure I wasn’t losing my mind.

He made a curt nod, sending me a steady look. “Si, Signore, a little over seven weeks ago.”

Something was wrong. Something was bloody wrong. I just felt it. And whatever it was, it was terrifying me. What if I went there and found out that the baby was dead or that he or she’d had an accident?