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Ashley flicked her hand. “Word gets around…”
“No, it doesn’t. Only a handful of people know what happened at the manufacturer’s in Singapore,” Leia said.
“Singapore? But the guy Warren had me bribe was in Hong—” She froze, her eyes widening in consternation before she clamped her mouth shut.
“Gotcha,” Leia murmured with a smile.
Noah kept his eyes on the vile creature perched on the bed. “Sam, did you catch that?”
“I did.”
“Do you also remember how we decided to go easy on Ashley because she was carrying my child?”
“I do.”
“Consider that request unquestionably revoked. Throw the book at her. Everything you have. Oh, and ideally, I want her arrested and charged within the hour.”
Ashley gasped, her eyes rounding as she lost all color. “You can’t!”
“Watch me. And Sam, I think Leia will have charges of her own to add. I’ll have my PI dig up some details for you within the next twenty-four hours.”
“Understood,” Sam replied. “I’ll go tell the administrator that she’s not allowed to leave. I’ll make sure he organizes enough security so she doesn’t accidentally find her way out of this charming facility.”
“Noah! Let’s talk about this?—”
He took Leia’s hand and headed toward the door.
“You can’t do this!” Her voice trembled.
Against his better judgment, he turned around. Despite the fake tears streaming down her face, her eyes shot pure venom at him. He opened his mouth to speak, but Leia beat him to it.
“I told you that you were stupid to try and come after something that never belonged to you in the first place. You should’ve listened to me and scurried back to New York when you had the chance. Now you get to accessorize orange jumpsuits for the next decade. Enjoy prison, bitch.”
They ordered food from Pietro’s but picked at it until it went cold. Noah couldn’t think straight. He alternated betweenimpotent rage and a numb sense of loss. When Leia suggested an early bedtime, he nodded and walked out of the kitchen.
His skin ached, as if he’d been flayed from the inside. He undressed and got into bed, throwing his arm over his eyes.
He heard Leia walk in and undress. Craving her warmth, he turned toward her, but she was heading to the bathroom. For several minutes, he lay on his side, listening to the shower… and the faint sound of sobs.
Frowning, he rushed into the bathroom. She stood under the spray, her slender shoulders shaking.
Fear overtook every other emotion warring inside him. “Leia, baby, what’s wrong?”
She turned and clamped her arms around his waist. “I’m sorry, Noah. So, so sorry.” Her tears mingled with the spray, her eyes dark pools of sorrow.
“For God’s sake, what for?”
“This was your chance to be a father. And that… thatbitchtook it away from you! I’d give anything to not have you go through this.”
Noah’s throat closed up. He kissed her cheeks, her eyes, her mouth. Tried to get himself under control enough to speak. “Oh God, Leia. I love you. I love you so much, baby. But don’t cry for me. I don’t deserve it. I’m the guy who doesn’t know how to mourn a baby he didn’t know existed until a month ago. A part of me is relieved that the child will never know a mother like Ashley.” His eyes clouded over. “I’ve been asking myself what special kind of monster that makes me for the last few hours.”
Her hand framed his cheek. “Oh, Noah, there’s nothing wrong with you. Remember what you said to me when I blamed my mother for leaving me? What you’re feeling is human. But…” She shook her head. “I wanted this for you.” Her voice broke.
His heart splintered, for her and for him, but the healingpower of love soon staunched the pain. “And we will have it. You and me. The way it should be. It may not be naturally, but we have options, baby. Many, many options.”
Her anguish started to dissipate. “I’m afraid to hope.”
“Then have faith instead. Have faith that I love you and will stop at nothing to give you your heart’s desire.”