Page 143 of Contract of a Billionaire

All I could focus on was my family. My future.

The future that would be worth every smile, tear and sorrow.

Because I had her by my side. Because they were mine.

Chapter47

Autumn

Ishot up in the bed, gripping the covers to my chest and my heart racing.

I blinked, then blinked again. It was dark. Too dark. I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t hear anything. No guns. No whispers in an unfamiliar tongue. Whether Arabic, Spanish, or Italian. It was quiet.

I took a deep breath in, the familiar scent instantly soothing my erratic heartbeat.

“Alessio?” I called out, my eyes still trying to adjust to the dark.

“I’m here.”

I followed the direction of the voice and found him sitting in the same chair he sat in the night I lost my virginity to him. The flicker of the red brim of the lit cigarette lit his face.

Tired. Worried. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

I shifted on the bed, bringing my feet up to my chest. “Why are you smoking then?”

He seemed to smoke only when he was stressed out.

“I’m scared if I fall asleep, I’ll wake up to realize you’re a dream. That you’re still gone.”

I understood the feeling. Ever since the rescue, I was terrified I’d wake up and still be in one of those caves.

“I’m here,” I murmured.

“Come here,” he rasped and without a second thought, I slid off the bed and padded across the floor to him.

I wore his t-shirt that hung low. I needed his scent on me to sleep peacefully. His hands came to my waist and pulled me onto his lap and my arms wrapped around him.

“Thank you for coming for me,” I whispered for the hundredth time. My hand came to rest on my belly. “For both of us.”

First thing I did when we arrived home was take a pregnancy test. With him. We sat on the tiled floor in the bathroom, waiting for the result. Together. The first pink plus had both of our hearts fluttering. So we took another test. And then I cried happy tears as he held me and whispered soft words.

“Always,” he vowed and I believed him. “Don’t you ever leave again. Not without me.”

I ran my fingers through his hair. “I promise.”

His eyes watched me, steady pools of gray. I used to think it was a cold color, but now it was the most beautiful color in the world.

“Tell me what’s wrong,” I demanded softly. My eyes flickered down my body. “I lost too much weight.”

“You’re still beautiful.” His free hand took my nape and he pressed his lips against mine. “I don’t care what you look like. I loveyou. Your soul. Your heart. Your strength. Your convictions about saving the world, even when they drive me nuts.“

“I love you too.” My forehead came to rest against his. There was peace in his arms. The feeling of completeness. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

He extinguished the cigarette.

“I made a deal to get into Afghanistan,” he retorted.