Page 86 of The Don's Secret Heir
When I try again to bring lunch, Liana has locked the door.
I huff out a breath, shaking the door handle. I stop, draw in a breath and knock on the door.
“Go away!” a muffled shout comes through the door.
I squeeze my eyes shut, annoyed. Liana can be so fuckingstubbornwhen she wants to be.
“I’ll explain everything, and you’ll understand that I’m just trying to protect you.”
It’s quiet for a moment. “You’ll explain? Everything?”
“Yes.”
She slowly opens the door, just a crack, one gray eye peering at me.
“So explain.”
I sigh. “I will. I promise. On Friday.”
“What do you meanon Friday?” she hisses. “You better explain right now, Dario, or I?—”
“Don’t threaten to leave again, Liana.” My voice goes low. “Because you’re not going anywhere. Not until I’m sure you’re safe.”
“How is my safety even in question? What’s going on?”
“I swear, you’ll understand everything. Just... be ready to come with me at midnight on Friday.”
“To come with you? Where?” she sounds exasperated.
“You’ll see. Just... trust me, Li. If you’ve ever cared about me, justtrust me.”
There’s a pleading edge to my voice that I don’t like, but I can’t seem to help it.
She takes in a deep breath. “Okay. Friday, at midnight. But I’m taking my own car.”
“That’s fine. If you still want to leave after... you can. I won’t stop you.”
Her hand flexes on the door. “You won’t? You swear?”
“I swear.”
“Alright. See you Friday.”
She closes the door with a click and I groan, rubbing a hand across my face.
Two days, living like a ghost in my own house.
Great.
She comes down to the gym on Thursday night, late, and I’m drinking water over by the mini-fridge when she clomps down the stairs.
Her eyes trail up my body before settling on my face.
I smirk at her and she flushes red across her nose and cheeks.
It’s cute. She’s cute in her sports bra and yoga shorts, the little swell of her belly poking out.
I think about what she must have looked like pregnant, all swollen with child, and it makesmeflush. Someone else experienced that. Not me.
