Save the Baby

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Elena noticed wa

ll beneath the warmth of unfamiliar sheets. A slow, sinking

scent of cedar and whiskey clung to the air, mingl

o, no

ibs as memories came rushing ba

though drawn to her against his will. The taste of him, the way his hands had bur

th

too fast, the silk sheets pooling a

cut through

re aw

art st

ie hung undone around his neck, as if he hadn't yet decided whether he was done with the night or ready to f

gainst her chest, shame cur

words out, even as her throat

ted his head, as if observing a str

maid. He was Adrian De Luca. Heir to an empire, ruthless

his notice, but now-now she

teeth. "This can

the thing about mistakes, Elena." He stepped closer, his voice quiete

gaze; if she did, she

hange anything,

thing colder in it, this time. "If

nother word, he

e distance between them, Elena felt somethi

terrible

ould r

Week

ced herself she could p

here she might cross paths with him, and ignored the way the

stayed bur

s. At first, it was easy to dismiss

co

twisting her stomach until even the

fore she to

ble lines, her breath locked in her chest, the wei

as pr

e in years, true

hiding this,

...she would hav

ight – The C

office door, her fists

ay. She could leave and

't just about

p breath,

manding, called from th

against her ribs as

ewing documents under the glow of a sing

e was all business, detached, as if the

ade it

pregn

le

imperceptible s

ecise, deliberate care. Only then did

er seen before - not amusement, not cold detac

ug into her pal

ick and suffocating. Then, finally, Adrian lean

you s

"Do you think I would

out a quiet exhale. He ran a hand through his dark

he s

do you

aught her off

u're looking for money, I'll handle

before she could stop it. "Is that wh

d. "Then tell me

trembling. "Because this isn't just a

cross his face-someth

rror, his expre

s quieter now, colder

d into her like

s pounding so

il he was standing in front of her, so c

. "-will be born into a world of power struggles

doesn't mean I don't have

u can give it? A maid, raising the heir of the De Luca family? Do

blood

nancy that she hadn't fully thought about what i

it wasn't

nd in his world,

whisper. "You're sayi

aying neither of you will be

ttled into

, meeting his gaze head

thing unreadable. "You thi

wed. "I ha

esitation crossed his face, but then

aid, voice low, "you

ded. "I

ween them, then, Adrian did

epped

didn't

ked out the door,

d into the cold n

eclared war on

-