Read Desire (#5) for Free Online Page A

wear off. I tried to fight their effects, but Benjamin insisted on stripping me of my wet clothes and wrapping me in a duvet. He bundled me, along with three hot-water bottles, into his Aston Martin Vanquish.
    Benjamin used his influence to make sure I was seen by a doctor immediately. He hovered beside my bed as the doctor examined me. Usually I would find that a little embarrassing, but right now I was terrified the doctor would mention the fact I was pregnant. I wanted to ask if the baby was okay, but I couldn’t do it with Benjamin standing right there. I wanted to tell him when it was just the two of us.
    “All things considered, you have been extremely lucky,” the doctor said, signing a clipboard on the end of my bed.
    “No permanent damage?” I asked.
    “You’ll be tired for a day or two, but you should make a full recovery,” the doctor said.
    “And the baby?” Benjamin asked.
    And the baby? Holy crap. He knew.
    I gawped at him, but he kept his gaze fixed on the doctor.
    “The sedatives shouldn’t have affected the baby. I’ll arrange a scan to be on the safe side.”
    I stayed silent, barely breathing until the doctor left the room. I looked across at Benjamin. Was he mad? What was he thinking?
    His eyes blazed as he stared down at me. Uh oh. That wasn’t good.
    “I should have told you earlier,” I began to explain.
    “Yes, you should.”
    “How do you … feel about the baby?”
    He looked down at my midsection and put his hand lightly over my stomach. “It’s a shock.” He turned his gaze back to my face and smiled. “It’s a big responsibility.”
    I nodded. “You’ll be a great father,” I said.
    “Will I?” His face twisted into a pained smile. “My family don’t have a great track record.”
    “We’ll be different,” I said. “And we’ll make sure little Benjamin knows that family is more important than the money.”
    “Little Benjamin?” His eyes widened. “You think it’s a boy?”
    My eyelids drooped. Dammit. I was exhausted, but I had so many questions.
    “Dunno,” I murmured as I drifted off to sleep.
    When I woke, Benjamin sat in a chair by my bed, gazing anxiously at me. “How are you feeling?”
    “Um, bit of a headache, but okay, considering … What happened to Colin? He told me he caused your accident in England.”
    “Don’t worry about Colin,” Benjamin said, his eyes cold. “You never have to worry about him again.”
    I shivered. “What happened?”
    “I’ll tell you later when you’re better.”
    “Tell me now, please,” I wheedled. “I have a right to know.”
    Benjamin looked conflicted, but eventually he nodded. “All right. Colin is dead.”
    “Dead?”
    “He jumped off the cliff.”
    “But … why?”
    “Because I had found out what he had done. And I suspect he preferred suicide to me tearing him limb from limb when I got hold of him.”
    I shuddered. “But I don’t understand. How did you find out?”
    A nurse entered the room, making us both turn to the door.
    “Hello,” she said, “I’ve brought you some dinner. Nothing heavy, just a little soup.”
    I eyed the bowl of pale, yellow soup suspiciously. “Thank you.”
    “How are you feeling?” she asked. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
    I shook my head. “I’m feeling much better.”
    I wanted her to leave the room as quickly as possible, so Benjamin could finish telling me what had happened.
    After the nurse left the room, I turned to Benjamin. “Okay, carry on with what you were saying.”
    Benjamin pointed at the tray and smirked. “First, you eat.”
    I rolled my eyes. “I’m not hungry.”
    He pointed at my belly. “It’s not only you we have to think about now.”
    I picked up the spoon and dipped it into the bowl. “Okay, I can listen while I eat.”
    “Later,” Benjamin said. “I’m going to talk to the doctor about discharging you. I expect that soup to be finished when I get back.”
    I gave him a mock salute and started to eat. The