Read The Sicilian's Unexpected Duty for Free Online Page B

pregnant, Grace had been in hiding, going through her own troubles. So, she’d told her mother, but her mam was going through yet another of her new husband’s infidelities and so hadn’t been particularly interested other than on a superficial level. Not that Cara had expected anything else from the woman who had given birth to her.
    But then Luca had tracked Grace down and now the pair of them were madly in love and in a bubble of happiness. It would have been the perfect opportunity to ask for help.
    Grace would have given her money and anything else she needed, no questions asked. But Cara wouldn’t have been able to keep it contained and the whole sordid story would have come out, and then God knew what would have happened.
    In any case, her child was not her friend’s responsibility. It was Pepe’s.
    And this mess was not of Grace’s making. This was all on her, Cara. And the feckless playboy, of course.
    It was too late to go to Grace for help now. Pepe would undoubtedly turn to Luca, who in turn would put pressure on his wife not to give Cara any financial help. Grace was so loved up at the moment she would probably comply. At the very least it would cause friction between them.
    Thanks to Pepe, she couldn’t turn to the one person she needed.
    The steward, who was still making checks and pretending not to listen to their conversation, finally disappeared into a separate cabin.
    ‘How are your thighs?’ Pepe asked. If he was fazed about anything, he had yet to show it.
    ‘Not too bad.’ The salve he had given her had been bliss to apply. He’d also given her a wrap that resembled cling film to place on it too. He’d been so... Concerned was the wrong word but it was the closest for the way he’d treated her wounds. Not that he’d treated her with the same consideration.
    How could someone be so gentle and at the same time be so horribly uncaring? That was part of what had tipped her over the edge and set the waterworks off.
    ‘You should take the trousers off. I’m sure it can’t help with the material rubbing against it.’
    ‘They’re fine.’ No way was she taking any of her clothes off within a ten-mile radius of him ever again.
    The plane began to taxi down the runway. Cara turned to look out of the window, a lump forming in her throat.
    This was utter madness.
    ‘Pepe, please, let me return to Dublin, just for a couple of days to get things in order.’ It was an argument they’d had three times in the past hour.
    ‘Impossible. I have a full day of business tomorrow and a business dinner in the evening.’
    ‘Yes, but I don’t. I’m supposed to be at work!’
    ‘You will attend my meeting with me.’
    She took a deep breath. Her blood pressure really didn’t need any more aggravation.
    ‘As I have made you more than aware, the week ahead is filled with appointments.’
    ‘I have to wait until the weekend to go back home?’ she said, horror-struck.
    ‘I’m afraid a trip back to Dublin is not on the schedule for the foreseeable future.’
    ‘You’re kidding me?’
    ‘You can make any necessary arrangements via other means.’
    ‘So I have to hand in my notice by text or email?’
    He shrugged. ‘It’s entirely up to you how you want to handle it.’
    ‘I’d like to handle it by not giving up my job,’ she stated angrily. ‘But seeing as I do have to quit, I’d prefer to tell my boss in person.’
    He almost looked sympathetic. ‘I appreciate this is an inconvenience but if, as you say, the baby is mine, you will be well recompensed for any aggravation.’
    ‘And my housemates? Will they be recompensed too?’
    His brow furrowed.
    ‘I’m leaving them in the lurch. If you won’t let me go to Dublin, I can’t clear my room out and they can’t find another housemate to take my place.’
    ‘That is not a problem. I can send someone over to clear your room for you.’
    ‘You will not!’ There was no way she wanted some stranger rifling through her knicker drawer.