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Nicky continued to wail, and Holly stood and bounced him up and down in her arms. “Hush, baby. It’s okay.”
“You need help,” Drago said.
She didn’t look at him. “I have help. You saw Mrs. Turner. Gabi helps, too. It’s my turn now.”
“You’re tired, Holly. You should get some sleep.”
“I can’t sleep until he does.” She paced the floor, giving Drago as wide a berth as possible in the small room. “You should probably go. Your driver will be wondering if I bashed you over the head and took your wallet.”
“I doubt it,” he said. He eyed the room again and she could feel the strength of his contempt for their surroundings.
“Drago.” He looked at her, his nostrils flaring. He was acting as if he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “You should go. We’ll be fine. We’ve been fine for months. Nicky will fall asleep soon, and then I’m going to crash, too. I have another shift tomorrow at noon.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he said, and her stomach flipped. He took a step closer to her and she bounced Nicky a little more frantically. It seemed he didn’t mind the movement at all. His little eyes were starting to close.
“Of course you can,” she said. “You can’t stay here, for God’s sake. Nor would you want to, I’m sure. I’m afraid we don’t have silk sheets, milord, or room service—”
“Shut up, Holly, and listen to me,” he commanded.
And, as much as she wanted to tell him to go to hell, she did as he told her. Because she was tired. And scared he would walk out and take her last opportunity with him.
“I’m listening,” she said when he didn’t immediately continue.
“I’m returning to New York in the morning. You’re coming with me.”
Reflexively, she held Nicky a little tighter. “I’m not leaving my baby. Nor am I going anywhere without a contract,” she said tightly. Because she didn’t trust him. Because, as much as she wanted it to be true, she was too accustomed to bad luck to believe it was finally turning around for her.
Drago di Navarra wasn’t suddenly being nice and accommodating for no reason. Did he suspect? Or was he just planning to drop her from an even greater height than he had the last time?
“No, you aren’t leaving him,” Drago said. “And you aren’t returning to that casino, either. Pack what you need for the night. I’ll send someone by for the rest of your things tomorrow.”
Holly could only gape at him, her skin flushing hot with hope and fear and shame all rolled into one. Don’t trust him, don’t trust him....
And yet she wanted to. Needed to. He was the only way out of this hellhole.
Except, she had obligations.
“I can’t just leave,” she said. “This is my home. Gabi isn’t even here. I can’t quit the casino without notice—”
“You can,” he said firmly. “You will.”
Pressure was building behind her forehead. What should she do? What would Gran have said? Thoughts of Gran threatened to bring a fresh flood of tears, so she bit down on her lip and pushed them deep. Think, Holly.
“You’re asking me to turn my life upside down for nothing more than a promise,” she said. “How do I know you aren’t planning some elaborate scheme to put me in my place once more?”
He blinked. And then he laughed, while she felt her skin turn even redder. “Honestly, cara, do you think I’ve spent a year plotting how to pay you back for deceiving me in New York? Until tonight, I had not given you another thought.”
Well, all righty, then.
His words stung in ways she hadn’t imagined possible. There wasn’t a day since he’d thrown her out that she hadn’t thought about him in some capacity or other—and here he was telling her so offhandedly that he hadn’t thought of her at all.
“How flattering,” she murmured, keeping her eyes on her baby so as not to reveal her hurt.
“It’s not personal,” he told her, all gorgeous Italian playboy. “I am a busy man. But when I saw you again, I remembered those photos and how right you were in them. All I want is your face on my campaign.”
Nicky was finally asleep now. Holly turned and took him into her bedroom, where she placed him in his crib near her bed. When she straightened, Drago was standing in the door.
“I’ll go,” she told him quietly, making her decision. “But not tonight.” She turned to look back at her baby before gazing at Drago again. “He can’t be moved right now. It’ll wake him up. And I’m too tired to pack a thing.”
She joined Drago in the entry to her room. He was gazing down at her in frustration, his brows drawn down over his beautiful gray eyes.
“You’re a very stubborn woman, Holly Craig,” he said softly, his eyes dipping to her mouth before coming back up again. Her lips tingled. She told herself it was because she’d been biting them.
“I will always do what’s best for my baby,” she said. “He comes first. I’m sorry if you find that inconvenient.”
She could feel the heat of Drago’s body enveloping her, smell the cool scent of his cologne—a home run for Navarra Cosmetics, at least where he was concerned. Scents smelled different on different people, but this one seemed tailored to him. It was light, so light she’d not really noticed it before now, but it was also intoxicating.
There was sandalwood, which was to be expected in male cologne. But there were also pears, which was surprising, as well as moss. It was fresh and clean and she liked it. And she would forever associate the smell of NC’s signature male cologne with its ruthless CEO.
Drago’s mouth flattened for a moment, as if he were annoyed. But then he shook his head slightly.
“An admirable trait in a mother, I imagine,” he said, and there was a piercing pain in her heart that she did not understand. Did he sound wistful just then? Lonely? Lost? “I will send a car for you in the morning, cara. Say your goodbyes and pack your things. You won’t need to return to this dwelling ever again.”
Her heart hammered. “I can’t leave Gabi in the lurch. She will need enough money to cover a couple of months’ rent at least.”
He didn’t even blink. “I will take care of it.”
And then he was gone, his footsteps echoing in the stairwell as he left her life once more.
CHAPTER FIVE (#u7a4c4a26-b33e-537e-bdd9-bc5118cd1434)
DRAGO’S APARTMENT IN New York was somehow even grander than she remembered it. Holly lay back on a bed that was almost as big as her entire room had been in New Orleans and stared up at a ceiling that had actual frescoes painted on it. Frescoes, as if this were a grand church instead of a personal dwelling.
Stunning. And completely surreal.
It was late afternoon and she needed to get out of bed, but she didn’t want to. Early this morning—far earlier than she would have liked—Nicky had been awake and ready for his bottle. While she’d fed her baby, she’d done a pretty good job of convincing herself that Drago wasn’t coming back. That she’d dreamed the whole thing.
Gabi had stumbled home at six, and Holly had told her the whole story—including the part where she was supposed to leave New Orleans and never have to worry about living in squalor again.
Gabi’s face had lit up like the Fourth of July. “Oh, my God, Holly, that’s amazing! You have to go! You are going, right?”
Holly had frowned. “I’m not sure.” Then she’d raked a hand through her tangle of hair. “I mean, last night I was pretty sure. But how can I leave you? And how can I possibly deal with that man again? He’s not nice, Gabi. He’s selfish and arrogant and only concerned with his bottom line and—”
“And handsome as sin,” Gabi had interrupted. “As well as richer than God. Not to mention he’s the father of your baby.”
Holly had frowned. “That’s what worries me the most.”
Gabi had sat down and taken her hand, squeezing it. Her blue eyes had been so serious. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Holly. You have to go. There’s a reason this is happening now, and you have to go see what it is.”
In the end, Holly had gone. Drago had arrived at eight, and by then Holly had packed everything she needed into three suitcases and a diaper bag. It was everything she owned. Drago had looked over her belongings coldly, and then his driver had carried them all down to the limo. Holly had hugged Gabi goodbye, crying and promising to call. She’d been terrified to leave her friend alone, but Drago had handed Gabi a fat envelope and told her to use it wisely.
Holly had bitten her lip to keep from saying something she might regret. It was up to Gabi to accept or decline the money, and in the end she’d accepted. She’d had no choice, really. Without Holly to help with expenses, she would have had to hustle to find another roommate or take on extra hours at work. The money was the better choice.
Within an hour, they’d been on a plane to New York. Within two hours, they’d landed. And, an hour later, she’d found herself in this room. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but staying at Drago’s had not been it. When she’d turned to him, he’d known what she was going to say, because he’d preempted her.
“There’s no sense putting you in a hotel with a baby when this place is so big.”
Nicky was in an adjoining room—the situation was going to take some getting used to. He had a nice crib and a play area with plenty of appropriate toys for a young baby. When she’d put him down for his afternoon nap, she’d come straight in here and climbed into bed. She always tried to snatch a few moments’ sleep while Nicky was out—but he usually woke her before she was fully rested.
A prickle of alarm began to grow in her belly as she reached for her cell phone. She blinked at the display, certain she wasn’t seeing it right. Because, if she was, that meant she’d been asleep for nearly three hours now.
Holly scrambled off the bed and ran into the adjoining room. Panic slammed into her when she realized Nicky was not in the crib. She tore open the door and raced down the hall, skidding into the palatial living area, with its huge windows overlooking Central Park. A woman sat on the floor and played with her baby. Nicky was on his belly, twisting the knobs of a toy, and the woman made encouraging noises as he did so.
“Who are you?” Holly demanded. She was trembling as she stood there. Part of her wanted to snatch her baby up and take him away from this woman, but the rational part told her not to alarm him when he was perfectly happy with what he was doing. And clearly safe and well.
The woman got to her feet and smiled. She was older, a bit plain, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. She held out her hand. “I’m Sylvia. Mr. Di Navarra hired me to help with your son.”
Holly’s throat tightened painfully. She would not allow him to interfere. “I don’t need help,” she said. “He made a mistake.”
Sylvia frowned. “I apologize, Miss Craig, but Mr. Di Navarra seems to think you do.”
“I will speak to Mr. Di Navarra,” she said tightly.
“Speak to me about what?”
Holly spun to find Drago standing in the door. Her heart did that little skip thing she wished it wouldn’t do at the sight of him. But he was beautiful, as always, and she couldn’t help herself. How had this splendid creature ever been interested in her for even a moment? How had they managed to make a baby together when she was so clearly not the class of woman he was accustomed to?
He wore faded jeans that she knew were artfully faded rather than work faded, and a dark shirt that molded to the broad muscles of his chest. His feet were bare. Something about that detail made her heart skitter wildly.
“I don’t need help to take care of my son,” she said. “You’ve wasted this woman’s time.”
He came into the room then and she saw he was holding a newspaper at his side. He tossed it onto a table and kept walking.
“I beg your pardon.” He was all arrogance and disdain once more. “But you definitely do.”
He stopped in front of her and put two fingers under her chin. She flinched. And then he turned her head gently this way and that, his eyes raking over her.
“I intend to pay a lot of money for this face to grace my ads. I’d prefer if you truly are rested instead of having you edited to look that way.”
She pulled out of his grip and glared at him. Of course he was concerned about the campaign. What had she expected? That he’d hired a nanny because he cared? He didn’t care. He had never cared.
Strike that: he only cared about himself.
“You could have asked me. I didn’t appreciate waking up and finding my baby gone.”
“My mistake, then,” he said, his eyes searching hers. “I told Sylvia to take him when he cried. I knew you didn’t get enough sleep last night.”
Holly didn’t dare think the fact he’d noticed she didn’t get enough sleep meant anything other than he wanted to protect his investment. But she couldn’t remember the last time someone had paid attention to how much sleep she was getting. It made a lump form in her throat. Gabi would have noticed if she weren’t in the same boat.
Gran would have, too. Gran would have put her to bed and taken the baby for as long as she needed. Holly bit the inside of her lip to stop a little sob from escaping. It wasn’t even eighteen months since Gran had died, and it still hurt her at the oddest times.
Holly glanced at Sylvia, who had gotten back down on the floor to entice Nicky with a new toy. There was a tightness in her chest as she watched her baby play. She’d greatly appreciated Mrs. Turner’s help, and she was certain the woman was kind and gentle, but she was almost positive Mrs. Turner had spent her time watching television instead of playing on the floor with Nicky.
Sylvia clearly knew what she was doing—in fact, Holly thought sadly, the woman seemed to know more than she did, if the way she encouraged Nicky to play with different shapes was any indication. Holly had been satisfied when he’d been occupied and happy. She’d never really considered his play to be a teaching moment.
Holly put a hand to her forehead and drew in a deep breath. She wasn’t a bad mother, was she? She was simply an overworked and exhausted one, but she loved her son beyond reason. He was the only thing of value she had.
“You need to eat,” Drago said, and Holly looked up at him.
“I’m not hungry.” As if to prove her a liar, her stomach growled. Drago arched an eyebrow. “Fine,” she said, “I guess I am after all.”
“Come to the kitchen and let the cook fix you something.”
Holly looked doubtfully at her baby and Sylvia. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust the woman, but she didn’t know her. And she was nervous, she had to admit, with this change in circumstances. The last time she’d been here, it had all been ripped away from her without warning. She wasn’t certain it wouldn’t be again. “I’d rather stay here.”
Drago frowned. “He’s not going anywhere, Holly. He’ll be perfectly fine.”
Holly closed her eyes. She was being unreasonable. She’d left Nicky with Mrs. Turner for hours while she rode a bus and a streetcar halfway across town and went to work. Was it really such a stretch to go into another room and leave this woman alone with her child?
“All right,” she said. Drago led her not to the kitchen but to a rooftop terrace with tables and chairs and grass—actual grass on a rooftop in New York City. The terrace was lined with potted trees and blossoming flowers, and while she could hear the city sounds below, her view was entirely of sky and plants and the buildings across the treetops in Central Park. Astounding, and beautiful in a way she found surprising.
“This is not the kitchen,” she said inanely.
Drago laughed. “No. I decided this was more appropriate.”
They sat down and a maid appeared with a tray laden with small appetizers—olives, sliced meats, tiny pastries filled with cheese, cucumber sandwiches, ham sandwiches and delicate chocolates to finish. It wasn’t much, but it was precisely the kind of thing she needed just now.
Holly dug in to the food, filling her plate and taking careful bites so as not to seem like a ravenous animal. She might not be accustomed to fancy New York society, but her grandmother had at least taught her the art of being graceful. The maid appeared again with a bottle of wine. Holly started to protest, but Drago shushed her. Then he poured the beautiful deep red liquid into two glasses.
“You should appreciate this,” he said. “A Château Margaux of excellent vintage.”
As if she even knew what that meant. But she did understand scents and flavors. Holly lifted the wine and swirled it before sniffing the bowl. The wine was rich and full and delicious to the nose. She took a sip, expecting perfection. It was there. And she knew, as she set the glass down again, it was the sort of thing she could never afford.
When she glanced up, Drago was watching her. His gray eyes were piercing, assessing, and she met them evenly. So unlike the Holly of a year ago, who’d stammered and gulped and been a nervous wreck in his presence. It took a lot to meet that stare and not fold, but she was getting better at it.
“Describe the wine to me,” he said, his voice smooth and commanding. As if he were accustomed to telling people what to do and then having them do it. Which, of course, he was.
Holly bristled, though it was a simple request. She was tired and stressed and not in the mood to play games with him. Not in the mood to be devoured like a frightened rabbit.
“Taste it yourself,” she said. “I’m sure you can figure it out.”
She didn’t expect him to laugh. “You have made it your mission in life to argue with me, it seems.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s a mission, as that implies I give you a lot of thought. But I’m not quite the same person you ordered around last year. I won’t pretend I am.”
She was still more of that person than she wanted to be, but she was working very hard on being bold and brave. On not letting his overwhelming force of a personality dominate her will.
Not that he needed to know that.
