Page 40 of Her Dark Melody
The navy blue of the suit made his dark hair and light green eyes even more startling and Ebony sighed over his sheer physical beauty. This god-like man was about to beherhusband, and she could barely believeit.
Fino, giving her a genuinely happy smile for the first time in weeks, stood next to Atlas as his best man. Ebony bent to kiss the boy’s cheek. “Handsomeboy.”
The wedding vows were over in a flash it seemed to her, but she didn’t care, Atlas was kissing her with so much adoration, and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she’d made the rightdecision.
She gazed up at her new husband when they came up for air. “Our family,” was all she said and Atlas, smiling,nodded.
“It’s everything tome.”
Juno,Obe, Bella, and Fino joined them for a celebratory lunch. Stanley, still in New York, had sent his best wishes, and Blue and Romy had called Ebony thatmorning.
Ebony sat next to Atlas, his arm locked around her, both unable to stop smiling at each other. “Atlas, Fino…I wanted to share this with you,” she said, “but I thought I would wait until now, in case either of you found thisupsetting.”
She opened the locket on her necklace and showed them both the picture of Mateo she had placed in it. “I wanted your father, your brother to be a part of our day. He will always be with us, Fino, and if we are lucky enough to become your adoptive parents, we will never seek to replace him, but carry on the fantastic way he was bringing youup.”
Fino nodded, his eyes filling with tears and he launched himself at Ebony and hugged her tightly. Atlas smiled at her, his gorgeous eyes shining at her. “Perfect, baby. Thankyou.”
“Oh!” Bella exclaimed loudly, making everyone start. “Sorry,” she grinned sheepishly, “it’s just I made some handmade confetti at home, and of course, I forgotit.”
Ebony laughed. “We can use it for something else, don’tworry.”
A movement across the restaurant caught her eye. One of their huge security guys talking into his phone. Atlas’s attention was caughttoo.
“Say, how about we take this party home?” He asked the question lightly, but they were all alerted to the fact that even on such a happy day, they were all still indanger.
As they got up to leave, a commotion began with one of the guards and a sharply-dressed man. “I have to bring this to Ms. Verlaine.” He was waving an envelope, but the bodyguard wouldn’t let him near her. He frisked the man then looked at Atlas who nodded. The newcomer, looking annoyed, walked over to them. “MissVerlaine.”
“Mrs. Tigri now,” Ebony said coldly, “but yes, that’sme.”
The man handed her the envelope. “Congratulations, both on your marriage, and the fact that you’ve been served. Have a lovelyday.”
He left the party stunned and walked out of the restaurant, throwing a glare over to thebodyguard.
Ebony opened the envelope and read the letter. “What thehell?”
“What is it,baby?”
Ebony looked up at Atlas, confused. “It’s Cormac. He’s demanding a paternitytest.”
“ForFino?”
She shook her head. “No…for the baby. He thinks you’re not thefather.”
Atlas stared at Ebony, and they shared the same sense of impending dread. How the hell did Cormac know…and what would he do when he found out he wasright?
ChapterNineteen
“Can he make me do this?” Ebony asked her lawyer, her voicetrembling.
“If he can prove to us that he has a good reason for thinking Atlas isn’t the father. He may be attempting to prove that you are an opportunist, that you are claiming Mr. Tigri is the father to fool the court into thinking you are a family, that living with you would be the best forFino.”
“Fuck.”Atlas spat and stood, pacing behind Ebony’s chair. “Ebony is no gold-digger, and as far as I’m concerned, that is our child growing inside her. How thefuckdid Cormac evensuspect?”
Ebony groaned. “He must have been listening when I had the scan at the hospital. Shit, why didn’t that even cross mymind?”
“It’s not your fault, darling. Damn it, he’ll stoop toanything.”
“Well, we have a preliminary hearing to ascertain whether he can force you to do this. I seriously doubt the judge will grant it, but we have to go through the motions. If you are willing to attend the hearing, it’ll look good for you. Cooperating, showing you have nothing to hide. These things will strengthen ourcase.”
