Page 35 of Secret Baby of the Don

Allegra scoffed. “That’s what you’re worried about? If I have a boyfriend?”

“I didn’t say I was worried,” I argued.

“So you’d be fine with it if I had a boyfriend.”

“I didn’t say that either,” I growled.

We approached the hotel and Allegra took the duffel bag with my cash and went inside to check in without saying another word. The room was small and dirty with just one bed and a chair, and Allegra looked at it as if it was a snake that might bite her. I was a little offended that she was so annoyed by having to sleep next to me, but what could I say? She’d made her choice, and she wanted to go home to her boyfriend. It was the only explanation that made sense to me. Romeo had been around the block a few times and he could easily take care of himself. Hell, he could take out Ricardo without even getting his hands dirty. It made me feel cranky and jealous and anxious, and I didn’t like it.

“So, what?” I asked as I sat down with a wince on the bed. “You’re not going to tell me what you’ve been up to all these years?”

Allegra looked at me with cool brown eyes. “Didn’t think you cared. You’re the one who left.”

“I had to leave,” I said simply.

Allegra looked away, frowning. “I’m not convinced you had to,” she said. “You could have told Enzo no. He would have understood.”

I didn’t know how to explain. I didn’t know how to tell her that Enzo had essentially saved my life, that he’d raised me for all intents and purposes. I didn’t know how to tell her how easy she’d had it, with parents who loved her. With a father who loved her. Enzo was the closest thing I had to a father, and I couldn’t make her understand.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said quietly. “I’m just interested to know how things have been going for you.” I smiled. “You still plan on taking over the family business?” Allegra had high hopes to take over for her father since there was no male heir, and even though I thought it would be difficult, I thought she could do it. Allegra could do anything that she set her mind to.

She sighed and plopped down on the bed, lying face-up. “Do you really want to know?”

“Of course I do. I’ve always been interested in your life,stellina.”

She looked over at me. “Even now?”

“Even now,” I agreed, smiling down at her.

She looked back toward the ceiling. “It’s a lot,” she admitted. “With my dad, I mean. It’s not that I don’t want to take over, I do, but there’s so much he won’t share with me.” She paused. “I guess I’ve seen more of the life with you than I ever have with Papa.”

“That’s not what I wanted,” I said softly.

“I know that,” she said, offering me a small smile. “But it’s been almost…exhilarating. Other than you getting injured, I’ve been sort of enjoying the excitement. Back home it’s all about getting info from one guy or another, using my feminine wiles…” She trailed off.

I frowned. “What does that mean?”

She shrugged. “You know. Guys want one thing.”

“And you don’t give it to them,” I said, and it wasn’t a question.

Allegra laughed. “No, Rocco, I don’t sleep with men to get information. But I do lean on them a little, flirt with them, you know. Like I was doing with Ricardo at the club.” She glared at me. “Until you ruined it.”

“I was drunk,” I defended myself, but I knew even if I had been stone cold sober, I wouldn’t have wanted her talking to Ricardo. He was a snake and I knew it, and if he’d gotten her alone…I didn’t even want to think about it.

“What haveyoubeen up to all these years?” Allegra asked, changing the subject.

I groaned. “Not much. I told you, I was inside.”

"I still can’t believe you did five years for Ricardo,” she said disdainfully.

“I didn’t really have a choice,” I said, although what she’d said earlier was true. Ihada choice. I just chose to help Enzo and Ricardo. Enzo loved his son, even if he knew he was a snake, and I had wanted to help. After all, without Allegra, there was nothing to look forward to anyway. At least, that was how I’d felt at the time.

“Do you have a girlfriend back home?” she asked.

“I just came back into town,” I said with a smile. Allegra had always been about as possessive as I was, and I liked to hear the edge of jealousy in her voice.

“Did you have one before?” she asked.

---