ed like burnt espress

ady made three catastrophic decisions: coming home, leaving her apartment, a

ater that had seen better days. The pregnancy test sat at the bottom of her purse li

this. She'd handled everything else

r mother. *Mija, you never called me back.

ed you alone after your father disappeared the moment he learned about the pr

her pocket and reached for he

il

a physical blow. Deep

No, n

he'd imagined it, praying the u

that probably cost more than her rent, his steel-gray eyes locked on

ile that had gotten her into trouble in the first pla

came out strangled. "

d something crisp, expensive. Her stomach lurched, and

if I

ery muc

free c

ce of a man who'd never been told no in his life. His gaze swept

ok diff

red against her ri

his eyes narrowing. "Yo

m f

e. And you'

ve her point, and immediately regretted it. The nausea hit like a wa

me buy y

you to buy me

e stood, pulling out his phone. "Th

e intended. Several heads turned their wa

moment, his jaw tightening

n into each oth

gether eight

automatically, then

ory. "And now you're back in New York looking like you've seen a ghost, refusing food, drinkin

throat. "I'm cutti

hy

se I w

aga

one of you

volves me

her lips together. Every word was a

spoke again, his voice was dange

eyes that had looked at her with hunger in Santorini

ou pre

the walls closing in. Around them, the coffee shop continued its mundane rhythm-milk stea

cracked. "That's a h

ould see the muscles in his forearms tensing beneath his rolled sleeves. "Or is

people dr

e defl

being pa

ilk. "Tell me I'm wrong, and I'll apologize and

. She could disappear back into her nomadic life, raise this baby in hoste

father had nev

ght made

ou anything,"

tood abruptly, his chair scraping again

e glanced around wildl

t, his movements rigid. When he spoke again,

wee

r, disheveling it for the first time since she'

handl

as bitter. "What does that

of her. "No. I'm keeping it.

terror?-before his features hardened into

is. Properly." He pulled

lawy

be reas

bbing her purse with trembling hand

t just wa

tch

ntle, but firm enough to stop her. The touch sent electricity raci

mouth, like he wasn't used to saying it.

in his eyes stopped her cold

e

fear that mi

te me, you can want nothing to do with me, but that d

be anything. I told

bandon my

h something deeper than duty. Something t

tently in her pocket. The

feeling, she

d calls fro

ez, I know something's wrong. I'm at

hed. "This day just

ing her carefull

despite everything, she felt a hysterical laugh building

uld talk to

you i

jaw set with determination. "She has a

screen-a photo from last Christmas, smiling and vibrant and completely

ging phone, then at Ja

mistake. One im

wered t

said softly. "