The Heir The Prince Secures

His jaw tightened, and he looked at their baby. “How could you get pregnant?”

The coldness in his voice pierced her heart. It was one thing for Stefano to treat Tess badly; another to be scornful of their baby.

Sweet five-month-old Esme, so plump and adorable and always happy, at least when she wasn’t tired or hungry or teething, was already the person Tess loved most on this planet. Esme was her whole reason for living.

“I’ve just told you that you have a daughter.” Tess felt a wave of dizziness that nearly brought her to her knees. She reached wildly for the stroller handle, gripping it tight so she didn’t fall. “And that’s all you have to say?”

His eyes narrowed. “How do I know she’s mine?”

“Stop asking that! I told you!”

“I need more proof than just your word.”

A white-haired couple holding theater playbills walked past, hand in hand. Seeing the way the couple smiled at each other, Tess’s heart ached. That was what she’d wanted for herself. A lifetime love.

She’d wanted it so badly she’d been desperate to believe Stefano was the one, in spite of all evidence to the contrary. She’d be regretting it the rest of her life.

“Forget it.” Her throat ached as she turned away. “We don’t need you.”

Stefano ground out, “I’m sorry if I hurt you—”

“Sorry?” Her voice trembled. “You’re not sorry!”

“You’re wrong,” he said harshly. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were a virgin until too late. Sorry you imagined yourself in love with me when you didn’t even know me. Sorry you’re now trying to claim your baby is mine!”

“Claim?” Tess’s tears blurred his image as colorful flashing lights from the billboards of Times Square moved over his hard, handsome face. “You’re right,” she whispered. “I don’t know you.”

She couldn’t believe she’d been so horribly wrong about everything. Even now, Stefano still looked like a handsome dream—tall and powerful in his sleek suit. Even his scent, like Italian oranges and hot summer nights, made her heart twist with longing and grief for what she could not have, what had never truly existed.

Reaching out, he gripped her shoulders. His dark eyes burned through her. “I never promised a future.”

As she felt the weight of his hands on her shoulders, electricity pulsed through her, leaving her breathless.

Her gaze fell to his cruel, sensual lips as she whispered, “I know.”

She heard his intake of breath. His grip on her shoulders tightened. “Stop it.”

“What?”

“You know what.”

His eyes were dark pools of hunger. As their eyes locked, sensual awareness coursed through her, sending sparks up and down her body, causing tension to coil low and deep inside her. Unthinkingly, she licked the corners of her lips. First one side, then the other.

With a low growl, he pulled her hard against his body and savagely lowered his mouth to hers.

She was lost in a rush of ecstasy as desire and anguished longing roared through her blood. She surrendered to the pleasure, to his power, his strength, relishing the feel of his arms wrapped around her.

Then, as if from a distance, she heard a choked moan rising from her own throat, wistful and broken, and she remembered how he’d just crushed her heart to a million pieces.

No. No!

Ripping away, she stared up at him in horror, her lips still tingling with pleasure, her heart bruised by that brief fiery joy.

“Don’t you dare kiss me!”

His expression changed. “Tess—”

“Leave me alone.” Her voice wobbled. She was afraid she might burst into sobs, and baby Esme’s tired, hungry whine was threatening to become a wail.

Tess wiped her mouth with her sleeve, trying to forget the sweet taste of his lips, but she couldn’t. A tsunami of grief and regret and exhaustion roared through her, leaving her trembling and dizzy.

She suddenly knew she wasn’t going to make it to the subway. She was going to collapse right here on the street in front of the man who’d caused it all.

No. She had to somehow get back to her friends. She didn’t care anymore if Hallie and Lola said I told you so. They were her only hope now that her whole world was falling down around her.

Swaying unsteadily, she turned, stumbling as she pushed the stroller back down the way she’d come. She could see the distant lights of the Campania at the end of the street.

“Tess.” Catching up with her, Stefano grabbed the handle of the stroller. “Stop. Damn you.”

His face was in shadow. The lights of a single passing car seemed long, smudging before her eyes. The world swam around her as the last of her strength fled. She closed her eyes.

For the last year, she’d tried to have faith while she waited for Stefano to come back and save her. But now that he’d returned, all he’d done was take away the dreams that had sustained her.

“Please,” she whispered, blinking fast, feeling dizzy and sick. “Don’t.”

He frowned, looking down at her. “What’s wrong?”

The dizziness increased, building to a pounding roar in her ears. She felt her knees start to collapse.

His strong arms shot out, keeping her from plummeting to the sidewalk. “Tess?”

The last thing she saw was the worried gleam of his dark eyes as the night folded in around her.

* * *

Tess was swaying, cradled in someone’s arms.

Her eyelids fluttered open, then went wide with shock. Stefano was carrying her in his arms, against his hard chest. They’d already reached the end of the block and were almost at the hotel.

“Esme,” Tess gasped, twisting in his arms.

“She’s safe, behind us.” Stefano’s voice was surprisingly gentle. Peeking over his broad shoulders, she saw a doorman she recognized from the Campania pushing the stroller. She’d met Dalton several times when she’d visited Hallie at the hotel. He gave her an encouraging smile.

“It’s all right, Miss Foster.” He glanced down at the baby. “She’s right here.”

“Thank you, Dalton,” she whispered. Then she glared at the powerful man carrying her. “Put me down.”

“No.” Stefano kept walking. His handsome face was implacable. “You fainted on the street.”