Marriage by Bargain - Book 2

Chapter Thirteen

Zandre

If I had been agitated before the phone call, I was ten times more agitated after having our first conversation in days cut short. I paced back and forth in the bedroom with a death grip on Lia's phone while everyone watched me in tense silence, none of them willing to risk setting me off.

As if sensing the need for a distraction one of the boys started wailing in the nursery and everyone breathed in relief when I spoke up.

"I'll get him," I said, Lia nodded in sympathy sensing how desperately I needed something to take my mind off everything.

I cleaned my hands and picked up the infant, cradling him to my chest. I couldn't tell them apart just yet but that hardly mattered since I loved both these little guys equally. It was only a matter of time before my mind drifted to Naia again and with the baby in my arms I couldn't help but wonder what my own children would look like. I hoped they looked like her, nothing would make me happier than to see little replicas of the person I loved most running around and knowing I had a hand in making them. It was moments like this one that made me realize just how much falling for Xanaia Echeveria had changed my life, for the better. I had gone from player extraordinaire to wannabe family man in less than four months which was really saying something since I didn't know what it felt like to be a part of a family before meeting her. She was all I had, she was my family and that was why it was crucial that I got her back. I couldn't go back to my empty existence after experiencing the kind of happiness I have since the day she stepped into my path. I looked at the little boy in my arms and couldn't help but miss her even more, I wanted her in my arms. I sighed and carried the now calm baby through the adjoining doorway to his parents. After handing him over I decided that I needed to get some air because pacing around in a confined space was starting to get to me, and everyone else for that matter.

"I will accompany you," Luca said from behind me, causing me to jump a little.

We were in the foyer and I had been so preoccupied that I didn't hear him following me. I thought about it for a second and then agreed, I didn't necessarily want to be alone with my thoughts anyway. Without exchanging any other words we climbed into my car and left the property. We drove for a few minutes before Luca broke the silence.

"You should stop strangling the steering wheel, yes?" he said in amusement, although with his accent it came out sounding a bit like a question.

"And you should stop hiding from Kimberly, yes?" I mocked, grinning when I heard him huff and grumble.

"She is very persistent, that woman," he said darkly, not sounding entirely upset about that.

"Then just give in," I said simply, I didn't see the point in making a simple matter complex and wasting precious time.

"It is not that simple my friend, I have a duty to my family. There is no room to indulge in temporary desires," he said with finality, indicating he was through discussing this matter.

I respected his wish and retreated into my own thoughts as we drove around aimlessly. We stopped at a take out spot for dinner before returning to the house a little after nine pm and going our separate ways. I would tackle this again and try to figure it out tomorrow, or better yet tonight while I tossed and turn in my bed without my woman for yet another night.

Naia

My father chatted and brought me up to speed on all the latest gossip, which was quite a lot since I had enough family members to populate a small country. While I had to admit it was good to hear how everyone was getting on, this wasn't a casual meeting and I needed to find out for sure what was going on so I could hopefully go home.

Lorenzo Cervantes, my father. I thought as I took a minute to look over the man that had silently controlled my life from afar for the past twenty-four years. That wasn't to say he'd been totally absent, he only stepped back and put me in the care of others when the blow back from his business dealings started to reach our family, in other words when my mother was kidnapped, held hostage for six painful months and then murdered. All while he did nothing to save her or to avenge her. I didn't understand the reason for his inactivity at the time and so our relationship grew strained until he finally opted to send me away when I was ten to be raised by distant cousins of his, which only worsened the relationship between us. It wasn't until I was older that I understood that his enemies had killed my mother to make a point, no amount of money or man power could have changed the outcome and that sending me away had been for my protection. However, by that time I had met Lia and experienced a taste of life that I didn't want to give up and so I severed all ties with him, choosing to go by mother's maiden name so I could fly under his radar. I had actually thought I was living my own life until the first time I got a serious boyfriend and he sent my cousin Roberto, aka my babysitter, to either pay him off or take him out. Fortunately for the guy he took the money, unfortunately for me, my heart was shattered and unfortunately for daddy dearest I went a bit crazy and spitefully had a one night stand to get rid of my virginity that I thought he was protecting. That plan backfired, because I regretted it the second I felt that sharp pain and it really changed nothing where my father was concerned, in fact he got worst to punish me for my rebellion. I was a little depressed after that and decided to never have casual sex again, but of course I broke that promise after four years of serial dating and flirting. But I didn't regret it this time since I was utterly in love with the man and carrying his child. Thinking about Zandre immediately dragged me back to the present situation and I decided to just take the dive before I chickened out.

"Papá, what's the meaning of all this drama?" I asked, cutting him off in the middle of a story about my grandmother and her latest antics which involved hair dye and beer kegs.

He immediately dropped the cheerful facade.

"You know very well why I've done this Xanaia," he stated coldly.

"Father I'm a grown woman! You cannot dictate who I share my life with!" I said standing up from the couch and pacing to the other side of the room, too angry to tolerate his close proximity any longer.

"You will watch your tone with me," he warned, "and if you are really so desperate to settle down, I have chosen a husband for you."

I watched in stunned silence as the guard that that had been standing quietly by the door stepped out and returned seconds later with a young man. He was maybe a few years older than I was and I suppose he was handsome if you liked the typical dark haired, dark eyed, tanned skin and slim framed Mexican but when you were already in love with and pregnant by a tall, handsome, buff bar of dark chocolate this man paled in comparison. My thoughts were brought across loud and clear when I burst into loud, hysterical knee slapping laughter.

"Whew, good one but no, I'm going to bed," I said to the shocked men in the room as I wiped my eyes and began moving past the poor man my father had dragged into this.

However, my laughter must have offended him as he angrily grabbed my arm before I could pass him. His grip was painful but before he could speak or anyone could intervene I abruptly grabbed his collar and jerked my knee forcefully upwards, right into his junk. He released me immediately and crumpled to the floor. I slowly turned to my father who was glaring angrily at the man on the floor.

"That's the kind of man you want me to marry?" I asked furiously jabbing a finger at the breathless man lying on the floor.

"Not anymore, but I will find another," he said, his calm demeanor belied his anger at the man for attempting to assault me.

"Unless the next man you present to me is Zandre Alexander then don't bother bringing any," I told him tiredly, as I stepped over the man and went to the door.

I had just opened it when a thought occurred to me.

"By the way you're going to be a grandfather and Zandre won't take kindly to another man raising his child, buenas noches abuelito." I said before leaving my shocked father and going to my room to take a well needed nap.

I guess the doctor hadn't told anyone about my condition after all which was good since it gave me the element of surprise. I was going to have to find a way to contact them again to let Zandre know my father was behind all our troubles. I was sure the news of my pregnancy and the fact that my father was trying to marry me off to strangers would make him stop at nothing to get me back.