Amelia was unable to sleep so she wandered down to the kitchen for some tea. She could fire up her computer and get work done, but she wasn't in the mood. Instead, she wandered around the first floor, tea in her hand. Just as she reached the front door the bell rang. She jumped enough that she almost spilled her tea. It was after midnight. Who would be at the front door? She knew there were people to answer it, but she felt silly waiting for them when she was perfectly capable of opening the door herself. She opened it to a woman dressed in a trench coat. It wasn't cold enough for one so Amelia looked at her puzzled. "Can I help you?""I'm Tara.""Okay.""Who are you?"The woman looked down her long nose at Amelia who wasn't ready to share her name with this stranger. "Are you looking for someone?""Not you."Amelia could have guessed that. Tara breezed into the house and Amelia wished for one of those servants to appear. She had no idea who Tara was and why the woman was wearing a
Alex's phone woke him up. He had fallen asleep answering emails and he needed to stop doing that. He should turn off his phone at night, but he didn't.And now he'd been pulled out of a salacious dream. About Amelia. He sighed and rolled over to grab the phone off his nightstand. He almost choked on his tongue when he saw who it was. She'd sent him a photo of her standing in his driveway wearing just a trench coat. Tory would be the last person on this earth he wanted to see, let alone see naked. He'd been there, done that, and didn't need to again. He shifted his pillow so he could lean against his headboard. He stared at the picture, not because he wanted to ogle her, but more in disbelief.He'd done everything in his power to discourage Tory. She was the daughter of a Mafia Don and he wanted nothing to do with her. Apparently, she hadn't given up on him. He sighed and dialed her number. "Anima Mia."Alex cringed. It meant her soul. He wasn't her soul. He wasn't her anything oth
Isabel was nowhere to be found when Amelia reached the dining room. It could have been because she took a few wrong turns along the way. There was toast and coffee and some eggs. Her stomach rumbled and she put some food on a plate. She knew from reading literature that she shouldn't drink coffee. She also needed to make a doctor's appointment. She might as well acknowledge that she was pregnant by getting a checkup. She was surprised Alex hadn't insisted on it yet. She was ahead of him in her thinking. She yawned. At least she had gotten some sleep after the commotion last night. Would Alex make an appearance? Footsteps echoed on the tile and Alex strode into the dining room. He wasn't as put together as normal. He poured a larger cup of coffee and then sat at the table. "I wanted to apologize for the disruption last night. It won't happen again."There was no need to apologize. This was his house. "I'm not keeping you from your booty calls am I?"Alex grimaced. "No. I wanted no
Amelia didn't know what to think as she took a bite of her eggs. Why would Isabel send her a hacking job? Why would she suddenly be so nice?"I don't understand," Amelia said putting down her fork. "What don't you understand?""You can't stand me and now you're giving me a job? Finding me a client? It's only been a few hours since you tried to get someone in her to seduce your father."The whole idea of arranging a booty call for Isabel's father just sat wrong with Amelia. She couldn't imagine being so threatened by anyone that she would do that. But Isabel had. "I guess I have to make up for that.""Why? I'm not trusting this change in attitude, Isabel. You were full of venom just a few hours ago," Amelia said. "Why would I trust you to get me a client."Isabel shrugged. "Maybe I've seen the light.""I don't buy it. Take your client somewhere else.""You need the money?"She did need the money. Alex had paid her bills, but there would be bills the next month and the month after that
Alex strolled into the kitchen from the garage. He'd driven to work this morning, leaving his driver home. He wasn't sure why, but he'd been in the mood to drive himself. A lot was going on and maybe he'd needed time to think. Driving helped him do that. The scent of meat cooking hit him as he hung his keys on their hook. His mouth watered and he wondered what had possessed his cook to make steak today. When he entered the kitchen fully, he realized that once again, Amelia had let the cook go home early. He'd guess Amelia had been restless. As if it were contagious from him. He'd been feeling unsettled for days. The addition of Amelia to his house hadn't precipitated it, but her presence had added to it. He was going to be a father again and he was going to be just as attentive to this one as he had been to Isabel. Could he see himself doing midnight feedings at his age? He wasn't so sure, but he and Amelia could work that out.He'd thought that as if they had a future together. We
Amelia had yet to check out Isabel's lead, but she had other ideas. One of her clients was located at the edge of the city. She could get to it easily and maybe if she went there in person, they'd pay her. The office was in a small town in a suburb and she parked in a lot at one end of the shopping district. The customer hadn't been a large account, but if she could put some money in savings she'd feel better. The office was above an Irish pub and the noise of the bar was surprising for this early in the day. The steps weren't rickety, but they spoke of age and had a personality to them. She knocked at the top of the steps and someone murmured for her to come in. The office wasn't as large as she'd expected it to be, and now she understood why the person hadn't paid. If this was their operation, she had no idea why they'd hired her to hack into the system. This couldn't be the main office, but it was the only address she had. "I'm looking for James Forest.""You've found him.""I'
"You don't think I handled it well," Amelia said. Alex knew he stepped in it. He had no right to judge her or her tactics. She was in her twenties and looked at life differently. She didn't have the benefit of experience, nor did she have a phalanx of lawyers behind her. She only had her stubbornness. That resulted in an hour in a jail cell. No convictions, but he had paid a fine for her. "I'm sorry, Amelia. It isn't my place to say anything.""It is your place. You took time out of your day to rescue me."Rescue. That was a loaded word. He hadn't ever planned on rescuing anybody, but if there was anyone in need of it, Amelia was it. She was pregnant. She had very little money and if he hadn't taken her in, she would be homeless. What he also knew was that she never would have asked for his help if she wasn't in jail. That had been the precipice for her to ask for help. She wouldn't again. It was up to him to offer or at least do it without her knowing it. He didn't like that idea,
"Did the mail come?"Amelia checked for the mail every day even though Benedict brought her anything addressed to her.Cook shook her head as she stared at a shelf in the kitchen. Today Amelia was restless because she'd started to check out Isabel's lead and it looked promising. Benedict was doing whatever butlers did when their employer wasn't around. She couldn't find him and he hadn't walked down for the mail yet. So she left out the front door and traveled the long driveway to the mailbox. She pulled out the stack of envelopes and carried them to the desk in the kitchen. Cook was hunched over a cookbook. "Do you like lamb, love?""I've never had lamb," Amelia said.She'd grown up in a house that ate chicken. Only the cheap meats were amiable and her mother had perfected many ways to make them. The steak had been for celebrating. "Never had lamb?""No, sorry. We ate a lot of chicken in my house growing up. It was cheap."Cook nodded and once again Amelia wondered what the woman's
Amelia slept through the night and the next morning Alex was up and dressed before her. She felt bad since it was supposed to be their second night as a married couple. She'd fallen asleep before he left his shower. "You didn't wake me," Amelia said, stretching."No. You needed your sleep. But we need to go somewhere now. You can sleep more later," he said. There was a twinkle in his eye. He hadn't mentioned a surprise again, but maybe this was it. Was it another spa day? She liked the first one, but still felt guilty. "Where are we going?""You'll see. I've packed for you. I hope that was okay.""I guess. Since I don't know what weather we're packing for then I guess I'm glad you did."Amelia rose and got ready for her day, even if she didn't know what was happening. She trusted Alex and he'd been more attentive than usual since the warehouse. Did he feel guilty? He hadn't done anything to inspire the Agostinos' actions. She had done more to poke that bear. At least she was able to
The advantage of having money is that you have resources. If you can pay for them, they will be at your beck and call, whether human or object. Add in the fact, that the person in danger had worked briefly for the government which Alex had only just found out and the response was deafening. That was how Alex came to stand outside Agostino's warehouse with federal agents waiting for the signal that it was safe. Henrik, Erik, and Fred had joined Alex. They doubted the federals would need their muscle, but he appreciated their presence anyway. His heart hammered in his chest and he longed for one hour alone with Papa Agostino if he hurt any hairs on Amelia's head. The radios on the agents' belts chattered quietly. It wasn't a calming noise, and Alex wondered if it alerted anyone inside the warehouse to their presence. He'd assumed a surprise attack would be best, but this wasn't a hockey game. This was dangerous and Amelia would be in the line of fire."She'll be fine," Erik said. "The
When Amelia left the spa she was rejuvenated and ready to see her new husband. After spending hours in bed and taking a long nap, Amelia was tired but mostly refreshed. She woke up to an empty bed. She wasn't worried because she doubted that Alex had gone far. She showered, dressed, and found him in his office. She watched from the doorway as he huddled over his computer. His office was large, but his size made it look small. She couldn't help smiling at the turn her life had taken. Alex looked up at her and smiled. "Hey.""Hey.""You feeling okay?""I'm feeling pretty wonderful," she said. And she was. She finally felt as if she belonged somewhere. Alex motioned her into his office. She walked over and straddled his lap, his arms wrapping around her. "I'm feeling pretty wonderful myself."Even sitting on his lap, he was taller than her. She leaned in and kissed him, the feeling of it curling her toes. How had she landed such a great man? She hadn't even been looking, but here he
Amelia stared at the imposing doors that must have been made of gold. They were shiny and Amelia was afraid if she touched them, she'd leave a mark. Kalia and Isabel flanked her. She felt power in their presence. Amelia had never been to a spa and she hadn't been willing to blaze this trail alone. Alex had agreed to pay for Kalia, too, and when Isabel heard, she invited herself. Amelia was actually glad because Isabel had been to spas her whole life. She would save Amelia from making a faux pas if that was possible at a spa. She'd assumed that spas were places only rich people went and she wasn't one of those. Even with marrying Alex, she didn't think of his money as hers."They are just doors, Amelia."Amelia glanced back at Isabel who stood there flashing a reassuring smile. Kalia nodded as if she was on Team Isabel. Amelia took a deep breath then let it out. "But they are huge.""They aren't as heavy as they look," she said. Amelia looked back at Kalia who shrugged. She wasn't a
Alex had finally convinced Amelia to marry him and he was happier than he'd expected. It would be a simple ceremony at the courthouse. He'd offered her grander things, but she had turned them down. Maybe it was what he liked most about Amelia. She was low maintenance."You look handsome, Daddy," Isabel said from his bedroom door. He thanked the stars that Isabel had been happy when they'd told her they were getting married. "Does this tie look okay with this suit?" Alex asked. Isabel laughed. "It has been years since you asked me that. Yes. It looks nice. Are you nervous?"He shrugged. The fiasco with the Agostinos still weighed on his mind. He'd visited Papa Agostino and asked for him to back off. He hadn't left with any assurances, but he hoped they understood each other. He was never marrying Tory and Amelia was to be left alone. "A little. Is that odd?""Were you nervous when you married my mother?""I was so amazed that your mother was actually going to walk down that aisle. I
Amelia stared at the mansion knowing she only had a few minutes before someone would open the door. Someone on Alex's security team or Benedict would know that she'd driven in the front gate. Been driven in since she'd caught an Uber. She could have stayed with Kalia, but what would be the point? She belonged here. Even if Alex didn't love her, she felt something for him. Her moment of solace was gone when the front door opened and Benedict stood there. "Miss Cooper. Welcome home."There's that word again. She did feel a certain amount of peace being here. Was that what home meant? "Hello, Benedict."Before she could ask if Alex was home, he appeared in the foyer. Without hesitation, he stepped out onto the stoop and engulfed her in his arms. It wasn't the homecoming she expected. "I missed you and I'm pretty pissed at you," he said on the top of her head. Okay. That was fair. She had ditched the driver, while she was in danger. "I'm sorry."He let her go and Amelia glanced at Ben
Amelia wasn't stupid. She knew she was in danger so she hid in the mall bathroom until Kalia came to pick her up. She exited at a different site than she entered. She'd turned off her phone so that Alex couldn't get in touch with her. As far as she was concerned, she'd taken precautions not to get caught.When she looked around and no one was there, she hopped into Kalia's car."I feel like I'm part of a spy movie," Kalia said."Something like that. Thanks for coming for me. I just had to get out.""Anytime girlfriend, but you may not like what I have to say.""We can talk about that later."Amelia kept looking behind them, but she couldn't tell if they were being followed or not. She wasn't good at sneaking around. She'd never been a teenager who went to parties or snuck out of her house. She'd always walked a different road, but it hadn't been in rebellion against her parents. "What are you looking at?"Amelia told Kalia what was going on. "Maybe you should have stayed with Alex. H
"I wish you would just stay at the mansion. It's large enough for all of us," Alex said.It was the third time during their drive to meet a real estate agent to see an apartment. Amelia was done with hearing it. "Stop, Alex."He moved a little closer to her in the back seat. "I'm serious, Amelia. I don't like this.""It isn't yours to like or not. Just because I am carrying your child doesn't mean you get to tell me what to do."They hadn't slept together in days and Amelia had assumed that whatever was between them wasn't going anywhere. It was time for her to figure out her next step. She loved working for his company, but living with him was too much for two people who weren't even in love. Well at least one of them wasn't. She was pretty sure her crush on Alex would remain unrequited. She didn't need to see him every day. "I'm not moving out right now anyway."The threat of the Agostinos still loomed over her head. She wasn't willing to risk herself or the baby to assert her indep
Amelia can't believe the breakthrough she'd made. Henrik is standing over her computer. "You've caught the hacker," he said. The joy she felt in breaking this hacker was dampened by the fact that Hillen Enterprises might not need her anymore. This was her specialty. She wasn't a code monkey. She was a hacker. She wrote code to do specific purposes and it wasn't gaming. Henrik patted her on the shoulder. "You are amazing. Now we can start criminal proceedings.""I haven't actually identified who they are. I've only found their IP address. It's probably hidden behind anonymizers and such.""But you've gotten further than any of us."Amelia nodded but knew there was more to this. Of course, what she'd done was good and it got them closer to discovering who the hacker was. Amelia was excited about what she'd accomplished, but not as excited as Henrik was. "You need to go see Alex. We should celebrate all accomplishments."Amelia shrugged. "I need some fresh air. I'll step out then go