Rome for Always (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Italy. Let me see the woman who’s so
mesmerized my son he can’t think straight.”
    “Fine. If that’s what it will take to get you off my
back, then you got it.” Rome gave a snort. “But you’re going to see you’re
wrong. You’ll fall in love with Arie. Just watch.”
    “That remains to be seen.” Vittorio’s voice was skeptical.
“I just want to figure out if this Arie of yours has any more surprises up her
sleeve.”
    His tone made Rome realize there was no point in
continuing the conversation. There was nothing he could say that would make his
father change his mind. It was time to wrap this up before both of them got so
riled up they ended up saying things they’d later regret.
    “Listen, Dad. I’ve got to go. Time for my meeting.”
    “All right, son. Let’s talk again tomorrow.”
    The phone call ended on a civil note but several seconds
after his father had hung up Rome just sat there, his forehead still furrowed
in a frown. It was only when Iyana stuck her head in, this time with her face
sporting a frown of her own, that he made any attempt to move.
    Because, try as he might, he couldn’t shake the thought.
What if there was some inkling of reason to what his father had said?
    What if Arie held more secrets behind those brilliant
blue eyes of hers?
    CHAPTER THREE
     
    “Isn’t this exciting? We’re going to get to see her.”
Arie was grinning as she gazed over at Rome.
    He gave her a quick glance and a slight smile.  “I
thought you saw her already.”
    “I did, but she was only five months old then. Now she’s
all of ten months old.” She sighed. “She’s such a big girl now. I can only
imagine how much she’s changed.”
    “Hmm.” That was Rome’s reply, a noncommittal response
that had Arie tilting her head to get a better look at him.
    She couldn’t put her finger on it but something was not
quite right. As soon as she got the call that she could visit the baby she'd
told him about it.  He'd insisted on flying her there but since they'd set off
he'd seemed preoccupied, even distant, and each time she’d started talking
about the baby he’d either been nonresponsive or had changed the subject.
    This was one of those non-responsive times.
    It made it seem like he was totally uninterested in the
conversation but she would try again. Maybe he had a lot on his mind. He might
even be nervous about meeting Maya. That must be it. A case of nerves, plain
and simple.
    “Would you like to name the baby?” she asked, trying to
draw him out.
    “Hmm?” Rome almost sounded bored.
    “Name her. Give her a middle name. I already gave her
the name Maya so it would be nice if you chose her middle name.”
    He shrugged. “Okay.”
    Arie looked at him askance. “Okay? Is that all you have
to say?”
    He glanced at her. “What? You want the middle name right
now?”
    “Well, no, but you could at least sound interested. It’s
like I’m nagging you or something.”
    “Your words, not mine.”
    “So I’m nagging you? Talking about little Maya is
nagging?” She gave him the full focus of her glare. “Come, be honest with me. Are
you sure you’re up to this adoption? Because, if not, nobody’s holding a gun to
your head. You can always back out.”
    He threw her a frosty glance. “Don’t even go there.”
    “But I have to. You’ve been acting so weird, I don’t
know what to think. I…” She lifted her hand, almost in a pleading gesture, then
she dropped it back onto her lap. “I’m sorry, Rome. I didn’t mean to upset you.
It’s just that you’ve been so cool lately, I don’t know what to think.”
    She glanced over at him, expecting him to defend
himself, but he said nothing. She saw when he drew in a breath then let it out.
She saw his brows knit as if in deep concentration but still, he said nothing.
    Finally, despite the fear that gripped her heart, she
decided to ask the questions that would determine the course of the rest of her
life. She swallowed. “Rome,”