The Marriage Ultimatum (City of Dreams Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

reacting.
    The thought of filing any sort of claim that could be made public, where people would search into her background, was the last thing she would do. Even if he had harassed her, which he had not. They had both been so deep into whatever flared up between them that no thought beyond the pleasure of the moment crossed her mind.
    The reality was that she was the de facto mother of a three-year-old, light years out of Vladimir Grigory’s league. And yes, he was hot, but underneath that kick-ass suit, he was just another guy who didn’t believe in second chances.
    ****
    Rain continued to fall steadily outside the VGI building as Sabrina hooked her bulging bag onto the stroller’s handles. She pulled Alex’s rain hat down over his feathery black hair, kissed his cheek, and wiped away the raindrops, not tears, she told herself, from her own cheeks, and pushed the stroller to the downtown subway.

Chapter 4
    Hurricane Vlad
    The thumping on her front door echoed the agonizing pounding inside her head. The banging was merciless, and she wanted to yell ‘go away’ but the added volume of her voice would surely awaken Alex from his nap and do serious damage to her nerves. Alex needed his rest and she needed him to rest, so she could.
    Last night hadn’t ended till early this morning.
    Sabrina was too chicken to tell Mrs. Egan about her disastrous day and her dismissal. If only she could forget the whole sorry day ever happened.
    To cheer them both up, Sabrina treated Alex by making his favorite pasta and veg followed by ice cream for both of them and wine for her. She invited her friend Lacey, who lived on the floor above them to share, and they opened wine given to Sabrina on her birthday. Lacey brought another bottle and so, one Pinot Grigio had turned into two.
    “Yum,” Lacey pronounced her verdict with her mouth full of linguine. “So amazing to eat honest-to-God carbs for a change. Man, I don’t know how I survived without ’em.”
    “And tomorrow you’ll weigh exactly the same as yesterday and call it lucky metabolism whereas I—” Sabrina pretended to frown.
    “Whereas real women have curves,” Lacey countered. This was an old routine of theirs.
    “And everything you see I owe to pasta.” Sabrina wriggled and struck a voluptuous pose as she quoted the famous Sophia Loren line.
    Sabrina continued to tease. “So, I guess pasta’s one compensation for giving up your title of ‘world famous model.’”
    “Oh, there’s more than one positive in that bargain,” Lacey’s tone turned dead serious, “but don’t change the subject, we’re talking about you and your not-by-your-own-choice departure from under the thumb of Nanny Bordon.”
    Sabrina giggled. At least she could be happy that Gert Bordon was now part of her past.
    “Really, once the shock wears off, Rina, you might want to think about my offer, you know, about staying with me? Remember, mi sofa es su sofa .” Lacey’s blue eyes, which could go from innocent to smoldering in a heartbeat for the camera, were genuinely sincere.
    “Hell, no, Lacey. You’re changing jobs, too.”
    Lacey had just gotten out of a sticky work situation herself. Leaving modeling was a huge financial and emotional change for her, and Sabrina had no desire to add to Lacey’s troubles. Sabrina hadn’t gotten all of the dirt about the why of it, because they’d both been so busy of late, but she knew her friend was hurting. And Miranda’s Moments lingerie models would have to somehow muddle through without Lacey in their number.
    “Just promise me, Sabrina, honey.” Lacey’s Maryland drawl turned to steel.
    “I promise. We are far from that, but definitely, I will call you if anything.”
    And she would. Because it wasn’t just her, it was Alex who would be affected most and if the best alternative was to sleep on Lacey’s sofa, they would. By the time next month’s rent was due, if she still hadn’t found work, Sabrina would swallow her pride and