Too bad Rafe hadn’t listened more. But at least his love for Ari proved that his obscene wealth hadn’t totally destroyed his character.
“Are you ready, Rachel?” he asked softly, laying a hand on her shoulder.
If only he actually cared whether she was all right. But she knew his concern was only for the child she carried. She was glad he cared about the baby, but she didn’t think it was possible to go through with a relationship with him when she knew she was simply an incubator for his little one.
Would he simply discard her after the baby was born? Ignore her completely? It seemed very likely to her. Still, she wanted the ultrasound, and as she was stuck here for now, it looked as though she was going to see her first pictures of the baby with him at her side.
Without saying anything more, Rachel stood, pushing away his hand. She could get up on her own. His eyes sharpened just a bit, but he didn’t say anything about her rejection of him.
He should be well used to it by now.
Her bladder was full, which was apparently a good thing for the ultrasound, but not as wonderful for her as she walked beside him from her room and into the hallway. They made their way in silence through the maze of hallways until he stopped and opened a door on the far side of the castle.
“I know you are upset with me, but this day is special. Try not to let what’s been happening between us ruin that for you,” Adriane said as the two of them stepped inside a room that had been turned into a mini-clinic.
“I won’t let you affect how I feel, period,” Rachel said as she looked around.
His team of doctors had brought in a medical bed and an ultrasound imaging machine, along with other equipment that she had no clue about. Was he planning on never letting her leave this opulent hideaway?
It seemed to be set up for delivery. A chill went down her spine — she might be trapped here forever. The princess — no, dammit, the queen — in the tower.
One of the nurses led Rachel to a partitioned-off area where she changed into one of the unflattering gowns all patients wore. As she slipped the soft cotton around her, she worried that eventually she’d not even care. She thought for a moment about letting her ass hang out the back and walking out, giving Adriane a good view. She could title her memoirs “I Mooned the King”!
Then she thought better of it.
She couldn’t deny that she had feelings for Adriane. Not love, but certainly feelings. She desired him, but she was sure that was par for the course with his women. He’d been an excellent lover, and though she’d tried to forget, it was impossible not to remember his hands and mouth caressing her body — and his impressive manhood sinking within her. Showing him her ass might push him, and she didn’t think she’d be able to say no if he put forth a serious effort to seduce her.
Nope. Much better off leaving the gown nice and closed.
A tremor washed through her as she stepped from the partition and approached the table, where Adriane was waiting to help her up. She didn’t refuse him this time, not wanting to teeter over the other side of the table and let everyone in the room get a good gander at her tush.
This was all so confusing. Once again she blamed it on pregnancy hormones. That had to be the only explanation, because suddenly she had to stop herself from laughing at her own lame jokes.
“Just lie back and relax. We’ll have an image of your baby in just a few moments,” the nurse said as she lifted Rachel’s robe and applied a cold gel to her belly. Any thoughts of laughter evaporated just as fast as they’d appeared.
When the woman pressed the small wand to her stomach, Rachel was afraid she was going to embarrass herself and lose bladder control right there in front of everyone, but as the screen flashed on, Rachel forgot all about her discomfort and gazed at the monitor in fascination while she waited to see the first image of her baby.
When the doctor’s brow furrowed and he leaned down to start whispering with the ultrasound technician, turning the screen away and pointing at it, Rachel felt her pulse escalate.
Adriane turned his full attention to them and she felt like an outsider as she heard them speak urgently — in French again! Why did they keep doing that!
Rachel hadn’t wanted to be pregnant, had been devastated when she found out she was going to be a single mother and that her best-laid plans for her future had to be altered. But over the last couple of months, she’d had time to come to terms with her condition, and now she felt an unbelievable urge to protect her child, to ensure it had a healthy arrival into this world.
From the looks on the medical staff’s faces, something wasn’t right. Her throat closed up on her as she tried to ask what was wrong. She needed to speak to them, but she couldn’t get any sound out.
Adriane looked up and must have noticed her distress because he bent down to her. “Are you all right?”
Finally her voice came back to her. “What’s wrong with my baby?”
Adriane grabbed her hand and squeezed with a look both of wonder and of shock on his face. He turned back to the monitor while he tried to figure out how to say the words.
In Rachel’s panic, she gripped his hand tightly and leaned on him for comfort, though he had been the one to cause so much of her stress lately. It didn’t matter at this moment. Right now, all that mattered was that their baby be OK. Just for now, they needed to present a united front.
“Sorry about worrying you, Ms. Palazzo. I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure,” the doctor said, speaking in English again as he turned and looked at her with a reassuring smile.
That didn’t drive away her worries.
“It seems you are carrying twins.”
Adriane’s face broke out into a huge grin, and he looked down at her with such pride and…love in his expression that it took her breath away. Rachel had to remind herself it was love for the babies she carried, not for her.
Still, she was floored.
Twins.
Not one baby but two rested within her womb.
What was she going to do now?
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
RIFLE SHOTS SOUNDED in the quiet cemetery. Seven rifles, fired in three volleys.
It was supposed to be for honor.
It was supposed to signify respect.
Yes, it did that, but saluting one who had fallen while serving his country didn’t take away the pain of losing him.
River Delzado was gone forever. He would never serve with his team again.
Shane hung his head. An endless silence surrounded him before taps began playing. Then, the only sound that could be heard above the bugle was the quiet sobs of River’s wife and young daughter.