The Billionaire’s Prodigal Wife (Mackenna and Alessandro)

Chapter 20

Alessandro considered of all the times he'd been angry at Mackenna, this might be the most volatile he had ever felt. He'd returned to the hotel suite thirty minutes ago and she was nowhere to be found. As he considered she had taken off yet again but this time with their child, his rage was growing epically by the millisecond. He slammed his fist against the tabletop as he called his head of security with another demand to find her. Since it was almost noon, he had no idea how long she'd been gone or how far she'd gotten.

He looked up in surprise as the door of the suite opened and she stepped into the room, her eyes narrowed on his reddened cheeks. Where the hell have you been?.

She dropped her hand from the door and felt her own temper flaring. I had a doctor appointment Alessandro

Her words made him pause and his fist unclenched. You should have told me

-I woke up and you were gone. I don't have a phone number for you and chasing you in Dulce's room is not something I'm ever going to do, thank you. If you want the consideration of knowing my whereabouts, leave a number She threw her purse on the side table.

He took a breath as his panic slowly eased. I apologize Mackenna. I should have left a note

-You didn't need to leave a note Alessandro. I knew where you were and who you were with. Considering your girlfriend is laying in a bed with her leg in a cast to her hip, it's not hard to know where you were. If you want to leave a phone number in

case of an emergency, it would be great. It might come in handy, say if I go into labour or something but since I don't expect it for another eight months or so, I don't think you need to hurry on it

He was getting tired of the nasty comments on his relationship with Dulce so he ignored it. He grabbed her purse and dug her cell phone from it. He programmed his phone number in it and then he programmed hers into his. How did you make out at the doctor?.

him and moved to the bedroom. I want to go to my apartment and pick up some of my clothes

-No He shook his head as he followed her into the room. -I've seen your clothes and they're garbage. I'll take you shopping

-Whatever,II she grimaced as she kicked her shoes off and climbed onto the bed.

-What are you doing?.

-Napping She pulled a pillow under her cheek and closed her eyes. Just looking at him made her want him and it was easier to sleep through the desire than it was to dwell in it. Don't you have something, or rather someone, to do?.

He felt his anger slowly coming back. -Mackenna we cannot make our marriage work if you're going to be throwing jabs all the time

-Alessandro,II she mocked him, I have no interest in making this marriage work. I'm here because I'm having your baby and I don't want to lose him or her. If this means I must tolerate your face, your lovemaking, and your lover, then I'll do it but don't expect me to be the same pathetic wimpy little fool I was five years ago

He staggered backwards at the cold derisive tone to her words. Mackenna, it amazes me at how you can go from a loving and passionate woman through the night to the cold-hearted b***h you are right now She sat up and glared at him. —It amazes you. Why would it amaze you? Did you think I would be all warm and fuzzy knowing you left our bed yet again to go to her?. She pushed off the bed. There was no way she could sleep with him glaring and itching for a fight. I changed my mind. I'm going for a walk

-Not without security detail you're not He shook his head and put his hand up to stop her from bending down to slip back into her shoes.

-Alessandro, I've existed without your bloody security for the last five years. I'll survive now She yanked her shoulder away from his grasp and spun away from him. See, the good thing about being your dirty little secret is paparazzi don't follow me. They don't even know I exist and it's fine with me

relationship private because it is nobody's business but my own what happens in it. Really? You should let Dulce know because this morning while I waited to see

the doctor, a pair of nurses were going on at great length how she's telling everyone and anyone who will listen you're lovers. She was apparently on the phone with a tabloid of some sort telling them how you flew to be right at her side and the worst thing about being stuck in a cast is the inability to make love She saw his surprised expression. So much for privacy, if you really expect me to believe you're not screwing her, maybe you might want to let her know you're denying it

-I will investigate this matter and...II

-Why?. She looked at him in surprise. —Don't do it for me, Alessandro. Like I said earlier, I'm only here for the baby. Which reminds me; I'd like to have separate bedrooms if you don't mind. I admit I find you sexually attractive, but I find looking in the mirror in the morning becomes increasingly difficult each time I give in to the particular physical need. I'd rather just not if you don't mind

-I suggest you stop looking in the mirror then because I have no intention of sleeping anywhere but in your bed He felt his fingers itching to shake her senseless. Never had he felt so inclined to physical violence as he did in this moment. She was not the same woman he'd married.

-Whatever, II she refused to fight with him and rolled her eyes as she walked around him to the living space.

-I grow weary of that word, Mackenna He called after her. I told you, you are not walking alone He followed her out and folded his arms as she lifted her purse. He motioned to the table. I have to work this afternoon. You'll have to stay in for a

bit

-Like hell She was closer to the door than he was, and she was out of it before he could reach her. She hit the lock knowing he'd fumble with it. The elevator was still on the floor from when she'd gotten off and she pushed the button and it opened. The doors were closing just before he reached it and the sound of his palm

-You do not get to tell me what to do Alessandro Giordano She marched out of the hotel and began walking down the street, her head held high. She wasn't running this time. She had every intention of going back to him. She simply needed him to know she was not playing by his rules any longer. She had already called Camille and told her to halt the proceedings. When she'd told her she was pregnant thanks to the foolish escapade the month before, Camille had agreed with her she could not guarantee her a victory in a custody battle with Alessandro. She could get her joint custody at best, and she did not want to be separated from her child.

She'd called her grandparents and lied. She told them she and Alessandro had patched their differences and were having a baby. She would not let them know she was sacrificing her happiness for her child. They would be disappointed in her and she bear the thought. Her grandfather had sounded happy for her and was excited she was moving back to Milan.

She let the sun beat down on her face as she walked through the city, and she admitted today in comparison to yesterday was a much better day. She was starting to feel excitement at the thought of having a baby. Her one close encounter with her own mortality had told her she wanted to have her family now and she was getting her wish.

She smiled to herself as she imagined her baby was growing even as she thought of him. Her eye caught a bookstore, and she had the sudden urge to go and get as much reading material as she could.

As she left the bookstore, she was alarmed she had spent close to a hundred dollars on books. She had everything from what she should expect in being pregnant to how to deal with expectant fathers and even books on naming the baby. At first, she'd almost put a couple of the books back but then forced herself to buy them. She no longer needed her savings for her divorce, and she knew Alessandro would pay the bulk of her needs now.

She sat on a nearby bench and looked through one of the books, intrigued to learn her baby was six weeks old and was the size of a lima bean. She giggled as occurring even as she sat there not feeling any different than she had a week before. She sat there reading for hours, content to learn all she could learn and only the rumbling of her tummy told her it was close to dinner time.

She made her way back to the hotel resenting she couldn't just go back to her apartment. She would have been alone though. She'd seen Savannah at the hospital and her friend had apologized to her for the argument the day before. They'd hugged and although Savannah had stated she was upset Mackenna hadn't told her about everything on her last trip to Milan, she said she understood and would support her no matter what. Then Savannah had gone back to work. She'd worked until midnight the night before and she was working again at noon. Savannah worked harder than anyone else she knew but she loved it. She stepped into the hotel lobby and immediately recognized Alessandro's head of security, Carlos, talking to another man and intuitively knew this man would be assigned to follow her everywhere she went. She nodded to Carlos whose eyes narrowed on her and he motioned to the man beside her, and she gave a grimace in his direction. She saw Carlos motioned to her to approach him and she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

She smiled to herself as he almost tripped over his feet racing across the lobby at her refusal to do as he instructed, and she made her way to the elevators and pushed the button to open the doors. -Signora Giordano, if you could excuse us for just a moment?. Carlos's accent was thick as he reached for her arm.

-Carlos, I'm tired and I'm hungry. I'll be going to my husband's room She had never spoken to him with this tone before and saw his head snap back in disbelief. She had never been one to be rude to anyone but she wasn't going to make life easy for anyone who wanted to make hers difficult.

-I wanted to introduce you to your new bodyguard Carlos held the elevator doors open and followed her inside. -Signora Giordano, this is Nuncio Mancini, my brother. He'll be taking care of your security. -I don't need anyone taking care of my security, Carlos She grimaced but shook the other man's hand politely. -You forget I am Alessandro's best kept secret, so nobody even knows I exist. Nuncio, you'd be better off serving Dulce

She didn't miss the annoyed twist of the man's lips and she felt badly. Look, I'm not trying to be difficult. I just don't see the need

- Nuncio held his hand up. —You are carrying the heir to the Giordano family. It is no longer about just protecting you but the child in your womb -Can I think about it?. She asked grimly.

-No Nuncio's smile was wide at her startled gaze. It is not up for debate Signora. Whether you like it or not, I will be following you around for the rest of your God-given life or until Alessandro fires me or I quit

-This rots,II she smacked her hand against her thigh as she stepped out of the elevator. I don't need a shadow. I could make you insane, so you quit. I really don't need this -Whether you feel you do or not is irrelevant,II Carlos commented quietly Alessandro wants you taken care of

-Alessandro wants to make sure I don't disappear on him again She could see from Carlos's surprised expression she wasn't wrong. Wouldn't it be easier if he just put a GPS or microchip or something in me? He could arrange a dental visit and have it put in my filling She heard Nuncio chuckling and she fought her own twisting lips. She opened the door to the hotel room and preceded them into the space. She grimaced at Alessandro hunched over his laptop.

Working as he stole her privacy. Damn him.