BABY DADDY (36 page)

But he isn’t.

“My boobs! My ass! My logs! Where did they go?!”

When Raiden swears, I know he’s truly upset. Well, we’re not doing the other thing, so...

Speaking of the other thing…God, I’ve missed him! He’s simply dashing in a black suit that fits him to perfection.

“You’ve been starving yourself! What the fuck, Ella!”

My lips tremble.

I HAVE been starving myself for at least a month when he left. The only thing that saved me from Anorexia was Rowann who hired the best New York dietitian to take over my kitchen the past months to concoct the healthiest food for me and my personal trainer who helped me tone my sagging muscles. I let them work on me. It took my mind off of Raiden, even just for an hour at the gym everyday.

“What…what are you doing here?” I ask him, trying to relieve the lump in my throat.

“That magazine cover you were on. Mother has a subscription of that and she was shocked shitless she came running to show it to me. I was holed up in the foundry but when I saw it, I thought a major intervention was needed before you lose all those curves and there’d be nothing left for me. So, here I am.”

I stare at him.

As always, too beautiful for words.

And I’m too overwhelmed for words now.

My Raiden.

He came back.

What have I ever done to deserve this man? Yes, man. How do you measure manhood?

I know now. It’s not the age. It’s the character. The capacity of the man to love. To give. And Raiden has given me more love than I deserve despite being a complete ass the whole time. But I will take it, everything he gives me. I will deserve every bit of that love, because I’m a person worthy to be loved.

“I missed you so much,” I utter in a trembling voice.

He smiles and spreads his arms. “Come here.”

I run to him again, jumping in his arms and holding on for dear life.

“Jesus, you weigh nothing now,” he mumbles in my ear.

I bury my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his familiar scent. Immediately, I feel it like a balm soothing my soul. Only him can truly do that. Only my Raiden.

“I’m so sorry, my love,” I tell him.

“Uh-huh…”

“I was so stupid.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I was such a coward.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Can you ever forgive me?”

“I forgive you.”

I raise my face.

Our gazes meet.

I see myself in his eyes.

Beautiful.

Worthy.

Me.

I love myself.

I love him.

“Shall we continue making a baby now? I have lots and lots to give you. Four months’ worth of unused supply.”

I laugh out loud, like I don’t give a damn.

He whirls me around the paved walk.

I spread my arms and lean back, letting gravity take charge. Letting him take charge of gravity.

Unafraid.

I trust him.

Totally.

Freedom.

At last.

Four months without seeing her
felt like forty years. Two hours of waiting for her as she mingles with her guests feels like two centuries.

I don’t know how I was able to bear not seeing her this long. I would have come sooner but I had to handle some personal matters and she had to finish her year-end business commitments without me getting in the way.

Needless to say, my PDA with Ella in New York rattled the Visconti cage. They had no idea that night they came to Ella’s show with less than honorable intentions will change their lives in a manner they never expected. They roused the Sleeping Dragon of Louÿs Island.

The moment my mother took a look at my face when I returned to the island, she came off of hiding, too. I should have been more adept at concealing my feelings but I was devastated and I had no one else to go to but my mother.

I told her everything.

She hopped on the jet the next day with Sandro and a few of our trusted men and flew to Monte Franco. She hasn’t set foot in that place for decades but when you’re carrying the late monarch of Monte Franco’s official signet ring and important royal documents that will affect the line of succession, the immigration tends to be lenient.

Mother met with Princess Antoinette.

I have known this for sometime that by the decree of my father who was the monarch of Monte Franco and sovereign authority of all Visconti interests around the world, I’m next in line to the throne because my father secretly married my mother shortly before he died in Singapore, his second legal residence after Monte Franco. He also legally recognized me as his son and named me his successor.

Father died before he could fully adopt me to carry the Visconti name, but that didn’t change the fact that I’m the heir-apparent as his only son.

I could have been named king immediately after Father died but Mother wasn’t confident she could protect me in those times in Monte Franco where the powerful clan of the Viscontis reigned supreme. She opted for us to live peacefully in the island.

Mother was apprehensive the Viscontis will find out about me, so she agreed when Sandro offered to adopt me when I was seventeen. I was able to study in Singapore and travel the world undetected by the Viscontis for years. It was only a few years ago when they found out about me. We received information I was being watched.

My sister was humbled. A princess cannot veto the last will of the king.

My mother was a changed person when she returned to the island, too. She was like me before, anonymous, voiceless. She chose to sacrifice her identity for my father’s family. It was the least she could do for taking the king away from them. She felt guilty for tarnishing the legend of King Pierre and Queen Katherine, the love story that captivated the entire world for decades.

But like me, she’s done hiding.

Akiko Hara was back and fuck anybody who’d dare fuck with her now. We have our own stronghold now. Louÿs Island is a place no Visconti can touch.

The Viscontis realized this. They set up a meeting with us in France. We were just waiting for them to extend the olive branch. Mother and I have talked. We knew what we wanted.

Princess Antoinette went beyond our expectations. She gathered the most important members of the Visconti clan and introduced me as her only brother. She especially thanked my mother for taking care of the king and making him happy in his last days as she could not have done so herself.

That same night, I signed away my claim to the throne to Cesare.

It was a milestone for all the Viscontis.

Now, I’m an honorary royal and I have the option to use Visconti as my last name. But I love the name Sandro gave me. It’s more like me. What I really enjoy is I can now come and go in Monte Franco as I please. The Viscontis are all welcome at Louÿs Island, too, any time.

How a few months have changed my life.

I’m looking forward to more drastic changes soon.

I can’t wait for them to happen, starting tonight.

It’s time to exit this freakin’ party and resume my mission.

Get Stella Rhodes pregnant.

I finally got her into my suite
at the Hotel Fouquet.

“What the hell is this?!
Did they sew you into this? How do we get you off this thing?”

She giggles. “It’s called couture, my love. It took them two hours to put me into this gown and create this look. Don’t you dare mess with Juancho’s masterpiece.”

“How do I get to your boobs? Juancho closed it for fucking business!”

“We need assistance from his people.”

“You fucking kidding me? I can’t wait that long!”

She giggles again. “Tell you what, forget about my boobs for now. There’s a more important client you need to attend to right now and it’s open for business down under.”

I laugh. Hell, yeah.

I dive under the thick layers of fabric, between her legs.

How I’ve missed her scent.

Her wetness.

Her taste.

The sounds she makes as I eat her pussy.

Her beautiful, delicious pussy.

All mine everyday from now on.

“Raiden…! Please…”

I know what she wants. I want it, too.

Every pulsating inch of me is craving for it.

I go back to kissing her upper lips as I free my cock from my pants. I’m so fucking hard, so hungry for the feel of her pussy gloving all of me snugly from base to tip. It’s been too long I’m dying for it.

I don’t bother to undress and yeah, I won’t dare mess with Juancho’s masterpiece. But taking her in this weird-looking dress that looks like a costume from Star Wars is kinda hot. She’s covered all over except where it matters right this minute.

“I love you,” I whisper.

“Cock first, then I’ll tell you.”

I chuckle. God, she’s a piece of work, alright.

My muse forever.

She encircles my shaft with her fingers, squeezing. “I missed you so much. So hard…this badass cock…mine! Mine alone!” She grips me tighter and pumps my length, her fingers sleek with the juices leaking from me, increasing my already monstrous erection. “I want this inside me. Please, love, come inside me.”

I groan and take over.

I rim her dripping entrance and push in, slowly entering her.

Her tightness welcomes me.

Her warmth, a blessed sanctuary.

I’m where I want to belong, always. In the very heart of her.

I move to bring us to the highest high, feeding her with the long, deep strokes of my desire. The pleasure I’m giving her manifests in how she’s clenching and rippling and grinding around me, her abundant juices making it all slick and easy. I take her harder, sinking into her deeper, giving her everything I’ve got.

My body has been starved for her. My self-control snaps too soon and I surrender to the tempest of my impending release, ramming into her with the violence of my animal need. “Ella, baby, I love you…! Fuck…!”

Her eyes tell me everything she feels for me before they glaze over as her orgasm rips through her.

But she screams it anyway.

“I love you! Oh god, Raiden, I fucking love you!”

Hearing her say that as I come inside her is THE shit.

Nothing can compare to that.

Ever.

EPILOGUE

_____________________________________________________________

25 CONTROVERSIAL QUOTES FROM THE STYLE EMPRESS

On her fabulous wedding gowns:

There’s only one day in a woman’s life where her fairy tale truly happens.

On her wedding day. I’d like to be part of those memories.

When time comes that she wants to give up her marriage,

I want her to stare at her wedding gown

and be reminded of the happiest day of her life,

the day she knew all the rights reasons for marrying her prince.

Okay, so I’m a fucking romantic where my wedding gowns are concerned.

Shoot me.

Stella Rhodes

____________________________________________________

“IS IT JUST ME OR I’M FATTER
in that version of yours?”

He grins without apology and shrugs.

We’re beholding his giant sculpture of yours truly at the highest point of Punto Fiamma. I still cannot fathom what has prompted this man to make a monument of me. It’s too overwhelming. I’m no hero or a saint.

“I shaped you based on my memories of you. I’m afraid they ran a little wilder when I was missing you too much.”

“I knew it!” I shake my head. “You really made me fatter than I actually was and now the world will see this! Unbelievable!”

Raiden and Akiko finally agreed to grant a famous photographer to capture Punto Fiamma on camera exclusively and feature their art in a limited edition coffee table book. The texts will be written by Cathy Varys. The preorder sales were unbelievable. The world’s fascination for Akiko and her alleged royal lover has never waned and now, she’s unveiling one of her best kept artworks, her son, Raiden.

Oh, the world will be taken by a royal storm, I just know it.

Society can continue to speculate about Akiko and the late King of Monte Franco but I think, the royals will just let actions speak for themselves.

All’s well that ends well.

“The world will see what’s mine,” Raiden says with such pride in his voice my chest constricts. “Better than any Rubens and Michaelangelos. My masterpiece.”

My eyes water. God, he makes me cry a lot these days, with happiness. I’m wearing an exquisite Visconti heirloom on my ring finger, a deep blue rock proclaiming me as his fiancee. It was a gift to Raiden from his sister. The ring was owned by King Pierre’s Queen Mother.