Page 12 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

“We were waiting a bit before sharing this news. Wewanted everything to be good, healthy, and no sadness to share,” Affonso said.

Calisto’s brow furrowed. “He’s making quite a show,isn’t he?”

“I heard them talking a couple of weeks ago in hisoffice,” Cynthia said.

“About what?”

“Emma said it was still too early, and she didn’t wantit to end like the last one did.”

“What?” Calisto asked. “You’re not making any sense.”

“The baby,” Cynthia clarified.

Calisto’s heart stopped for a split second. “Thebaby?”

“That’s what I said. She didn’t want to tell peopleyet because she was scared it might happen again.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Didn’t you know?” Cynthia asked.

Calisto shook his head. Why couldn’t his younger cousinjust spit whatever the fuck it was out? “No, tell me.”

“I thought for sure that Daddy told you, Cal.”

“Obviously not.”

“Emma miscarried like three weeks after the wedding.She didn’t want to tell people this time until she was further along.”

Calisto’s tongue was too thick to speak. He did themath in his head quickly. Emma would have been very early in her pregnancy ifshe miscarried only three weeks after her wedding. She likely would have justfound out she was pregnant only days before miscarrying. Knowing a woman onlyhad so many days in her cycle meant that conception would have been far morelikely to occur closer to the wedding date …

Or just before.

That night in Emma’s penthouse, Calisto had used acondom the first time. The morning after, twice, he hadn’t used anything. Hedidn’t want to confirm what it might mean.

Jesus Christ.

Why hadn’t she told him?

Affonso was still speaking. “My beautiful wife is twomonths along in her pregnancy. We wanted to share this news with our family andfriends first. Our first child is due in … Emma, sweetheart?”

“Early February,” Emma finished for her husband.

Calisto felt sick.

He snatched the glass from Cynthia, ignored her pout,and downed what was left of it in one go. The bitter sweetness of the alcoholdid nothing to soothe his sudden frayed nerves, or the anger bubbling justbelow his surface. Calisto needed something far stronger to make the hell thatwas his life seem even a little bit better.

Fuck this whole night.

Fuck it.

Emma

It had taken Emma a very short amount of time to learnexactly what Affonso Donati wanted in a wife. She quickly figured out theeasiest way to placate the man, the best way to distract him, and the right wayto please him.

Sometimes, it didn’t even have to be sexual.

A smile when he said her name would suffice. Herundivided attention when he was speaking. Her presence at his side when he wasshowing off for others.