“Have you ever considered maybe nothing happened?” Her voice went from devastated to suspicious.

“Sof, she’s pregnant. Something happened.”

“No. That doesn’t mean anything. Even if something did happen, it may not be yours. I hate to say it, but women can be evil and I saw it I her eyes the day she insulted Grace, this bitch is as evil as they come. I wouldn’t trust a word she says.”

Sal sighed, feeling dead inside. “I dunno, Sof. I’ll have to look into it all. I wasn’t planning on just taking her word. But the fact remains she woke up in my room that morning.”

Sofia was quiet for a moment. “Have you talked to Grace?”

“Yeah.” The image of her distraught face and her words came at him again. I hate you! “It’s over. She wants nothing to do with me anymore.”

“Well, you can’t give up.”

“I don’t think there’s any way to fix this.”

“Where there’s a will there’s a way, Sal. Aren’t you the one always saying that?”

“I know but—”

“No, no buts. I’m calling Romero.”

“For what?” The last thing he wanted was for the whole world to be in on his stupidity. But who was he kidding? With Melissa pregnant with his kid, everyone would know soon enough.

“This doesn’t end here, Sal. Melissa doesn’t get to win this easily. I have serious doubts about this whole thing. And I’m sorry, but if it turns out that she really is pregnant and this is your baby, I’ll love it just as much as I’ll love my nieces but I will never accept her as part of my family.”

Sal knew that much already. Even if his brothers would somehow find a way to tolerate Melissa, if necessary, Sofie wasn’t about to be that gracious. In fact after seeing her reaction to Melissa showing up at his house, it’d be best to keep those two out of the same room, especially now.

After hanging up with Sofia he did what he dreaded most, but knew he had to. He called Melissa.

CHAPTER 28

Melissa answered on the first ring. Sal pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and parked.

“I had hoped to give you the news first but you left me no choice. You’re not mad are you?”

Sal leaned his elbow against the door and rested his head on his hand, feeling completely drained. “Mad doesn’t even begin to explain what I’m feeling right now, Melissa.”

“It’s not like I planned this.”

Sal rolled his eyes. “I want proof before I accept any responsibility whatsoever.”

“How dare you!”

“Don’t act surprised. You know damn well I’d be stupid to just take your word for it. In fact I question the validity of the pregnancy all together.”

“You really think I would make something like this up?”

“Yes. I really do.” Sal wasn’t about to fall for her feigned hurt act. She’d just cost him the one thing he knew with all certainty he could never replace. There was no room for compassion here—none at all.

“I have proof.”

“And that would be?” He waited, eyes squeezed shut.

“I’ll show you the pregnancy test. I’ve taken three now and they’re all positive.”

He was almost relieved. “Not good enough. Unless you take it in front of me, I wouldn’t put it past you to have had a pregnant friend take it for you. If not, I’m sure anything can be faked these days.”

Her forced laugh was a loud one. “Your arrogance is beyond belief. That I would do such a thing just to land the great Sal Moreno, obviously the most eligible bachelor in La Jolla is ridiculous. Though I wouldn’t mind us havimg a civil relationship for the sake of our child. I’m not asking you to marry me, Sal. But don’t forget what I do for a living okay? I know my rights.”

“Even having my kid, you wouldn’t land me. Besides I’m not an eligible bachelor remember? I have a girlfriend.” He wasn’t about to give the satisfaction of knowing she’d accomplished what she so aggressively set out to do. “And I don’t need to be an attorney to know I have rights, too.” He opened the door to his car. The dull headache he’d begun to feel the moment he got Alex’s phone call alerting him of Melissa’s visit and announcement had now grown into a full blown migraine.

“She’s still clinging to you even though she knows you cheated on her? How pathetic.”

That brought him to an enraged abrupt stop, taking a deep breath he tried to remain as calm as possible. “There’s nothing more pathetic than a girl who jumps in bed with a guy who’s rejected her repeatedly. You knew the only way I’d ever f**k you again was if I was totally wasted. I’m only glad I don’t remember any of it.” He took a deep breath trying to calm himself before he walked in the restaurant. “Just so you know, nothing short of a notarized written note from your doctor will convince me you’re pregnant.”

Sal massaged his temple as he walked in the back door of the restaurant. She was quiet for a moment probably letting his insult simmer.

Silence. And even though that silence brought with it an ounce of hope that maybe she was lying, it still didn’t fix the fact that Grace now knew Sal had betrayed her in the worst way. The torment he’d seen in her eyes today would be forever imprinted in his head. The very torment he now carried in his heart and would probably be carrying for a very long time, if not forever.