His Love by M. O. Kenyan Read Free Book Online

visceral tightening in his stomach. He had built his reputation on reading people and knowing their next move. The darkened emotion in Rayne’s eyes told him that he had messed up. She liked him, maybe even loved him. A possessive emotion claimed him. He gave himself a mental kick, but he couldn’t let her go now. He held her tightly against his body, her head on his chest as his heart beat for Maria...and maybe for Rayne too.

Chapter Five
    Rayne promised herself never to end up in any bed with Antonio ever again, especially today. Jacqueline filled her in on how destructive he could be on the anniversary of Maria’s death. Alessandria usually hid in her room. Others avoided his room like the plague. No one bothered to call him down for dinner; all the phones in the house were disconnected. According to Jacqueline, it had been better when he took his pain and anger to his apartment, but this year he was going to pass that terrible day in the house. So, the mansion was in silence, not even the dead could match the quiet in the home.
    Rayne took Alessandria to the garden, sure that if Antonio came face to face with what he thought was the cause of his loss, he would go berserk.
    “Why doesn’t Daddy like me?” Alessandria asked after an odd period of silence.
    “He loves you.” Rayne tried to sound as honest as possible, but she had seen the anger and pain in his eyes when Antonio referred to his daughter as the cause of Maria’s death. Shesighed, amazed at the position she had found herself in. Alessandria was fighting to be more than that fateful day that would follow her for the rest of her life and she; well she was fighting for the love of a man against a ghost. There was no winning. “Your daddy is just having a tough time.”
    “Is it because I killed my mommy?”
    All the strength left Rayne’s body at that moment. Staring at the guilty expression on Alessandria’s porcelain face as tears streamed down her cheeks, was too much for her to bear. Rayne had experienced loss and pain, but it was nothing compared to the pain she saw in Alessandria’s eyes.
    “That’s not true sweetheart.” Rayne cuddled her and tried to soothe her, but it was next to impossible.
    “She dropped the loaded question on you, didn’t she?” Jacqueline asked as she joined them in the garden. “Never thought that you would be so lost for words, huh?” Jacqueline smiled, but there was no laughter in her calm honey-brown eyes. Only pain. The same pain her niece and brother shared. Alessandria laid her head on Rayne’s lap and soon fell asleep and Rayne thought it was safe to ask Jacqueline a few questions.
    “What happened?”
    “Alessandria got stuck on the way out. When they got Maria to surgery she had already lost so much blood. When the doctors asked Antonio to choose...” She shrugged.
    “He chose Alessandria, didn’t he?” Rayne could hardly believe it.
    “Maria made him swear that he would put her first.” Jacqueline stroked Alessandria’s hair. “Everyone knew Maria wasn’t going to make it. The doctor said she was only alive long enough to name her. If it was left up to Antonio she would have been nameless and still at the hospital.”
    “What made him take her home?” Rayne couldn’t imagine leaving the beautiful creature at the hospital with no one. She couldn’t imagine leaving her now.
    “He’s a man of his word. Antonio takes the promises he makes seriously. He took her home, held her a couple of times, but when the realization of what happened, of what he did and Alessandria’s part in it sank in, he became withdrawn and always angry.” Jacqueline sighed and quickly wiped a tear away. “I think of Alessandria as an orphan, because when Maria died, my brother died with her.”
    “ Mija !”
    Jacqueline stiffened at the sound of her mother’s voice.
    “Oh! Oh!” Jacqueline gasped. “My mother only uses Spanish when there is trouble. My guess is the beast is finally out of his