The Tycoon's Secret Affair (The Anetakis Tycoons #3)(39)

He laughed and kissed her on the nose. “You’re bad for my control, yineka mou. Come, let’s go eat. I’ll carry you up to bed later.”

Seventeen

“M rs. Anetakis, there is a call for you.”

Jewel looked up to see the maid holding the cordless phone out to her. She took it and smiled her thanks at the younger woman. After she’d retreated, Jewel put the phone to her ear.

“Hello?”

“Jewel, this is Chrysander. I have some information for you about Eric. I’m glad you asked me to look into this. The news is not good.”

Jewel frowned and got up from her seat at the breakfast table on the terrace. She ducked back inside so she could better hear over the distant roar of the ocean.

“What’s wrong?”

“I found him. He’s in foster care. He was made a ward of the state of Florida two years ago. He’s been through six homes in that time.”

“Oh no. No, no, no,” she whispered. Her fingers curled tightly around the phone as she battled tears. This would destroy Piers.

“Jewel, are you all right?”

She swallowed the knot in her throat. Memories that she’d spent her life suppressing boiled to the surface.

“I’m okay,” she said shakily. “Thank you for doing this, Chrysander. I’d appreciate it if you could e-mail me all the information you have. I want to thoroughly investigate this before I tell Piers.”

“I understand. I’ll send it over as soon as we get off the phone. And Jewel, if you need any further help from me, let me know.”

“Thanks, Chrysander. How is Marley doing?”

Chrysander sighed. “It’s been difficult for her. She’s already ill with the pregnancy, and the stress of having to identify the kidnappers and give more statements is getting to her.”

“I’m sorry,” she offered softly. “Will you be much longer in New York? Will she have to remain there for the trial?”

“Not if I can help it,” he said fiercely. “The District Attorney has offered a plea bargain. If they accept it, then they’ll forego a trial, and Marley will be finished with this nightmare.”

“Give her my love, please.”

“I will. Let me know if there is anything else I can do.”

“I will, Chrysander.”

She hung up the phone and then went to find her laptop. A few minutes later, she received Chrysander’s e-mail. She frowned as she read through the details. A few phone calls would have to be made, but she couldn’t wait to tell Piers what she’d discovered. There was no need for Eric to be in foster care when he had a family all too willing to take him in.

Piers sank into his chair behind his desk and looked ruefully at the piles of mail in front of him. Never before had he been so lax when it came to work matters. He had Jewel to thank for his inattention lately.

His e-mails were in the hundreds, his voice mail had reached capacity, and he hadn’t opened mail in several days. His brothers would give him hell, but they’d also be happy to know that work wasn’t his life any longer.

With a sigh, he powered up his computer so he could sift through the backlog of e-mails. Then he reached for his phone and turned on the speaker so he could weed through voice mails. Most were routine reports from various construction projects. A few minor emergencies from panicked hotel managers, and one offer to buy the new hotel in Rio de Janeiro. That one made him smile. There weren’t many corporations that could afford one of the Anetakis’s hotels. They spared no expense.

As soon as the voice mails were squared away, he dialed Chrysander’s number. He wanted to check in on Marley and find out the results of their trip to New York to identify her kidnappers.

When he received no answer, he called Theron instead. They spent several minutes talking about business. Theron brought him up to speed on Chrysander and Marley and then conversation drifted back to business.

As he chatted, he idly sorted through the envelopes piled on his desk. When he got to one addressed to him from the laboratory that had performed the paternity test, he froze.

“I’ll speak to you later, Theron. Give Bella my love.”

He hung up and stared at the envelope in front of him. A smile eased his face as he fingered the seal. Here would be the proof of his paternity. In black and white, irrefutable proof that he was a father.

Last time it had gone the other way, and he’d lost everything that mattered most to him. This time…this time it would be perfect. He had a daughter on the way. His child.

Mine.

The surge of possessiveness that rocketed through his body took him by surprise.

He tossed the envelope aside. There was no need to open it. He knew what it would say. His trust in Jewel also surprised him, but he realized he did indeed have faith in her. He trusted her not to betray him.

After sorting through a few more envelopes he glanced back over at the letter. He should open it and revel in the feeling. Then he could go find Jewel and make mad, passionate love to her.

The idea made him tighten with need.

He felt like celebrating. Maybe he’d take Jewel on a trip to Paris. She loved to travel, and her doctor had pronounced her fully recovered from her surgery. To be on the safe side, he could schedule a check-up and a sonogram. Then they could take the private jet. They could make love in Paris and then maybe go on to Venice. Take the honeymoon they hadn’t been able to take when they’d gotten married.