No Strings Attached

Clara couldn't remain unmoved facing such intense love from lan. She longed to say yes, to have the father of her baby by the side as it grew, but she knew all too well the danger it would pose to their little one. If it hadn't been for Sasha fetching the car, the child might have been gone by now.

With a subtle redness tinting her eyes, Clara looked at lan. "I'm sorry. I can't agree to this."

lan captured the tip of Clara's ear with his lips. His breath, hot as desert winds, poured into her ear, as if his throat was scorched with searing sand. "Clara, have you forgotten how this child came? It's the fruit of my labor, day and night. How could you have the heart to tear us apart?"

As he spoke, his teeth gently nibbled at the soft flesh of Clara's ear, sending tremors down her spine and making her whole body shiver. Even her voice quivered. "lan, being with you only brings greater danger. If it weren't for Sasha taking my place to get the car, our child might not have survived."

lan was, of course, aware of this. He kissed the corner of her eye. His tone was laced with a hint of jealousy. "Clara, you'd rather trust Brodie than me. Do you know how heartbroken I was to be the last to know about the child? As the father, shouldn't I be the first person you turned to, to figure things out together? But you chose to hide it, to run away with a stranger. Clara, you just know how to torment me. Is that it?" Clara tried to dodge his scorching kiss, but the moment she moved, her lips were fiercely seized. Before she could react, her lips were enveloped in his.

vengeance. Amid the tenderness, there was

breathless. Her mind

fingers gently caressed her now slightly swollen lips. His voice was husky. "Do you know you're lucky to be carrying our child? If not for the baby, I'd make sure you couldn't leave the bed for

voice was soft, but it carried an unmistakable note of reproach, and the

him. "If I told you, would you let me leave?" sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to

resolutely. "But I'd take you

pale cheeks in his hands. His fingertips tenderly stroked them. "I was planning to ask you after the holidays if we could get

then you ran off with another man and my child. Shouldn't

you leave with us,