Lion's Den Ch. 05

"Damage? Princess do you know how damaging and enraging it is to not see your woman in months and when you do see her she is pregnant with another man's child?" As livid as Leo was he could not help but observe Max. In awe at how beautiful and glowing she looked. Pregnancy added to her in all the best ways.

Max's mind went into overdrive. Oh this could not have turned out better than if I planned it, he does not think the baby was his. Bingo!

"Leo like I said I had to move on." Her face became serene as her mind worked out her story.

"Who is he Max?" Leo was in so much rage he wanted to strangle her. She should be standing here pregnant with my child.

"You don't know him. He's a marine that was stationed at Le Jeune. I met him at the club in September. We had a good week of fun then he got deployed to Afghanistan." Max's lie was getting quite elaborate.

"So, he doesn't know about the baby?" Leo was thinking that he loved Max so much he could raise another man's child with her. Anything to have her back.

"Yes, I wrote him and told him. He's super excited to meet his son."

A son. That statement gutted Leo. This was too much for him. He had to get out of there and regroup. He set his shimmering eyes on her, "This is not over," and stormed out slamming the door behind him. No way, in hell is some man gonna have my woman, child or no child.

*******

C.J. had come through for Leo thoroughly when he came wanting information on Max. He handed over the dossier he had been working on for months. Leo was slightly pissed that C.J. had gone behind his back and done this, but was equally grateful. Leo scanned the file for what he needed, Max's home address in North Carolina. He was going to surprise her for Valentine's Day. C.J. chuckled, knowing it was Leo who was in for the surprise, but he kept his mouth sealed, messengers get killed, especially with news like that.

*******

When Leo got back to the hotel after seeing Max in her knocked up state he pulled out the file C.J. had give him on Max and her family. He read through everything this time and some stuff struck him as strange. She said she gotten pregnant in September but there was a trust set up for Baby La Costa early August. Plus there was a host of baby items purchased by her parents way before September. He felt the heat rising in his neck. Max lied to him. She truly hates me, but I'll be damned if she keeps me away from my child. Knowing Max's proclivity to run Leo hopped in his car and parked outside her condo all night.

*****

Isabella was floored when Leo called them with the news. Carmine was happy, but concerned that Max did not tell Leo or them about the baby. Family meant everything to him so he got on the phone and ripped into his son.

"Leo what the hell did you do to that girl to make her keep our grandbaby from us?"

"Dad I fucked up royally. I called her out her name in the most disrespectful ways, because my ego could not handle her."

"Leo fix this." Carmine hung up the phone on his son. He was furious.

**********

Against Max's wishes Laney called her parents to tell them Leo was there. They insisted on coming out. Antonio and Tara were worried about the stressful situation Leo was creating for Max.

********

Leo watched Max and Laney pulling out of the driveway next morning. Unknowingly he was following them to her doctor's office. Since last night Max had been concerned about how her blow up with Leo was affecting the baby. As she sat on the table she thought she heard someone calling her name. She looked to Laney to see if she had heard it also. She had.

"He wouldn't?"

"Max you know he would, he's been cracked and I think seeing you pregnant last night tipped him over the edge."

"Open the door and let him in." As much as Max wanted him out of her life she did not want Leo to get arrested.

"Are you sure?" Laney cocked her eye to Max. She had heard from Pauley that Leo had been on a self destructive streak since Max left him. And seeing him last night confirmed to her just how far gone he was.

"Yeah he wouldn't hurt me." Max was not so sure about that, but she had to do something.

When Leo saw Laney poke her head out he charged into the room. His face was hard and dark. Seeing Max had his head and heart see-sawing. He wanted to shake and spank her for lying to him. He wanted to kiss her and celebrate their child. He wanted some sign she was not still mad. He wanted to see some remorse in her face, but Max had none. She kept her grey eyes like steel on his.

Laney glanced at her friend, who shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes as if to say, go ahead and do it he's here now. She broke the silence in the room, "Okay Leo shoot. I know you have questions, and I'm gonna answer them the best I can."

Leo's countenance was that of a broken man. Her heart almost went out to him, but he did her friend dirty so she wouldn't allow herself to feel for him.

"Is the baby mine?" He began, speaking slowly.

"Yes."

He drew a deep breath, "How long has Max known?"

"Since France."

"Since France? Since France. Since France, oh shit since France." Leo rubbed his face in his hands realizing what his rage put in motion all those months back. He had lost out on the experience of watching his woman swell with his child; he lost out on doctor's visits, and sharing the experience with his family. Now he had to figure out how to make them a family.

"Max I am so sorry. But no matter how much you want me out of you life I'm not leaving you, not now, not ever."

The doctor walked into the room and observed the tension filled situation. He had advised Max since she started seeing him, that she should tell the father but she was adamant not to. Now he could tell the father had found out and it was not going well.

"Hello, I am Dr. Morales." He stretched out his hand to greet Leo.

"Hello, Dr. I am Leo, the baby's father." He said throwing an icy glare to Max, who shifted uncomfortably on the bed.

"Ok, shall we get started? Max you know the drill."

Leo stood in awe and jealousy as Dr. Morales poked and prodded his woman's inner most parts. When he began the sonogram, Leo's heart raced and tears came to his eyes as he heard his son's heart beat for the first time. He looked at Max and grinned, his life was beginning to make sense. However, Max's face remained impassive. She was not ready to take her walls down.

************

Antonio could not believe that Leo showed up in North Carolina. He was going to kill the son of a bitch. As soon as he exited his hotel room, Leo got accosted by Antonio.

"What the fuck are you doing here? Wasn't my daughter clear enough? She ran away from you still you follow her, and put her baby in jeopardy. Do you have a death wish? Because I could make that happen."

"With all due respect Mr. La Costa, that is my child too."

"You may have planted that seed but I'll be damned if I let you get anywhere my grandson."

Leo gritted his teeth, "Again Mr. La Costa, with all due respect, that is not your choice."

"We'll see Leo. We'll see. Now I am going to check in on my daughter, and you get the hell home, back to New York."

"I am not leaving my woman and child." Leo was dead set staying and no amount of strong arming by Antonio would make him leave.

Antonio was too enraged to register the air of déjà vu.

******

The doctor put Max on bed rest for a few days because he found her pressure to be higher than normal. She was pleased at least she could do it at home. She and hospitals were not friends, she was even doing an at home water birth. Dr. Morales went as far as to instruct Leo to stay away from Max during this time.

With Leo being so close, Max's parents refused to go to their beach house. They were staying the same hotel as Leo which was close to Max's condo that way they could watch them both.

Antonio found the young man drowning his sorrows in the hotel bar and wanted to lay into him again, but seeing the devastation on Leo's face he remembered his past pain. When Tara left him he drank himself into a stupor every night. The thought of not being with her ever again made his world feel unreal.

"Leo, mind if an old man takes a seat."

"Nah, join me." Leo was grateful Antonio's demeanor was less hostile and welcomed any opening he could get.

"You and I should form a club, "The Our Woman Ran from Us and Didn't Tell Us They

Were Pregnant Club."

Leo looked at Antonio in disbelief. Mrs. La Costa had done a runner like Max. "Hmm like mother like daughter."

Antonio laughed and told Leo his and Tara's love story. With the additional detail that the people who rescued Tara and Max from the kidnappers were the Carbone crew.

"Your father, at my request put Tara on a ship back to Colombia to me. She hated me it seemed, but time gave way for the love she once felt for me to resurface. I am not saying that will be the same for you and Max, but I need my daughter to be safe and happy and if that is with you then so be it. However, if she is done with you, you need to be a gentleman about it and bow out gracefully. Be a great father to your son, and leave all the rest."

Leo considered Antonio's sage advice as he downed the last of his bourbon.

********

Bacon? Max woke to the scent wafting into her bedroom. She trotted down to the hallway to find her mother and Laney in the kitchen preparing breakfast, and what breakfast would be complete without bacon. "Morning yall."

"Morning Babes."

"Morning Blue, how you feeling?"

"Great, much better," she replied reaching for a strip of bacon. "Hmmm, much much better." They laughed, each glad to have things return to normal, the past few days had had everyone on edge. "Where's dad?"

"He's around town somewhere," Tara dodged the question because she didn't want to mention Leo just yet, and the tentative relationship Antonio was building with him.

After breakfast, Tara suggested they go to the hotel's indoor pool for a swim. The pool was a great place for her to broach the subject of Leo with her daughter.

"Max," she began tentatively, "Leo is still in town. How does that make you feel?"

"Honestly Mom, I'm glad, we need to talk and get some things straight." Max had given a lot of thought about Leo and their son during her forced rest period. "At this stage, I don't know what I want from Leo for myself, but where our son is concerned he needs to be in his life. For the time being that is all I can concede."

"Child, concede in an interesting choice of word. This is not a war."

"Yes mom, it is a war. That man makes me lose my mind. Every time I'm around him I'm battling for my sanity and my heart."

"Max, I am not going to push the topic further, but ponder this. I ran from your father, because I was desperate to protect you and my heart. It is difficult to be in love with men like your father and Leo. They impose themselves in your life and make demands you aren't willing to concede," she smiled using Max's word, "but they love like their lives depend on it, because it does. Once they give you their heart, they are done for and when we leave they are destroyed. I know he hurt you, and I'm not happy about that, not in the least, but I also know you have the capacity and strength to forgive him. The ball is in your court, but I tell you this, if I had never forgiven your father I would have lost out on the most amazing love and life. And you have to remember he is not Ari."

Max was so lost in thought thinking about what her mother had told her that she did not notice Leo enter the pool or Laney and her mom leave. He hoisted himself on the edge watching her swim. She looked so graceful. His woman was carrying his child. Should I be getting aroused by this sight? He wondered feeling his cock harden. He hadn't had her in such a long time, being so close to her had him feeling ravenous for her. Max surfaced, but seeing Leo there startled her and she ducked below the water. She has to come up sometime, Leo thought smiling.

Having a baby inside of her made her feel limited, but being in the water was liberating. She felt embarrassed, Leo was looking at her massive form, but she had to get air at some point soon. Max broke the surface and made her way to the stairs. Oh frig now he will see my fat ass trying to get up these stairs, where the hell is my mom and Laney?

Leo met Max at the top of the stairs with his arm outstretched and towel in the other. She reluctantly took his hand and felt a jolt of electricity pass between them. Max allowed him to wrap her, all along his eyes never left hers. Her stomach had a million butterflies in it.

"Hey gorgeous," Leo broke the silence.

"Hey you." Max was feeling unsure about being there alone with Leo, but knew she they had to talk and clear the air.

"Come with me." Leo took her hand and led her into one of the unused sauna booths and locked it. "Sit, baby."

Max sat cautiously feeling her nether reasons heating, What the hell, am I getting wet? Body you are a traitor, he just touches you and you begin to puddle. Man up!

Leo could not stop admiring her body she had on pink and white tankini, and her belly was protruding above her boy shorts. He reached out and touched her, rubbing her belly. His first contact with his son. The baby suddenly moved inside of her.

"I guess little one knows his daddy is here." Max looked up at Leo who had tears in his eyes, and made a decision she hoped to never regret. "Leo let's wipe the slate clean. I don't want to raise Luca with there being animosity between us."

"You've chosen a name for him already?" Leo was feeling the weight of loss not being involved with naming his son. "Why Luca?"

"Because he brought light into my life. His middle name will be Fernando, and now you know about him he will have your last name." Max spoke in matter-of -fact tone to Leo, trying not to let her guard slip.

"Max I am sorry for all that went down between us. I loved you, so intensely and so deeply I needed you to feel the same way. I was hooked from the very first time I met you. I felt my insides churn at the very thought of you. Then I found out about the relationship between our families, and it seemed like fate. You were perfect for me...still are." Leo paused to let his words linger. "That morning I had had enough of being rejected by you. I flipped out, and never gave you a chance to explain. If I had who knows where we would have been today." Leo wanted to put it all out there for her.

"Leo, I know you are sorry and I forgive you, really I do, but I am not ready to let you get that close to me again. When we began I was not sure what I was feeling for you, other than attraction and lust. After we made love when I returned from France I knew I loved you, I just could not articulate it. Especially because I knew I was pregnant and didn't want you to feel obligated to me, or put you in more danger, and a host of other reasons. All designed to safeguard my heart. I am sorry, I should have stayed and fought you...fought for you. But your words cut me to the core and I just couldn't." Max got up to leave and Leo held her wrist.

"If I had not come to North Carolina would I have found out about Luca?"

"No," Max whispered. "You didn't want me, why would you want him?"

"Why didn't you answer my calls? I tried to talk to you so I could apologize." Leo gaze bore down on her wishing he could go back in time.

"Making a clean break from you was for the best. Everything between us happened fast, way too fast." Max took a deep breath. "I did not want to hear apologies. I just wanted to move on past this, raise my son and enjoy life."

Leo looked deeply into Max's eyes, "Cara, who hurt you so badly, I mean besides me?" He was steadily stroking her inner wrists with his thumb like he was trying to draw the truth out of her.

Max gave Leo a wry smile. "Is it that obvious?"

"Max even with the kind of life we lead, you are too mistrusting of relationships to not have been hurt by some bastard."

Max decided to tell Leo about her and Ari, perhaps it would make him get it.

"Ari and I met when I was sixteen. In fact, he was the birthday gift from my father."

"What the fuck! Your father gave you a man for your sixteenth birthday?"

"No," Max laughed. "It was not like that Ari was my Krav Maga instructor."

"Krav Maga?"

"It's an Israeli fighting technique. Lots' of grappling, hand to hand combat, body on body contact." Max smiled. "I had had crushes before but the things I was feeling for Ari was way beyond a crush. When we were training my thoughts were down right indecent. His body was amazing, his accent was sexy, and when he would grab me I would lose my mind." Max had to slow herself down seeing Leo's eyes narrowing. "We studied together for two years and my intense crush grew into love. On the night of my eighteenth birthday I went in for my last lesson, and to let him know I wanted him. During one of the moves where he was teaching me how to groundfight I kissed him, and he responded in kind. He confessed that he had wanted me for a long time. That night I gave him my virginity." Max saw the vein in Leo's neck jump and she paused. "Do you want me to continue?"

"Yes, but I don't like where this is going," he said tightening his grip in her wrist.

"Oh hush, you asked for it, but don't worry I'll keep the details to myself." Max could feel the heat rising in her as she remembered the first night she gave herself to Ari. She definitely was not going to tell Leo that she got the tattoo with him and put the Krav Maga symbol on one of the guns. "I jumped all in...heart, body and soul. We saw each other in secret for months because I knew my father would not approve. One day I went to his apartment to surprise him and I met a woman there who told me she was his wife visiting from Israel. I tried to hide my shock and explained to her I was one of his students. She did not seem to buy my story and I swear I felt like the ground was opening to swallow me. My heart was shattered that night I vowed to never let another man get so close to me again. I put all energies back into my education and never looked back."

"Damn, so I had to pay for that asshole's bad behavior?" Leo was angry at the man he never met, but grateful that Max had shared something of her past with him.

"And your own." Max replied quickly.

Leo nodded in agreement, "Did you mean what you said earlier about wiping the slate clean?"

"Yes. Let's begin anew, for Luca's sake." Max couldn't stop herself, she reached out and stroked his face. Leo drew a sharp breath; her searing touch was stimulating him. He waited so long to reconnect with her, to have her touch him with tenderness and love.

He grunted, "Cara, please don't start anything we can't finish."

She shushed him and pulled his face in for a kiss; a deep, passionate kiss that was rocking both their worlds and increasing their craving for one another. "I've missed the feel of you Leo and I am horny as hell." Max's eyes were flickering with need.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I am. Please, don't read anymore into it." Max was lying to him and herself. She knew being with Leo ignited a passion and desire in her that could consume them both.

"Can we do this? We won't hurt the baby?"

"No silly, now please do me, before I do myself."

"There will be none of that," Leo snapped. Having sex right now when they were trying to figure out the flow of their relationship was probably a dumb move, but he didn't want deny her a release. It was like a reward for sharing.

All Max's body image issues went out the window. Lust can do that to you. Her top was the first to come off. The sight of her enlarged breasts sent Leo into overdrive. He drove into them sucking on the sensitive buds. Max's moans were encouraging him to ravish her.