Modern Romance February 2020 Books 5-8
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MICHELLE SMART’s love affair with books started when she was a baby and would cuddle them in her cot. A voracious reader of all genres, she found her love of romance established when she stumbled across her first Mills & Boon book at the age of twelve. She’s been reading them—and writing them—ever since. Michelle lives in Northamptonshire, England, with her husband and two young Smarties.
USA TODAY bestselling author NATALIE ANDERSON writes emotional contemporary romance full of sparkling banter, sizzling heat and uplifting endings—perfect for readers who love to escape with empowered heroines and arrogant alphas who are too sexy for their own good. When not writing you’ll find her wrangling her four children, three cats, two goldish and one dog…and snuggled in a heap on the sofa with her husband at the end of the day. Follow her at natalie-anderson.com.
MAYA BLAKE’s hopes of becoming a writer were born when she picked up her first romance at thirteen. Little did she know her dream would come true! Does she still pinch herself every now and then to make sure it’s not a dream? Yes, she does! Feel free to pinch her, too, via Twitter, Facebook or Goodreads! Happy reading!
CLARE CONNELLY was raised in small-town Australia among a family of avid readers. She spent much of her childhood up a tree, Mills & Boon book in hand. Clare is married to her own real-life hero, and they live in a bungalow near the sea with their two children. She is frequently found staring into space—a surefire sign that she’s in the world of her characters. She has a penchant for French food and ice-cold champagne, and Mills & Boon novels continue to be her favourite ever books. Writing for Modern is a long-held dream. Clare can be contacted via clareconnelly.com or at her Facebook page.
Also by Michelle Smart
The Sicilian’s Bought Cinderella
Cinderella Seductions miniseries
A Cinderella to Secure His Heir
The Greek’s Pregnant Cinderella
Passion in Paradise collection
A Passionate Reunion in Fiji
Rings of Vengeance miniseries
Billionaire’s Bride for Revenge
Marriage Made in Blackmail
Billionaire’s Baby of Redemption
Also by Natalie Anderson
The Forgotten Gallo Bride
Claiming His Convenient Fiancée
Princess’s Pregnancy Secret
The King’s Captive Virgin
Awakening His Innocent Cinderella
Pregnant by the Commanding Greek
The Innocent’s Emergency Wedding
The Throne of San Felipe miniseries
The Secret That Shocked De Santis
The Mistress That Tamed De Santis
Also by Maya Blake
A Diamond Deal with the Greek
Signed Over to Santino
The Di Sione Secret Baby
The Boss’s Nine-Month Negotiation
Pregnant at Acosta’s Demand
The Sultan Demands His Heir
His Mistress by Blackmail
Crown Prince’s Bought Bride
An Heir for the World’s Richest Man
Bound by the Desert King collection
Sheikh’s Pregnant Cinderella
Rival Brothers miniseries
A Deal with Alejandro
One Night with Gael
The Notorious Greek Billionaires miniseries
Claiming My Hidden Son
Also by Clare Connelly
Bought for the Billionaire’s Revenge
Innocent in the Billionaire’s Bed
Her Wedding Night Surrender
Bound by the Billionaire’s Vows
Spaniard’s Baby of Revenge
Shock Heir for the King
Christmas Seductions miniseries
Bound by Their Christmas Baby
The Season to Sin
Crazy Rich Greek Weddings miniseries
The Greek’s Billion-Dollar Baby
Bride Behind the Billion-Dollar Veil
Mills & Boon DARE
Guilty as Sin miniseries
Her Guilty Secret
His Innocent Seduction
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.
Modern Romance Collection Books 5-8
Her Sicilian Baby Revelation
Michelle Smart
The Greek’s One-Night Heir
Natalie Anderson
Bound by My Scandalous Pregnancy
Maya Blake
Redemption of the Untamed Italian
Clare Connelly
www.millsandboon.co.uk
ISBN: 978-0-008-90633-7
MODERN ROMANCE COLLECTION BOOKS 5-8
Her Sicilian Baby Revelation © 2020 Michelle Smart The Greek’s One-Night Heir © 2020 Natalie Anderson Bound by My Scandalous Pregnancy © 2019 Maya Blake Redemption of the Untamed Italian © 2019 Clare Connelly
Published in Great Britain 2019
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk
Version: 2020-03-02
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Table of Contents
Cover
About the Authors
Booklist
Title Page
Copyright
Note to Readers
Her Sicilian Baby Revelation
Back Cover Text
Dedication
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
EPILOGUE
The Greek’s One-Night Heir
Back Cover Text
Dedication
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Bound by My Scandalous Pregnancy
Back Cover Text
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
EPILOGUE
Redemption of the Untamed Italian
Back Cover Text
Dedication
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
About the Publisher
Her Sicilian Baby Revelation
Michelle Smart
Their passion: unrivaled
Her revelation: unforgettable!
Orla O’Reilly knew the father of her precious three-year-old son must be out there somewhere. But after a car accident left her with amnesia, she’s unable to recall his name. Until Tonino arrives at her sister’s wedding, and suddenly it comes flooding back. Their connection…and his betrayal…
Billionaire Tonino is astounded by Orla’s return. The memory of their short but intense affair has never left him. But convincing Orla that he has the right to his child—and her heart—will be far from easy…
This book is dedicated to my munchkin, Zak xxx
PROLOGUE
ORLA O’REILLY BLEW her nose and swallowed back a breath, trying her hardest to stop fresh tears falling down her sodden cheeks. She didn’t want people to see her like this.
She’d flown to Sicily ten days ago on a mission to meet the man her mother had always unkindly referred to as ‘Orla’s sperm donor’. Only now did she understand her mother had actually been diplomatic.
Her father, who’d returned from his travels that morning, had refused to see her. He had no curiosity about his twenty-three-year-old daughter. No curiosity at all.
She hadn’t expected a grand reunion or anything but his outright rejection…
It hurt. Really, really hurt. Now all she wanted was Tonino’s strong arms holding her tightly and his breath whispering into her hair that everything would be okay.
At least something good had come from her time in Sicily. She’d met the man of her dreams.
Ten days ago she’d taken one look at her room in the budget hotel she’d checked into and gone back to the reception. Orla was not one for complaining but the state of it would have driven a saint to boiling point. The bed sheets were stained and crumpled, the carpet sticky under her feet and the bathroom…well, the less said about that, the better.
She’d stood at that reception desk for exactly six minutes before a tall, imposing figure had appeared from a door marked Privato and Orla had found herself face-to-face with the sexiest man she’d ever set eyes on.
Until that first sight of Tonino, she’d never understood what it meant to meet someone and feel as if you’d been struck by lightning.
When she’d returned to the hotel much later that day, her first attempt to meet her father scuppered due to him being abroad, she’d found her room hadn’t just been cleaned but sanitised. New furniture and furnishings had been installed, including a brand-new carpet. Her melancholy mood had lifted when the gorgeous hotel manager had knocked on the door and asked if she would like to meet for coffee in the morning.
What had followed had been the most wonderful week and a half of her life, right until two hours ago when she’d returned to her father’s home for her second attempt. All those glorious hours with Tonino had infused her with a sense of optimism. She had become certain that her first meeting with her father would be the stuff of Hollywood; all tight embraces and schmaltzy words.
It had taken her father exactly eight minutes to break her heart, the length of time his housekeeper had made Orla wait alone on the doorstep before she’d returned with the ‘regretful’ news that he didn’t want to meet her.
She must try not to think about her father. Keep her focus on Tonino.
That was what she needed to keep the tears at bay. To think of the man who’d brought her to life and stolen her heart.
She wished she’d told him about her father. She wished she’d had the courage to be upfront about her real reason for being in Sicily but it was such a shameful thing to admit, that she was the secret love child of one of Sicily’s most notorious playboys; a child created through infidelity.
All her life she’d shied away from meaningful friendships and relationships. The only people she’d ever trusted were her sister, Aislin, and her grandparents. Her grandparents had both since died so that left Aislin.
And then she’d met Tonino.
She was ready to tell him now. He would understand. He would comfort her. He would be the rock she’d always dreamed of having but had never believed could exist.
Tonino had left her in bed that morning with a lingering kiss. He’d stroked her cheek and promised that that night they would talk. The expression in his eyes and the tone of his voice had told her this would be of a serious nature. As hard as she tried to temper the wild emotions raging through her veins, not even her father’s rejection could completely stamp them out. A future was dangling before her. For the first time in her life, Orla felt that her future could mean more than a career. It could involve…love…
The taxi driver pulled up outside her hotel behind a sparkling stretch limousine that stuck out like a sore thumb in this run-down area. Orla wearily slipped out, intent only on getting to her room and soaking in the bath while she waited for Tonino to return from his business trip in Tuscany. This was the first time they’d been apart for more than a few hours. How lucky was she to have found the man of her dreams just as he was due to take his annual leave, giving them all that time together!
‘Permesso.’
A ravishing stick-thin blonde with eyes like a cat’s blocked Orla’s path to the hotel’s elevator.
Orla held her hands up and tried to move around her, but the woman mimicked her moves, blocking her efforts.
‘Can I help you?’ The richness of the woman’s clothes and the expert precision of her hair and make-up made Orla think she must be the possessor of the limousine.
The woman raised an immaculately plucked eyebrow. ‘English?’
‘Irish.’
‘You give me two minutes.’
‘Err…’ Annoyed, Orla was about to push her way around the woman when the four fatal words were uttered.
‘Is about Tonino Valente.’
Prickles raced up Orla’s spine. Her abdomen clenched. ‘What about him?’
The woman raised her left hand and pointed at her wedding finger. A huge diamond ring lay snugly on it. ‘I am Sophia. Tonino’s fiancée.’
Twenty minutes later and the two women were in Orla’s hotel room. Sophia perched delicately on the small armchair while Orla sat on the floor feeling as if she’d been punched by a heavyweight with lead in his gloves. Spread on the carpet around her were photographs of Tonino and Sophia. Many photos. There were also press clippings and glossy magazines. Orla didn’t understand Sicilian but some of the words in the article needed no translation. Tonino and Sophia’s engagement party two months ago had been deemed newsworthy.
‘I sorry to tell you this,’ Sophia said in a tone that suggested she was loving every minute of it. ‘Tonino has made fool of you. He has lied to you. You are fun to him. Sì?’
‘I’ve been a bit of fun?’ Orla whispered. ‘Is that what you’re saying?’
‘Sì. That why I here. I warn you. Tonino loves me. We are to marry.’
Orla was unaware that tears were leaking down her face, and too numb to care that there was a warning in the Sicilian woman’s tone as well as in her actual words.
This must be what he’d wanted to talk to her about that night.
Fool that she was, she’d believed he wanted to discuss a future for them.
Her hand shook as she picked up the glossy magazine containing a twenty-page spread of their engagement party.
How could an ordinary hotel manager attract such a wealthy, high-maintenance woman like this? And why would an ordinary hotel manager be the recipient of the kind of press attention usually reserved for the rich and famous?
Fearing she could be sick, she groped for her phone and keyed Tonino Valente’s name into the search engine.
Ten minutes later she was still reading and searching but it was as if someone had taken possession of her body and was reading the damning evidence for her.
She felt light-headed. Boneless.
Tonino had lied about more than his marital status.
He wasn’t the manager of the hotel as he’d led her to believe. He was the owner. This hotel was just a small cog in a vast empire.
Tonino Valente was the sole owner of Valente Holdings, a chain of mostly hugely expensive hotels across Europe that catered for the filthy rich. Tonino, who was also an enthusiastic investor in start-up businesses, was filthy rich in his own right.
The man she’d opened her heart for, who she’d dared believe she could have a future with, was a cheat and a liar. The worst kind of liar. A rich, powerful liar. His grandfather was one of Sicily’s top judges. His mother was one of Sicily’s leading criminal lawyers. His father was a leading Sicilian politician.
Her Internet search revealed that the immaculately beautiful woman in the obscenely expensive outfit sitting on Orla’s hotel-room armchair was Sophia Messina. The Messinas were a Sicilian family as wealthy and powerful as the Valentes.
‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered, meeting Sophia’s cold, unflinching eyes. ‘I knew nothing about you.’
‘Now you know…you go?’ It was framed as a question, but the underlying threat hung between them.
Orla didn’t need the threat.
‘Yes.’ Breathing heavily to quell the rising nausea, she stumbled over to the wardrobe. ‘Yes. I go.’
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