CHAPTER 17 Tanzi
Two days after the reception, I have my first ultrasound.
They can”t tell the baby”s sex, but everything looks good. The doctor questions the dates, saying the baby and my uterus are measuring a week smaller than they should be.
”Is she okay?” I ask, worry I can”t help dripping from my voice. ”Why would she measure small?”
”The baby might be a he,” Rio teases.
But I don”t smile. I”m scared. ”You know when I got pregnant and we were apart for the weeks after, so there”s no question about the due date. There must be something wrong.”
”Do the measurement again,” Rio insists immediately.
When he does, the doctor smiles. ”Baby shifted and now he or she is measuring exactly right.”
Relief pours through me.
Rio isn”t relieved. He”s furious and gives the doctor a dressing down about upsetting his patients. ”We will change obstetricians,” he assures the man.
”You only did that because you want me seeing a woman OB,” I accuse when we get into the car.
Rio shakes his head. ”No. If you had bonded with this doctor, I would not allow a change but his incompetence scared you. I will not allow that.”
”He wasn”t incompetent. The baby shifted, changing the angle of the measurement.”
”He should not have frightened you,” Rio insists stubbornly.
Since I didn”t bond with the doctor, I don”t argue about finding a different one.
Giannetta helpfully made this appointment for me with her OB/GYN.
No wonder it wasn”t the best experience.
I”m surprised later that afternoon to be called into the king”s office. Rio is already there, nothing in his face indicating why we”re here.
So is Giannetta, which I do not take as a good sign.
My husband guides me to a chair before sitting down in one he drags next to mine.
”It grieves me to have this conversation with you,” the king says. ”But Giannetta has brought something to my attention that cannot be ignored.”
Showing good instincts, Rio slides his arm around my waist. ”What might that be, dad?”
King Claudio”s lips tilt slightly at the familiar address.
”Giannetta has informed me that your ultrasound,” he shifts his gaze to me. ”Measures a week smaller than dates provided by you and my son would indicate.”
”But you already knew—” Rio starts, but his father shakes his head just slightly.
I don”t know what”s going on, but I do know I”m tired of Giannetta being in my business. ”Yes. Now, can someone please explain to me why this woman is privy to my medical records?”
”Precisely,” King Claudio says, giving Giannetta a frigid stare.
”But you said you were concerned too. You can”t believe she”s telling the truth about Vittorio being the father of her child. She just wanted to marry into royalty. You need to demand a DNA test.”
”No one is performing a DNA test on my unborn child.” For the second time in my life, my tone emulates my dad”s when he”s ready to start taking people apart, or at least their departments.
Huh. Mom always says we”re more alike than I want to admit. She might be right. That doesn”t mean I want to run part of his empire though.
”Of course not,” Rio says, his hold on me reassuringly tight. ”Our child will never be put at risk if I can help it.”
”Because you are very protective of your family,” King Claudio says, as if he”s trying to give his son a message.
Which I”m sure he is. My dad sucks at apologizing too.
”I am.” Rio”s voice doesn”t bode well for anyone who might try to put me at risk.
But then, he”s kind of perfect like that. No wonder I love him to the moon and back.
King Claudio clears his throat. ”You are an excellent prince and more importantly, you are a son to be proud of.”
”Thanks, dad.” Rio clears his own throat and I grin.
Letting the smile slip from my face, I look straight at Giannetta. ”I”ll leave it to the king to find out how you got confidential information about me, but let me warn you that my family make very formidable and dangerous enemies. Think very carefully before you make the mistake of trying to take me on again.”
”Precisely,” King Claudio agrees. ”I could not have said it any better. Tanzi”s family is both formidable and dangerous. As the head of that family, let me tell you what is going to happen. Your father”s diplomatic assignment is going to be changing.”
Chills run down my spine when King Claudio claims me as his family.
Giannetta”s face drains of color. ”It is?”
”Sì. He will be assigned to Volyarus. It is another island country, though not in nearly such warm climes. He should do well there.”
”But they”re Russians!”
”Descended from Ukrainians actually, but I”m sure your father knows that. He is a good diplomat. You will accompany your father to Volyarus.”
”You”re kicking me out of Isole dei Re?”
”For your father”s sake, I am not pressing charges for this reprehensible breach of protocol and privacy. However, you will not be welcome back into this country for a minimum of five years. It is entirely your father”s discretion whether he keeps you with him in Volyarus. He will however be informed of your attempt to do harm to my daughter-in-law.”
”But what about—”
King Claudio turned to Rio. ”Vittorio, do you have any doubts about the parentage of your baby?”
What an odd way to ask the question, but then maybe not. Maybe that was a message from the king to Tanzi.
”None.”
It”s the answer I expect, but I like hearing it all the same.
”Nor do I.” The king spells it out. ”Tanzi you are a welcome and trusted member to our family.”
”Thank you.”
I ignore Giannetta”s continued squawking as the king rises to come around his desk to give me and then his son a tight hug. ”Welcome to the family, Tanzi.”
Blinking back the moisture in my eyes, I smile and kiss his cheek. ”Thank you. I think you and my father are going to have a lot of fun being related.”
The king gives me a mock shudder and Rio laughs before pulling me from the room.