His Unknown Heir by Chantelle Shaw

switched off, and his anger had increased with every abortive attempt to call her.
    His mind re-ran the day, from the moment he had woken at the hotel and discovered that his bed was empty. At first he had thought she was in the bathroom, but when he had found that her clothes were gone he’d felt irritated that she must have returned to her room some time during the night. But he had reminded himself that Lauren had been upset by the idea that the other lawyers at PGH were discussing her relationship with him, and he understood her reluctance to risk being seen leaving his room.
    With that in mind he had eaten breakfast in his suite and visited the hotel gym. He had only later learned from a casual remark by Alistair Gambrill of Lauren’s early departure—and the astonishing reason for it.
    ‘You’d never believe Matty was rushed into hospital this morning,’ Lauren said for the umpteenth time, as she watched her son crawling energetically around the sitting room. ‘He looks a hundred times better than he did when I saw him on the children’s ward.’
    ‘He looks a lot better than you,’ her mother commented. ‘You’re still as white as a ghost.’
    ‘I was worried.’ Lauren grimaced at the understatement, and tears blurred her eyes. Worried came nowhere near the stark fear she had felt as she had raced to the hospital. The possibility that Mateo was seriously ill had filled her with terror, as well as guilt that she had left him with her mother while she had attended the Valentine’s Ball. ‘I shouldn’t have gone to the wretched ball last night,’ she said thickly.
    ‘The doctor said that febrile convulsions are fairly common in babies when they are running a high temperature,’ Frances reminded her. ‘He confirmed that Matty has a throat infection and that the antibiotics should take effect quickly. He’s going to be fine, Lauren.’
    ‘I know. I just keep thinking what if it had been worse? What if he’d had something life-threatening? I couldn’t bear to lose him.’ Lauren’s voice wobbled and she lifted Mateo up and hugged him to her. ‘I love him so much.’
    Her legs suddenly felt weak, and she collapsed onto the sofa. She had been feeling unwell since they had brought Matty home from the hospital a few hours ago, but had put her pounding headache and aching limbs down to the aftereffects of shock. Now she had developed a sore throat, and felt shivery. It seemed likely she had caught the virulent flu virus that had been going round the PGH offices recently. That was all she needed, she thought wearily.
    The doorbell pealed. ‘That’s probably my taxi,’ Frances murmured, getting to her feet. ‘Are you sure you’ll be all right if I go to Southampton tonight?’
    ‘Of course I will,’ Lauren assured her mother. ‘You can’t miss a world cruise—and you must go tonight if you’re to board the ship at eight tomorrow morning.’
    She rested her aching head against the back of the sofa, grateful that Matty was playing contentedly with a new toy for a few minutes. She could hear voices in the hall. Maybe her mother’s taxi wasn’t here yet, and a neighbour who had seen the ambulance arrive that morning had called to ask after the baby? Footsteps sounded in the hall. She glanced towards the living room door as it opened. Her mother walked in—and then Lauren gave an audible gasp at the sight of the dark and infinitely dangerous-looking man following closely behind Frances.
    Ramon! A grim-faced Ramon, whose eyes were glittering with rage. Lauren instinctively tightened her grip on Mateo and swallowed when Ramon’s gaze swung from her to her baby son.
    CHAPTER FIVE
    ‘L AUREN —Mr Velaquez has explained that he is one of your clients…’ Frances’s voice tailed to a halt as she glanced from her daughter to the darkly handsome man whom she had invited into the flat, and who was now staring grimly at Lauren and Mateo.
    Silence fell in the room. A silence that simmered with an