Daniel replied, ‘She called to ask me how to get to Brick Lane—she said she'd read about it in a book—so I gave her directions….'

Sebastian didn't hear any more of what Daniel said. He remembered his security guard's awed reaction to seeing and meeting Aneesa that first day. She was one of Bollywood's biggest stars and she was headed to one of the busiest hubs of Anglo-Indian life in London.


Real fear curdled his insides as he slammed down the phone and bellowed to his PA to get his car brought around. With his heart hammering Sebastian cursed the fact that he hadn't even thought to get Aneesa an English mobile phone, and prayed that today of all days she was wearing a baseball hat and sunglasses.

Aneesa had got off the tube and was wandering along the main street of Bethnal Green, looking for Brick Lane, happily browsing through the stalls, soaking up the atmosphere and loving the colourful vibrancy of the area. She'd spotted a DVD shop that had a poster of one of her movies on the door.

Even just hearing her native language being spoken made her smile. She congratulated herself on coming here when suddenly a passing woman caught her arm and exclaimed incredulously, ‘Aneesa Adani?'


Aneesa was startled for a moment. She'd almost come to forget that people might recognise her. She switched on a smile and the woman was now shouting ecstatically to some friends to come over. Within seconds a small crowd had formed and Aneesa was being photographed with the group of women.

More and more people started to congregate as they noticed the fuss and saw who it was. They couldn't believe that a real-life Bollywood star was in their midst. Aneesa was starting to get jostled as people tried to pass and the newcomers wanted photos and her autograph. It was only when she was nearly knocked over that she felt the first real



spiking of fear and looked up to see nothing but a vast sea of faces around her.

The crush of the crowd registered then and belatedly she started to try and turn back, smiling apologetically. She'd never had to deal with anything like this before, as in Mumbai they'd always been surrounded by security teams. But now she was thousands of miles from Mumbai and surrounded by a growing crowd of complete strangers.

And then the mood started to change. An old woman pushed her way forward and spat at Aneesa's feet and issued an insult that made Aneesa blush. Evidently the news of Aneesa's pregnancy had spread to England from the tabloids in Mumbai.

And then another woman appeared and started to reach for Aneesa's head as if trying to pull her hair. Aneesa felt real panic set in, and fear that she and the baby might be harmed.

She put a protective hand on her belly. She could see nothing but the crowd and knew that if she didn't escape soon she'd be sucked under completely. Even as she thought that, the crush got even more intense and people starting to fight one another, defending her and lambasting her in equal measure.

With a useless scream strangling her throat she tried to look around to seek escape and could only blink stupidly when she saw a car screech to a halt at the side of the road, and the tall grim-faced figure of Sebastian emerge from the back. He waded through the crowd with singular intent. When he got to her, he effortlessly plucked her up into his arms where she clung onto his neck and curled up as tight as she could into his chest. And it was only at that moment, as she could feel his strong body beneath hers, that she believed he was real and relief flooded her.

By the time they got to his car and were safely ensconced and driving away, she was still curled on his lap and trembling violently. Sebastian issued soothing words and stroked her back as if she were a child and finally she'd calmed enough to look up and stutter out, ‘How … how did you know?'

He tilted his head back so he could look at her and


brushed some of her hair behind one ear. ‘Daniel told me.' His jaw clenched and it was only then that Aneesa registered the extreme tension in his body. ‘And thank God you'd told him where you were going. I saw the crowd just before we got to Brick Lane.'

Aneesa shook her head. ‘I didn't even make it there. I had no idea—I didn't think for a second something like that might happen.' She started to tremble again as she recalled the way the crowd had just materialised within minutes and crushed around her. And then that woman's face twisted with anger.

She shuddered. ‘They were nice at first but then an old woman started saying the most vile things about me and my baby.' Tears threatened and Sebastian kissed her, placing his hand on her belly, touching her there for the first time with intent.

‘They're a traditional community. Look at how you had

to leave Mumbai. Anyone that threatens their traditions threatens them, and ex-pats will cling onto that world even more fiercely.'

Aneesa nodded her head, biting her lip, struggling to regain control, but his hand on her belly was making her feel even more raw. She felt like she was always weeping all over Sebastian. ‘I know … but it was just a shock to see it up so close like that….'

And then Sebastian's hand tightened on her belly and he said gruffly, ‘And it's my baby too. Our baby.'

Aneesa looked at him and also noticed for the first time how pale he was. He shook his head now. ‘When I saw you in the middle of that mob …' He couldn't finish. ‘I'm sorry for not coming to the doctor with you today. I shouldn't have let you go on your own. I won't let that happen again.'

More stupid tears threatened. ‘It was fine, really … I don't mind. I know that it can't be easy for you to come to terms with this.'

He was grim. ‘Nevertheless, I'm coming next time.' Aneesa finally relaxed her death grip from around


Sebastian's neck and he shifted slightly under her so that she fell into the cradle of his lap more. She blushed at the intimacy. She went to move off his lap but he pulled her back with a growl. ‘Stay where you are. You're not going anywhere alone again without a team of bodyguards.' She felt him take a deep breath before saying, ‘I know I've been avoiding lots of issues, especially around the baby, and I'm going to be there more from now on.'

Unable to halt the rising tide of tenderness because she could see something achingly vulnerable in his blue eyes, which she knew he would hate her to see, she just caressed his jaw and said softly, ‘Thank you.'

And she pressed a kiss to his mouth, weakly succumbing when his tongue sought hers and stoked the fires of their relentless desire.

For the rest of the day Sebastian treated Aneesa like she was made of bone china, to the point where she had to curb her exasperation when he insisted on carrying her from the dining table to the bedroom after dinner. It had been bad enough dealing with Daniel's guilt-ridden hand-wringing all evening too. The man had been beside himself to know that he'd unwittingly let Aneesa walk into certain danger, and nothing she could say would make him feel better.

But now all of her impatience melted when

Sebastian put her gently on her bed and asked her, ‘Did you get a scan picture of the baby today at the doctors?'

Aneesa nodded and got up to fetch her bag, her heart thumping unevenly. There had been more than a hint of nerves in Sebastian's voice. She pulled out the scrap of paper with its distinctive black-and-white image and handed it to him, smiling wryly. ‘It doesn't really look like much now.' She sat cross- legged on the bed beside him and pointed out the curved spine and the head. Then she put a hand on her belly and said wonderingly, ‘I can't really believe that's inside me, especially when I can't feel anything moving yet….'

Sebastian was just looking at the paper, his face intent.

Emboldened by this perceptible softening and the way he'd


been so gentle and tender all evening she asked hesitantly now, ‘I saw something in the papers about your brother Nathaniel's wedding in a few days at your hotel … Are you going?'

Immediately Sebastian tensed beside her and Aneesa was afraid he'd get up and walk out. His jaw went taut but he didn't move and finally said in a tight voice, ‘No, I'm not going to the wedding. And I'm not interested in discussing it.'

Feeling scared but knowing it was important, she asked, ‘What if I want to discuss it?'

Sebastian avoided her eye. ‘Please, Aneesa, don't push me on this.'

Before she could ask any more questions or her far-too- perceptive eyes could see the effect that looking at the picture of his baby was having on him, Sebastian handed her back the printout, got up abruptly from the bed and muttered something about running a bath for her.

He escaped to the bathroom, feeling like an utter coward. But the truth was that his entire world felt like it had just tilted sideways. Her questions had cut far too close to the bone, especially now that he knew his brother Jacob was seemingly intent on getting everyone together. And the knowledge hit again; that grainy image he'd just held in his hand was his son or daughter … And for the first time it wasn't the dreaded fear that threatened to overwhelm him but something that felt suspiciously like joy.

To his relief, after she'd had her bath, Aneesa seemed content to drop the questions. Sebastian didn't attempt to make love to her, even though his body screamed for it. And even though he felt a disturbingly primal need to brand her in some way—the aftermath of the terror he'd felt earlier was still in his system—but he controlled his urge. She was lying on her side, tucked into his body, his arms wrapped around her. He felt raw, like a layer of skin had been ripped away. Her breaths were deep and even and he told himself he'd get up and leave in a minute, but he couldn't stop his eyes from closing and the elusive tentacles of sleep bind around him.

The only way Sebastian knew he'd been having that


dream again was because he was struggling for breath and something or someone was holding him down. He fought to get free and lurched off the bed, only realising then where he was.

Aneesa was looking at him with huge eyes, her hair tousled around her shoulders. ‘You were having a dream … crying out for someone to come to you….'

On jelly legs Sebastian walked over to the window. His heart was still hammering and his skin felt clammy. He spoke because something within him couldn't remain silent. He'd bottled this up forever.

‘I was calling for my mother.' ‘Yes,' Aneesa said quietly.

He was still half conscious and recounted the dream almost without realising he was doing  it.  ‘I'm  in  my  home where I grew up, Wolfe Manor, and I'm tiny. I'm in a dark corridor all alone, and I know something terrible has happened. I'm frightened and crying but no one comes and then suddenly there are lots of people—my half-brothers and -sister, our housekeeper … my father. But they can't see me and they keep rushing past me, even though I'm crying.'

Sebastian knew Aneesa had moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Silently he begged her not to come near him or he might crumble completely.

‘Sebastian it was just a dream …' Aneesa's heart went out to the tall proud man who stood with his back to her.

He turned around then and she was shocked at the bleak look on his face. ‘That's it, you see. It's not just a dream. It's a memory. When I was just over a year old, my mother walked into the lake on our estate and tried to kill herself and my brother Nathaniel. He was just a baby at the time, but my father was enraged because she'd been stupid enough to have another child. It was only because two of my older brothers saw her and saved them that they survived.'

Aneesa sucked in a breath. ‘That's horrific …' He smiled but it was grim. ‘Yes. And there's plenty more where that came from, like the fact that my oldest brother Jacob had a row with our father which resulted in his death.' Aneesa tried to speak.


‘Sebastian—' He made a slashing gesture with his hand. ‘No. I won't discuss this anymore. You need to get back to sleep. I'm sorry for disturbing you.'

And he strode out of the bedroom. Aneesa just sat there for a long moment before curling back into bed, hugging her arms around herself. She didn't want to be alone tonight—she still felt vulnerable after what had happened earlier—but she knew there was no way Sebastian would come back now. She'd just pushed him to his limit.