BABY DADDY by Eve Montelibano

second wind at love, right? Nobody deserves to be alone and lonely in our old age, even royalty.”
    Oh boy, he’s looking at me earnestly and I know he’s blowing the ‘second wind’ in my direction now.
    “Do you believe it’s true?” I try to focus on the gossip. I’m not prepared to think of second winds yet when the memory of my first lover is still very fresh. It wasn’t a second wind. It was a cyclone that blew me away. My muff is still very much hung up on him, not to mention my ovaries.
    “If we see Akiko here, I might be inclined to believe. Look at this place. Only someone as loaded as THAT particular monarch can afford to buy an island in the Far East and turn it into another Monte Franco.”
    “So, how do we get to Punto Fiamma?”
    “I don’t know. They say that place is for the super VIPs only. Access is invitational.”
    My face falls in disappointment. “That’s not fair. Art is meant to be seen and appreciated by everyone who’s interested.”
    “They say Akiko remains a recluse in deference to King Pierre’s family. It’s been speculated that Punto Fiamma is actually King Pierre’s real resting place.”
    I pout. “Too bad we’re not VVIPs to the Viscontis.”

    We board one of the numerous little shuttles roaming around the shoreline, always ready to take guests anywhere in the strip.
    We reach my hotel, the Astoria.
    I love this hotel. The interior is oozing understated elegance courtesy of Hermes, one of the brands I personally patronize. I purposely avoided the hotels with casinos because I knew some of my high-profile European clients might be there and I didn’t want anybody recognizing me. I’d surely have been invited to join them for drinks and dinners and my baby project would have taken a backseat.
    But I can do that now that my baby project went bust. Might as well take care of marketing while I’m here. But truthfully, I just don’t have the energy. After last night, I’m a depleted tank. Not physically but mentally and emotionally.
    Tom walks me up to the threshold of the lobby and takes my hands in his.
    “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
    I nod and smile. “Thank you.”
    He hesitates for a bit then he bends his head and gently brushes his lips on mine.
    Oh god, please, let the butterflies flap wildly. I need them to run riot in my tummy now. Right now!
    “Good night, Ella.”
    “Good night, Tom.”
    I watch him walk down the portico steps and board the shuttle again.
    I sigh. Not a single butterfly moved.
    I turn around and enter the lobby.
    The moment I step in, I see him.

    It was hard to watch them together all day. It was even harder to witness them kiss. Violence is an alien emotion to me but I finally knew how it felt.
    If the fucker went up with her to her suite, I would have committed the very first scandal in the island’s history by beating the crap out of a guest. My mother would have rained a shitstorm on my ass I’ll never hear the end of it.
    “Raiden.”
    I itch to touch her now but I quell the urgency. I’m so relieved she didn’t invite the guy to her suite. “Did you enjoy the day?” I ask her with the resentment I can’t hide. I’ve been stewing in the background all evening, berating myself for the stupidity of my actions.
    She evades my question. “What are you doing here?”
    “I want to talk to you.”
    “Talk? What is there to talk about?”
    I swallow. I want to question my sanity for the nth time but her mere presence obliterated my rationality. “About last night.”
    She walks past me. “I don’t wanna talk about it.” She heads for the elevator.
    I catch up with her.
    “Ella.”
    “I’m tired, Raiden.”
    She punches the up button.
    The lift opens and she gets in. I get in, too.
    “What are you doing?”
    I punch the number of her floor. I had all afternoon to bleed Riley of all the information I wanted about her.
    “We’ll talk in your suite.”
    “No!” she gasps in alarm.
    I hate the guard in her eyes, the