Right after Jack Romano kills in man in the line of duty, he finds out his bemoaned first love's wife has died in childbirth and his ex-lover killed himself, leaving their sickly newborn to Jack. Carlo Del Monte has been chasing Jack for nine months and sees the baby -- Isabella, Bella for short -- as an opportunity to get Jack in his house, as well as his bed, permanently. The two men set up housekeeping with the help of friends and Carlo's big Italian family. Then little Bella ends up in the intensive care since she lacks immunity to childhood diseases. Can Jack and Carlo find their way in this new relationship? As partners, husbands, fathers? Will the two be able to form a strong bond ... and an even stronger family?

Beau's Baby

Jake pulled out his briefcase. “My fee is one-thousand dollars an hour. If you should lose this case and I guarantee you will, I will sue you for my fees. Since Carlo is representing both himself and Jake, he probably won’t but I can’t guarantee it. So far you have racked up five billable hours. I looked up your police records, did a background check and checked your credit rating. All of the information I collected does not reflect well on you, Ms. Simmons. There is also the fact that you abandoned your daughter to the foster system at the age of three and never returned to see how she was doing or even if she was alive, this will all come out in court.”


“No, you never will get custody of that child. Ms. Friedman from the Department of Families and Children is here. She is aware of all of the information I have obtained and has made it part of her records,” Jake told her with some satisfaction.


“I heard he was a cop. Where did he get the money to hire you?”


Chapter 55