Elsa


    He tears his mouth from mine at the same time that I push away from him. I stumble back, and the cool air rushes between us. My pulse pounds at my temples; my chest rises and falls. He rakes his gaze down my camisole-covered chest, and my breasts hurt. He raises his gaze to mine, and I notice those golden eyes have gone even lighter. Flecks of green spark within them. His nostrils re and he takes a step toward me, when another wail from Avery fills the tense silence.


    He freezes. His features wear an expression of panic. I almost giggle at that. Guess the reality of living with a baby is setting in, eh?


    I bend, grab my bathrobe and slip it on, then spin around and head for the bedroom. I slip inside and walk over to where Avery is standing up in the y area. I scoop her up and rock her. “It’s okay, honey. What’s the matter? Do you need your diaper changed again, baby?”


    I carry her over to the changing table andy her down before opening the sides of her diaper. I carefully change her. When I’m done, I nce around to find him lurking in the doorway.


    “Do you mind dropping this into the waste basket?” I hold out the poopy package containing her soiled diaper.


    He seems taken aback, then prowls over to me. He pinches the parcel between his forefinger and thumb, his features slightly frozen, like he’s horrified but also fascinated by what I’ve asked him to do.


    “It’s in the bathroom,” I gesture.


    He stalks away, walks inside the bathroom, and emerges a few secondster. By which time, I am bent over a warbling Avery.


    She grabs my fingers, and I pull her to standing. She nces past me and her gaze fixes on him. Her features instantly crack into a wide smile. She releases my finger and raises one hand toward him. Damn it, of course, she likes him. A bit difficult to resist thatrger-than-life asshole, isn’t it? And she’s only female, after all.


    She wiggles her fingers at him. I sense him move, and hees over to stand next to me.


    “Up.” Sheughs up at him. I turn to find his features have softened. He reaches for her, and shetches onto his hand. In fact, she releases my other hand and holds that arm up to him. He scoops her up and holds her close to his chest.


    “Scooty, y Scooty.” She warbles a few other unintelligible words, then smashes her fist into his face.


    His gaze widens, and I hold my breath as heughs. “You’re a strong girl, aren’t you? Just like your mama, huh? As beautiful and as stubborn, eh?”


    He thinks I’m beautiful? Heat flushes my cheeks.


    He bends his head and pretends to bite her finger. Avery bursts outughing. He tickles her and she wriggles in his grasp. She grabs his hair and tugs. He raises his head and the two stare at each other.


    Something hot tugs at my chest. Jesus, my daughter is going to fall for him. I’m going to fall for him. And then when we leave him-which we’ll have to do when he finds out the real reason I agreed to marry him, we’re both going to be heartbroken. I haven’t even married him, and his charisma is overpowering us. I jump up to my feet, walk over, and take her from him.


    “Hey,” he holds his hands up as if still holding her, “what was that for?”


    “I think you should leave,” I mutter.


    Avery’s lower lip trembles just before she begins to cry.


    “Hush, baby.” I turn away and begin to pace, rocking her in my arms. “Don’t cry, sweetie pie. See? Mama’s still here, isn’t she? Do you want to y with Scooty?” I walk over to the y area, grab the ragged toy and hold it to her. She shoves it aside and continues to cry. I snatch up her rattle, hold it to her; she takes it, puts it in her mouth, and her cry stops just as suddenly as it started. My breath rushes out of me. I rock her a while longer, then turn to find him still staring at us.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    “I really think you need to go.”


    “Nonna’s funeral is tomorrow,” he says in a low voice. “I need you to apany me.”


    “Oh,” I blink rapidly, “I have to work tomorrow.”


    “The flower shop is closed tomorrow for the funeral,” he points out.


    Of course, it is. Theresa sent me a textst night, but it slipped my mind.


    “Do I have to?” Not that I don’t want to. I mean, the few times I met Nonna, she was amazing to me. And considering I’m probably indirectly responsible for her death, it’s the least I can do. But to go with him?


    “It’s best the family start seeing us together, so I can tell them about our uing nuptials.”


    “Is it wise we marry so soon after Nonna’s funeral?”


    “She wanted me married within the month.” He folds his arms across his chest. “Also, you need to move in with me.”


    “What? No.”


    “You’re not safe here. The man who chased you the other day… We still haven’t tracked him down. If he’s still out there, chances are, he’s going toe after you again.”


    “I… I’ll be safe here, surely?”


    He leans forward on the balls of his feet. “If you stay here, I’ll have to post guards outside your door.”


    “That would draw too much attention,” I protest.


    “It’s your choice. Either I post guards outside your door, or you move in with me.”


    I begin to pace again. “This is crazy. You can’t just walk in and turn my life upside down.”


    “You’re the one who banged on our door, barged in, and turned our lives upside down,” he points out.


    I turn to him. “That’s not fair.” I swallow. “You know it’s not my fault that the bullet hit Nonna.”


    “That’s not what my family thinks.”


    “So do they… Do they me me for what happened?”


    He tilts his head.


    “So, they do me me.” I chew on my lower lip. “And you? What do you think?”


    “I think you should move in with me so we can start getting used to each other’spany.”


    “So that’s it. I just move?” I nce around the nursery. “I’ll have to pack Avery’s things. And my things. And I need to swing by my ex’s ce and drop her off in an hour.”


    “I’ll get people to help you, and I’ll have a nursery set up for her by next weekend.”


    I hold Avery closer. “What if this entire situation only upsets my ex further? What if he uses the situation to prove that I’m an unfit mother-living with a man before we’re married? Not to mention, marrying into the mob. What if he wins the case against me? What if I lose her?” I squeeze her so tightly to me that she protests.


    Seb closes the distance to us, then bends his knees and peers into my eyes. “Do I look like someone who’s going to lose?”


    I shake my head.


    “You’re not in Ennd; you’re in Italy. Here, the judges tend to favor the mother over the father. Also, the Cosa Nostra’s power is second only to God. Believe me when I say that in Italy, thew isn’t upheld, it’s interpreted.”


    I blow out a breath. “I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”


    “All you need to know is that no one dares go up against us. If we want something, we get it and I… I want… you.”


    My heart begins to race.


    “Once you’re my wife, whatever makes you happy bes my priority.”


    Holy shit, hearing him speak with such conviction makes me almost believe him. “But it’s only a pretend wedding, isn’t it? I mean, you don’t n on staying married to me for long, do you?”


    “There are no divorces in the Cosa Nostra.” He pulls himself up to his full height. “Take what you need for the day. I’ll have my mene in and pack everything else for you.”


    He turns to leave, and I stare after him. “Wait,” I call out.


    He pauses at the door and levels that golden gaze of his at me.


    “You want me to move out so quickly?”


    He simply stares at me.


    “B-but… Can’t we wait until we’re married? How will it look to the judge if… when I have to go up before him?”


    “Leave that to me. There is no judge here who cannot be bought by the Cosa Nostra.”


    “But Avery… This is her home, too. I-I need more time to allow her to adjust to a new ce.”


    “Avery’s only here on the weekends, so it’s probably always like a new ce for her anyway,” he points out.


    I shuffle my feet. “Still, she’s more used to this ce than your home.”


    He hesitates then nods. “I suspect it’s more a “you” issue than an “Avery” issue, but how about this? We can alternate between the two ces, as needed. After all, you’ll still be keeping this ce.”


    “I… I will?”


    “I’ll make sure the rent is paid up for the next six months, so you’ll have it in case you need to use it for Avery.”


    “Okay,” I say in a small voice. Gosh, he has an answer to every question. Apparently, once he’s made up his mind, nothing can stop him.


    “Anything else?”


    I shake my head.


    “Good.” He jerks his chin. “Now, what can I help you carry to the car?”