Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101101 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 404(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101101 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 404(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
The last babies I held were Dominick and Peyton’s twin boys, and they smelled similar—like perfection and innocence, mixed with baby powder. I wonder if all babies smell like this … and then my thoughts go to my unborn baby. Would he or she have smelled the same way?
I open my eyes, blinking back the tears that are threatening to come, and Dani meets my gaze with knowing eyes. I shake my head, not wanting to go there, and she nods in understanding.
“Welcome to the world, Alba Antonov,” I say softly. “You are so loved.” I press a kiss to her forehead and take a calming breath. I should be past my abortion by now. It’s been years, and I was barely even pregnant, but that doesn’t stop my heart from mourning the loss.
“And you’re going to be so spoiled by your auntie Bri,” I add to lighten the mood. “Starting with this …”
Holding her carefully, I go to bend down to grab the gift bag, but Kane beats me to it, handing it to Dani.
“Thank you,” I murmur.
Dani opens the bag and then cracks up laughing, holding up the Burberry onesie with a built-in pleated skirt over it.
“You didn’t,” Dani says with a laugh.
“My niece will be the most stylish baby there is,” I say with a grin, but I can’t help but think about Kane’s and my conversation earlier. About how my expensive clothes are a cover for the scars I hide underneath. And as I stare at my niece, rocking her gently, I say a silent prayer that she never needs expensive clothes to hide her scars.
“So, when do they let you go home?” I ask, bringing Alba back over to Dani.
“Tomorrow.”
“Well, be prepared because I’ll be stopping by often to get my fill of this precious little girl,” I say, handing her to her mom.
“You’re welcome anytime,” Matteo says.
“Would you like to hold her?” Dani asks.
I look at her in confusion because I already held her, but then I follow her line of sight over to Kane, who’s back to standing against the wall.
“Dani,” Matteo murmurs, the warning in his tone clear.
“He’s family,” Dani says softly to Matteo, then turns her attention back to Kane. “What your brother did was horrific, but”—she sniffles back a sob—“she’s your niece.”
Matteo growls, and Dani glances at him, silently begging him not to lose his shit. He doesn’t say a word, but he plucks the baby out of her arms and protectively holds her to his chest.
Kane’s jaw clenches like he’s pissed, but his eyes are filled with a myriad of emotions. I’m about to say something to save him from this moment, but before I can, he speaks.
“She might be biologically related to me, but she’s your family, not mine.”
Matteo’s eyes shoot to Kane’s in what looks like appreciation.
“Well, a child can never have too much family,” Dani says. “And with you marrying Bri soon … you are family.”
Kane doesn’t hold the baby, but after that, the tension eases in the room. We spend the next several minutes talking about the labor and delivery and how she’s breastfeeding but is also pumping because Matteo wants to be able to feed the baby as well.
When Alba starts to fuss, we say our goodbye so she can breastfeed in private, and then we head out to lunch—since we never ate, choosing sex over sustenance—where I tell him about my plans to have North Harbor Point Pilates renovated.
“There’s just so much potential,” I tell him, taking a bite of my chicken salad sandwich. “I’m bringing in a Pilates expert, and we’re going to go over what the ideal studio would look like. Then, I’ll get it all put together and submit the plans for bids from contractors.”
Kane looks at me with a smile, and I squirm in my seat.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He shakes his head. “I just love to see the passion in your eyes. I’m not an expert on Pilates, but if you need anything, let me know.”
“Thank you.” I glance over at Daniil standing in the corner of the restaurant and throw my napkin onto my plate, stuffed. “Hopefully, my brothers will figure out who this asshole is so we can go back to our normal lives.”
Because of the attack, Dominick has put his family on lockdown, and once Dani is home from the hospital, she’s promised Matteo she won’t leave until they figure out who has been terrorizing our families.
“Speaking of your brothers,” Kane says, pulling his credit card out of his wallet and handing it to the waitress, “after lunch, I want to go by Dominick’s house to talk to him about all this.”
My brows shoot to my forehead at the thought of Kane and Dominick working together. “Do you want me to go with you?”
“No. I want you to go home and focus on your Pilates studio. And once I’m done, I was thinking you could give me a private class in the gym.”