Page 54 of Her Cruel Bodyguard

To come back from a stressed-out day and have the woman you love run into your arms like you are the only fucking person in the world.

“Emanuele,” Nina clears her throat. “I am sorry for what I did,” she drags in a shallow breath. “And I am sorry, Vittoria,” she rolls her eyes. “But we are even now,” she manages a small smile. “We have Salvatore out of our lives, and here goes the happy ever after for some,” she drawls, her accent messing with the intonations of every word.

“I will take Jake home,” I announce, the happy-ever-after reference drilling a hole in my heart as I stare at Vittoria in Emanuele’s arms, and Eva not in mine.

“I will come with you, that way I can talk about our wonder women escapade,” she smiles and corners the kitchen island to come over to me and Jake.

“I think you should go home with your father. I will drop him off and come back to you,” I say through the fog in my throat. I want her to come with us—I want her with me—but there is something I need time to process.

“Jake?” Eva places a hand on the small of Jake’s back and he turns his head to her, then giddily goes to her, betraying me. “Settled then,” she hurls him to her chest, exerting obvious energy to keep him to herself.

“I will get back as soon as I drop him home,” I say and Emanuele nods. I turn to leave, but I halt. “Jake,” I take him back from Eva’s arms, saving her from passing out because of his weight. “I want you to meet someone,” I say, taking him to Emanuele.

I am not expecting anything other than a hello, but Emanuele beckons with his fingers for me to give Jake to him, and I do.

“You could fool me into thinking you cloned yourself,” Emanuele chuckles as he sits Jake on the marble countertop of the kitchen island. “Hey, little man,” he lowers his big self, placing both hands on either side of Jake’s thighs.

“Hello, big man,” Jake puffs his chest a little, hiding his intimidation of Emanuele’s size.

Emanuele chuckles and nods. “Your father’s son indeed,” he strokes Jake’s chin softly. “Welcome to the family.”

“Thank you,” Jake smiles at him. “You look like Santa Claus,” Jake murmurs that part, and Emanuele bursts into laughter.

Vittoria joins in her usual delicate laugh and ruffles Jake’s hair. “He has Fabio’s charm; he is bound to get the women spinning.”

“He’s got my humor,” I am a dreamer, I know.

Eva laughs softly and comes to stand beside me. “Fabio can be funny,” she defends me. “He makes me laugh,” she shrugs.

“That’s it,” Emanuele lifts Jake from the kitchen island and passes him back to me. “I will see you around, little man.” He does a shocking act of pressing a kiss on his head and Jake stares at him with adoration.

This boy’s affection is easily bought.

First, it was Eva, the daughter, and now the father.

“Bye, Vittoria,” Jake blows a kiss at Vittoria as I take him out. “Bye, Nina,” he blows another at Nina.

Now, Vittoria and Nina. Where does that leave me? He has never blown me a kiss or stared at me like he did at Emanuele. But then again, I have never done what Emanuele did with him.

I see where I am lacking and areas I want to work on. His being kidnapped showed me what I need to do.

There is no need to keep my distance. He is my son.

There is no need to hide him. He is accepted, more than I could ever have imagined he would be. He is not a problem. He is not considered an obstacle as I had thought.

“Bye, Jake,” Nina and Vittoria chime as I step out of the kitchen with the two most important people in the world with me.

My son and the woman I am now hoping can be mine.

I walk with Eva beside me out in the compound.

I step out of the gate to the car, tipping my head at some of our men and signaling them that there is no cause for alarm. I stop in front of the car and tilt to Eva as she halts beside me with electrifying eyes shocking senses into me.

What was wrong with me, pushing her away constantly?

“Thank you,” I stretch my luck and plant a kiss on her forehead, keeping my lips on her forehead a little longer.

“Dad,” Jake grumbles.

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