Page 53 of Her Cruel Bodyguard

What is happening?

I sweep my eyes around the white and gold kitchen, finding nothing that seems out of place. But everything in front of me feels out of place.

They seem… I nod, unsure what to make of the situation, but they seem okay. Happy. Eating and having a look on their faces like we just interrupted the best moment of their lives.

My eyes dart from Eva, dressed in her father’s color, to Vittoria, in a crimson coat with furs for a collar, then to the most shocking person I could expect them hanging out with: Nina in a white chiffon dress. What alarms me, though, is Jake—who is still wearing his school uniform—eating a cake with frosting all over his face and mouth and playing with Nina's bump.

I will lose my fucking mind, but I can start by dropping my gun.

“Eva?” I take a step closer as a domestic staff in a gray dress and white apron sashays into the kitchen and brings a tray with more food and drinks.

“Welcome,” she smiles at Emanuele and me, placing the tray on the kitchen island. “Family friends.”

“Move the gun away from my daughter, Fabio,” Emanuele warns and goes over to them.

I thought I had already, but it seems like my body didn’t answer my mind’s order the first time around. So, I swallow and drop my gun. I shove it in the pocket of my holster, swinging my eyes around in a quick sweep to be sure no one else aside from them is in here.

“Someone is under the kitchen island,” Vittoria chuckles. “And you should check the cabinet, too,” she snorts and takes a forkful of cake to her mouth.

Jake lifts his eyes from his cake and smiles at me, mashed cake plastered on his teeth. “Dad,” he says, climbing onto the kitchen island, and Vittoria helps him down from it.

His little legs sprint to me and he wraps his arms around my legs.

I am still a little too stunned. It takes me some seconds to process the fact that he is hugging me. If the women would just explain instead of keeping us in the dark, this would be easier.

I scoot, going down to Jake’s level.

I lift him in my arms, the cream-colored icing from the cake smearing on the dark green of my shirt. He drops his head on my shoulder and I feel his heartbeat against my chest. He is nervous.

“It’s okay, Buddy,” I try for a pet name and wrap my arms around his small frame.

“I was scared,” he mutters into my shoulder, and I breathe, holding him tighter to me.

“I was, too,” I admit only for his ears.

“Can someone tell us what is going on now?” Emanuele snaps. His patience is a funny swing. He can go from acting as though he has all the time in the world to acting likehe only has seconds left to live.

“Salvatore is in prison,” Nina answers plainly. “Thanks to them,” she points at Eva and Vittoria. “And of course, me,” she shrugs, feeling smug about the last part. “Mostly me,” she adds.

“Slow down,” Vittoria clips. “I still want to kill you.”

“Give it a rest already,” Eva sucks her teeth.

“Pick a side, you traitor,” Vittoria fires at Eva.

“Ladies,” Emanuele chips, his voice losing every hint of tease, looking at Jake. “What happened?”

“We stepped in and saved your asses,” Vittoria declares, and then, as she meets his eyes, she melts. “We decided to take matters into our hands,” she turns her eyes away from Emanuele. “My stomach hurts,” she mumbles and I am fucking sure that part is a lie to make him lose the sharpness in his gaze.

“By yourselves?” Emanuele directs his anger at Eva.

“I have a headache, papà,” Eva slurps her juice. “And I feel…” she fans herself with one hand. Totally lost, Emanuele drives his eyes to Nina.

“Don’t look at me,” Nina places a hand on her bump.

Emanuele scowls at all three of them and says something under his breath.

“I will tell you all about it on our way home,” Vittoria stands and goes to him, slipping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest, the same way I ache for Eva to do to me.

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