Page 79 of His Wild Attraction

“Go have some fun, Angel. We’ll be here.”

“Okay,” she said, nodding.

“Text me when you get there, so I know you’re safe.”

“Okay, I will,” she promised, and my chest felt tight.

I walked her to the elevator and watched as she got in the car with her bodyguard. Then I texted Josef, and he confirmed what I already knew.

Adrik had reserved a private room for them in the back of the mid-sized Mediterranean bistro they were going to. The place was one of those New York hotspots that was impossible to get into.

Well, impossible if you weren’t a Volkov.

The place was said to serve excellent food and cocktails, and the waiting list was months long. It was all over social media as the place to be, and on some nights, like tonight, they had live music.

I imagined it would be packed. And it made me jumpy.

I couldn’t help my protective instincts. Whenever Ellie wasn’t with me, I worried. It was just who I was.

But considering my wife’s three best friends were some of the best-guarded women in the state, if not the whole damn country, I couldn’t think of anyplace safer.

Except by my side.

“Dad! Rocky is eating my cars,” Sammy shouted from the living room, and I jogged back inside the room to watch my boy giggling over his silly pet’s antics.

“Maybe Rocky needs treats,” I said, and Sammy ran to the little box of cat snacks we kept on a low shelf near the front door.

Ten minutes later, my mother arrived, bearing gifts. Sammy adored cartoons. Add that to the homemade double chocolate chip cookies my mother brought with her, and she had a fan for life.

“Can I have another cookie, Nana?” Sammy asked, completely smitten with his new grandmother.

“Of course you can. Don’t forget to drink your milk, then we’ll get into your jammies and put the movie on,” she replied gently.

“Thanks, Mom,” I said, standing next to her.

“Oh, Andres, I should thank you. You gave me a new daughter and a built-in grandson.”

“Sammy is fantastic, isn’t he?” I replied with a smile.

“He is. And he loves you, anyone can see that.”

“Do you think so?” I asked, my vulnerability showing.

“Sweetie, I know so. And I am so happy for you. I wondered if you would ever find the right woman. But now I see it wasn’t a woman you were waiting for. It was a family. You did good, son.”

“It feels that way, Mom. Ellie and Sammy, they feel so right in here,” I whispered, placing a hand over my heart,

“You love her very much, don’t you?”

I nodded, the words choking me. It didn’t feel right to say it to my mother before I said it to Ellie. But I couldn’t lie to her either.

“Good. That woman needs you. And so does this boy. You were born to be a father,” Mom said.

“You know, I have to admit I was terrified of being a father. But I learned from good people.”

“You think I’m a good mom?” Mom asked me, tears filling her familiar eyes.

“I think you’re a damn good mom,” I told her, kissing her cheek.

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