Page 29 of His Stolen Bride

“I..” He’s completely knocked me off kilter.

“Okay. Your trust. I’ll earn it.” He’s always saying the right things. Ones that make me want to bare my soul to him.

“She can’t go back to my father.” I finally let the truth free. “She’s pregnant.”

“Leo, I take it?”

I don’t respond. There’s nothing he can do about Gianna, but Leo he could hurt.

“You’re protective of him, too. I have to warn you that I’m finding I’m the jealous type when it comes to you.”

My nipples tighten at the possessive look in his eyes. As much as I like the look on his face, I don’t need him going after Leo.

“I trust him.” It’s the wrong thing to say. Santino’s jaw ticks. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around him being jealous. “He’s my best friend. He’s always been there for me. He’s like a brother to me.”

“This could start a war.”

“You almost started one yourself,” I point out. He was ready to pull the trigger when he thought my father was going to take my sister from me. This man keeps doing one thing after another to keep me and my sister safe. All of these things have me quickly heading toward trusting him. Still, I fear it might be all a ploy to him. Some twisted plot for him and my father to gain some sort of advantage over me.

“You said you’d be a good wife.”

I lick my lips, his eyes dropping there. He’s really not going to let that go. His hand takes mine as he leads us back to the kitchen. Everyone turns to look at us when we enter. My face warms. They know. They so know.

Santino leads me over to the table and pulls out a chair for me so I can sit next to Gianna. When I glance over at her, she’s wearing a huge smile on her face.

“How was your talk?” she tries to whisper to me. I elbow her.

Apollonia snorts a laugh, because that was so not a whisper at all.

“My beautiful wife forgot about a nursery.” Santino smirks. “I was just reminding her.”

If I wasn't already blushing, I would be now. Santino sits down next to me. He hooks his foot under my chair and drags me closer so he can drape his arm across the back as everyone starts adding in ideas.

“We could do it yellow or green? Maybe with a big crescent moon on the wall?” Gianna smiles.

“Or the ceiling.” Leo shrugs.

“That would be beautiful.” Apollonia leans against Cato.

I relax into Santino. He’s making my surrender all too easy.

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