Page 74 of Heart of a Villain

“Damn, Ari. This is huge.” He changed positions, lying down because he knew she would snuggle up against him, all soft and warm and his. “If this turns out to be true, it’ll be way more interesting than the way we found Thanasis. Or, at least, how he found Giorgio.”

“Are you getting excited?”

“I’m getting excited.”

“You know how Ty does that,” she wiggled her body, “little shimmy when he’s happy about something?”

“You have to put more twist into it,” he said, doing his best to mimic their son’s awkward limb and hip movements.

“Aww. My poor baby got his daddy’s rhythm.”

“I have rhythm.”

“Have I ever told you that? Has anyone?”

“My mother’s Puerto Rican.”

“You’re adopted.”

They lay with her head just below his chin as he continued to coil her hair around his finger. Some days, it was wild to think that they’d had children together. One of those children aspired to be an Olympic gold medalist in a swimming competition, and the other one, apparently, had his father’s rhythm.

Maybe Monroe could help Ty out.

Monroe’s dance moves were better than most adults, more than likely because she and her mother were always listening to music.

“So, Joel has a clergyman on retainer,” he said.

Ari looked up at him and burst out laughing. “Baby, no…”

“The man is serious about getting Adrían and Sayeda married off.”

“Adrían’s focus has shifted…for the most part. He still loves Ayesha and always will, but it’s becoming a different kind of love. From Eros to Philia.”

“You should write a book.”

She shrugged.

“We keep messing with Joel, though,” he said. “We told Eesh to sit on Adrían’s lap while Joel’s standing there. I don’t think he’s recovered.”

“So, serious question,” she prefaced. “You’re his brother. Not even blood would make you closer. Does Joel believe, even a little bit, that Ayesha would mess around on him?”

“No.”

“So why does he get jealous?”

“Because it’s us.” He kissed her hair. “We’re happy, Ari. Like…totally and legitimately happy. Look how long we’ve been together, and I still love holding you like this. I still love the way you smell, the way you feel. My life with you is nothing like the life I’d pictured for myself, and that’s the best part about it.”

It was why he wanted to stay in her life, why he hoped this shit with Central didn’t turn into a bloodbath. Several times, he’d heard her scream in his dreams the moment she found out he wouldn’t be coming home. It was always just like Ayesha’s scream that day they delivered the news about Curtis. That sound would remain with him forever.

“Imagine if Mo messed around on Giorgio,” he said.

Ari remained quiet.

He leaned back. “Ari? You’ve got to be shitting me.”

“Come on, Julien. It’s Mo. She would never cheat on Giorgio. But I do get the sense that something’s going on with her, though.”

“Think she’s pregnant again?”

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