Page 107 of Mafia King's Surprise Baby

He closes his eyes and sighs. “I know, but I mean…”

My hand sneaks up to clasp his cheek. His palm comes up and covers mine, his large hand warm and solid on top of mine.

“What is it?” I ask gently.

“If it were up to me, we’d elope. You know we can go for license today itself in New York and get married tomorrow, after twenty-four hours. If we go to Vegas, we don’t even need to wait a whole day.”

So why aren’t we doing it?I keep this thought in my mind. A part of me is running away with trepidation. I’m suddenly wondering why he asked me to marry him. Was it a precipitated move on his part, in order to keep me with him? Did he jump the gun?

Then why would he have been carrying his family’s engagement ring with him? I know this is an heirloom—it’s right there on his grandmother’s old pictures, on her ring finger.

“I don’t want you to leave,” he says, bringing me back into this moment with him.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I tell him softly.

His hand presses my palm even more into his face. “I know, but…I can’t, Bianca. I can’t—”

My heart accelerates in my chest. “Can’t what, Leo?”

His gaze finds mine. Fire is burning in them, and in their depths, I can see it again, the vulnerability I detected in his tone.

“I can’t live without you,” he finishes in a whisper.

My chest clenches as overwhelming love for this man engulfs me. I breach the space between us and press my lips to his. It’s a chaste kiss as he lets me peck him gently before breaking away.

“Nor can I, my love,” I tell him, my forehead touching his, my eyes closing as his exhaled breath fans over my nose and face.

“I want you to move in,” he says. “Right now. You and Enzo.”

I can’t help the laugh that trickles out of me. “Leo—”

“No, listen to me. You can do it. Let me show you.”

He pulls away and takes my hand. As we’re walking farther inside the house, he gets his phone and starts to type something with just one hand. I shrug. It’s probably business, and I won’t be one of those nagging women who needs to monitor her man’s every move.

He takes me on a tour of the house, showing me without words how the whole place has been child-proofed. Enzo wouldn’t run into any safety issue here.

The doorbell rings, surprising me. Leo gives me a little wink as he goes to the front door. I’m following a few paces behind when I hear a sound I didn’t expect today.

“Papa!” Enzo exclaims when Leo opens the door.

I rush to find our son lurching from Mattia’s arms into Leo’s. Leo laughs and huffs as Enzo lands into him like a small missile.Careful, I want to chide the boy, because his father is still recovering from extensive surgery and internal injuries. But the joy on both Pellegrinis’ faces is obvious to the naked eye, and I don’t disturb their reunion.

I’m reminded of the text he sent. He must’ve been asking Mattia to swing by with our son.

Leo steps back, clutching Enzo to him, speaking softly to the boy. I can’t hear what he’s saying, but the love is palpable. As long as I shall live, I’ll never let anything come between these two again.

Enzo’s completely enthralled by his dad, not even noticing me today. I don’t mind. I love seeing father and son bonding, their relationship so easy and comfortable already. Enzo looks tiny in his father’s bulging arms and against his massive frame, where I know he’ll always be safe. This man, he would give his life for us. This is what makes him the man I love. It also doesn’t hurt how sexy he looks, especially when being the doting dad. I’m hoping we’ll get to be alone later, so we can continue what he started earlier in the foyer.

We reach the second floor landing, and Leo starts down a long corridor, stopping in front of a door he pushes open. I hear Enzo gasp, and I also gasp when I enter it.

This room, it’s the exact replica of our boy’s bedroom in our apartment in Tokyo. Even down to the last stuffed animal—and Enzo has a horde of them—nothing is missing.

“How did you…” I ask, awe making me unable to complete the question.

Leo puts Enzo down, and the kid goes running into his room, babbling away in a string of Japanese as he re-acquaints himself with his toys.

Leo turns to me and shrugs. “I had it all brought over.”

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