Page 15 of Under His Control

And a live infant’s fussiness.

“Okay. There.” The moment I got her in new clothes, I picked her up and held her close while I carried the dirty diaper to the trash. But it seemed she didn’t want to be held. “No good?” I asked of her squirming and fussing to get down. “Okay. Now what?” I set her on the floor, watching her crawl and explore.

I nodded and gestured at her to go crawl and explore. “All right. Have fun.” Until I could talk to Tessa again and start thinking about where to go and what to do for my and Olivia’s future, I’d need to get dressed and figure out how to gather more necessities for her. Clothes, bottles, food, other baby things.

Keeping an eye on Olivia pulling up and walking along the bed and other things in the room, I got dressed and laughed when she plopped onto the carpet. “Not as easy as it looks, huh?” I teased of her trying to take more than a couple of independent steps from whatever she’d pulled up to walk along. She didn’t stop, though, determined to get up over and over and keep trying. Once she mastered the balance of walking independently, she’d take off. I was sure of it.

Maybe I’ll adjust easier when she’s less of a baby and more of a child?I’d never envisioned myself as a dad. While this was all new and I worried I’d struggle to adjust every single day, I was glad that I didn’t have to figure out how to be an impromptu parent of an even younger baby.

“Let’s go see if we can find Tessa.” I picked her up, glad that she didn’t protest being held again. When I left the room without her pacifier, she smacked at me and I doubled back, recalling the daycare owner’s advice to always have one with her.

Walking through this enormous house felt strange. Last night, I was caught up in the whirlwind of meeting the Constella family members and trying to catch up with Tessa.And fucking Eva.Now, in the light of the day without a party held elsewhere in the mansion, it was too quiet. Like we were trespassing, not seeking out my friend. Like I was a soldier on a covert mission to gather intel about a Mafia boss.

Because this is the Mafia’s home.I grimaced at the reminder. My ability to navigate the grayness of this situation wouldn’t happen quickly. While I would stand by Tessa and make sure she was happy and safe, I wasn’t sure I could look the other way with the knowledge that she’d gotten involved with a crime boss.

I turned a corner, wondering if Tessa might be eating breakfast in this huge kitchen-like area or if there was another one somewhere in this maze of a building. The scents of sausage and pancakes filled the air, and Olivia reacted.

“Hmmm. Hmmm.” She rubbed her little tummy, too, grinning that she smelled something good.

I laughed lightly as we finally found someone. It seemed that everyone was sleeping in—except the boss.

“Morning,” Dante said from the stove. He smiled at Olivia. “You smell the pancakes.”

She clapped her hands together, bouncing in my arms.

“Morning.”Weird.I hadn’t personally spent much time with criminal masterminds. I fought in the field, but I wasn’t in a ranking to see through one-on-one conversations with leaders. Dante had to be an enemy simply because of the title he held. He was a Mafia boss. But it was strange to see him cooking where he’d have staff to handle it.

He lost his smile for Olivia and frowned at me. Hesitating, as though he wanted to say something, he looked between us.

“What?” Immediately, my guards went up. I didn’t trust this man. And I didn’t like how he regarded me.

“Can I show you something?” He set the spatula down on the counter and approached.

“Show me what?” I asked.

“How to hold her.” He raised his brows as he held his hands out. This gruff Mafia lord wanted to educate me. With holding a baby.

Olivia must not have noticed the tension between me and the older man. While he smiled at her again, she thrust her arms out to go to him. Annoyance filled me that she’d be so trusting of a smiling face. This man had to be a killer. A gangster. God knew what else. I was hung up on the labels and didn’t have any reason to trust him—yet.

“Keep one arm over the center of her movements, her hips.” Dante held Olivia propped against his side. “And she’ll follow how your body moves.” He lifted his free hand to grab a mug of coffee and drink it. “Far easier than always holding her with both arms.”

I nodded, hating how natural he looked.

“Father to father,” Dante added as he handed her back.

“Thanks.”Whatever.I was sure I’d figure it out on my own eventually. I wasn’t a moron.

“Do you think you can set aside whatever biases and judgments you’ve already formed of me long enough to eat breakfast?” He resumed his spot at the stove, working on the food again.

“I’m not used to associating with the enemy,” I said.

He nodded, unbothered. “Noted, Soldier. But the last I checked, the Army didn’t have me on their wanted list.”

I sat at the island after putting Olivia on the floor to crawl again. Damn, she was fast, but I could multitask in watching her and talking with this man. “The Army might not. But the FBI and CIA?”

Dante shrugged.

“I’m not sure I like the idea of my friend getting involved with a criminal organization.”

---