Page 20 of Under His Control

“Consider it,” Ethan advised. “Sleep on it. You’re welcome to bring your kiddo and crash here. My grandson stays during the summers, but there’s plenty of room.”

“I appreciate it.” I disconnected and mulled over what he’d said. It was all valid. Any powerful group was prone to a bad rep from one source or another. The military I’d served for had its own select few who were corrupt and selfish.

Human nature. That was what it boiled down to. But I wasn’t making a choice for just myself. I had Olivia to consider. If I signed up for a job with the Constella Family, I’d risk her losing her only family. If anything happened to me on the job, she’d have no one.

But what else would I do? After my career in the army, something in security or law enforcement was all that I’d be trained for. All I’d be interested in. A desk job wasn’t in the cards. Another trade would require me to learn it.

I stopped and watched Olivia sleep, her tiny chest rising and falling with her cute face so relaxed in the bliss of sleep. It still hit me so hard that she was mine, the product of a one-night stand. I couldn’t remember much about Pamela. That was how insignificant she was in my memories, and likewise from her perspective about me if she never felt the need to tell me that I had a daughter. Yet, she’d given me the most important person in the world.

I know I’m still figuring it out, Liv. I’m learning as I go. But I swear I will always try to do my best for you.

Which meant getting a damn job and a place to live.

I groaned lightly and ran my hands through my hair as I paced again. It should be so simple. Say yes. Join the Constellas. Take up Dante’s offer to stay in one of the many guest houses they had. But I struggled, anyway.

Tessa had been spending a lot of time with me in the week since her engagement party. Over and over, she relayed how she’d met Romeo. That he’d killed her rapists. And when he'd saved her from threats.

On one hand, I was glad for the man avenging my old friend. On the other, though, I was worried about how close danger clung to them.

Later, when Nina joined one of our conversations, she explained how she and Dante had met. That her loser brother lost her in a bet and Dante rescued her.

Both their stories helped me understand that they were capable of doing good, but I was too guarded to be convinced that quickly.

“Knock, knock.” Nina whispered it after she gently rapped on my door and opened it. She peeked inside, smiling at me.

“Oh, hey,” I said, letting her in. As if I had to let her in. This was her home. I appreciated that she respected my space,though. It was getting hard to remember that I was a guest with how they made me feel included. “She’s still napping.”

“Oh.” She pouted. “I was hoping we could play.”

I laughed once. “With what?” I shook my head at how Pamela went out of her way to deprive Olivia of any toys. Each parent would have their own style, it seemed, and I was not a crunchy sort of guy. There was nothing wrong with toys and actual books with fantastical creatures in them.

“Well, we had a blast in the kitchen with the pots and spoons yesterday.” She grinned, stopping me from walking out of the room. “I really appreciate that you’re letting me babysit her. It’s practice for me.” She placed her hand on her belly.

“As if you won’t be a perfect mom,” I teased. While I knew Nina long ago because she was Tessa’s friend, it was nice to befriend her as an adult now. She’d offered to watch Olivia while I went to the store for some necessities, and I got the impression that this was as good for her as it was for me and Olivia. “Thanks again.” I stopped at the door. “Wait. Can I borrow a car?”

“Yeah. I think Franco’s downstairs. He’ll find you something.” She smiled and sat near the crib where Liv slept.

I headed down to the first floor, finding both Franco and Romeo. I did my best not to smirk or cling to my guardedness around them, but it was hard to lose that edge of defensiveness. Romeo was a lethal man, a killer, and not just on the battlefield like I had been. Franco was just as deadly.

Here, though, they deceived me, smiling and looking laidback as I came down the stairs.

“Hey, just who I was hoping to talk to,” Franco said as he spotted me.

“Oh, yeah?”

Romeo nodded. “My father told us that he asked whether you’d like to work for the family.” He stuck his hands in his pockets and tilted his head to the side. While he didn’t lookintimidating and wasn’t pressuring me, I felt the weight of expectation.

I grimaced and rubbed the back of my neck. “I don’t know…”

Franco shook his head. “You’d fit right in.”

“You check out,” Romeo added.

I grunted, annoyed at this intrusion of privacy. “Looked into me, huh?” I crossed my arms.

Romeo nodded while Franco smiled. “Do you think we’d be so stupid as to let a stranger stay in this house without a security clearance?”

“No. And I don’t blame you, but?—"

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