Page 31 of Under His Control

I smirked at him, not prepared to let him have the last word.

“It was just sex,” I reminded him, hating every syllable of that phrase.

He nodded, sobering up and losing that playfulness. “Yeah. Just sex. For the last time.” His hungry gaze at my wet breasts suggested he might be rethinking it.

With a gentle squeeze of my hip, he stepped closer and kissed the top of my head. Then he moved to the side, forcing his face into the water as he shoved me aside then slapped my ass.

Did you just shoo me out of here?I glowered at him and turned to leave.

Just go.If I tried to insist on anything more… He could just tell me no again and reject me to a point where I couldn’t handle it. He might not be fond of me, but dammit, I was starting to slip and care too much. This curiosity was growing into something too deep.

No. It’s just sex like we agreed. Go.

As I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around myself, I tried to make peace with that, feeling like a liar the whole walk out of his room and toward mine.

11

LIAM

Several days of avoiding Eva wore on me.

We’d agreed on that shower sex being the last time, but every time she stayed at the big house in her wing, or when she passed through, usually talking with Nina or Tessa, she seemed fated to pass me by.

Quick glimpses felt longer than they lasted. Every near brush or closeness seemed to draw us together, like a heavier pressure hung in the air.

Tension. It hadn’t let up, and I wondered if the others in the room could tell how much we were aware of each other—despite our best attempts at trying to hide it.

It made for a lot of stress, and while it was something of our own making, no other alternative seemed likely. I couldn’t keep fucking her hard and thinking it could stay casual between us. It started to seem like we were putting off the inevitable, but I was fortunate to have Olivia as an obstacle to seeking out the slim brunette who’d captured my attention.

While I was grateful for the help, which Tessa, Nina, and even Danicia offered freely, I wanted to build the bond I was forming with Olivia. She was more relaxed around me, and I was quickly applying the tricks and tips I’d learned from so manysources. Playing with her equaled a happy Liv, and the more I did, the better she slept.

Already, I caught myself envisioning a future with her, a future I never realized I could’ve wanted. I could see her getting bigger and walking more confidently, then running, jumping, and climbing. Maybe I was predisposing my ideas, picturing her as a tomboy who could keep up with me and enjoy the outdoors, but also, I envisioned her dancing in tutus and insisting on tea parties.

It seemed impossible to fall in love so fast, but I was. I was living proof of that magical phenomenon that I couldn’t remember how I ever could’ve thought I was living a good life without her in it. There was before Olivia and after, and those two existences were not at all the same. This sweet little girl was rapidly encouraging me to be the best man, the best daddy, I could possibly be—and not just because she had no one else and I had to do right by her, but because she’d so quickly stolen my heart.

However, it was exhausting. Every night we went to bed, I prayed she’d sleep through it. And every morning when she babbled and woke me up, I lay silent and tired, hoping she’d fall back asleep for just five more minutes. It amazed me that such a small person could wear me out, but I wasn’t ashamed to admit I was tired and needed to vent.

Stressed about this pull to Eva. Tired from handling a baby. It added up. So when my bike was delivered at the end of the week, I was glad that Dante and Nina offered to watch Liv while I went out for a ride.

Dante followed me outside, holding Olivia while Nina changed into a bathing suit. It seemed my girl was loving the water so much that I was looking into getting her lessons.

“We’ll find her one,” Dante said. “I was the same. As soon as Romeo saw the pool, he wanted to always swim, but I was nervous.”

I arched my brow, smiling at this supposedly fearsome Mafia boss. He never pushed me to join the family. He wasn’t an asshole to me. Glancing at him holding my daughter, he looked like a young grandpa, at ease and happy to help.

“You have a certified swim instructor on staff?” I asked, teasing.

“No. But we can easily find one. In fact, I could arrange for mine.”

I laughed once. “I thought Nina wasn't due until the spring.”

He shrugged. “Early spring, but we should start the lessons as early as we can for him or her.” His smile was genuine, and I wondered how the hell he balanced it all. Killing and torturing people, arranging drug deals, and transporting guns one minute, then turning around and being the casual family guy.

I sighed, wondering how I thought I was any different. I’d killed many, but did doing so for the sake of the military really spare me any judgment?

“I also remember my bike.” He smiled at the only vehicle I'd cared to keep. I had yet to get a car, but that was mainly because I could use the many vehicles here on the property.

“You? You don’t strike me as a biker.”

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