Page 40 of Under His Embrace

Tessa laughed. “Count me out. I want to wait.”

We all joined in the joke, chuckling. Even though tonight was sudden, it was no less special. We had the ceremony, dinner, cake, and a little dancing. It was family, and that was all that mattered.

With all the changes and hints of more shifts to the family, I couldn’t stop looking at Chloe seated next to me and wonder if she was one of them, if she was a new change and addition to the Constella Family. Tomyfamily.

If she could be mine for real, officially one of us.

She smiled at me, noticing that I was watching her, and I sighed. In this setting and with this mood, it was hard not to see her in a different light.

Not as my ex whom I’d missed, but maybe my bride.

Not as the woman I wanted to protect from a stalker, but my partner.

And not as the witness I needed to question further, but as the woman I loved for the rest of my days.

As we sat with the rest of them, late into the night, I couldn’t help but wonder how differently my life could’ve been if we’d married long ago, like we’d wanted to.

Would I be a father already? Would she be a settled wife and fitting in with the other women?

I couldn’t go back and make up for lost time, but when we finally left to head up to my room, I wanted to start the rest of my life with her now, in whatever way we could.

18

CHLOE

There was no way I wasn’t getting laid tonight.

Love was simply in the air.

I am so getting some.

It seemed odd to have that thought. It was something I’d think if I were in a committed relationship, going “steady” with a boyfriend.

Franco and I weren’t dating. We hadn’t even tried to label what the hell we were doing—except each other.

I was here as a witness to be protected. I was expected to stay here while I waited for them to hunt down my ex, who might be behind it all. I didn’t think that Dante or anyone else in the family would hold it against me that I’d brought trouble to their building that the deli was in. If Wes wanted to escalate how he stalked me, he would’ve done that anywhere, anyhow.

Tonight, though, there was no doubt about it that I was Franco’s “date” to the sudden wedding Dante and Nina got together so quickly, and it was just implied that I would be with Franco. Tessa loaned me a dress, and there was no question that I’d sit at Franco’s side.

All night, I felt the loving vibe of the family celebrating and coming together. When Franco talked about Dante being afather, I suffered the guilt of not telling Franco that he was also a father. Then with the talk about Eva expecting, it was just too much.

I felt Franco’s attention on me. It felt as though the ideas of marriage and love, parenthood and family were shoved in our faces, and he reacted by looking at me and “wanting it all” with me, like they’d teased Eva.

“Franco?” I said once he led me to his room.

I felt his attention. I had a strong hunch what he was thinking and motivated by after tonight. He hadforeveron his mind, but before he could get carried away with the notion of us being the next couple to marry like that or announce a baby on the way, I had to tell him about Caleb. It gnawed at me, like a living, festering agony. The longer I didn’t tell him, the worse I felt.

But I wasn’t getting a word in now.

He kissed me, too damn impatient to act on how he wanted me. With the romantic evening, I wasn’t surprised. I’d been suffering the same wishfulwhat ifthoughts as I watched Dante and Nina exchange vows, as Eva and Liam announced they were expecting. I was affected by the mood of the night too, but I was running out of time. Caleb’s spring break soon would be over. Icouldn’tstay here like this without telling Franco all the truth.

“Shh,” he hushed, his lips wet from mine as he hovered them a breath apart from me.

I closed my eyes as he kissed me again.

After. After tonight. I’ll tell him in the morning.If he wanted to show how well we fit together one last time before I took the chance to tell him the truth, fine.

I lifted my arms to hold him close and kiss him back hard. My heart pounded faster, like it always did when he brushed his mouth over mine with that demanding hunger he never ceased to have for me. I panted, gasping for air as we made out and backed farther into the room.

---