Page 81 of A Seed Of Peril

“Thank you,” I breathed.

Katrina suddenly lost herself in a fit of giggles as Bianca began to tickle her, and I smiled, asking Dominic, “What’s on your agenda for the rest of the day?”

“I don’t know. I guess I could go over our stock again to make absolutely sure we have enough.”

He sounded off, like he was distracted or dreading whatever he had to tackle next.

Leaning forward, I placed the glass of blood on the railing, then angled my arm back to where I was able to capture his face with my fingers. I turned my head to see him staring intently out at the bright sky. I craned my neck, peppering his cheek with kisses.

“You’ve counted and re-counted that damn blood at least a hundred times. What’s wrong? And don’t you dare lie because I’ll smell it.”

A ghost of a smile snuck across his lips.

“It’s just hard to look most of my men in the face the same way after what happened. Trust is vital, and without it, there is no family.”

Luigi backstabbing him was a personal blow. A knife to his heart. Knowing we had another snake in the grass was getting into Dominic’s head more than he wanted to admit.

I turned his head so we could look at each other.

I slipped my hands down along the top of his, gently grazing his skin and knuckles with my nails. The whispering wind caught the hem of my kimono and kissed the bare skin of my chest.

“We’ll figure out who. Please don’t get too far in your head over this.”

“You’re preaching to the goddamn choir,” he said flatly. I let out a breathy ghost of laughter. “We have a traitor. I can’t sit idly by while they traipse in and out of my home.” Dominic’s next words scraped along my jaw as he dipped his head, his voice gruff and strong. “Around what’s most precious.”

I nuzzled my face along his, momentarily closing my eyes.

“You can’t play this any other way but slow.”

“So, what do you suggest?”

“All we probably can do is set some kind of trap.”

“Lure them.”

“Every criminal messes up eventually, don’t they?”

Dominic pulled me more into him, his breath fanning the shell of my ear. My knees nearly buckled at the sound of his dark, seductive, soft growl.

“Fine. I’ll try your way.”

“Remember,” I said seriously, “it’s a work in progress.”

He gave a shorter, throatier growl, then rested his forehead against the side of my head. Tender times such as this felt surreal.

I had always assumed I’d live and die alone. Being engaged and weeks shy of bearing my first child weren’t in my bingo cards, but here I was, embracing it and this way of life with open arms, the silver around my finger warming under the sun.

Our son kicked, and I fell again into the weight I carried as Dominic slowly released my belly. I guided Dominic’s hand to where Vincenzo’s foot was. He kicked once more, square against his daddy’s palm.

I fondly gazed at my belly. “I’m counting the minutes.”

Dominic moved his other hand up along the side of my belly and toward its center. “Me, too,Bellissima.” He kissed my temple, continuing to talk against my skin. “Me, too.”

Sunday, June 4, 2017

Blinking,staring anxiously at the ceiling, I suddenly registered Dominic squeezing my hand.

“Lilith?” My name rolled off his tongue just above a whisper.

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