Page 84 of The Deal

Her confession has my heart squeezing in my chest. “I wish that too,bella, but unfortunately, he is her money train. She’s not going to give that up.”

“I know she’s his mum, but I feel like he’d have a better life with us.”

Us.

I find myself desperately wanting there to be an us.

I kneel down, place the presents I’m holding on the floor, and reach for her, cupping her face. “I know it’s only been a hot minute since I made you mine, but I already know I want to keep you. I also know you said that you didn’t want kids of your own?—”

“Only because I was struggling to keep my own head above water, and bringing a child into that kind of life didn’t seem fair.”

“Your life is different now … maybe one day you might consider starting a family with me.”

Her eyes widen. “You want to have kids with me?”

“I want it all with you.Ti amo, bella.”

She gasps at my confession. “You love me?”

“Yes. Do you have a problem with me loving you?”

When I see tears rise to her pretty whisky-coloured eyes, I lean in and place my lips against hers. “Ti amo,” I repeat.

“Anch’io ti amo,” she replies, and I feel like all my Christmases have come at once.

She loves me back.

Chloe is perched on my lap as we sit and watch Giovanni open all his presents. “Santa really is magical,” he says as he rips into another one of his gifts. “I didn’t even get a chance to tell him I was going to be here this year, but he knew.”

“Santa knows everything,” Chloe replies.

“Oh, look, Chlo,” he says. “Santa got me a phone just like your one.”

I bought her a phone for Christmas since she no longer had one. We’ve definitely moved past that captor-prisoner dynamic we shared at the start of our relationship.

Now that her father has completed his first month in rehab, a period where he was cut off from the outside world, she’ll finally be able to speak with him more regularly. I’ve actually planned a surprise for her this morning. He’ll be calling her new phone around nine to wish her a Merry Christmas.

“Wow,” Chloe replies. “That’s so cool.”

“Mummy said I’m not allowed to have a phone.”

“I’ll talk to her when she gets back from Italy,” I tell him. “If she’s okay with you keeping it”—which I’ll make sure she is—“we’ll be able to talk to each other all the time when you’re not with me.”

“I don’t want to go back there,” he whispers, bowing his little face. “I want to stay here with you and Chlo, forever.”

Chloe’s gaze shifts to me, her expression pained. This is the first Christmas morning I’ve ever got to spend with him, and now I feel like I’ve ruined it.

I’d keep this little boy in a heartbeat if I could. But I know Sophia would never allow it. He’s her leverage, her bargaining tool, and she has been using that to her advantage for years.

“We will always be here for you, little man,” Chloe says, sliding off my lap and joining him on the floor. “Never forget that,” she adds, skimming her hand over his hair. “We love you, but so does your mummy … she needs you in her life as well.”

“I guess,” he replies as a small smile tugs at the corners of his lips. “I love you too, Chlo.”

And just like that, all is right with the world again.

Giovanni opens a few more presents before he stumbles across another one belonging to Chloe. I’ve mixed them in with his to add to the suspense.

“Here’s another one for you, Chlo,” he says, holding it out to her.

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