Page 119 of Ruthless Lord
“Quit messing with me and say you’re on board.”
“Stefano, this place is yours. You want the lights turned off? You can turn them off.”
“I know that. But you’re my partner.”
“I’m here to help, but the warehouse is yours.” She gets up and comes around the desk before plopping down in my lap. She leans down and lightly kisses me. “You like it, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Not boring? Like the depot?”
“Better than the depot.” I smile slightly. “Occasionally, I get to crack skulls. I like that.”
She rolls her eyes. “I forgot you play bouncer.”
“Just when it suits me.”
“It always does.” She runs her fingers through my hair. I hold on to her like that and don’t mention why this place is actually better. It’s not because of the fighters or the excitement. It isn’t the cracked skulls, although that’s nice too. It’s not the money, the power, or the prestige.
It’s her. It’s always her these days.
I wake up and Charlie’s there. We visit our warehouse properties together. We eat, sleep, fuck, and laugh.
I’ve been looking for meaning all my life. I thought I found it in the ring.
I was so fucking wrong.
“What if we took off tonight?” I pull her close and stoop to kiss her. “The place runs itself at this point.”
“I’m not against it.” She doesn’t look at me though and squirms slightly. “But I feel like I should tell you something first.”
“Anything important?”
“Oh, you know, just a little life-altering news.” She slips out of my lap and kneels in front of me. I stare into my wife’s eyes as she takes my hand between hers. “Remember that sex we’ve been having?”
“I’m dimly aware of something like that.”
“Well, we haven’t been careful, and guess what?”
My mouth goes dry. I try to make a sound, but nothing comes out. She smiles sheepishly at me.
“I’m pregnant.”
Fuck. Holy fuck.
I don’t say a word.
I only wrap her in my arms and pull her into a tight hug, kissing her over and over again, breathing her in and holding her. She laughs and wriggles against me.
“God, calm down, you’re going to break my back.”
I release her suddenly. “Shit. The baby.”
“The baby’s the size of an edamame. Or something, I don’t know. The baby can survive some squeezing.”
“Good.” I grab her and pull her against me. This time, I kiss her hard and hold it there. “I’m going to be an old dad.”
“You don’t have to quantify it with alright, you know.”
