Page 24 of Bellini Born
My jaw hit the floor.
“H-how do you know where I work?”
Gaze locked on mine, he lifted an unapologetic shoulder. “I have my ways.”
“Riiiiiiiight.” I drew the word out slowly. “Anyway, it’s really none of your business how I handle my personal finances.”
Matteo Bellini shoved off the desk, stalking closer and making it feel as if the walls were closing in on me.
“Maybe not,” he agreed. “But according to the bank”—the letter was plucked from my fingers—“the debt is settled, the loan paid in full. So, you don’t have much of a choice but to accept it.”
“I-I’ll pay you back.” My stammering didn’t exactly portray confidence.
He hummed. “Only way to do that would be to take out another loan. And banks? They usually require a substantial amount of collateral for one this size, which I happen to know for a fact you do not have.” There was a long pause before he tacked on, “Summer.”
Dammit. My knees went weak at hearing him purr my name.
“Well—Well—” I struggled to find words for a rebuttal to his sound logic, pointing out that I had no other choice but to accept his gift of financial assistance.
A shrill scream echoed outside the room, followed by a shout of, “You bit me, you little brat!”
I spun around, nosy as to what the commotion was about. Quick as a flash, the little girl I remembered from the birthday party ran into the office, throwing her tiny body against her father’s legs and hiding behind them.
Hot on her heels came a woman who was practically steaming from the ears. She thrust the baby she held in her arms against Matteo’s chest, and said, “Find someone else to watch your feral daughter,” before turning on her heel and marching out.
Wryly, Matteo remarked, “And just like that, nanny number eleven bites the dust.”
I eyed the dark-haired infant he held with surprising ease. “You have two daughters?”
“Yes,” he confirmed. “This is Serafina.”
Without thinking, I reached out to stroke a hand over the downy hair at the top of her head. “She’s beautiful. How old?”
“Eight months.”
I reared back in surprise. She was a tiny little thing.
Like he could read my thoughts, Matteo explained, “She was born three months premature, so she’s still catching up in terms of weight and is on an adjusted age for milestones.”
“Ah.” Suddenly uncomfortable, I dropped to my knees, addressing the older of the two girls. “Hi, there? Do you remember me?”
Shyly, the raven-haired toddler peeked at me from behind her father’s legs.
I placed a hand to my chest. “I’m Summer. What’s your name?”
Big brown eyes stared back at me, and her whisper-quiet voice replied, “Bianca.”
“Oh my gosh,” I gushed. “You and your sister have the prettiest names I’ve ever heard.”
That got a tiny smile out of the girl, and she came out from her hiding spot.
“I’m four,” Bianca declared proudly, holding up four fingers on her right hand.
“Wow! You’re a big girl, then, aren’t you?”
She beamed at me, nodding with enthusiasm.
A weary sigh sounded from above. “Bianca, why did you bite Alicia?”
