Page 91 of Unwilling Vow (Mafia Marriages 4)

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Jace

I’ve made mistakes. I’m not an innocent man, but I’d never knowingly hurt Astrid or Olivia.

I’ll give Olivia as much time as she needs to realize that I want what’s best for her. She’s back in my life, back at the compound, but she’s slightly withdrawn. I’ve considered that it’s probably her hormones. She gave birth a few weeks ago and leaving Astrid couldn’t have been easy.

I knew they bonded, and I should have been more adamant about Olivia staying at the compound, or at least being an essential part of Astrid’s life.

I bring Olivia a dry t-shirt, one of mine that she can wear as she finishes feeding Astrid, and puts her down in the crib for a nap.

“Thanks,” she says and pulls it on over her head.

“You wanted to talk?”

She chews on her bottom lip and avoids eye contact. “Yeah,” she whispers.

I reach out, my thumb grazing the gash on her lips. “What happened?” I want the truth.

“Luka,” she whispers, staring down at the ground.

“He showed up at the apartment?” I ask. I’ll have to have a word with Ryder. He never mentioned that Luka stopped by her place. “When?”

“A couple of hours before you showed up today,” Olivia whispers.

I swallow the lump forming in my throat. I’m afraid to ask, but I need the truth. “What did he want?”

“What doesn’t he want when it comes to making your life hell?” Olivia says. “He wants to separate you from Astrid.”

I shouldn’t be surprised, but I’m unsettled by the fact he showed up to give Olivia a message. There’s something off about all of it. I gently let my thumb graze over the damage to her lip. “I don’t like that he roughed you up in the process of threatening me,” I say.

“I should have done a better job of protecting myself,” Olivia whispers, her gaze locked on mine.

“No.” I won’t let her take the blame for the monster who is Luka Caruso. “This is in no way your fault. There should have been a guard stationed outside your apartment.” I neglect to mention the surveillance footage, which must have been tampered with if Ryder wasn’t alerted to the visit.

I want to double-check the footage. I need to know without a doubt that Ryder isn’t working for Luka, and ignored the attack. While I trust my men, I always have to be careful to make sure I’m not naïve and stupid, either. I had Markus investigated after Olivia’s abduction. He was clean but is Ryder?

“I’ve got a couple of things to do while Astrid is napping,” I say.

“Do you mind if I stay in here with Astrid?” She glances over at the crib like she doesn’t want to part with the sleeping infant.

“Sure, if you get tired, feel free to lay down in my room.” I point toward the adjoining door.

We haven’t worked out sleeping arrangements. Are we together, or am I getting my hopes up for no reason at all?

I leave her alone in the nursery with Astrid and quietly slip out into the adjoining room and then the main door to keep from waking my daughter.

I head down the stairs to my office, wanting to see the surveillance footage for myself. There weren’t any cameras inside her apartment. I didn’t want to spy on her, but outside the main door of her apartment was in no way off-limits.

It’s my building. I own the damn place.

I flip on the light in the office. The room is quite chilly, and I sit in the cold leather chair. I haven’t been in here in quite some time. I’ve neglected my work duties for raising a child.

Eventually, I’ll get back to it when things settle down. I should consider hiring a nanny to help with Astrid, but the thought of a stranger looking after my baby girl tears me up inside.

“Sir,” Matteo says, as he pokes his head into the office. “Do you have a minute?”

“Come in and shut the door, would you?”

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