Page 49 of Bite Marks

And after the birth of his son five years earlier, even the Don had advised him to step back. Upon doing so, he had entered a new world. A world with Vanessa and Alessandro at its center.

They had named their son Alessandro after a tradition in Vanessa’s family. The name suited him well. And the name meant “defender of the people.”

After their wedding, Nunzio planned the best honeymoon he could think of. A trip around the world. They had visited the greatest artistic landmarks the world had to offer.

Alessandro was conceived near the end of their two-hundred-day trip. And Nunzio and Vanessa had never looked back since.

When Nunzio rolled over in bed, Vanessa was gone. He stretched across the king-sized mattress and inhaled her scent. After a few minutes, he got out of bed.

He could hear his wife and son chattering downstairs. After showering and getting dressed, he headed down.

Alessandro sat in the living room, surrounded by his toys. Vanessa stood at the kitchen counter. She was preparing breakfast while she watched over their son.

A sudden, pleasant warmth washed over Nunzio as he walked up to her. He slid his arm around her waist. Would it be like this for the rest of their days? Would his body always be warm with happiness? Would he always wake to the scent of his wife?

How had he thought life with the family would ever beat this?

“Good morning,” he murmured. Nunzio kissed her on the cheek. Then she moved her face, and their lips met.

She murmured her greeting against his lips as he pulled her into his embrace. He held her by her hips as the kiss deepened.

Vanessa sagged against him as he bit down gently on her lower lip. They could have stayed like that forever. But then came a shout from Alessandro.

They pulled apart, both turning quickly. An anxious pang crossed Nunzio’s heart as he examined his son. But his child was not hurt. Instead, he had spotted his father. A whoop of joy was Alessandro’s way of greeting Nunzio.

The one thing Nunzio would never get used to was worrying about his son. And now Alessandro was starting to shift, and his anxiety grew every day.

He simply wanted to make sure his son never experienced pain or hurt. It was a very good thing that he had left the Family behind.

“Daddy, are we going to shift today?” Alessandro’s voice was high-pitched. He lifted his arms, and Nunzio picked him up.

Vanessa smiled her gorgeous smile and returned to the kitchen counter.

“Yes, but you have to eat your mama’s breakfast first,” Nunzio said, pretending to be stern. “Because you need all the strength for shifting.”

Nunzio had also been teaching Alessandro to speak Italian. It was fairly easy since Vanessa also spoke the expressive language of their birth.

Alessandro would turn six years old soon, and Vanessa was planning a big party. She drew Nunzio aside as Alessandro tucked into breakfast.

“So, have you invited the Don?” she whispered the words.

Nunzio shrugged, and Vanessa rolled her eyes.

“He’s not going to create trouble for us. He loves Alessandro,” she said in answer to his silence.

Nunzio sighed. His wife was right. But he wasn’t entirely comfortable inviting that part of the family. He wanted his son’s birthday to be danger free.

But it could not be avoided. He had to show respect. Even though he had left the life behind.

“Okay, fine,” he said and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Let’s eat.”

“Sure,” she said easily. She joined him at the breakfast table. “I’m going to the gallery later.”

“Oh, did you get the artwork that you wanted?” Nunzio replied as they tucked into eggs and bacon. Alessandro ate with his hands. He was learning to shift, yet he struggled with a fork.

But Nunzio knew that he would pick up the skill in time. His son was perfect.

He loved breakfast time. It was the most sacred time of the day for him. He got to see his small family. Though he hoped it wouldn’t remain small. Nunzio was sure he and Vanessa could rectify that soon enough. He looked reflectively at his wife. She was as beautiful as the day they met.

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