Page 122 of Snake's Head

I sighed. Luce loved joking about how Tony was going to steal my little princess from me, and I personally hated it. After a little look around, I saw them. Luce was putting flowers into Tony’s hair as he smiled stupidly.

I was looking for ways to threaten a five-year-old.

“I can deal with it, Tony.”

Luce laughed. She looked so happy and so pretty that my chest tightened. I was so madly in love with her.

“Hey,” she said and turned on the bench to fully face me. Her expression was soft in a way that she only showed me and Elsie. “Thank you.”

I shook my head. I didn’t like it when she thanked me for anything. “I am the one that should thank you, Luce. You gave me everything I was even scared of dreaming.”

“No,” she said, cupping my face. “I should thank you. I should thank you because no one ever saw me like you did. No one ever accepted me as I was. I was a thorn on the side for everyone until you showed me I could be loved as well. You didn’t judge me or bear me. Everyone thought I was worthless because I made mistakes in the past, but you didn’t even see them as mistakes.”

My jaw flexed. “You did nothing wrong, Luce, and our daughter is definitely not a mistake.”

She kissed my lips with a smile. “That is exactly what I am talking about.”

I pulled Luce closer to me, between my legs. She still sometimes undervalued herself. I understood how hard it was for her to get over what she had been through in L.A., but I still did my best to help her. I wanted her to herself as I did. Perfect.

“You and Elsie are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Kitty. If there are people out there who think you are not perfect, they are fools, and I am just a lucky asshole who got to trap you before anyone else did.”

Luce smiled, looking at me with so much affection in her gaze. She still bantered with me and still rolled her eyes at me, but she didn’t hide her love anymore. She knew it was safe.

With a naughty smile, she whispered over my lips, “The best thing I did was to fuck you in that broom closet.”

I threw my head back and laughed.

I couldn’t remember how my life meant anything before Luce came along.

Luciana

The door to the bedroom barged open when I was still trying to recover from my sleepiness. My little bundle of joy jumped on the bed shouting, “Good morning, mama.”

A huge smile broke on my face. She was still wearing her bunny pajamas, but her hair was in two perfect pigtails, probably made by Valerio. When I didn’t find him on the bed, I guessed he was with Elsie, but it still felt a little too early for bed jumping.

Still, I didn’t mind. This was a nice way to start my day.

“Good morning, baby.” I hugged Elsie and kissed her chubby cheek.

Just a second later, my husband stepped into the room with a bed tray in his hands and a charming grin on his face. “Good morning, Kitty.”

I rolled my eyes but still smiled.

Valerio brought the tray to my lap, and I saw the delicious breakfast with eggs, waffles, and coffee. “Elsie made you breakfast for Mother’s Day.”

“Happy Mother’s Day, mama!” Elie shouted excitedly.

Damn, it was Mother’s Day. I was not awake enough to realize that, but this way was better. It made it more of a surprise.

I pinched Elsie’s cheek. “You made this all by yourself?” I asked jokingly. She loved watching Valerio in the kitchen, so he made her do very simple tasks and made her feel like she actually cooked. It was one of her favorite things.

Elsie nodded at first, but then her cheeks turned pink. “Daddy helped too.”

Valerio sat down at the other side of me and shook his head. “Ah, I did nothing.”

“You did, daddy!”

“Okay, maybe just a little bit.”

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