Page 51 of Secret Babies for the Italian Mafia Boss

“Tolded isn’t a word, baby,” Camilla corrects him, and he rolls his eyes.

“Is Alvize there?” I ask, worried the kids are using him as a jungle gym.

“Yep.”

I chuckle. “Can you put him on the phone?”

“I can try. He’s helping Olivia across the monkey bars. He’s busy.” He runs, and the movement of the phone blurs his face, which causes Camilla and me to laugh.

These kids are amazing. What do I need to do to have this family she’s made and make them my own?

“Mr. Luca wants to talk to you!” Oliver shouts.

“Tell Mr. Luca I can’t talk right now. I think I threw my back out.” I hear Alvize say in the background while someone laughs.

I’m assuming that was Olivia.

“Get up, Mr. Al,” Oliver mumbles. “You have to take us home.”

“Are there ice packs at home?” Alvize questions on a groan.

Camilla throws a hand over her mouth and laughs so hard her shoulders shake.

“Wait. Wait. Up! Throw me in the air,” Olivia begs.

Camilla snatches the phone from me. “Don’t you dare. Olivia Jane. You know better than that.”

“I don’t mind.” Alvize finally grabs the phone from the kids. “They are a lot of fun.”

“Is that…are you bleeding?” Camilla asks.

I frown, looking at the screen, and yes, Alvize does have a cut on his cheek. “How did that happen?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what happened, honestly. They are so fast. One minute they are in front of you, and you blink, then they are gone. I think I’ve had three heart attacks in a fifteen-minute window. I don’t know how parents do this.”

Camilla giggles. “You get used to it. It isn’t that bad after some practice.”

I wrap my arm around her and pull her against me, hating that she’s had to be a single mom. One kid is hard, but two? That seems impossible.

“Why are you breathing so hard, Mr. Al?” Oliver asks. “Are you out of shape like Mommy? Mommy says she is.”

“Oliver!” Camilla falls against me, cackling.

Kids are so honest.

“I happen to think you look fucking perfect,” I say, forgetting who we are on the phone with for a minute.

“Are you going to be my new daddy?”

“Uh, be home soon. Bye!” Alvize ends the call, and I’m left wondering if Oliver would want me to be his dad.

“Um, don’t think too much about what Oliver said. Kids say crazy things. I’ll…” she coughs. “I’ll be back. I’m going to get a few towels so the kids can shower when they get home.” She vanishes down the hall, and I’m left on the couch, having Oliver’s words float around in my head.

I haven’t known those kids long, but I’m drawn to them like a damn magnet. I want to be around. I want to protect them and provide for them.

We can be happy together. I know we can. I can give her the world, but she has to trust me enough to do it.

I stand, needing to walk around and stretch my legs, then head to the window. I have a perfect view of Taylor’s bookshop. If she can see him, then he can see her, and that makes me want to hack into every computer he owns.

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