Page 86 of Devious Roses

“So?” she says. “When are you going to tell him?”

“I haven’t figured that out yet. Between the move and his work, he’s been busy. I’m barely about to be eight weeks. Seven of those weeks I had no clue. I just found out a couple days ago.”

“Do you have the pee stick?” Medjine asks. Both Sasha and I gape at her. She blinks in response. “What?! That’s basically what it is. I call it as I see it.”

“Why would I keep it?”

“Just pee on another one and leave it for him to find.” Medjine shrugs, sipping from her iced tea as though she’s cracked the case.

Sasha gives an incorrigible shake of her head. “Please don’t listen to this one. I’m beginning to suspect there’s liquor in that tea.”

The ladies and I are soon separated as I’m called downstairs for input from some of Salvatore’s men. They’re moving our dining room set and want to know how I’d like it positioned. I’m directing Stitches and the other guys how it should go when he winks at me.

“You get in enough girl talk?”

I can’t tell if he’s hinting at what I think he is or just being his usual playful self. “You know how we are.”

“How’s Sasha doing anyway?”

“She’s… good,” I answer slowly.

“That’s good. I mean… it’s good she’s good. You know what I’m trying to say.”

His face goes red as Medjine and Sasha wander into the room and overhear the tail end of his comment.

“Excuse me, ladies,” he says.

“What was that about?” Medjine asks.

“Who knows?” I answer.

The rest of the afternoon is spent in similar fashion—me supervising as Salvatore’s men fill our massive new home with our things. Fabio and Elmer spearhead a lot of the heavier pieces as the two largest men in the crew. Elmer’s not an official part of the Mancino family, but since his release from jail, he’s begun working for Salvatore as an associate that performs odd jobs when needed. He makes for the perfect muscle at Nirvana and in situations like today.

Salvatore arrives as the guys finish up. He does a walkthrough of our new home and nods his approval along the way. The guys are cleared off. Suddenly, it’s just the two of us. Our first night in the home that’s supposed to be ours for many years to come.

He curls an arm around my hips and pulls me in for a celebratory kiss. “How about we christen our new bedroom?”

I giggle. “I knew you’d say that.”

“What can I say, I’m predictable as far as you’re concerned.”

“Salvatore!” My shriek tumbles out of me as he bands an arm under me and lifts me up off the ground.

My recent weight gain has left me feeling slightly unlike myself. I clutch onto him by the neck and wonder if he’ll notice I’m a few pounds heavier than usual. Yet he doesn’t miss a beat carrying me up to our bedroom.

“Wait, put me down!” I cry out before he can toss me onto the bed.

He listens, setting me onto my feet with a twitch of his brow. I know exactly what he’s thinking—he always drops me onto the bed right before initiating some heavy kissing and petting. I struggle on my next swallow as my face warms at the suspicion in the air.

I can’t go much longer. Nor do I want to.

Maybe Medjine’s ‘pee stick’ idea wasn’t so bad after all…

“You alright?” he asks.

I’ve done it now, activated Salvatore’s hyperawareness as far as I’m concerned. He won’t stop observing me until he does figure it out.

My hand falls onto my stomach, which is still flat, but with a slight bloated appearance. His gaze follows, dropping to watch my hand, then it flicks back up to me.

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