Page 59 of The Consequences of Love and Vengeance

He shrugs, then his eyes dip. I’m not sure if he’s watching Gabe or my chest. The swoop neck on my white tank top does nothing to conceal my cleavage, and with the baby against them, they’re pushed higher than they’d normally be.

“So, how old is the kid? Four to six weeks?”

Disappointment that it’s the baby makes me feel a touch of guilt. I shouldn’t want him looking at me, but oh, how I do.

“Three months, actually.”

His face screws up. “He’s three months old?” he questions, not believing me.

“Yeah.” I hate admitting that, even though it’s not my fault he’s so tiny. I’m doing everything I can to put weight on the little guy. But if this is Drago’s son, that’s another sign that he doesn’t know who this is.

Gabriel is too young to resemble Drago, and I won’t know the truth until the DNA test comes back. More guilt eats at me from stealing his toothbrush that morning in his bathroom. He hasn’t mentioned it missing, but I needed something. That got the chief off my back when I told him this week I’d manage to snag something that would tell us if Gabriel is, in fact, Drago’s son.

“Someone may want to give that boy a hamburger.”

“He’s a baby, he can’t have any solid foods yet.” He can’t be serious, I don’t think.

“It’s an expression, and yeah, he can start having things like baby cereal at that age. Luca did with Mia, and she’s perfectly healthy. It’s generally when you start introducing those things. And as little as he is, you might want to do that soon.”

“How do you know so much about babies?”

I know his mom died when his siblings were young, but they weren’t babies.

“I have a niece. Mia.”

What?The question sounds off in my head. Why don’t I know this already? My research on him and his family was thorough. Nothing came up about a niece. How did I miss something that big?

My face must give me away.

“You’re wondering why you don’t already know this, aren’t you?” He’s smiling, not offended by my sour expression.

Gabe squirms, a cry coming out of his mouth.

Drago pops up on his knees, facing my suede chair. “Bring him over here.”

Getting on my knees, I stand, holding him to me a little tighter so I don’t accidentally drop him, or if I fall, he’ll be more secure.

“Hand him to me.”

I stop in my tracks, almost taking a step backward. What if he does know he’s really his and this is his chance to grab him? My gut isn’t telling me that, though.

“Didn’t we establish that I know more about kids than you do?”

“No.” I sound offended. Until Gabriel came along, I thought I knew everything I needed to know. “I have two nieces and a nephew, thank you.”

“I know.” His head bobs as my eyebrow shoots up. “You aren’t the only one that does their research. You didn’t think I did a thorough background check when I saw you squatting in my parking lot?”

“I wasn’t squatting.”

“Just spying on innocent people.” There’s no trace of anger in his tone. “Are you going to hand him over or not?”

Finally, I step forward, then bending, I place Gabe down in Drago’s arms. I almost gasp at the sight, but luckily, he turns, not witnessing the flutters happening in my stomach.

Fuck me if that isn’t the sexiest thing I’ve seen in all of my twenty-nine years of life.

He cradles him exactly like you’re supposed to hold a small baby. He’s so gentle for such a large man.

I watch, placing my hand over my mouth to make sure I don’t moan, as he places Gabriel down on the soft fabric of the recliner, all the way against the back, then sitting on his haunches, he slowly rocks the chair.

---