Page 33 of The Don's Hidden Heir

I stop the car in front of the red gate of his school. I get out the car and help him from his seat. “Mommy will be happier from now on.”

Lucas raises his brows. “Do you like my Mommy?”

“Mm-hmm.” I lower myself into a squat position and pat his shoulder. “I like your mother.”

“Does that mean you’ll make her happy?”

I nod. “I will.” I’m not sure how yet though, but Elena gave birth to our son and raised him all on her own. I can’t begin to fathom how hard that must’ve been for her, and although I approached her with intentions that weren’t so pure, I don’t think I have it in me to hurt her any more than I have.

He sticks out his pinky finger. “Promise?”

I’m not one to make promises, but I link my pinky finger with his anyway. “I promise.”Anything for my son.

He flashes a smile at me, then he hugs me. He’s so small and so sweet. I’m filled with determination to protect this little human with every fiber of my existence.

When I pull away from him, I smooth his hair. “You’ll be late if you don’t go in now, little buddy.”

“Will you pick me up later?”

“If your Mom allows it,” I say. I’m getting attached to this little guy, and the thought of separating from him for even a minute makes my chest burn.

“She will if you convince her.” He winks at me then starts off. “Bye, Dad.”

I wave at him. “Bye, buddy.” I wait for him to go inside before I walk back to my car. When my engine roars to life, the next destination in my mind is Elena’s office.

It takes only an hour before I’m inside her office. She’s giving me a look that says she doesn’t want me here, but I ignore it and help myself to the chair across her desk.

“What are you doing here?”

I lean back in my seat and spare a moment to take in how fucking beautiful she is. Her ash-blonde hair is pulled up in a tight pony-tail, and her hazel eyes dilate every time she looks at me.

“We have unfinished business,” I say, running a hand over my hair

She heaves an exasperated sigh. “If it’s about last night, then I assure you it was nothing more than a mistake, okay?”

I don’t believe her, but that isn’t the reason I’m here. “Thank you, Elena.”

Her jaw slackens as if she can’t believe I just thanked her. “You’re…”

“You heard me right.” I clear my throat. “It can’t have been easy for you to take care of Lucas all on your own. I should’ve been there for you, but I wasn’t. So, thank you for doing it all on your own.”

She opens her mouth to speak but closes it back. “I don’t know what to say, Dominic. This was unexpected, and being this nice doesn’t suit you.”

I pause. “You don’t need to say anything. I just needed to tell you that, at least once.”

She flicks a look my way. For the first time since I met her again, her eyes are not dull and gloomy. They aren’t filled with years’ worth of resentment either.

They’re warm, just like I remembered them before I returned to New York. “Thank you. Now go back to being the real you.”

I bite back a smirk. “What’s the real me?”

Her shoulders raise and fall. “The you that’s always an asshole. Arrogant and all knowing.”

I don’t know when last a chuckle escaped my throat, but it does so now. “Here I was thinking I’ll learn to be a better man for you.”

She rolls her eyes. “Dream on, asshole. Just learn to be a good dad to Lucas, that’s all I’ll ever ask for.”

“And you, who will be good to you?”

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