Page 147 of Craving Danger

When I walk away with Augusto in my arms, he asks, “Daddy, why is my brother taking so long to come?”

“He’s still growing inside Mommy’s tummy,” I answer him as I head up to the third floor.

Walking into the bedroom, I drop my boy on the bed, and he lets out a shriek of laughter.

“Again,” he demands.

“We’ll wrestle as soon as I’ve changed my clothes.”

He stands up on the bed, and making the best angry face he can, he pretends to be the Hulk. “I’m going to win.”

I always let him win.

I quickly strip out of the suit while Augusto sounds like a puppy that’s learning to growl.

Opening the vault, I place my gun inside before ensuring the door is secure. When I have my sweatpants and a T-shirt on, I dart back into the room and tackle Augusto off his feet.

Before I can tickle him, Samantha comes into the room with Sienna and Bianca. They climb onto the bed and begin to climb all over me.

“Wait. Everyone off the bed so Mommy can sleep,” I order.

They quickly scramble off, and in a chorus, they say, “Sweet dreams, Mommy.”

“Thank you, my little angels.”

“I’m the Hulk,” Augusto says, trying to make his voice deeper. “Hulk smash.”

“Hulk can go smash downstairs,” I chuckle as I herd the kids out of the bedroom.

As I turn to shut the door, Samantha’s face is filled with love. “God, I’m glad I married you. Love you.”

“Love you too, baby.”

I head downstairs with my trio of tornadoes, and walking into the living room, I say, “We have to wrap Mommy’s presents before she wakes up.”

“Yay!!” They sing with excitement.

“I’ll bring everything,” Marcello mutters before heading to the guesthouse where I’ve been hiding the gifts so Samantha doesn’t accidentally find them.

I pull the box we keep all the wrapping paper and tape in closer and ask, “Which wrapping paper do you want to use?”

“The one with Santa on,” Sienna orders, and her brother and sister don’t argue.

She has a take-charge attitude that reminds me a lot of her mother.

When Marcello returns with the gifts, I let the kids pick which ones they want to wrap.

Marcello sits down beside Augusto while Milo and Via join the girls.

Sitting on the floor with everyone, I grab aDiorcandle and find a gift bag with snowflakes on it.

The kids murmur here and there as they wrap the presents. Some look worse for wear, but I know Samantha will love the effort they put in.

Augusto gives up after wrapping three gifts and crawling onto the couch, he’s out cold within seconds.

Bianca yawns, and abandoning the gift Via is helping her with, she crawls onto my lap and snuggles her head against my chest.

Leaning back against the couch, I glance at Via and say, “Switch on the TV so we can watch a Christmas show.”

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