Page 137 of A Second Dawn

“That’s sexist,” she retorts, but I just shrug my shoulders.

“Claudette thinks it’s a girl. And she’s a fabulous psychic.”

Of course I know already who Claudette is and the friendship that developed between Ella and her. Uberto uncovered her identity the moment he spotted her with Ella on the ship’s camera feeds.

“Psychics get things wrong all the time. How would she know? My gut tells me it’s a boy, and it’s never steered me wrong.”

“We’ll find out in May. I don’t want to know beforehand. Is that okay with you? Or will you need that lead-up time to come to terms with having a girl?” she teases.

“Very funny.” I tickle her side, and she writhes against me, the motion sending jolts of awareness to my cock.

“No, I’ll gloat that I was right on the day of his birth.”

Her expression turns serious. “Honestly, though, Tiero. Will you be disappointed if our baby is a girl? Will you love her just as much?”

The doubt and insecurity in her question guts me. How can she believe I’d love our child less if we had a girl? But examining what I’ve told her and the conviction behind my words, I guess Ella’s doubts shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Circling her belly with all the love I feel for the life growing inside her, I say, “No matter what sex our baby is, I’m going to love him or her because he or she is a piece of you and me, of our love. I’ll cherish and protect this baby and any others who will follow for as long as I shall live.”

It’s a promise… a vow I intend to keep.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Ella

Iwakeupthenext morning, wrapped tightly in Tiero’s embrace. A heavy arm holds me firmly against his chest, his leg draped over mine.

Is he scared I might bail on him that even in his sleep he wants to make sure I can’t get away?

I guess I can’t blame him after what happened the last time we spent an incredible night together. Though things are different compared to then.

I’m still his captive—I think. Actually, let’s face it. I’m always going to be, because there’s no chance he’ll ever let go of me.

Somehow I’ve embraced this notion in the past twelve hours.

He seems to understand now that he can’t dictate my life and promised to find a way out of the Mafia.

Wow! There are so many implications with that. Endless questions run through my head.

The biggest one, how will he leave la familia? Followed closely with where are we going to live, and what will he do with himself all day long if he wasn’t the Don anymore?

Would he miss the lifestyle? It’s what he grew up with. That way of living is engrained in him.

Would he blame me at some point for having given up the life he knew?

He’s demanded the same of me. At least it would put us on a more equal footing.

Crap, we still have so much to talk about and sort through.

What’s most important, though, is that he’s willing to work on our relationship. I believe he’s learned from his past mistakes and is willing to make amends. It’s the reason why I gave in to what we both so yearned for.

Will his old tendencies to control and dominate vanish? No, of course not. It’s part of who he is—I have no illusion about it. But as long as I pull him up on it and stand my ground, we might have a chance.

Though I have no idea what my life will look like from here on out. The uncertainty bothers me. But I deal a lot better with the unknown after being on the run for a couple of months.

The one thing I’m sure of, though, is Tiero’s love for me and our baby. I feel it in every touch, in every kiss… in the way he looks at me. It’s heady to have such a powerful man completely devoted to me.

How did that happen?

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