Page 61 of Sin and Seduction

“And what of my sister?” I ask, turning to look at him.

He brings his eyes to mine and swallows deep, shaking his head and rubbing at his dark blond beard.

“She’s a spitfire, that woman. As much as I desire that woman, I never planned on having kids,” he says distantly, and I pull out a wad of cash, totaling to hundred grand.

“You can leave now quietly and start your life. I won’t force you into this child's life, but if you can’t treat it or my sister right, then you take this right now and leave quietly without a trace,” I say in a dark voice, and he stares at the cash in my hand quietly for several minutes.

“And miss the epic bonding time with you? Wouldn’t dream of it, boss,” he says with a smirk, and I groan.

“I should’ve known that I could never get rid of you,” I say jokingly.

“Nah, you’d miss me too much. See you and me, we’re the same, Moreno. We’re impulsive yet calculated, and when it comes to something we want, we fight for it. We’ll kill for it,” he says, his blue eyes darkening.

“And what is it that you want? My sister?” I ask, and he leans back, staring at the deed in his hands.

“A family,” he says quietly, and I nod, understanding him completely even though he does get on my nerves.

We pull up to the house and walk inside, Emmie and Gabriela sitting in the family room and rushing out to us. I catch Emmie in my arms, muffling her sobs in my shoulder as I hold her close.

“Is it done? Is it finally done?” She weeps, and I nod, pulling back to kiss her slowly.

“It’s done, baby. It’s over now,” I say, and she kisses every inch of my face.

My wife, my world.

“You’re hurt,” Gabriela says to James as she stands from the couch, eyeing him carefully as he walks to her.

“Thanks to your brother,” he says, and I let out a chuckle as I hold my wife close.

James walks to my sister and holds her face in his hands, her eyes widening in shock.

“You can yell and scream at me all you want. Slam a million doors in my face and damn me to hell, but you won’t take me away from this baby. You can’t take me away from you,” he says before pulling her in for a kiss.

I roll my eyes and leave them in the family room, carrying my wife up the stairs and to our bedroom. I set her down on her small feet and slide her velvet gown from her body, kissing her bare breasts and pulling back to look at her beautiful, mesmerizing face.

“It’s just you and I now, mi ciela. Whatever will we do?” I ask, and she gives me a naughty smile, wrapping her small hands around my neck and pulling me down for a kiss.

“I think you know,” she says with a wink and kisses me deeply, moaning her sweet moans into my mouth as I lay her gently on the bed and kiss every inch of her skin, memorizing her to detail.

“My wife, my world,” I say, and she smiles at me brilliantly, her emerald eyes glittering with tears.

“Same parts, forever,” she says and I melt into her body, loving her for everything she’s saved me from and made me into.

Forever.

EPILOGUE

Gabriela

I’m nine months pregnant,and all I want is a fucking drink.

My daughter wrecked my body to shit, and all I can think is that she better be cute when she comes out. This better be perfect. I never once thought I’d ever have stretch marks or have to wear...sweatpants, but sure enough, she’s made the impossible possible.

She’s also shown me what true, deep, and unconditional love feels like, and she’s not even born yet. I walk into my loft apartment in downtown San Francisco. It’s only a few miles away from Dante and Emmie’s house and only a block away from the restaurant. It’s a modern, ceiling-to-floor windowed loft, and it feels more like home now that I’ve had it decorated with all new furniture and set my daughter's nursery up.

I walk to the wall of windows just past the kitchen and stare down at the city below. It has a nice view of the ocean, and I can’t wait to raise my daughter here. I can already imagine her playing in the sand and splashing in the water with me, laughing and spinning as the California sun beats down on us.

Anytime I picture her and our life together, it’s only us two. My mom plans to move in once she’s born, and I know my family will love and spoil her beyond belief, but when it comes to her father, I never picture him. Ever since the night of Diego’s murder and that shocking kiss he gave me, I’ve done nothing but push him away. I don’t trust him or even know him, and I’m afraid of trying to know him and let him in. He’s pestered me this entire pregnancy. Getting me food and helping me around, ignoring my swatting hands and spewed curses.

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