Serenity stands at the balcony doors watching Madden run around the backyard under Kisha’s supervision while sipping a cup of coffee. Serenity looks well-rested.
“Chef Marney made coffee.” She lifts her mug. “It’s delicious.”
“I think I’ll grab a ginger juice. The ginger mixed with lemon and pineapple don’t irritate my stomach like the green juice,” I say as I walk to the fridge.
She nods.
I run a hand over my washboard abs. “I need to clean up my body after being away for a while.”
“Nico, it’s time to talk.”
I reach into the fridge and retrieve a twelve-ounce glass bottle of juice. “We can talk in my office.”
Dressed in gray cropped leggings and a little black tee, she pads down the hallway in her black no-show socks. Her hair is pulled up into a braided bun. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t want to unbraid her hair and run my fingers through her wavy locks. My wife is my fucking addiction. After this tough conversation, I don’t know what kind of couple we’ll be. Two people miserable forever. Or can we work it out?
I step into the office carrying a plate filled with scrambled eggs and half a pound of bacon. Sorry, I won’t live without my bacon.
My wife is seated on the sleek, velvety chocolate sofa. I sink into one of the two cream-colored chairs catty-corner from her. After sipping my juice, I place the bottle on the table, pick up the fork and dig into my breakfast. I feel my wife’s eyes move over my muscled frame. I’m wearing a crisp tan dress shirt rolled just below my elbows, tan slacks, and expensive brown loafers.My brown curls are perfectly moussed, and my beard is freshly trimmed. Am I playing fair? Fuck, no.
“Wife, would you like to climb on? I’ll be happy to take you for a mind-blowing ride.” I wink flashing a cocky smirk.
She blinks a few times and clears her throat. “Start from the beginning. Don’t leave anything out.” She sips her coffee.
“That night when I came to your place to warn you about Amy stealing from your family’s company, I swapped your birth control pills with Catch’s help.”
She places her mug on the coffee table and rubs her temples. “How did you know what they even look like?”
“Serenity, we’ve been together for a long time.”
“We were not together, Nico,” she bites out.
I ignore that statement.
“I’d searched for them in the bathroom drawer at your condo. And just to make sure you still took the same brand, I had your medical records hacked.”
Her eyes turn stormy gray. “No boundaries, huh?”
I chowed down on two slices of bacon. “Unfortunately, not when it comes to my woman.”
“Nico, I told you I didn’t want kids.”
“You told me after I switched out your birth control pills. By then it was too late.”
Her eyes widen. “That’s why you took care of me when I was sick.” It isn’t a question. It’s a statement. “You knew I wasn’t sick. I was pregnant.”
“I had hoped you were pregnant, patiently waiting for you to share the news. I imagined the doctor would confirm it, and then you’d tell me we were expecting a baby. But instead, you kept it to yourself and stole my baby.”
Her brows pinch together. “Yeah, well, I ran because I didn’t want to risk my enemies doing to me what had been done to mymother or worse. I planned to give our baby up for adoption. Because I didn’t want our child entering the mafia underworld.”
Now my brows lower. “You didn’t have the right to give our child up for adoption,” I roar.
“Just like you had no right to get me pregnant without my permission. This is my body, Nico,” she bites out, shaking with anger.
“My fucking body.” The helplessness in her eyes slams straight into my heart.
I’ve lost my appetite. I shove the plate away and sit back in my chair. “Once I had pictures of you sitting poolside with a large belly, it was time to make my move.”
She listens intently.
