Page 21 of Baby Bump for the Mafia Boss

She sips her hot milk and seems to think, brow creased. “You’d buy me clothing?” She says it like it’s an alien concept.

“I’d be delighted to give you anything you wanted.” Including myself, orgasms, more babies, and anything that can be bought with a billion or extorted with power. “Tomorrow?”

“I have a pregnancy scan I need to go to,” she admits. “There are tests and things. And I should work too, obviously.”

“Your boss will give you the day off.” We share a wry smile. “And besides, we’ll go to the scan together.”

“But—” she begins to protest.

“I want to be there,” I emphasise. “As thefather.”

The scan is magical. A picture of our baby, in blurry black and white that makes my heart squeeze with emotion I didn’t expect.

Apparently, our baby isn’t in the right position to see a hint of the gender, but she offers that as an extra test we can do with a blood sample, and I overrule Stephie when she says she’ll wait.

I want all the tests. Including some extras that my princess doesn’t need to know about. The technician is helpful in this regard, quietly nodding when I offer to fund new, upgraded equipment for the hospital we’re in, and not asking questions when I request a paternity test while Stephie is distracted.

I have to know who the father is.

The technician helpfully informs us that sex at this stage of pregnancy is absolutely fine, and Stephie blushes the colour of a tomato, which I find adorable. Although, it does remind me uncomfortably of the night at the cabin. The moment in themorning when she said nothing happened, but was so obviously embarrassed that I knew I’d been inappropriate.

But that’s forgotten when the technician hands us both photographs from the scan, and Stephie is clearly so pleased with it.

Me? I’d rather look at her, and her bump.

“Now, about those pyjamas.” I straighten my suit as we leave the clinic and try to disguise that I’m stunned by the tiny life in black and white that will be my responsibility.

“Pyjamas?” Stephie shakes her head, surprised.

I raise my eyebrows. “Have you forgotten what happened last night?”

She flushes bright red again, and I’m not sure why, but perhaps seeing me half naked was more impactful than I realised at the time.

“No. I just didn’t think you meant it.”

“I mean what I say, Stephie.” I raise one eyebrow.

She squirms.

“Besides, don’t we need baby clothes?”

“Not for another five months,” she scoffs.

“Better start now, then.” Because silly as it is, I’m excited. I can’t wait to meet this baby, and I want to spoil Stephie as she deserves. I shrug. “I like to be prepared.”

11

STEPHIE

The shopping trip doesn’t go as planned. Dane takes me to an expensive shop that specialises in mother and baby clothing, and picking out anything is impossible. Dane says yes to everything I suggest and seems to randomly select more items. It’s the blind leading the blind. He lives in suits, I only wear shift dresses or wide-leg trousers and an oversized blazer.

We manage to pick out some baby clothes. I choose an adorable little Babygro in yellow, with socks and a hat to match. Dane scoops up the same but in blue and pink, and is unrepentant when I point out we’ll only use half of those.

Then he nudges me to the women’s clothing, and it’s the same. I try things on, but none of it feels quite right. It’s all too expensive, or exposing, or I’m just not sure.

“What’s the problem?” Dane asks bluntly, after I put the tenth item he’s brought me into the discard pile.

“I just don’t know what looks good.” I shrug awkwardly. I’ve never been great with clothes, and pregnancy adds this extra layer of complexity on top that I don’t really understand. Plus, I’m super self-conscious of my bump, small as it is. So far.