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Marco walks in with Valentina. “We should head upstairs where there’ll be privacy when the staff arrives to get ready to open.”
Valentina takes in the scene and closes her eyes with a deep breath before going upstairs behind her parents. Wren and Vincent follow them leaving me and Hawk alone. Hart stands off to the side to give us some privacy.
“Everything will be okay, Brittney. I promise,” he says.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Hawk. I’ve endured enough of those to last me forever,” I say quietly.
“Baby—”
I cut him off. “We should go upstairs with everyone else.” I walk out of his reach and up the stairs. A few minutes later, he and Hart follow. Hawk’s phone rings when we’re all together in the open area right as you set foot on the second floor. He glances at me and listens for a moment.
“They’re coming up,” he says while staring at me. He reaches his hand out for me and I link mine with his once more to give him the support he needs. They walk up and I notice the little boy has dark hair and dark eyes. He holds his mother’s hand as she stares at us. Her eyes narrow with obvious envy. Matteo moves to stand next to Angelica with Aldo on his heels.
Matteo’s jaw twitches when he sees Hawk and me together. He looks like he wishes he could tear into Hawk right now. He must’ve recently been clued in to the inner secrets of his sister. Aldo’s eyes widen though.
“Valentina. As I live and breathe. You pulled all the stops out with this homecoming, didn’t you, Hawk?” Aldo says.
Valentina tips her chin a little higher. “You’ve crossed me for the last time, Aldo. I’m here to show you what happens when you mess with a Rossi.”
Aldo chuckles and starts to move closer. “And this must be your little sister, Wren.”
Hawk pulls me behind him as he steps in front of Aldo to face him down. “Don’t move an inch closer to my family or you’ll regret it,” he growls.
Aldo throws his hands up in surrender. “I hope you’re this protective of your family with Angelica. A man should always stand up for his family. Speaking of…your husband is right downstairs, Val.”
Marco speaks up with deadly calm. “Do not address my daughter, Aldo.” Aldo glances down at where Marco has his hand on a pistol in his belt and loses some of his cocky attitude.
“My apologies, Marco. I meant no harm,” he says with a grin.
“Did you also mean no harm when you tricked her husband into having to kill her little brother in order to survive himself, causing her to lose him forever?” Marco asks with the first signs of rage I’ve seen him display and I have no doubt he’d do anything to defend his daughter’s honor.
Aldo blanches and I notice Matteo glance from Valentina to his own father with raised brows as if this bit of information is news to him.
“Mommy, who are all these people?” a little voice asks.
She kneels. “These are some of Mommy’s friends. I wanted you to meet one of them.”
Hawk swallows and walks closer still holding my hand. “Hey there, little man. My name is Hawk, what’s yours?” he asks.
Ethan glances up at Hawk. “Ethan.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Ethan. This is my girlfriend, Brittney.”
“Hi, Brittney,” he says in the sweetest voice. My heart aches for him. He’s so innocent and in the middle of a power struggle and lies he couldn’t possibly understand. We small talk with Ethan for a few minutes before another woman steps up. Angelica tells Ethan to go with her after he tells us bye.
Once they’ve left, Angelica glares at me. “Tell me you see you’re only in the way. He’s Ethan’s father. We need this chance to be a family. And it doesn’t include his daddy’s girlfriend,” she says in a hateful tone.
“That won’t ever happen, Angel. Brittney is here to stay as long as she’ll have me. I’ll be in touch for the DNA test probably early in the week so we can find out the truth before the fight,” he deadpans.
“What woman wants the complication of helping raise another woman’s child when y’all haven’t even been together long?” she asks with a sneer.
I can’t swallow my anger this time. I step up and stand toe to toe with her. “First off, you haven’t the slightest idea about our relationship. We’ve loved each other since we were kids, in a time before he even knew you existed. Second, what kind of a mother calls her child a complication? That beautiful little boy is not a complication. And if he turns out to be Hawk’s son, I’ll love him like I’d love my own child.” My heart is beating wildly in my chest.
“How dare you—” she starts, but this time Wren cuts her off as she moves to stand beside me.
“No, how dare you. You’re nothing but a sad excuse for a mother and I feel sorry for Ethan. You’re using him as leverage against my brother. If you want to fight after Hawk and Matteo, I’ll take you on. Someone needs to whip your ass,” she says in a whirlwind of emotion.
I almost laugh because Angelica is already backing down. “Let’s go,” she says before heading down the steps. Aldo casts one more stony glance at all of us and follows Angelica. Matteo steps up to Hawk. He sizes him up almost as if for the first time. “When I find out you’re his father, nothing will stop me from winning that fight,” he states before glancing at me. There’s something different in his gaze, but I’m not quite sure what. It’s almost like his confidence has been shaken.
