AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I kiss her nose. “With all my heart.” I wrap the bracelet around her slender wrist. “Do you want me to fasten it for you? See? It looks as if it was made for you.”
“Thank you, Bella.” She wraps her arms around my neck and burrows her face in my hair. “I’ll never ever lose it. I promise.”
“Good.” I kiss the top of her head before pulling away to look at her. “Do you want to talk about what happened to your parents? Angelo and I lost parents too. We know how much it hurts.”
“Not so much,” she says, studying the bracelet in the sun. “Not as much as when I thought you didn’t love me anymore.”
“You never have to doubt that. And if you ever need to talk, we’re here for you.”
“Thanks.” She stands. “I’m going to take a book to Brad. The Little Mermaid. Because there are crabs and fish and crayfish in the story, and he likes the sea and boats.” Her eyes light up. “I can’t read yet, but maybe Celeste will let me tell him the story.”
“I’m sure he’d love that.”
Grabbing her backpack, she sprints for the house and nearly knocks Angelo off his feet.
He watches me with a soft, warm light in his eyes.
“What?” I ask.
Walking over, he takes my hands and gently pulls me to my feet. “That easy, huh? How do you always know exactly what to do and say?”
“I don’t, but you’re right. Love is easy.”
He frames my face between his palms. “With you, yes. It’s easy.” His expression turns serious as he brushes his thumbs over my cheeks. “You’ll be the death of me, Sabella Edwards-Russo.”
As the subtle fragrance of his spicy cologne and the powerful masculinity of his presence wash over me, a spark of old ignites in my belly.
“I hope not,” I whisper.
I want to say more, things for which I can’t yet find words, but he seals his lips over mine in the tenderest of kisses, showing me that it’s okay. That actions speak louder.
ChapterThirty-Six
Angelo
Ryan walks into my study and closes the door. His jaw is set tightly as he advances to the desk and stops in front of me. “Heidi said you wanted to see me.”
I take the folder with the paperwork I’ve been poring over for the last hour and get to my feet. “Are the arrangements for your return home in order?”
He observes me with a narrowed gaze. “Everything is fine. You didn’t have to fly us in first class.”
I round the desk. “Why not? I have the money. Not to mention, the kids will be more comfortable. I don’t believe in skimping on comfort, especially not when there’s children involved.”
His sneers. “Is that why you need so much money? So that you can fly parents with children in luxury across the world?”
Stopping a short distance away from him, I drum my fingers on the folder in my hand. “What matters is that it’s important to Sabella.”
Animosity sparks in his eyes. “Are you going to do a better job of taking care of her?”
“Yes.” That’s all I need to say. No justifications or explanations can make a stronger statement. All the vows and promises I made are condensed in that one small but powerful word.
“You damn well better do that. I have a good mind to take her home with us.”
I meet his level gaze head-on. “Why don’t you?”
He gnashes his teeth, but he doesn’t reply because we both know the answer. Sabella won’t leave with him. She wants to stay. She made her decision. She chose me. Us. Our future. To what miracle I owe that chance, I’m still not sure. I only know I don’t deserve it but that I’ll live to be the man she needs.
Ryan blows air through his nostrils like an angry bull. “Don’t let there be a next time, because if there is, as God is my witness, I’ll fucking kill you.”
