I push away from the doorway and walk silently toward the living room. By now, Salvatore would have ensured that everything was delivered. I’m going to set everything up because my men can deliver them but putting them under the tree is my job.
“Fucking pussy,” I admonish myself, only partially serious since I can’t seem to wipe the grin off my face.
When I find everything is as I expected, I get to work.
All the sneaking around the last few days has been worth it. I’ve been slowly building a Christmas wonderland for my woman. Seeing her light up as she notices the new items which show up in our home makes it all worth it.
This will probably be our last Christmas in this penthouse, at least for a while. Being in the middle of the city isn’t how Christmas should be for our kids. The thought of her already being pregnant has my dick hardening and begging to be Dove.
I had never thought of breeding a woman. Honestly, I wasn’t sure kids were in the cards for me. My parents being disappointed wasn’t even a consideration in the matter either.
With Dove, it’s all I can think about. I want to see her round with my child. The craving I have for it comes from a dark part of me. A part that needs to own her and bind her to me completely.
I’ll take care of slipping my ring on her finger soon enough, but planting my baby in her? It can never be undone.
And you better fucking believe I’ll wrap her up in blankets and bubble wrap to make sure she’s safe while carrying our little one. I shudder at the thought of anything going wrong there. Being out of the city would mean different protection, but I’ll make sure it’s done right.
Before I can rest easy when it comes to my woman, at least when it comes to the imminent threats, my brother will need to be dealt with. But my gut is telling me I can’t do it for my Dove. She needs to slay this demon, or she’ll never be rid of him, not really.
I hate it.
Then I remember the way Romeo sauntered into my office yesterday with far too much swagger for the power he actually has. He smirked like he was expecting to walk out having gained some ground in a competition he’s been in with himself for his entire life.
He thinks he’s competing against me. But he’s not and never has been.
When he came into my office, I glared at my secretary who had escorted my brother in as if he had a right to interrupt my day whenever he felt like it. Romeo showing his face in the office was out of the norm, and she should have asked first. But I knew I’d deal with her later.
He plopped down in a chair and rubbed his hands together. “So, what are our holiday plans, brother?” When I didn’t react to his question and simply continued to stare at him, he blinked and pushed, “Are we having some sort of family dinner? You know, to welcome your,” he paused and I could see the word he wanted to use on the tip of his tongue while I was begging for a reason to hurt him, “woman to the family.”
“No,” my voice was smooth and measured, “we’ll be staying in for the holiday. I’m sure you already had plans after mom and dad announced their trip. There’s no need to change them.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “I did make plans, but they can be changed easily. I don’t mind. You know how important the family is.”
He might have been trying to hit me with his words, but they had no impact.
“Yes,” I drawled, “I’m very aware of how important family is. With our parents out of the country, I’ll be spending my holiday with my family. At home. With Dove.”
His eyes narrowed and even though I wasn’t budging, he couldn’t walk away completely clean. He stood up though, smart enough to put more distance between us. “You can’t even see you’re making a mistake with a woman who isn’t worth a damn thing,” he spit out the words, but I could see the truth in his eyes.
He hated her, but he hated me more. All because he knows I won’t be letting her go.
And he’s no longer as safe as he once thought.
A second son might have started this family’s influence in Seattle, but it doesn’t mean we bow to them for that reasonalone. Romeo has never earned the respect needed to lead. He’s never applied himself to the business.
“I would step very carefully going forward, little brother,” I warned him while I looked straight into his eyes so he could see the truth in my threat. After standing up slowly, I planted my hands on my desk and leaned across it. “You can hate me all you want, but when you turn your darkness toward my woman, we will have a problem, and nothing will be able to save you.”
He narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything else before walking out.
I didn’t stay at the office very long after he left. The need to see my woman and hold her in my arms was too much to bear. And then I found her in the kitchen cooking. For me.
She could never know how her taking care of me, of giving me her time and effort, meant in that moment. The beast inside of me, the one who was raging and rattling his cage since the moment Romeo entered my office, calmed.
And that is why she is my peace.
I set the last gift under the tree and stand back to take it all in. The number of presents under the tree borders on obscene. Last night when she looked over to find it empty, I saw relief in her eyes.
She’s going to hate this.
