“I’m so sorry,” Sloane whispers, looking distraught. “I didn’t see him there.”
“We’ll talk later. Isotta won’t be going to the park with you. Clint and Umberto will escort you. They know the way.” I introduced her to Elio’s bodyguards this morning and to John Angelo, thesoldatoI’ve assigned as her personal bodyguard. He’s one of the older men on the security team, but he’s experienced and solid, and he’ll take good care of her.
“I really don’t?—”
I shake my head, cutting Isa off mid-sentence, pinning her with a warning look I usually reserve for my enemies. Her lips clamp shut, and I’m glad to see she still has a modicum of sense.
“Buddy, say goodbye to Isa for now. She’ll be back on Saturday to collect you.”
Elio races across the kitchen and throws his arms around Isa’s legs. “I don’t want you to go,” he cries, clinging to her as tears roll down his face.
Pain stabs me in the chest. This isn’t the way I wanted things to be. I had planned a handover that would run for two weeks to gradually acclimate my son to the change. But Isa has left me with no choice. It’s clear the two women do not get along, and forcing them to work together will only cause more problems in the long run. As much as I hate hurting Elio, it’s time to rip the Band-Aid off.
Isa’s pain-filled pleading eyes latch onto mine. I shake my head again. She has brought this on herself. She has orchestrated a situation that’s hurt my son, and it’s unforgivable. While Sloane should not have retaliated while Elio was watching, I believe her when she said she didn’t know he was there, and I don’t blame her for standing up for herself. But the hard truth is, while they were throwing down, no one was thinking about my son, and that is unacceptable.
Sloane stands in the corner, looking heartbroken as she watches Elio sob. Isa lifts him into her arms and hugs him close, whispering reassurances into his ear.
“You’ll still see Auntie Isa, buddy,” I remind him, extracting him from his aunt after a few minutes. I set him on top of the island unit. “It’s okay to be sad, but she’s not going away. You’ll be going to yournonna’s house every Saturday with Auntie Isa to see all your cousins.”
“AndNonno?” he asks in a trembling voice.
“AndNonnotoo.” I brush his dark hair out of his eyes. “All that’s changing is that Sloane will be with you during the week, and you’re going to have lots of fun with her. Right?”
He sniffles and nods. “Can you come to the park, Daddy?”
I’ve got a shit ton of work to do and people expecting emails and calls, but they’ll have to wait. My son always comes first. I can’t let him go off with his new nanny when he’s upset. He needs reassurance and stability. “Absolutely.” I press a kiss into his hair, inhaling the sweet strawberry scent of his shampoo. “How about this?” I ease back, cupping his handsome little face. “We’ll go for a bike ride and then head to the courts, and what do you say to pizza at Mr. Papas?”
“Yay!” Elio’s screech is so loud it almost bursts my eardrums. He flings his arms around me. “You’re the best daddy ever.”
My heart swells with love. “Love you, bud.” I wrap him in my arms, hugging him to death before I set his small feet on the ground. I give him a little nudge. “Go with Sloane for now.”
He races off before slamming to a halt and spinning on his heel. He comes flying back, throws himself at Isa briefly, and beams up at her. “Bye, Auntie Isa. See you on Saturday.” He takes off again, running toward Sloane.
“Bye, champ. Love you.” Isa’s voice cracks a little.
“Love you too!” he calls out without stopping. His tiny hand slides into Sloane’s hand as he tugs her around the corner.
I wait a few beats to ensure they are out of range before I round on Isa. “I heard what you said to Sloane, and it’s completely unacceptable. I think it’s best you go now, and we limit your engagement to Saturdays for the moment. Elio needs time to bond with Sloane, and that won’t happen if you’re constantly here.”
“Don’t do this, Cristian. Please.” She grips the sleeve of my shirt. “You know how much I love him.”
“You should’ve thought about that while you were lashing out at Sloane in front of him.” I remove her hand from my shirt and take a step back.
“That wasn’t on purpose.”
“No, I don’t think it was, but the fact is you both forgot about my son, and it’s inexcusable, as are the things you said to Sloane.” She opens her mouth to protest, but I cut her off before she spews more of her vitriol. “You have made your feelings known, Isotta. I don’t need to hear it again. This isn’t the way I wanted the transition to go, but this is the best option for everyone.”
“You’re making a big mistake, Cris,” she whispers.
“We’ll see you Saturday morning.” I shove my hands into my pants pockets, drilling her with a look that confirms this discussion is over for good. “Remember, I need him back by twelve.”
“I haven’t forgotten.”
She moves to walk off, and I can’t let her leave like this. “I’m grateful for everything, Isa, and I don’t want things to be awkward between us. You’re important to Elio and me.”
“It sure doesn’t feel like that now.” Pain is etched upon her face.
“We all need time to adjust, and you’ve got a wedding to plan. Focus on that. You deserve to be happy.”
