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His eyes widen and he drops his gaze for a moment, wetting his bottom lip before looking up again. My heart hammers in my chest as he stares at me, his jaw flexing and something I don’t want to put a name to blazing in his eyes, something that makes it hard to breathe, but I can’t look away. Just when I think I can’t take another second of it, he pulls me forward and plants his lips on mine. The kiss packs one hell of a punch, banishing all the bullshit we’ve both been clinging to for weeks now, and I can feel the truth of his words.

He loves me.

The realization sinks into my mind and my heart races in my ears as I lean into his kiss and let out a desperate little moan. It’s not enough. I need more and I can’t seem to get enough of him as butterflies flutter around in my belly. It’s been years since I’ve felt anything like this but I know in my heart that I’m falling in love with this incredible man, too. But the fear is still there, lurking in the background, and it worries me. I’ve spent so many years conditioning myself to avoid this feeling, this intense longing that almost killed me that last time I let it in, and I’m not sure I know how to let go of the shit that’s kept me safe for the past fourteen years. The defenses I’ve built up are so ingrained in who I am that removing them would be like cutting out an organ. And what scares me more than anything is that I might never be able to give Diego all of me and in the end, my heart will end up shattered just like last time.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Diego

Ten weeks.

That’s all the time I have left to put all this shit with Luca to bed and make sure our world is safe before my son is born and maybe that sounds like plenty of time but based on how slowly things have been going up until now, it sure as hell doesn’t feel like enough time.

Five days.

It’s been five days since I told Izzy that I am in love with her and as of yet, she hasn’t run. Which I’m taking as a win, especially since she hasn’t pulled away again or put up more walls to keep me out. Honestly, it’s a huge fucking relief since I was shitting a brick when I realized she had overheard the conversation I was having with my mother and that all of my cards were out on the table whether I wanted them to be or not.

Three hours.

That’s how long it’s been since I last had Izzy on her back, screaming my name as I slipped into her warm, wet pussy like it’s my fucking salvation. Because it is. When I’m with her, when we’re together like that, none of the other shit matters - not crazy, stupid Luca, not my asshole father, and not even the fact that she still refuses to open to me. It’s just us and it works.

But this is what my life has been reduced to at this point - counting down the minutes, hours, days, or weeks until something happens, until my life falls apart. Maybe I’m being a dramatic little bitch about all this but I’m so fucking happy right now, murder plots aside, that it feels like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. I’ve been here before, on the verge of getting everything I’ve ever wanted, and it was ripped away from me so I can’t get too content in my new reality until we put an end to Luca. I can’t accept that this is all real until Izzy agrees to be mine.

“What’s wrong?”

I glance up at the woman in my lap and flash her a smile as I shake my head. “Not a damn thing.”

“Really?” she asks, turning to straddle my thighs as she studies my face. An adorable little wrinkle appears between her eyebrows as she narrows her eyes and rubs her thumb across my forehead. “You’ve been worrying too much.”

“It’s my job to worry about you, Mama.” My words have an impact on her, her eyes widening for just a fraction of a second before she schools her features and tries to play it cool. I snort out a laugh. Izzy is such a bullshitter and everyone else might think she believes all of the crap that comes out of her mouth but I’ve always seen past that and it’s even easier now that I’ve spent so much time with her.

“Jesus Christ,” Kodiak calls and I glance over her shoulder as he pulls his wife, Tate, into his lap. “Why don’t you two go get a goddamn room?”

I arch a brow as I move Izzy so she’s sitting across my lap. “Back at you, asshole.”

When Izzy found me in my office an hour ago, hunched over her case file and studying the reports for the hundredth time in the past few days, she insisted that we come to the clubhouse and hang out with our friends but now, all I want to do is get her back to my place and peel my t-shirt off her body. Glancing down, my grin grows. Her belly has gotten so big that none of her shirts will cover it anymore and since she hasn’t wanted to go out to shop for anything new with the threat looming over us, she has been forced to wear my clothing. Not that I’m complaining. I love seeing her in my shirt and the only thing better would be to see her in a cut of her own with a Property of Smoke patch slapped on the back.

“So, you guys make things official yet?” Ali asks, arching a brow as she stares her best friend down with a look that honestly terrifies me a little bit. Izzy just turns to her and flashes a wide grin.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I swear to God,” she growls, shaking her head. “If you weren’t pregnant right now, I’d kick your ass.”

A whoop from the front door pulls our attention. “Yes! Chick fight!”

“Shut the fuck up, Jumper,” Storm calls, rolling his eyes and Jumper laughs as he strides over to our group, throwing himself on the couch next to Izzy and me.

“Asshole,” she acknowledges with a nod. Izzy still hasn’t let Jumper off the hook for the shit he said about her a couple of week ago and I have been enjoying watching him grovel.

“Your highness,” he answers, giving her a sarcastic little bow and she scoffs as she pops him in the back of the head. When he looks up again, he’s grinning at her. “Got something for you.”

She scrunches her nose as she watches him carefully. “What?”

“Photos from the idiot’s apartment.”

“Jumper,” she sighs, flicking her hair off her shoulder in a dismissive gesture. “I don’t want to see your dick.”

Laughter bubbles out of Ali, Carly, and Tate and Izzy peeks over at them, the corner of her lips twitching with her barely restrained smirk. Jumper shakes his head and shoves a pile of photos in her lap.