Page 22 of Days Of Valentino

Antonio groans and runs his free hand down his face. “Fine, but if we pull up and it doesn’t look safe, we’re not getting out of this car,” he says.

I smile. That’s a win for me. “Deal. It’s completely fine. You’ll see.”

“I fucking love you,” Antonio says.

“I know.” I smile at him.

When Rafe pulls up to the gate, I tell him the code to enter. It’s the date Antonio and I first slept together. Which Antonio recognizes right away if the look on his face is anything to go by.

“Whose place is this?” he asks while raising a questioning brow at me.

“You’ll see.” I’m so excited it’s hard to keep still. I’m also nervous.

What if he doesn’t love it as much as I do?

When the car stops at the front of the house, I open the door. “Okay, you two need to wait here. Antonio, you’re coming with me.” I’m slow to climb out, and before I even manage to step down, Emilio is at my open door scowling at me.

“Sissy, you really need to stop opening that door yourself,” he says.

I roll my eyes at him. “Look around, Emilio. Do you see anyone here?”

“It’s what you can’t see that’s always more lethal,” he tells me.

Antonio is at my side as soon as my feet hit the ground. “Matilda, whose place is this?” he asks, looking up at the house.

“It’s ours,” I tell him. “Surprise! I bought us a house.”

“You bought us a house?” he repeats, looking from the front door back to me.

“I did. I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Oh, it is,” he says.

“At least come inside and check it out before you decide you don’t like it,” I tell him.

Antonio glances at me again. “Do you like it?”

“I love it.”

“Then so do I,” he says before bending at the waist and picking me up bridal-style.

“What are you doing? Put me down.” I squeal as he makes his way towards the front door.

“I’m carrying you over the threshold. Where are the keys?”

“It’s got a keypad lock. It’s the same code as the gate,” I tell him.

Antonio opens the door and walks us inside.

“Okay, put me down.” I laugh.

“You bought us a house,” he says while setting me down on my feet.

“I saw this place, and it just… I don’t know. I really thought this could be where we raise our family.”

“You use your own money for this?” he asks me.

I roll my eyes. “Yes. I had Zio Theo come with me to look at it. For security purposes, he says it’s perfect.”

---