Page 429 of Sinfully Savage Mafia

“Well, he’s definitely missing out. They all are,” I say with a smile.

She nods, dropping a kiss on Aisling’s forehead. “Yes. Yes, they are,” she whispers to her daughter.

And there’s that damn pang again.

The one that tells me I want more than I’m willing to admit.

Jesus, I need some distance!

“Hey, um, Heaven,” I say, twisting my hair around my finger. “I know it’s not great timing, but I was wondering if I could take off tonight to meet my uncle. He’s coming into town to check out the UNLV campus with me, and then we’d planned on having dinner.”

She nods but I can see she’s very far away from me and this conversation. “Tonight,” she repeats with a blank stare on her face.

“Yes. I’ll only be gone a few hours so I can help with the baby when I get back.”

And with a start, she snaps out of her reverie. “No, don’t worry about it. We’ll be fine. You have a great time with your uncle.”

“You’re sure? Anything you need for the christening, I can do with you?—”

“Anya, seriously. It’s fine. I have plenty of help. And you’ve barely taken any time to yourself since you started.” Heaven smiles but it doesn’t reach her big bright eyes as it normally does. “You have fun. We’ll have a great day tomorrow.” She winks at me. “And you’ll shine like a star in that dress.” With a quick, affectionate squeeze, she walks out of the room and I follow, marveling over that conversation. I didn’t expect any of what I just heard. Looks like there is no shortage of more parents making shitty life decisions that will forever impact their children.

I don’t know anything about Heaven’s family other than what she just told me but if I could, I would tell them just what total and complete assholes they are for disowning her and Aisling the way they did over some bullshit business decision.

They have time to fix their mistake, unlike others who never got the chance.

How strange.

Here I was, thinking Aisling and I were the kindred spirits.

Who would have thought that it would be Heaven and me instead?

CHAPTER17

DANTE

“So the nanny…” Sergio waggles his eyebrows at me as we stand outside next to the balcony infinity pool. “She’s fucking hot. You nail her yet?”

“She’s not a nanny, she’s an au pair.” I toss a glance over my shoulder, watching Anya follow Heaven into the kitchen.

“Oh, she’s definitely got a pair.” Sergio snickers and gulps down the rest of his water. “But you didn’t answer my question.”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t kiss and tell.”

“And I didn’t ask if you kissed her.” A wicked glint makes his blue eyes twinkle.

“Just drop it, okay?”

“Fine. Why are you so sensitive, anyway? You getting tired of playing bodyguard?”

“It’s been months, Serge.” I sink onto one of the chaise lounges and lean back with a deep sigh. “I wanna help. I really do. But this isn’t me. It’s not who I am, who I want to be.”

“You sure about that? Because you look pretty damn cozy here every time I see you. Getting in time with the baby, now you have a new plaything.” Sergio holds up his hands. “Hey, I’m just saying. She’s smokin’ hot and yours for the taking. What the hell is wrong with that life, D?”

I rub the back of my neck. “Nothing, for a while. Until I get itchy and need that adrenaline rush again.”

“I don’t know. It sounds like a good plan to me. You get to unwind for once in your life. Why not enjoy it?”

Jesus, it does sound good, in theory. For someone else.

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