Page 32 of Little Deer
I give a quick knock on the door. “I’m coming out, Kida,” Lucy’s voice calls back softly. “Soren is refusing to burp for me. He might need your magic touch.”
The door isn’t shut completely, so I push it open and say, “It’s me, actually. Perhaps I can try for you?” Lucy’s gaze flies up to mine. She’s sitting on the ottoman, her clothes slightly rumpled, with Soren balanced on her thigh, her hand wrapped around his small little head to keep him steady as she pats him on the back. I approach her carefully, extending my hands. “May I?”
She hesitates, but Soren lets out an angry sound, and she finally nods. I gently take him from her, sit next to her, and balance the baby exactly as she had him, and patting his backa little firmer. I can feel Lucy watching me, ready to snap him away from me if I do anything she doesn’t like.
It takes another minute, but finally Soren lets out a very loud burp. Lucy and I look at each other and smile. “I guess you have the magic touch as well.” She gives a rueful shake of her head. “You and Kida need to tell me your secret. It normally takes me forever to get him to do that for me.”
“Perhaps he can sense your anxiety,” I suggest, turning the baby to lie in the crook of my arm. “Or he’s just being stubborn like most sons are with their mothers. We like to test them from a young age.” I wink at her, and she smirks back.
“Perhaps.” She glances at Soren again. “Are you sure you want to keep holding him? He’s liable to spit up all over your expensive suit before long.”
“What’s a little spit up between men, yes,ometto?” Soren kicks his feet in what I’ll take as an affirmative answer. “As for my suit, it can always be cleaned, so don’t worry.” She doesn’t look convinced, but she doesn’t argue. Progress. However, I’m about to smash that to pieces, I’m sure. “I came in to tell you that we would like to talk to you and the other women down in Nico’s office.” My tone is gentle, even cautious.
She stiffens. “Why?”
“We need to talk to you about what you might remember when you were with your father and brothers?—”
“Please don’t call them that,” she interrupts tightly. “I don’t care if they are biologically related to me. I have a father who loves me, and while I don’t have brothers, I have a sister and they are the only ones I’m claiming as family.”
She doesn’t mention the women, but perhaps she’s still wavering on them. “Yes, I can do that,dolcezza. We need to know what Leonardo and his sons said while they had you, but we also need to talk to a few of the other women about a few things. We felt it would be better to just do it all at once.”
“And you think that if we’re all there, I won’t be intimidated and try to run.”
Yep. Smart. I cock my head in acknowledgment. Her lips pinch. “The sooner this is over, the sooner we can all return to normal.” I look down at Soren. “And the sooner you and your son can stop worrying about what might be coming.” Am I an asshole for pulling her son into this? Probably, but it’s the truth.
She lets out a small sigh. “Do I really have a choice?”
“There is always a choice, Lucy, but this time we really do need your help. Please?”
Her eyes search mine then she glances at the open door. I can hear Kida talking softly to Amara, not that I can make out what they’re saying. Hopefully Amara is going to calm Kida down a bit, though to be fair, Amara is new to this as well. When Lucy looks back at me, she nods. “Is everyone going to be there?”
“Yes, but there is no need to be intimidated,dolcezza. You’re safe with us.”
“You keep saying that, but time will tell.” She stands and moves toward the back of the closet. “I just need to put on another sling.”
I watch in fascination as she finds another long piece of fabric with a ring and makes quick work of wrapping it around herself. How the hell does she know how to do all that? It looks confusing as shit. She wraps it over her shoulder, and then around her breasts, tightening and knotting things in place. It also plumps up and emphasizes her breasts, and I try not to stare at them too much, but it’s nearly impossible.
Fuck, she’s beautiful. Even with the bruises, cuts, and swollen lip, there is no hiding how stunning she is. I noticed it this morning when I walked out of my room, but I was more focused on making sure she was alright, relaxed. Now, I can really look at her. Strands of her dark hair have fallen out of her braid to frame around her face, giving her a soft look, and withthe way she’s securing the wrap, it highlights her slim waist, and the curve of her ass.
Hell, she doesn’t even look like she’s had a baby in the last month. Other than the fuller breasts and the slight roundness of her belly, they’re the only signs that she’s had a child.
There isn’t a part of her that I don’t like.
Finally, she walks back to me and holds out her hands. “Hand him over.”
I carefully pass Soren to her, watching as she slips him expertly into the sling. Soren makes a sound of annoyance, clearly unhappy to be in this new position. Lucy murmurs something to him softly, brushing her lips over the top of his tiny head. There is such love on her face.
Something hard hits me in the chest as I stare at the sight. Something that makes me uneasy, but also desperate to see more of it. The lights in here are bright, making Lucy’s eyes sparkle as they look down at her son. Seeing her like this makes something inside me ache. I want that. I wantthem. I want to see this over and over again.
Is this what Nico, Alessio, and Lazaro feel with their women? Lust is second nature to me, but I’ve never wanted anyone for myself. And now I want a woman and her son?
No, I need to think about this.
I force myself to take a small step back and gesture for her to go ahead of me. “After you,cara mia,” I say gallantly, falling back into practiced easy charm.
When we emerge from the closet, Kida’s eyes narrow before she looks at her sister. “Did he tell you?” she asks Lucy.
Lucy nods. “It’s fine, Kida.”
