I fiddle with the end of my shirt as nervousness bubbles in my chest. I’ve never been so scared in my life and I don’t know what to do. Being a mom at this age isn’t something I want to do. Just when life starts to get good, then boom here is a baby. Devious walks out of the store, carrying a bag.
Once we’re home, Devious ushers me to the bathroom and shoves a small cup and a box in my hand.
“Piss in the cup and stick the tip of it in the pee.” Then he shuts the door.
Exhaling, I tear the box open and grab one of the sticks.
“God, please don’t let me be pregnant.”
I tear the foil open, stare at the stick and I yank down my pants, sticking the cup between my legs, and the sound of pee tapping the cup, fills the silence.
I set the cup on the counter, then put the stick in it. I grab the instructions from the box and read it. We wait three minutes before looking at it.
I step into the living room and Devious waits for me.
“We have to wait.”
I stare at Devious and he frowns as he rubs the back of his head.
“What happens if I’m pregnant?”
“Let’s see the test results,” he says. Several minutes later, he barges into the bathroom and grabs the stick.
“You’re not pregnant.”
“Really?”
He shakes his head. “No.” His tone is laced with disappointment.
“You want a baby?” I tilt my head to the side.
“It wouldn’t bother me if you were pregnant.”
“I’m glad I’m not. I’m too young for a baby.”
He glares at me but doesn’t say a word. I follow him to the bedroom, and he goes into the closet, several minutes later, he’s buttoning up his white shirt.
“What is wrong with you?” I ask.
“I’m going to go ahead and meet with Aiden.”
“Why are you shutting me out?”
He doesn’t say a word as he slams the door shut in my face.
Devious
“YOUR HOUSE IS AMAZING,” Roselyn says to Jasmine. I grab her jacket and place it on the coat rack next to the door. I finally took Matteo up on his offer to have dinner at his house and I want things between us to be great. I can’t change what happened between our famiglia, but I can show him that I don’t want us to be at war for something our grandparents did. Jasmine hugs Roselyn.
Roselyn annoyed me with her attitude yesterday, so I went to Aiden’s house and didn’t come home until this morning. I made it clear she’s going to have my children so I can have an heir to take over my empire. I love this woman, but sometimes, she can’t see past her own needs. Fuck, I do love Roselyn. And loving her, frightens me.
“This old thing. It was my grandmother’s home and I wanted to keep her memories alive so Matt bought it for me.”
“Where is my cousin?” I ask as I lean down to hug her.
“He’s in the nursery, changing Luna’s diaper. It’s upstairs on the left.”
I nod, then I kiss Nymph on the forehead and stroll upstairs. I open the pink door and Matt leans over the changing table, speaking to Luna. He tosses the diaper into the trash can. This reminds me of the nursey I had for Santo except his was blue.
I clear my throat and he turns around with a gigantic smile on his face. “Your cousin is here,” he says to Luna.
I hold out my hand and he gives her to me. She stares at me with gigantic hazel eyes and her dark curly hair is combed into a neat ponytail. Her tiny finger wraps around my thumb and her smile is big as the ocean. I want a child. I would kill to have one with Roselyn. That was one of the reasons I want a baby with her. I have always been a familiga man. We head downstairs and the smell of pot roast lingers in the air. Roselyn leans against the granite counter, holding a champagne glass, laughing at something Jasmine says.
“Your wife is beautiful,” Matteo states.
“She is.” I don’t like him checking her out, but I don’t comment.
He clears his throat and the women look our way. Matteo wraps his arms around Jasmine’s waist, pecking a kiss on her lips.
Jasmine glances in my direction. “I was telling Roselyn how you bought me a heart off the black market and saved my life. I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for you.” Her tone is filled with gratitude.
“You’re welcome,” I say, honestly. “It was no problem at all.”
“My husband can be good when he wants to be.” Nymphs winks at me and I smile. Her eyes travel to Luna and her cute nose wrinkles.
“You want to hold her?”
Hesitantly, she nods. I hand her Luna and Luna screams. Roselyn’s face is filled with panic and her eyes widen.
“Don’t worry, hun. She only cries with women. For some reason, she loves men. I think it’s because she’s a daddy’s girl.”
“What do I do with her?” Nymph’s voice is small.
“Let me show you,” I say. “You lay her in your arms like this and you rock her.”
When I place her in my arms, she stops crying and smiles.
“See, she’s just tired,” I murmur.
“How do you know so much about kids?” Nymph asks.
“Enzo. I used to babysit his grandchildren to make money.”
“Oh,” Roselyn says.
“The food is ready. Me and Roselyn will make the plates. You boys go sit at the table,” Jasmine directs, and they both waltz into the kitchen.
Matteo takes Luna out of my hands and we head to the dining room. He straps Luna into her Winnie The Pooh highchair.
“How the fuck are you and Jasmine navigating marriage?” I ask Matteo as I sit in the wooden chair.
“Problems in paradise, yeah?” he chuckles.
“I want kids and Roselyn doesn’t want it. We had a pregnancy scare and she freaked out. I made
