Chapter 27
Matteo
“Physically, you’re ready for this fight,” Lucian says.
“But …” I prompt because the look he’s giving me tells me there’s a but.
“Mentally, I don’t know.” He sighs. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“What’s going on?” I chuckle humorlessly. “What’s going on is that Dani convinced me to let her go to the fight.”
I wasn’t about to budge, but then she did this thing with her tongue that had me coming down her throat, and before I knew what I was saying, I was agreeing that she could go.
“So, now, I not only have to worry about my fight, but I have to make sure she’s okay.”
Lucian nods in understanding. “This girl has really gotten under your skin, huh? When you gonna bring her by to meet me?”
I glance out the window and do a double take when I see Dani sauntering inside the gym, wearing a pretty floral dress that wraps around her curvy body.
It dips low in the front, showing off her luscious tits, and hits right above the knees, making it suitable for work.
She’s sporting sexy little heels that I imagine digging into my back as I fuck her against our wall later tonight.
“Looks like you’ll get to meet her right now,” I tell Lucian, unwrapping my hands so I can touch my woman properly.
Lucian swivels his head and whistles under his breath when he spots her making her way toward us.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, giving her a quick kiss since I’m all sweaty.
It’s still early, so she should be on her way to work right now. When I left earlier this morning, she was just waking up.
“You forgot your protein shake this morning,” she says, handing it to me. “And”—pink spreads across her cheeks and down her neck—“I wanted to see you in action.”
Fuck, this woman.
As I look at her, I’m not too proud to admit that I was wrong about everything I thought about love and relationships.
Now, I get why my mom moved on despite the shit Andrey had put her through.
Why Dominick would risk everything for a single day with Peyton.
I would take one day with Dani over none.
Lucian clears his throat, and I chuckle.
“I just finished,” I tell her. “Dani, this is Lucian, the owner of the gym and my trainer. Lucian, this is Dani, my girlfriend.”
Lucian extends his hand, but Dani hugs him instead.
“Oh, it’s so nice to meet you,” she says. “Matteo has told me all about you. The way you believed in him and helped him when his horrible excuse for a father refused.”
Lucian glances at me in shock, but I just laugh because I’ve learned Dani is a hugger who knows no boundaries.
“That’s me,” he says awkwardly.
“Will you be at the fight this weekend?” she asks.
“Oh! You should come over for dinner one night. Matteo is such a good cook. Or we can order in. Have you ever had Greek food? It’s my favorite, and there’s this place down the street …
” She must realize she’s word-vomiting because she trails off, her blush deepening into a beautiful shade of crimson.
“Sorry,” she says, making Lucian bark out a laugh.
“I like her,” he says. “Not what I expected—in the best damn way.”
I glance at Dani and smile. “Yeah, she was definitely unexpected.”
“And I would love to come over for dinner one night,” he says to her, making her smile. “All right, I’ve got shit to do. It was nice to meet you, and I’ll see you at the fight. Though I’ll be with this knucklehead, behind the scenes.”
“He’s nice,” she says once he’s gone.
“Yeah, he’s a good guy.”
“And he said he’ll see me at the fight.” She smirks, and I sigh, accepting that I’m going to lose this argument.
I drag my gaze over her body, and my cock twitches. But between me being all sweaty and her needing to get to work, I mentally remind myself that it can’t happen until later.
“What time will you be home tonight?” I ask.
“Workday ends at five, and since I don’t have anything to do yet but shadow people, I’ll be off on time.”
“Good.” I tug her toward me, careful not to get my sweat on her. “Make sure you leave those heels on when you get home. I plan to fuck you while you’re wearing them.”
“Only if you can make it quick because I have plans tonight … that don’t include you.”
I quirk a brow, not liking that I won’t get to spend my Friday night with her.
“With Peyton and Bri and some friends. We’re doing a girls’ night since it’s Peyton’s first night out without the babies. We’re going to meet at Peyton’s and go out together.”
As much as I hate to share my time with Dani, I’m glad she’s made friends with my family. That means they’ll be on the same page with security since Dominick is just as protective of Peyton and Bri as I am of Dani.
“I’ll go with you,” I tell her. “I haven’t seen my brother in a few days.” I lean in and tug on her bottom lip, and she moans softly. “After I fuck you in these heels.”
“So, I was thinking …”
Lorenzo snorts out a laugh, and Dominick smirks.
“Does it hurt?” Lorenzo asks.
“Not as much as me punching you in the face will,” I deadpan, only making him laugh harder. “I want to take Dani to Italy. She’s mentioned never having gone, and after the fight tomorrow night, I want to go somewhere to relax.”
Dominick’s features soften. “Of course,” he says. “Just let me know when, and we’ll handle it. I don’t think you’ve ever taken a vacation.”
He’s right. I’ve never had a reason to go anywhere. Sure, I’ve traveled for business when he’s asked me to, but I’ve never left just to go on vacation. But I want to give Dani the fucking world, and that should include traveling since she mentioned wanting to.
“So, how are you handling all this?” Dominick asks Lorenzo with a grin that has me throwing a pillow at him.
The girls left several hours ago to go to Kings Point—where Dominick insisted they go so we could have eyes on them.
According to Dani, they were meeting Nicole, the mayor’s daughter, along with some of Bri’s stuck-up friends. Since Dani’s not from here, she doesn’t really know anyone, and Peyton keeps to herself.
When Lorenzo heard I was coming over to Dominick’s to hang out and watch the baseball game, he invited himself over.
“Aside from already walking in on them twice …” Lorenzo shoots daggers my way, and Dominick barks out a laugh.
“Technically, you didn’t walk in on shit,” I correct. “First time, we were done, and the second, we hadn’t gotten started.”
Dominick chuckles. “The honeymoon stage. Where you fuck like rabbits on every surface because you can’t get enough of each other. Until you knock her up, and then you’re cockblocked by tiny little humans.” He nods toward his twin boys sleeping in the portable bassinet.
“Hillary and I never fucked like rabbits.” Lorenzo frowns. “Maybe that should’ve been my first clue.”
Since he’s already wallowing in his own self-pity, I don’t mention all the other signs that pointed to her being a manipulative, lying bitch.
“Well, since we don’t have any tiny humans to cockblock us, I don’t see our honeymoon stage ending anytime soon, so it would be wise if you knocked first before entering.” My comment is for Lorenzo, but Dominick is the one to respond.
“And will there be any babies in the future?”
My initial reaction is to say hell no, but for some reason, the words don’t come out of my mouth, which is crazy since I’ve always said I was never having kids and Dani even agreed.
Thankfully, a noise comes from one of the babies, which diverts Dominick’s attention, only it’s then followed by the most disgusting smell that has us all groaning.
“Holy shit.” I gag. “What do you feed that kid?”
Dominick stands just as Justin starts to whimper. “Peyton breastfeeds. I’m going to go change him. Keep an eye on Adam, will you? Damien is sleeping upstairs.”
“Where’s the nanny?” I glance around.
“She had some family emergency, and I wasn’t about to make Peyton cancel her plans because I’m not capable of taking care of our kids. The nanny is here to help at night so we can get a bit of sleep.”
He lifts the baby, and a bunch of brown shit is spread across his back, seeping through his clothes.
“Damn it, he blew one out,” Dominick groans. “I gotta rinse him off and change him.”
He disappears up the stairs and isn’t even gone for two minutes when Adam starts to cry. Lorenzo and I both freeze, hoping he’ll go back to sleep, but that whimper quickly turns into a full-blown cry.
“Grab him,” I say.
“Fuck that.” Lorenzo scoffs. “You grab him. He’s your nephew.”
I get up and hover over the bassinet, mentally preparing myself to pick Adam up since I’ve never held a baby before.
When his cries increase, I reach in and gently pick him up, noticing his pacifier is next to him. Cradling him in one arm, I put the pacifier back in his mouth with my other hand, rocking him carefully.
“Hey there, little man,” I say. “I’m Matteo or, as your big brother likes to call me, your uncle Matty.”
As I rock him gently, I can’t help but think about how great of a mom Dani would be. She’s so damn sweet and patient. Our babies would be so fucking loved.
I glance over at a picture of Peyton pregnant with the twins, Damien on one side of her and Dominick on the other side, his hand resting on her protruding belly, and I imagine Dani pregnant with my baby.
Fuck, this woman has me thinking about shit I’d never have considered before.
But rather than my thoughts stopping there, more pop up of Dani and me lying in bed with a baby nestled between us. Birthday parties, family vacations. Christmas mornings filled with presents. Walks to the park.
“Oh, my goodness! Are you holding your nephew?” Peyton says, bringing me back to the present. “Don’t move. I need to get a picture.”
She pulls out her phone, and I glare at her as she snaps several pictures of me and her son—apparently, girls’ night is over.
“He looks so cozy in your arms,” she says, walking over to us. “Good to know we now have a backup sitter.”
“Don’t even think about it,” I mutter. “Your husband left him to fend for himself when your other son shit everywhere.”