Chapter 48
ISLA
As I watched the sunrise out of my window, I thanked the universe for the safe return of my precious baby girl. She stayed attached to my breast all night, and I was just fine with it. I needed to be extra close to her to feel secure like she needed with me.
It must have been around seven in the morning. I should still be asleep, but I felt rested after all the craziness the past two days.
Shockingly, Ciro had left me alone as I’d requested. He didn’t bother me and Pippa once. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how I felt about him doing as I asked. In fact, I was a little annoyed that he’d actually listened to me.
I had dinner in my room and cuddled Pippa all evening, waiting for her daddy to knock at the door. Wouldn’t he want to give his baby girl a goodnight kiss? Usually, he was a persistent man about what he wanted.
Jon had popped in to check out my lovebug and make sure she was fine. She was perfect. He then told me he was leaving bright and early in the morning. His real life needed him. If I felt I would be okay without him, he was going back to San Francisco.
Of course I would be fine without him. We were only friends and the truth was I knew he liked me more than a friend. It was best for him to return to his real life.
Before I nodded off, Alba and I had a good talk. She wanted me to ask Roman or Luca to check in on Paolo this morning. She wasn’t family and nobody would tell her anything at the hospital.
Of course, I’d ask one of the brothers about Paolo. I felt awful about him getting shot. Again, if I’d stayed at the hotel or gone to Canada with Ciro, things might have turned out differently.
I closed my eyes and tried to imagine a different outcome, but what good would it do?
The door opened and I heard it latch. Peeking through my lashes I saw Ciro creeping in. Rather than address him, I waited to see what he was going to do.
I sensed him on Pippa’s side. Alba had made a pillow wall because I wanted her in the bed with me. There wasn’t a crib in the room, but I knew Rosa had a nursery set up for her baby and probably a portable playpen, but I needed my lovebug near me.
He kissed Pippa’s head and caressed her head. His gentle touch melted me.
Keeping my eyes closed, I sensed his attention on me. I should just show him I was awake. How long would I avoid him? He should be able to see Pippa whenever he wanted while we were in his home.
I heard him leaving.
“Ciro.” I said his name in a low voice.
He turned around with a remorseful expression. “I’m sorry to wake you. I just wanted to see her,” he whispered.
“It’s fine. Can you sit with her? I need to use the bathroom.” I’d been holding it all night, but I didn’t want to leave her unprotected. Silly, I know.
“Of course.” He came to my side and helped me out of bed. “Want me to go in with you?”
“No. I’ll be fine. Just stay with her.” I looked down at my sleeping baby. “Don’t leave,” I told him sternly.
“Never.” He sat on my spot to watch over his daughter.
A couple of minutes later, I exited the bathroom after doing my business and brushing my teeth. I looked horrible, but I was feeling better.
I froze at the sight of Ciro and Pippa. She was awake and her big brown eyes were locked on him.
“When you’re big enough, we’ll get you horseback riding lessons. And ballet lessons. Piano lessons. All the lessons you can dream of.”
Pippa cooed at him like she was telling him she wanted all the lessons. It was so stinking adorable.
“How are you feeling?” he asked as if sensing my presence behind him.
“Sore but better.” I went to the window and peered out. “Canada hasn’t changed since the last time I was here. It’s almost June and the grass hasn’t turned green yet.”
“Nope. Not yet. If you want green, we can go to Barbados.” He peered over his shoulder and smiled at me.
“That sounds tempting, but—”
“But what?” He sat up and faced me. “I know you love it there. Your hammock is waiting for you.”
“It’s not my hammock.”
“Yes, it is. You’re the only person who uses it. That makes it yours.”
“Look at my face. I can’t go out in public looking like my boyfriend beat me up.”
“I would never hurt a hair on your beautiful head, My-la.” His smile faded.
“I didn’t mean to insinuate—”
“Shh.” His finger went on my lips, and his dark eyes bore into my soul. “All I want to do is make you happy and try to redeem myself. Will you give me another chance?”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“Come sit down.” He led me back to bed. “Say the word and we’ll be in Barbados by supper time.”
“It’s a tempting offer, but I want to be bikini ready first.” Wait. What did I say?
Hope bloomed on his face. “Whatever you want, My-la.”
“Can you do a favor for me?”
“You name it.” He sat on the edge of the bed next to me.
“Alba was asking about Paolo. Can you get an update for her? It would mean a lot to her and to me.”
His face fell. “I’m sorry, baby. Paolo didn’t make it through the night.”
I started crying and Ciro wrapped me in his arms.
“This is all my fault,” I cried. “If I’d just listened to you. I was so angry at you. I was stubborn and what did it get me? I hurt so many people.” The devastation hit hard. My sweet friend had started to fall for Paolo, and she would never get to see where it might have led.
“No, baby. I’m to blame. If I hadn’t pushed you away. If I had dealt with my fears in a healthy way. If I could go back. If I could rewind time, I would do it all differently.”
“Oh, Ciro.” I held onto him and continued to cry. “I don’t want to hurt you or anyone else ever again.”
He pulled back and cradled my face in his warm hands. “And I promise never to hurt you again, My-la. I will earn your love and trust back. I promise.”
This man. He never made promises to anyone.
I was without words.
“You and Pippa are my world. I love you.” Ciro’s lips were on mine before I could speak. He kissed me gently, cradling my face and parting my lips.
Did I hear him correctly? He loved me. I wanted to make him say it again, but heck no, I welcomed his affection wholeheartedly.
My face was nothing short of a mangled mess of red, purple, blue, and yellow. There was nothing attractive or sexy about me with swollen eyes, messy bed-head hair, and stitches on my temple.
I was a hideous sight.
Yet Ciro kissed me with all the emotion, passion, and tenderness of a man madly in love.
Pippa patted my side. I looked sidelong at her and found her watching us. She was safe and protected, so I enjoyed Ciro’s lips on mine.
He nipped and tugged with his teeth just the way I liked, the way I needed to get aroused. More than a year later, his technique still worked on me.
A whimper spilled out of me as I clenched my thighs together and pushed down the wanton desire building in my core.
And he stopped instantly.
Why did he stop?
“We better stop or I won’t be able to.” He kissed my nose again, then grinned his sexy, cocky smile. “I want you more than my next breath, My-la.” He ran his tongue along his lower lip, looking proud and confident. Because Ciro knew, that sly devil knew, he’d made me wet.
“You don’t play fair.” I squirmed a little, my lady parts screaming at me for letting him stop. But we had Pippa next to us, and I might be falling under his spell too fast.
“Not when my life is on the line, baby.”
“Your life?” I asked. “How so?”
“Without you, I have no reason to live. I’ll do whatever it takes to win you back, My-la. I won’t lose you again. I promise it’ll be different. And that kiss…” He licked his lip again. “There is a lot more of that with your name on it.”
I inhaled a deep breath, feeling warmth spread in my belly, and my heart fluttered.
“I want nothing more than to believe you. But I’m scared.” I had never lied to Ciro about what I wanted. I wasn’t about to start now.
“Challenge accepted, baby. I won’t let you down.”
I was overwhelmed. I wasn’t sure who this man was. Maybe I was hallucinating from the concussion.
He linked our fingers together. “Just one more thing.”
“What’s that?”
He cradled my face in one hand, lightly gliding his lips across mine. “I look forward to experiencing you feisty and plump with my baby.”
I blinked, unsure if I’d heard him correctly. Another baby? I must be tripping.
Ciro chuckled, pulling back. “You heard me right, My-la. I missed out on Pippa. You owe me a do-over. Speaking of which… Let’s get our girl’s diaper changed.” Ciro got up and went to the dresser where a stack of diapers and wipes were.
If I was dreaming, I didn’t want to wake up. I wanted to revel in this man who looked and spoke like Ciro Remotti, but whose words were unlike anything I’d ever heard come out of his tantalizing mouth.
He changed Pippa in front of me, doing everything perfectly, while talking sweetly to her. She watched him with amazement and smiled brightly the way she smiled at me. Of course she would, because he was her father and she knew it.
Perhaps my head was a jumbled mess. Could I have imagined him telling me he loved me? Maybe. But I really hoped this wasn’t all a dream.
More than that, I prayed Ciro was worth a second chance, so I never needed to walk away from him again.
An hour later, I’d just told Alba about Paolo passing during the night. I hugged her as she cried. Ciro was sitting with Pippa in the armchair.
Since the passionate kiss we shared, he’d been in the room with me and the baby. I liked having him with us, just as I had enjoyed it when we were in San Francisco.
This time was different, though. He was different. And I was still reeling from the kiss and the I-love-you part.
“I think I knew he wasn’t going to make it,” Alba said, pulling back. “When I sat with him yesterday, he already looked gone to me.”
“I’m so sorry, honey.” I looked at Ciro bouncing Pippa on his knee. He looked just as grieved as me.
Paolo was his cousin. His bodyguard. But like me with my sister, Ciro wasn’t that close to Paolo because he had a debt to pay for his father who had gambled away his family’s fortune.
Weird Mafia stuff was what had kept the cousins from getting close.
“Will there be a funeral for him?” Alba asked.
“Do you want there to be one?” Ciro asked, genuinely. It wasn’t snark. “I mean, he’s going to be cremated like Isla’s sister. But we can have a service after.”
Before Alba came into my room, Ciro had asked me what I wanted to do for my sister. It might sound awful, but I told him I didn’t want anything for her. Cremation was fine and I’d send her ashes to our mother, who never gave a damn about either of us.
“I think it would be nice to do something for Paolo, but it’s not like we were close. I shouldn’t have a say in anything.” Alba dried her eyes. “I don’t even know why I’m crying. I knew him for like a week.”
“He was the first guy you’d been with in a long time. You gave yourself to him, so it makes perfect sense to me.” I rubbed her back.
A knock at the door made us all turn to look at it.
“Come in,” I said, since it was my suite.
Luca opened the door and appeared taken aback. “What happened?” He looked at Alba.
“Paolo didn’t make it,” I replied.
“Yeah. I know. Did she know him?”
“I wouldn’t say I knew him very well. He was a really nice guy.” She blew her nose.
“So, like you two hooked up?” Luca asked with a wry grin.
“Jesus,” Ciro hissed. “What do you want?”
“You’re needed in the study.” He seemed to be trying to tell Ciro it was important without using words.
“Okay, I’ll be down in a minute.” Ciro stood with Pippa and planted a big kiss on her chubby cheek.
Luca promptly left, and I had to say, I was glad. He could be insensitive like a moment ago. Alba didn’t need his sarcasm right now.
I eyed Ciro, hoping he was going to mention what he and I had talked about earlier.
“Alba, would you like to stay here? This cutie could sure use a nanny.” He kissed Pippa again and gave her to me.
“You’re offering me a nanny job? But I’m her babysitter in San Francisco.” Alba turned toward me. “Oh, but I suppose you’re not returning to California.”
“Not at this time,” I replied. “Guess it depends on how things play out here.” I flicked my gaze at Ciro.
“She’ll be staying long term, and we could use a reliable, trustworthy nanny to care for our children. I’ll make it worth your while.”
“Children, as in more than Pippa?” Alba’s eyes bulged.
“He’s getting ahead of himself,” I said. “In all seriousness, I’d love for you to stay with me. And… be Pippa’s nanny.”
“Would I have a room in this place and a maid to clean it?” she asked, in jest. “Wait. Would I be treated like the staff.”
“No.” I answered her before Ciro. “First and foremost, you’re my closest and dearest friend.”
“What do you say?” Ciro asked.
“Sure. I’ll give my mom a call later today to let her know I got a nanny job.”
“Yay. Tell her it pays more than your medical transcription job.” I grinned wide.
“It does? Cool.”
I smiled at Ciro, pleased as punch with how this difficult conversation ended.
“I need to go deal with some stuff.” He leaned toward me for a kiss and I didn’t move away. “Will you be okay?”
“Of course she will. I’m with her,” Alba replied.
“Good. You can entertain both of my girls for me.” He winked on his way out.
“Wow, the turnaround with you two is giving me whiplash.”
“It’s giving me whiplash too. It’s weird, right?” I bit my bottom lip. “I mean, after everything that happened, I shouldn’t want to be with him, right?”
“Babe, Ciro isn’t to blame for Roy’s actions or the Russians who took Pippa and killed Paolo. He’s the easy target, but that man jumped into action and took care of business. He’s kind of my hero right now.”
Her words gave me pause.
Ciro and I had hurt each other in different ways, but the pain we’d experienced when Pippa was taken had united us. We both wanted our baby back because we both loved her.
Alba was right. I might have been unconscious for most of the chaos, but Ciro had been taking care of everything. Probably calling in favors left and right, trying to find our child.
Thinking of it now, Ciro was my hero, too.