King of Hearts

by C. A. Szarek

  Unlike the young woman, the kid’s eyes were blue. Very blue. His dark hair dangled just over his eyebrows, and a large toy airplane hung from one hand. His facial features were somehow…familiar. High cheekbones and a jawline that would only become more sculpted as he grew into a man.

  He could spot that, despite the childish roundness of his cheeks.

  “Who are you?” the boy asked. Not a demand, just a curious question.

  Something nudged from the back of Gio’s mind.

  This kid reminded him of something—someone.

  Wait.

  It was like looking at pictures of him and his brothers when they were little. Their resemblance to each other was unmistakable.

  His heart dropped to his gut.

  He looks like me.

  “Gio, what’re you—”

  Maddie’s inquiry was cut off by a gasp, and he glanced over his shoulder.

  She was standing next to the kitchen table, about ten feet away, wearing a baby pink robe and sporting bare feet. Her glorious locks were loose and darker since they were wet, but the towel in her hand slipped to the floor.

  His lover blanched, paling so much he was concerned she’d faint.

  Her gaze locked on the two people in the doorway.

  “Mommy!” the kid yelled and darted into the apartment. He threw his little arms around Maddie’s waist and buried his face in her stomach, but she was imitating a statue.

  Her eyes stayed on Gio. Unblinking, with ‘oh shit’ written all over her gorgeous face.

  Mommy?

  “Oh, shit is right,” Gio muttered.

  His Mads had a kid?

  A kid that looked suspiciously like him?

  The math added itself up in his head, like some sick, cackling robot calculator. It scared the shit out of him.

  Jamie slid past him and followed inside, stopping between the pair of adults. “Maddie?” Her eyes were still saucers, like when he’d opened the door. “Surprise?” She shrugged, but a glare from her older sister nixed the slight curve of her mouth and froze her shoulders half-shrug.

  “Jamie…” Maddie stuttered. Her arms went around the kid, and the boy dropped the large plastic airplane to the floor with a clatter.

  “I got us a cheap fare, and thought we’d surprise you since I’m off the next few days, and I snagged an interview…”

  Maddie knelt in front of the kid and gave him a proper hug. Whispered to him, and even though they weren’t all that far apart, what she’d said didn’t carry.

  “I missed you, Mommy!”

  Gio could only stare. His brain was ignoring what he’d already computed.

  Maybe denial was keeping him from comprehension.

  How could Maddie have fucked him—all weekend—and kept a kid a secret?

  My kid?

  He blinked. Reached for anger, but only shock was there.

  He was numb. His limbs were heavy, shaky.

  With all the shit about the case, his dad, his sister, the cockstain, the casino; wasn’t it worse to heap something else on him, right?

  Had that been her justification?

  Where were his words, so he could ask?

  His voice had moved out.

  Holy. Shit.

  Gio wandered away from the door he didn’t remember closing, ending up next to Maddie and the boy in front of the couch.

  She straightened, and he waited for fury to fill up inside him, but when his eyes landed on the kid, he didn’t get angry.

  He couldn’t.

  The child’s face resembled his so much…he was so beautiful, Gio could barely breathe.

  The kid slid his hand into Maddie’s, and even though she hadn’t said more, she didn’t shove him away.

  Those eyes, so much like his own, landed on him and the little boy quirked his dark head to one side, like he’d done when the door had first opened. Even the inquisitive expression resembled Gio’s own reflection.

  “Are you my dad?”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Maddie flushed to her toes and suppressed another gasp.

  How the hell could Jake have deduced the truth?

  Everyone was looking at her. Even Jamie’s eyes burned.

  Jake and Gio wore identical stares. Wasn’t that some shit?

  Of course she’d noticed her son resembled the man who’d fathered him. Knowing it and seeing it would’ve rendered her speechless under normal circumstances. This was nothing even close.

  Seeing them next to each other was striking.

  Like lightning hitting her brain.

  “Mommy?” Jake asked.

  “Mads?” Gio echoed. His voice was calm, not filled with rage.

  Why? How was that even possible?

  History had displayed his temper many times, including the night she’d told him she was pregnant. He’d been so intoxicated.

  Nico Giovanni was a mean-as-hell drunk. Any girl with half a brain would’ve fled, instead of trying to hug him or converse with him.

  Maddie had been a smart girl that night.

  Hadn’t she?

  She sucked in air, but it didn’t lessen the spinning in her head. She opened her mouth but nothing came out, so she cleared her throat and tried again.

  Might as well rip the Band-Aid off.

  Maddie closed her eyes and told the threatening tears to go to hell. Explaining was going to be unavoidable but she could start with the simplest answer. The truth.

  She opened her eyes and met Gio’s. Then looked at her—their—son. “Yes.”

  Gio sat, hard, like her words had cut the tendons in his knees.

  The couch creaked as it caught his weight, but considering she’d expected shouting and cursing, she’d take it.

  “Mads...”

  Her nickname was loaded with all sorts of emotions that made her insides wobble.

  Again, she didn’t hear or see the fury she deserved, and that freaked her out even more. She should thank him for not yelling, for the sake of their son, but why?

  No sign of his infamous temper? Maybe the shock hadn’t worn off.

  Jake tugged free of her grip and went to the man he looked so much like. He thrust his hand out. “I’m Jake. I’m seven.”

  Damn, only her kid would…

  Maddie trembled from head to foot. Tears spilled; she had no control.

  Gio’s baby blues went at his child. His hand rose to shake Jake’s, but it was probably just automatic pilot. “Uh, hi. I’m—” He laughed with a nervous edge like nothing she’d ever heard before. “I guess ‘Dad’ is good. Jesus—” He exhaled audibly, and that powerful bare chest heaved a few times. He glanced at her again, and shoved his free hand through his short hair.

  Her little boy grinned and she was grateful he didn’t seem to sense the tension in the room. He was usually pretty astute, so it had to be because of who held his attention.

  “But I want your name! Mommy’s name is Madison, but Aunt Jamie calls her ‘Maddie’. I’m not allowed. She gets mad if I call her that. Aunt Jamie’s name is Jamison, which is a boy’s name, but she gets mad when I say that. There’s a boy in my class named Jamison.”

  Maddie tried to regulate her respiration, as she listened to her son babble, as if this was the most natural thing in the world, and the walls weren’t crumbling around her.

  Jamie still hadn’t said a word.

  That was just another super weird thing. Her sister was normally a chatterbox.

  Gio told Jake his name, and his nickname.

  “I’m sorry, Maddie. I had no idea—”

  Her eyes shot to her sister’s at the pain-filled whisper. She shook her head. “It’s fine.”

  Jamie was wringing her hands like she did when she was little and Maddie had caught her doing something forbidden.

  Jake had picked up the same habit.

  Her stomach took another dive to her toes.

  This was so fucking far from fine, but she didn’t need her sister to be as much of a wreck as she was.

&
nbsp; Jamie sidled up to her. “You had him over and didn’t tell him? Wait, you didn’t…” Her sister’s gaze roved her face and robe. Then she reddened to the tips of her ears and her hazel eyes widened. “OMG, you did. Madison Susan Granger!”

  Maddie groaned. “First of all, keep your voice down. Secondly, mind your own damn business, Jamison Kimberly Granger, since we’re popping out full names. Thirdly, don’t speak in text. Use your words.”

  The twenty-four-year old grinned; the obvious discomfort that’d been evident when Gio had opened the door was nowhere in sight.

  Of course, her little sister had no problem composing herself.

  She studied the two males.

  Jake’s instant comfort with Gio should’ve bothered her, but it just spun her heart into more chaos. Maddie didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  She’d been obsessing about her case and Gio and his family drama. The sight before her blew that out of the water. Her case wasn’t even on her radar.

  The more her son spoke to his father, the more relaxed Gio appeared, too. His smile—even his laugh—sounded more natural.

  Jake was the only one not freaked out.

  Later, when she got him alone, she was going to quiz her son about his guess.

  “Jamie, did you tell him his dad was in Vegas?” She whispered, forcing the inquiry to remain free of the demand she really wanted to make.

  Her sister reared back, as if she’d slapped her.

  At least the shock seemed real.

  “No, Maddie. I wouldn’t do something like that. Promise.” Her fair brows drew tight and she frowned. “I’d never—”

  “Okay, I believe you. How the hell did he know?”

  Jamie snorted. “Dude looks just like him. Maybe he saw it.”

  “Right. He’s seven.”

  “And far from stupid.”

  Maddie shook her head. She’d still ask him later.

  “May I say—”

  “No, you may not.” She made a cutting gesture with her hand.

  Her sister grinned, completely unrepentant. “You don’t even know what I was gonna say.”

  “Yes, I do, and I don’t wanna hear it. Nor do I want you ogling him.”

  Jamie scoffed, but her grin didn’t fade. “Jealous?”

  Maddie rolled her eyes and didn’t answer.

  “Can I hug you?” her son asked Gio.

  Her breath caught and they all froze at Jake’s innocent wish.

  Gio’s eyes found hers.

  Her chest ratcheted up even more.

  “Uh, sure, champ. C’mere.” The man opened his arms and the little boy rushed into the embrace.

  Tears spilled instantly at the sight of her child in the arms of the man who’d fathered him. There was no stopping the hot trails down her cheeks, despite how hard she tried.

  She’d always wanted this, right?

  Jake with Gio.

  Even if she’d never admitted it—woman power, I am woman, hear me roar, and all that—raising him without his father had left a canyon in her heart.

  Not just where Jake was concerned.

  Maddie had missed Gio.

  Why were her emotions all over the place?

  Because she’d loved this man once. She ignored the voice that accused she still loved Nico Giovanni.

  She didn’t. She wasn’t that stupid, right?

  Maddie had been the biggest fool, ever to think she could sleep with him again, kiss him, touch him, have him inside her and have her heart emerge unscathed.

  Hadn’t worked worth a shit the first time, only then he’d left her with a piece of him.

  Was this time going to be easier?

  She didn’t kid herself. Having him as a lover was temporary. No matter that her new post was permanent and local.

  Was Gio going to break Jake’s heart, too?

  She’d kill him.

  Jamie squeezed her arm, and she forced a watery smile.

  When her little sister slid an arm around her shoulders, she let her comfort her, leaning in to her slender side.

  Her sister couldn’t know everything that was racing through her head.

  “It’ll be okay, Maddie. This’ll be good, for both of you.”

  She didn’t answer. Didn’t know what the hell to say anyway.

  Maddie could only watch her son interact with the man she’d fled.

  ****

  “So, I guess you’re Jamie?” Gio stood and thrust his hand out, smiling at Maddie’s younger sibling.

  The young woman blushed scarlet and offered a shy nod, eyeing his hand, but not giving him a shake.

  He didn’t miss Maddie rolling her eyes beside them.

  His son clung to his other hand and he didn’t have the heart to dislodge him. Jesus Christ, I have a kid.

  “Aunt Jamie, why’re you bein’ weird?” the kid asked, as if on cue. His expressive blue eyes transferred back and forth between all three adults.

  Jamie gasped and glared at her nephew. Then she shook her head, but didn’t answer.

  Maddie snorted and hid a smile. “Wow. She’s never speechless. Ever.”

  Gio found himself grinning. Like he hadn’t in ages. His brain must’ve packed bags and moved out.

  Finding out he had a son with the one that’d gotten away should’ve rocked him to his core. Instead, he was…okay with it?

  Standing here chatting like it was the most natural thing in the world, and teasing her younger sister?

  Maybe his family’s sitch had finally fucked with his head so much he had lost it.

  “Bite me,” Jamie muttered.

  “Language, little ears.” Maddie gestured to the boy.

  “Those weren’t bad words, Mommy.” Jake had one dark eyebrow arched, and Gio snorted.

  “It’s still not nice, and I better not hear you repeating it, sir.” She ruffled his hair and for some reason, Gio’s gut clenched.

  This was his Mads.

  With his son.

  Maddie glanced at him and sobered. Her eyes asked if he was all right, and he forced a nod. “I have an idea.”

  “What?” Jake asked, his little face open, curious. His small hand was still tucked into Gio’s as if they did it all the time.

  He wanted to fidget, too. Not from discomfort, which made him feel even more out of sorts. Holding the child’s hand wasn’t making him feel anything negative.

  Only the opposite. As if he’d accomplished something.

  Take that, Big Tony.

  Gio cursed his father popping into his head. He might’ve only met his son today, but he’d never treat him the way Big Tony Giovanni had treated him.

  He wanted his siblings to meet his son. Let the little guy know he had two uncles and an aunt other than Maddie’s sister. They’d love the boy, no doubt about it.

  Elise was going to shit. Dom would be a bad influence. Kids always loved Sam, they gravitated toward him.

  What would his old man say about Jake?

  Did Gio care?

  Well, he might have to wait on the ‘ol family introductions, considering his sister probably wouldn’t talk to him, even if he did return her calls. Dom wanted to kick his ass—literally. He hadn’t heard from Sam, but he hadn’t checked his phone since he’d exercised the off switch.

  Would the news of, it’s a boy, change how his family felt about him regarding the case?

  Probably not.

  “How about if Aunt Jamie takes you for breakfast?” Maddie looked at her sister. “There’s a café around the corner that has great pancakes.”

  The mom and pop they’d ordered-in from yesterday. Gio had licked syrup off Maddie’s nipples after their brunch. He straightened his spine through a shiver and concentrated on his son.

  Instead of agreeing, or smiling, Jake wore a frown. “But Mommy, I wanna stay here. See my room. My dad’s here.” He pointed those blue eyes up at Gio.

  His heart skipped.

  My dad.

  Shit. That’s me.

  Jamie grabbed
the little boy’s free hand. “Breakfast is a great idea. I’m starved. Mini pretzels on the plane didn’t cut it.”

  Jake clung to Gio, not letting him release him. “Dad.”

  This time, his stomach jumped and he fought a physical jerk. Had to clear his throat because he didn’t trust his voice. “Yeah, champ?”

  “Will you be here when we get back?”

  His peripheral vision caught discomfort on Maddie’s beautiful face.

  She was gnawing on her bottom lip. Her eyes were misty, which shot a tremor down his legs. Maddie was dreading being alone with him, no doubt.

  “Absolutely.”

  The smile he got as a reward made his pulse pound.

  “Okay. Let’s go, Aunt Jamie, so we can get back.” He released Gio’s much larger hand and stood next to Maddie’s sister, then pulled on her arm.

  His mother kissed his cheek and he wiped it off then stuck his tongue out.

  Gio chuckled. “That’s not nice, champ.”

  “Well, wait ‘til she does it to you,” he said with all the drama a seven-year-old could muster.

  “Actually, I like when your mother kisses me.”

  Jake appeared doubtful, and Jamie grinned.

  Maddie was too quiet. Avoided his gaze.

  Her sister broke the silence before it could get more awkward. “Want me to bring anything for you guys?”

  Gio politely refused and stayed glued in the living room as she walked them out. He blew out a huge exhale when the door closed.

  I have a kid.

  Jake seemed to be the only person not freaked out by the revelation.

  Maddie stopped by the kitchen counter, about a dozen feet away. Clearly maintaining distance, as if she was afraid to return to him all the way. Her eyes scanned his face. “It just hit you, didn’t it?” She cringed.

  “Maybe.” More words piled against his lips and pushed, but he held them back. Maybe part of him wanted to yell and scream now, but it wouldn’t change a damn thing.

  Besides, it was too much like something Big Tony would do, so that made Gio want to rage even less.

  “Thanks for being so great about this. So calm,” she whispered, inching close, but not as close as he wanted…needed.

  As much as that didn’t make sense, considering the bomb she’d dropped on him. Then again, she hadn’t really, had she?

  Jamie and Jake had surprised her, too.