by Lexi Cross
“No.” She chuckled. “That’s not what I meant. Thank you for coming to get me from my dad’s. For rescuing me.”
“I’m sorry it wasn’t sooner. I got held up getting attacked and being kept in your father’s fruit cellar.”
She pulled her eyebrows together. “That’s where he had you?”
“The rest of the basement isn’t much of a dungeon.”
“I thought you were just locked in a room.”
“Too easy to escape. Though, the fruit cellar didn’t prove to be too hard.” He made a face of pain as he turned his body.
“Are you in pain?”
“Only for a few days now. I have some broken ribs.”
She gasped. “You need to get to a hospital.”
“There’s nothing they can do for broken ribs. They just have to take time to heal. But they hurt like a bitch while they do. I’m okay. I’ve suffered through worse.”
“I don’t like you hurting.” She ran her finger along the point of his nose.
“It’ll be your turn in a few more months.”
“Yeah.” She sighed. “I guess that will hurt pretty bad.”
“They have good drugs. Don’t worry about it.” He closed his eyes as she continued to trace the contours of his face. “We do need to get you to a doctor, though.”
“If we’re staying in the area, I have one. I just need to make an appointment.”
“Where do you want to go if we’re selling the house?”
“I don’t know. A little house on the beach maybe? The kids can play in the sand and watch the ocean.”
“All three or four of them.”
She chuckled. “Yes.”
He opened his eyes and met her gaze. “There’s something I’ve been thinking about over the last few days, and I want it pretty badly.”
“We already did that. Many times.”
He gave her a smirk. “Well, yes, that, but something else.”
“What?”
“Marry me.”
She smiled. “Like you even have to ask.”
“I do. Call it a technicality. But I wanted to make sure.”
“Guess that makes me the mob boss’s wife after all. And here I thought I’d escaped that when you saved me from Paolo.”
“Yeah, but now we’ll be running the family together. Our mob family and our own little family.” He put his hand to her stomach. “I’m so excited to meet this little baby. It seems like it’ll be forever until he’s here.”
“I know. And after all went through to protect him, I don’t think I’ll sleep until he’s here. Or her. Do you think it’s a boy or girl?”
“I’d love a little girl who looks just like you.” He leaned forward to kiss her nose. “But a little boy to run around after would be great, too.”
“We’ll just have to have a few of each, I guess.”
“The more the better.”
“We’ll have the perfect little family.”
“So long as I have you.”
Chapter 23
Pia walked into the office of the house they were renting to find Ryder. Her father’s house had sold much faster than they expected, and they hadn’t found a new place yet. This was slightly upsetting to Pia because it meant they wouldn’t have their house by the time the baby came.
Her image of bringing home her daughter and sitting in a pink nursery painted with flowers all over the walls was somewhat incomplete. The room that would be the nursery in this house was a boring tan with a few wall decorations on the wall. In the office sat the plans for what the nursery would look like when they found a new house. They had plans for many rooms, just no house to put them into action.
“Can you look at this?” Ryder said from behind his laptop.
“I think we need to go to the hospital.”
His head snapped up. “Really?”
She nodded, half bent over, her hand on her belly. She was due in two days, so it shouldn’t be much of a surprise, but so many people said the first baby usually came late that she’d started to count on that. She’d thought if they found a house fast enough, maybe they would at least be in the process of closing when the baby came. But now, this child would come home to some stupid rental that meant nothing to them.
Tears came to her eyes at the thought. Ryder came to her and helped her walk out of the room.
“Are you in a lot of pain?” he asked.
“Only when there’s a contraction.”
“Is there one now?”
She shook her head as a tear fell from her eye.
“Why are you crying, then?”
She burst into sobs and leaned against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Our baby doesn’t even have a home to come home to!”
“Shh, it’s okay, really.” He rubbed her back and held her. “We are what makes it home, not the walls.”
“I thought we’d have a place by now and have the nursery all painted and done.”
“I know.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “Soon. Soon.”
Her attention was shifted to her stomach as a contraction started. She bent over and squeezed his shoulder hard with the pain. She panted through it and when it was over, she straightened back up, trying to breathe.
“Let’s get you to the car.”
Ryder put his arm around her for support and helped her to the garage. They had to pause before he got the car door open as she breathed through another contraction. When it was over, he helped her in, then dashed upstairs to get the bag she’d had packed for weeks.
He slid into the driver’s seat and backed out. She reached over for his hand and squeezed every time the pain started. She tried to think through all the things she should be doing right now. Breathing, focusing.
“We need to call the doctor,” she said through gritted teeth.
He fumbled for his phone and made the call, telling them they were a few minutes from the hospital.
It seemed to take hours to get there, but they finally pulled up. He helped her out of the car and into a wheelchair before he ran off to park the car. The few minutes she had to sit there waiting for him were like agony. She couldn’t bear to be away from him. Anytime they were separated, even if she went out with friends, or if he had work to take care of, or whatever it was, she got anxious. She thought he did, too, from the frequency that they texted when they were apart.
He came rushing through the doors and ran to her. Every time she saw his face, a wave of peace flushed away the anxiety. She reached for his hand and he gave it to her as they were led to the elevator to get to the maternity ward.
For hours, Pia was in pain, then had a brief rest, then more pain. In between, she was hooked up to machines, checked and rechecked by doctors and nurses. They gave her drugs eventually and she lay peacefully, waiting for things to move along. Ryder was less peaceful and paced, stepping out on occasion to make a phone call. Mob business couldn’t be put on hold while she was in labor. It couldn’t really be put on hold at all.
But when it came time for her to push, he was right there by her side. He held her hand and encouraged her and when she gave the final push and brought their baby girl into the world, he looked down at her with tears in his eyes.
Minutes later, the baby was handed to her and he stood with his arm stretched across them both, gazing at the perfect little baby with her.
“She is as beautiful as you,” he said.
When Pia was taken to her room to settle in and rest and bond with her baby, she was shocked at the sight. The whole room was covered in huge Gerbera daisies in all shades of pink. From bright fuscia to pale pink.
Tears sprung to her eyes. “Ryder…you did all this?”
“Who else?”
She chuckled and wiped at her eyes. “It’s so perfect. Thank you.”
She got settled into bed and the nurse helped her feed the baby for the first time. While she lay there, peaceful and happy, Ryder was still pacing the room, an anxious look on his face.
&n
bsp; “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Umm.” He looked at her and made a guilty face. “I did something. I’m not sure you’re going to be too happy about it. But you might be. I was going to surprise you, but I think maybe I overthought things and now I’m not too sure ab—”
“What did you do?”
He took a deep breath and forced it out. “I bought a house.”
Her mouth hung open slightly. She didn’t know what to say. They’d been looking for months and hadn’t found anything, but they’d done every step of it together. Now he went and bought one and didn’t even have her see it first?
“I know, I’m sorry, but I got a call from our guy and he only gave me a few hours to decide before it hit the market. It’s perfect, P, I swear.”
“Okay… Do I at least get to see photos?”
He took out his phone and tapped a few times, then handed it to her. She looked down at the screen and her heart gave a small little burst of joy at the first picture. It was a sandy-colored house with deep turquoise shutters. Might’ve sounded a bit odd aside from the fact that its backyard was all beach.
She kept scrolling and her heart filled more and more with joy. The back had a huge porch that wrapped around the entire house. The living room was huge and bright with windows. A fireplace sat in one wall. The dining room and office were also big. The whole house was much bigger than they had been looking at. Beach houses many times were not this big. The kitchen was all white marble and gold accents, the bedrooms upstairs were all bright and inviting. There was even a large, empty room that would make a perfect playroom. Then she got to the master bedroom and gasped. It was huge, like the others. The bathroom had a large Jacuzzi tub, the shower had body jets, and the walk-in closet was almost another room. And on one wall were French doors—that led out to a balcony overlooking the beach and ocean.
Tears ran down her face. “You bought this house?”
He nodded. “Do you hate me?”
She laughed and wiped her eyes. “Are you kidding? You knew I would love it, why were you so nervous?”
“It was a big decision and I did it without you. I had to move fast, though. It wouldn’t have lasted a day on the market.”
“No, I can see why. When can we move in?”
“Not sure yet, but I’m working on it.”
“I love it,” she said. “Really.”
They left the hospital a few days later, and even though they wouldn’t be able to move into their house for another month, she was okay with that. This house was worth the wait.
After the closing, Pia was in the temporary nursery at the rental, packing up the final boxes, when Ryder came in. He picked up the baby and cooed at her.
“Get your shoes on, I have to show you something,” he said.
“Right now? I’m trying to pack.”
“Take a break.”
She blew out a sigh. “Okay.”
They got into the car and he drove them over to their new house. People were coming and going. Bringing furniture and boxes in, doing other work that they wanted to be finished before they officially moved in.
He walked around the car to open Pia’s door, then got the baby out and handed her to Pia. He took her hand and led her inside. They stopped just outside the door that would be the new nursery.
“Close your eyes,” he said.
She did, and heard the door open. The smell of fresh paint hit her and she opened her eyes. There before her was the room they had designed and planned for together. It had come out even better than the drawn-up plans.
She stood in the middle of the room in awe, taking in every inch of it. “It’s absolutely perfect.”
“And there’s one more thing I want to show you.”
He led her to the master bedroom, and this time when she opened her eyes, she faced the wall where the French doors and the gorgeous view of the ocean and beach were. Above the doors, in the space between the glass and the high, vaulted ceiling, was a huge framed photo. It was her and Ryder on their wedding day in a loving embrace. It was their favorite photo from the whole day.
“I wanted to make everything perfect before we moved in,” he said.
“You did. You really did.” She leaned into his arms. “With this house and the baby and our new life together, everything is perfect.”
He kissed her, then kissed the baby sleeping in her arms. “I never dreamed of a life like this. I didn’t think it could be this good. Pia, you’ve made all the dreams I never had come true.”
THE END
Keep reading for a sneak peek of NEVER ENOUGH
NO MATTER HOW MUCH OF HER I CLAIM, IT'S NEVER ENOUGH.
She betrayed me, abandoned me, ran away.
The only thing I had left was a letter she wrote me, saying she had to go.
That, and my burning rage.
With Jess gone, I make myself an oath: no woman will ever be more than an object for me.
A tool for my pleasure. Nothing less and nothing more.
But fate is a fickle bitch, and when I rescue a damsel in distress seven years later,
It turns out to be none other than my ex-wife.
She's just as gorgeous as I remember her: all curves and dark brown hair.
Lips like sin and skin like a cloud.
The old urges are still there.
And time has only made them stronger.
But Jess has acquired some enemies since she left.
And before I know it, there's a target on both of our backs.
As much as I want to let her sink or swim on her own,
I know one thing and one thing only:
I've got her back.
And she's never leaving me again.
Chapter One
Jess
I woke up that morning, immediately wishing I could go back to sleep. Sleep was better. I could dream there. I lived a better life there. No worries, no shut-off notices for utilities, no creditors calling day and night. Just sweet, blissful peace.
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the morning away. I wouldn’t wake up. I would sleep again. The last dream I’d been having was a good one, too. I was an actress on the set of my favorite TV show, and the actor half the world had a crush on was my boyfriend. I sighed happily, snuggling up in my cocoon of blankets, ready to go back to that world.
Then I poked my head out from beneath the blankets and exhaled. A cloud of vapor came out, hanging in the air before dissipating.
“No. No, no, no.” I flung back the blankets, shivering in seconds as the cold air hit my body. I pulled the top quilt off the bed, wrapping around myself as I rushed to the thermostat on the living room wall. One of those old-fashioned round ones, where the needle shows where the temperature sits. It was all the way to the left, meaning the heat had been turned off. They’d actually gone through with it, in the middle of February—I’d pleaded with them over the phone, too. I told them I had a seven-year-old boy living with me, that we needed the heat. If it were only me, I’d find a way. I couldn’t let him suffer.
It was only six o’clock. Still dark out. David wouldn't be up for at least another hour. I ripped the blankets from my bed, bundled them in my arms and went to his room.
The sight of him curled up in sleep on the little twin bed nearly broke my heart with a mixture of fierce, breathtaking love and soul-shattering fear. How could I protect my son? How could I care for him? The most pressing need at the moment was to keep him warm, so I slid in behind him, pulling the blankets over the two of us. The bed was so cold. His little body was cold, too.
“Mama?” His little boy voice was thick with sleep. “What is it?”
“Nothing, baby. Go back to sleep. I just wanted to snuggle with you, is all.”
“Mm-hmm.” It was all he got out before sleep grabbed hold of him again. The way I wished it would grab hold of me.
I curled my body around him, and within minutes the bed was toasty warm. That much I could give him. I didn’t know about anything else. I sta
yed awake, my head on the pillow, eyes wide open and staring at the window as the sky gradually lightened.
What was I supposed to do? Money had never been plentiful, but as long as I’d been working there was food on the table, clean clothes on both our backs, a clean apartment with the luxury of heat, electricity to power the TV and such, with money left over for the occasional treat. Treats for David, of course. Never for me. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had my nails done, or even gone to a movie that didn’t involve animated characters. It didn’t matter, though. I never needed much.