Page 99 of Fixate

A baby.

They wanted us to help raise a baby.

We were on the other side of the fucking country. How could we be good godparents if we were so far away? Then again, with us split up like this, it did make things better in the event someone tried to take out the Romano branch of things.

I eased down into the seat beside my boy. When I finally tore my gaze from Melody to look at how he was handling this, Ifound tears in his eyes. I would have worried had he not had the biggest grin.

“You want to hold her?” Though I wasn’t quite ready to give her up yet — because she’d already managed to steal my heart — I would have passed her to him in a flash. I’d do anything for him.

He shook his head quickly. “No, Daddy. She looks comfy right where she is.”

I zoned out after that since my focus was on making sure Melody got what she needed. The men around me spoke of business and how things were going. With me being a figurehead for the mafia portion of things, it made it easy for me to not participate.

Only when they wrapped up and Preacher came to retrieve Melody did I realize how much time had passed. It felt like only a few minutes since I’d fallen for the sweet creature wrapped snugly in a bright pink blanket.

“She’s perfect,” I told my boy when the couple went to settle in one of the guest rooms. Henri and Pip took off, the two of them needing to check in with Jean about his assignment. I noticed neither had let the other’s hand go, and I wondered what would happen once they realized their connection was intentional.

Those two were more oblivious than Ricardo and I had ever been.

Then again, I think maybe Henri was the only one who hadn’t gotten a clue.

“Do you want a baby of our own?”

I turned at Ricardo’s question. His gaze was set on mine, like he wanted to read my every expression to see if I’d tell the truth.

Shaking my head, I pulled him into my lap since we were alone. “Children aren’t something I want around all the time. This life is too dangerous. Besides, we are now the coolgodparents. We can visit all we want, spoil her rotten, then come home and fuck like we’re trying to make a baby.”

His laughter rang out, making me feel like the most successful man to have ever walked the earth. Like I was a fucking king and nothing could stop me.

I might not have been the one making all the calls, but Vegas was still my kingdom. I’d protect my people until the end. From my men to little Melody, nothing would hurt me and mine ever again.