Page 22 of Orlando (Valentino Heirs #4)

Chapter Twenty-One

“ O h my god, thank you so much!” I scream before turning to Orlando and slamming my lips against his. My arms wrap around his neck, careful not to squish Sebastian. And then, as if a bucket of ice water has been tipped over me, I pull back again. “I’m sorry.”

“Why? I’m not.” Orlando smirks.

“We can’t…” I shake my head.

“We can. We’re good together, Aleeka. We have a child together. Don’t you think we owe it to Sebastian to try to make us work? To be a family?”

“The only reason you want to be with me is because you feel some sense of responsibility because of Sebastian. You don’t really want me, Orlando.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it. I’ve wanted you since the morning I woke up and you were gone, Aleeka. I fucking wrote songs about you. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. It’s not because of Seb. It’s because of you. I want you.”

I don’t know what to do. My brain is telling me I need to stop this. I need to set the boundaries and stick to them. But my heart…? It wants to jump and dive into everything that is Orlando Valentino. It wants to say to hell with it and believe in everything he’s saying. Because, if I’m honest with myself, I’ve been in love with him since our first date.

“What if we don’t work, Orlando?”

“I love you, Aleeka. I’ve been in love with you for so fucking long I can’t fathom a day I won’t be in love with you.” He steps closer, and I step backwards until I hit the wall.

“You love me?”

“If you have to actually ask that, then I’m doing something wrong,” Orlando says.

I shake my head. “I’m scared.”

“Of me?” He pauses to put a little more space between us.

“Of not being enough, of you waking up one morning and realizing that this isn’t what you want,” I admit.

“That’s not going to happen,” he says, closing the small distance between us again. “I promise to make you and Seb my whole fucking world, Aleeka. There won’t be a day I wake up and not love you. Both of you.” His lips are so close to mine I can feel his breath. “Let me love you.”

I nod my head. “Okay.” The one word is barely a whisper, but as soon as it’s out of my mouth, Orlando slams his lips on mine. His hands cup my face.

When he pulls away, his smile is huge. “Fucking finally,” he says before glancing down at Sebastian. “Your mama is a stubborn one, little man, but we love her anyway.”

“I love you too,” I tell him.

“Well, obviously. I mean, what’s not to love?” Orlando smirks.

I roll my eyes. “Okay, rock star, take me to the box so we can watch my hall pass play hockey.”

Orlando stills. “Hall pass? There are no hall passes, babe. I may appear the easygoing rock star, but I’m still a Valentino by blood, and I will slaughter anyone who touches what’s mine.” His words are said with a grin but I have no doubt the threat is real.

“I was joking, relax,” I tell him. “You’re the only guy I’ve ever wanted, Orlando.”

“Thank fuck for that,” he says. Then he takes my hand in his and guides me back down the tunnel. “Come on.”

By the time we return to his family’s box, it’s full of people. His parents, uncles and aunts, and cousins. Even my dad is here.

“We’re getting married,” Orlando yells out the moment we enter the room.

My eyes bug out of my head. “No, we’re not.”

“Well, not yet, but eventually.” Orlando winks at me. “Better to let them all know now, babe.”

“The spawn really needs to work on their game. We never got a no to a proposal,” Orlando’s Zio Matteo says.

“No, we never got a no. But Savvy said no to you for years, bro,” Mr. Valentino counters.

“She wasn’t in her right mind,” he retorts.

“Right, anyway. You hungry?” Orlando asks me.

“Nope, I’m good,” I tell him.

He guides me over to a seat in front of the window. I can feel my dad’s eyes on me. When I look at him, he nods his head and smiles at me.

“I’ll be right back,” I tell Orlando.

My dad leads me to a quieter corner of the room. “Are you okay?” he asks.

“I’m good.”

“You’re happy? With him?” His face screws up.

“Yes, I’m happy.” I smile. “Really, I love him.”

“Okay, as long as you’re happy, I’m happy for you. But you’re not moving out of my house. I’m too young to be an empty nester.” My dad wraps his arms around me and tugs me close to his chest.

“I’m not moving out.” I laugh.

“Good. Your mother would be so damn proud of you,” Dad whispers. “I want you to embrace all the good things in life, Aleeka. Make the most of the time you have.”

“I will. Promise,” I whisper back.

When I sit down next to Orlando, he takes hold of my hand. “Everything okay?” he asks me.

“Everything is perfect,” I tell him before leaning my head on his shoulder.