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CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

GIA

I’ve loved every minute of meeting Reed’s friends. From the moment we were welcomed inside Shaw’s home, I was embraced in Emi’s arms. She’s sweet and demure, and it’s clear how she holds herself that she’s been trained in sophistication; something I’ve shied away from over the years.

When she explained she became pregnant with Eleanor after a one-night stand with Shaw, I thought our stories would align, but how wrong could I be? The poor girl is a Mafia princess, and her overbearing brother Luca hunted Shaw down and forced them into an arranged marriage so not to bring shame on the family.

Their story is both heart-wrenching and endearing.

Ava—Tate’s wife—is a bubbly, smart, young woman. She’s recently given birth to their son, Sonny. He’s adorable and an image of his daddy. She explained that she first met Tate while she was a foster child and slept with him on her eighteenth birthday, unbeknownst to him. Years later, she became an intern at their company STORM Enterprises, not realizing Tate was a co-owner. Her life sounds harrowing, and she’s a testament to her strength. The connection I feel with her when I look into her eyes tells me everything I need to know, and the way her eyes soften when she looks at me tells me she sees a reflection of herself.

Owen’s wife, Laya, is Tate’s sister, and she’s also been through her own trauma. Her first husband was involved in shady activities that brought his demise. Owen rescued her from a terrible situation, then he adopted her infant son, and they were married within days. Their adorable baby boy, Lowan, is only a few weeks old. Laya said Owen is a hands-on father, and it’s made life a hell of a lot easier than if he wasn’t, given her little ones are both under two years old.

“Next time we meet, you need to bring Bryce,” Ava declares while pushing another chip into her mouth. “The guys will entertain him.”

“Reed wanted to bring him today, but he had plans to stay over at his friend’s house.”

“Reed talks about him a lot!” Emi smiles whimsically. “And Eleanor talks about Reed a lot too.” She giggles, making me laugh at the thought of how annoyed Reed gets about Eleanor’s obsession with him.

“I think we need a spa day. Leave the babies and kiddos with their dads,” Laya suggests, and I nod in response.

“Yes! This!” Ava holds her hand up for Laya to high-five her, and I giggle at their camaraderie.

My gaze lingers to Reed, and I find him watching me. His green eyes are trained on me as if he doesn’t want to miss a thing. A smile tugs at his lips before he trails his eyes slowly down my body and licks his lips when his perusal meets my chest. Heat floods me. I fidget from side to side as I imagine him becoming hard at my heavy breasts.

Knowing Reed gets so turned on at my body has an incredible effect on my self-esteem. I’m not stupid. I look nothing like the thin fake-breasted women he paraded around at the community event, and given his previous bachelor life, I can only imagine what the women he’s been used to look like. But he’s never once made me feel anything but adored, like he craves every inch of me.

“He’s so in love with you. It’s so stinking cute,” Emi whispers in my ear, and I crinkle my nose.

My heart does a silly flutter, because as surreal as it feels, having someone else confirm my suspicions feels almost too good to be true. “You think?”

“Girl, he is obsessed with you!” Ava is animated as she speaks, making me laugh at her dramatics.

“I’ve known Reed since I was a little girl, and never, ever, ever did I think he would become attached to one woman. Ever,” Laya tacks on.

My heart soars at their words of encouragement; it’s everything I wanted to hear and so much more. It cements the way I feel, and a part of me bubbles with excitement at the prospect of our future together. Maybe we can make it as a family. Maybe I can have the family for Bryce and this baby that I always dreamed of having.

A surge of pain flashes across my stomach, and I wince and bend over to grip onto the counter.

“Reed! I think there’s something wrong with Gia!” Ava screeches, and I close my eyes at her words, knowing how panicked Reed is about to become about what could potentially be Braxton Hicks.