Page 43 of Ruthless Lord

One Year Later

“Hellooooo?” My voice bounces around through the empty room. “Hellooooooo? Echoooooooo.” Milly squirms in my arms and starts to wake up. “Oh, crap, sorry, little pea. You go back to sleep. Mommy won’t yell anymore.”

But too late. She yowls like a little cat and opens her eyes, blinking up at me. Startling blue. I’m told they usually change, but I have a feeling she’ll always be this way. Just like her father.

I make myself comfortable against the wall and let her feed. There’s stomping downstairs and frustrated grunting. I consider helping, but nah. I’ve got a baby on my boob. That’s about all I can do anyway.

Stefano appears in the doorway, sweat rolling down his face. He looks in at me and wipes it from his forehead, grinning. “How’s she doing?”

“Eating. She’s happy.”

“Let me know when she’s done. I’ll change her.”

“That’s my man. How’s the move coming?”

“Slowly.” His face hardens. “I should’ve hired people. My fucking knees feel like cracked lightbulbs.”

“I told you.”

“That’s your favorite phrase in the world, isn’t it?”

“Only because it comes up so often.”

He grunts and comes over, slowly sinking down beside me. He holds onto Milly’s tiny foot as she keeps drinking, and I swear, it makes her go faster. Like she can’t wait to be with her daddy.

“Luca, Adriano, and the girls are coming over later to see the new place. Just a heads-up.”

“They’re always welcome. It’ll be good to see them. Packing with an infant hasn’t been fun at all.”

“True, but now we’re in the heart of Marino territory. And the house is twice as big.”

“Thanks to my father’s generosity.” I roll my eyes. He basically held us over a barrel when we expressed interest in buying this property from his holding company.

But now it’s ours. An old building, renovated a couple years back, but retaining most of its original charm. Empty now, but soon it’ll be filled with laughter and joy. I mean, eventually. In a few years. When the baby’s grown at least.

“And we can start the night nurse whenever you’re ready.”

“Give me another month. I’m not at my breaking point yet.”

“You know, it’s usually better to do this sort of thing before you get there.”

“I don’t take advice from an old man carrying heavy furniture up narrow stairs all alone.”

“That’s probably for the best.”

I lean against his shoulder. He wraps an arm around me and I smile.

Our little family. Everything’s new, but everything’s good.

My father’s been keeping his promises and his alliance with the Marinos has been profitable all around.

Stefano’s still happy running the warehouse and hasn’t been tempted back into the ring, not even when it looked like Sterling was going to break his record.

We have a network of friends and family, and I’m starting to really understand why this whole famiglia thing is so appealing to people.

“Albert’s been bugging me about when you’re coming back to work,” Stefano says after a little while.

“Don’t most people get four months off?”

“Something like that.”

“Tell him I’ll come back when I want to come back.”

“Do you?” His eyebrows raise.

I hesitate, frowning, not sure how to answer.

Milly makes a happy gurgling noise and I realize she fell asleep.

I get her off the boob and cover up, cradling her in my arms. I love that stupid happy milky face she makes.

It’s the most adorable thing in the entire world and makes me feel warm in a way I didn’t even know was possible.

Most people call those hormones. But who the hell cares where it comes from?

All I know is, it’s happening, and I like it.

“I don’t really care,” I say eventually. I glance at my husband, worried he’ll be upset, but he barely reacts. “Is that bad?”

“Not at all.”

“But you like it when I’m working there with you.”

“I love it.”

“So you’ll be unhappy if I stop?”

“Not really.”

“I feel like I’m having a conversation with a drunk brick wall.”

“Didn’t know brick walls could drink.”

“Look in the mirror and know the truth.”

He sighs, shaking his head, idly stroking Milly’s chubby leg. “I want you to be happy. Selfishly, yes, it’d be great if we worked at the warehouse together. But I don’t actually care, so long as you feel fulfilled.”

“That’s what I want, you know. To feel fulfilled. Like I know what I’m doing.”

“Then take as much time as you need and figure it out.”

I stare at my daughter. And I start to wonder if I haven’t gotten there already without realizing it.

“Tell Albert I’ll come back part-time if he agrees to switch over the accounting software.”

Stefano groans. “I thought the software wars were over.”

“I have leverage now.”

“I’ll run it past him, okay? But I’m not getting in the middle.”

“Too late, big guy.” I nudge him with my elbow. “Don’t you have a moving truck to empty?”

“I was hoping you’d forget about that.”

“Focus on the bed, okay? I don’t want to sleep on the floor tonight.”

“Bed and crib.” He groans as he pushes himself to his feet. “Really should’ve hired movers.”

“Love you!”

He limps to the door. “Love you too.”

I watch him go. My daughter stirs slightly like she misses her father’s touch. I miss it too, but that’s the thing, nothing’s forever. And right now, this here on the floor, it’s pretty good. I could keep on doing this for a while.

At least until I get hungry and demand pizza.

That’s a problem for future-Charlie to deal with.

Keep reading for a preview of Cruel Tyrant!