Page 111 of Scandalous Kingpin

Green pastures. The cliffs. The ocean waves hit the shoreline, the most beautiful and soothing sounds mixing with the chattering of people who stood by a long table with colorful decorations that had been set up for Maddox’s birthday.

The moment he spotted the cake, he let go of Christian’s hand and ran over to it, bumping into the table.

I sighed.

“Maddox, you have to calm down,” I scolded him softly. “It won’t be much of a birthday if you hurt yourself.”

“Or the cake,” Christian added, his eyes shining with pride.

Maddox didn’t like hearing that at all. He was strong-willed and stubborn, much like me, although I refused to admit it. Forevermore, I claimed all our son’s good traits as mine, the annoying ones belonged to his daddy.

“But I want cake and presents.”

“You have to wait,” I told our son. He kicked a patch of dirt, his face twisting with emotions, and I flicked a look at my husband and said exasperatedly, “Make sure your son behaves.”

Christian took Maddox’s hand again and kneeled to his eye level, then spoke softly but sternly to him. Only a few words were exchanged and instantly our son calmed down.

“When will I have my presents?”

“After the cake,” he assured him. “But it’s not about gifts, Maddox. It’s about seeing all the people who love you.”

Maddox’s shoulders slumped. “Are Uncle Dante and Aunt Juliette coming too?”

“Of course. They wouldn’t miss this for the world, don’t worry.”

Christian came over and kissed me softly, his palm gently rubbing my belly. “You look beautiful, angel.”

I couldn’t stop my beaming smile if I wanted to, and I didn’t. We took a pregnancy test yesterday and learned we wereexpecting. But we weren’t ready to share it—it was too early, and this was our son’s day.

“You’re biase,d so you don’t count,” I murmured.

“I’m hurt.” He shot me a feigned look as if offended, but his eyes, sparkling like the entire universe was built for me, betrayed him. “I thought my opinion was the only one that mattered.”

I rolled my eyes.

“You know it is, and?—”

“There they are!” Maddox’s loud exclamation pulled our attention just in time to see him tear past the table, cake and presents, sprinting as fast as his legs would carry him toward my brother-in-law and sister-in-law.

I smiled to see Dante grab Maddox and toss him in the air. “How is it possible it’s your birthday? I was just here yesterday yet here you are, getting older and bigger.”

Romeo, Maddox’s cousin—the only son of Dante and Juliette—had surrounded his father and demanded he pick him up too, and now my brother-in-law was juggling both boys.

Juliette cupped Maddox’s face in her hand, kissing him on both cheeks, and then whispered something to him that made him grin ear-to-ear. She probably promised him some adventure. Romeo and Maddox had a tendency to convince Juliette to do the most flabbergasting things—like water tubing. I feared she was turning them into adrenaline junkies.

But all of this was so much better than the alternative of not having my best friend in my life. It also made me happy to see Christian’s relationship blossoming with his own mother. It was far from perfect, but then life rarely was. Although this was pretty damn close.

“Are you okay?” Christian asked, his thumb brushing across my cheekbone and wiping my tears.

I nodded because my voice was lost in the chaos of emotions. Over the years, Juliette and I had come to repair ourrelationship. It wasn’t an easy road, but we’d come to appreciate honesty more than anything.

“You’re looking well,” was Juliette’s greeting as she found her way to me. “But Maddox is looking the best.”

Christian went to join Dante and our son, and I was grateful for some alone time with my best friend. She looked good—happy—and the haunting ghosts that plagued her after learning of her birth parents’ death had disappeared completely.

“He’s a disaster on two legs,” I said, smiling. “Every time I turn around, he’s getting into something.”

She kissed my cheeks and hugged me. “That’s a kid’s job.”