Page 17 of Second Chance Daddy

Get it together, Romano. You’ve killed men with your bare hands. You don’t shake over some kid in a bakery window.

Even if she has your eyes.

Even if she’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.

Even if she might be yours.

I take a long drag, letting the nicotine steady my nerves. Through the smoke, I watch Cassie hand the little girl something—a miniature rolling pin. The child’s face lights up like Christmas morning.

Aria—That’s what Tina called her.Beautiful name. Italian. Like she knew.

Like she was waiting for me to come home.

My phone rings. Tina’s contact photo fills the screen—all sunshine and innocence, taken last summer at some charity gala. Before she knew what her big brother really does for a living.

I answer before the third ring. “What?”

“Good morning to you, too, sunshine.” Her voice crackles through the speaker, too bright for this early in the morning. “You didn’t forget about tomorrow, did you?”

“Tomorrow?” I can’t look away from the bakery window. Can’t stop watching the easy way Cassie moves around her kitchen, how naturally she includes the little girl in everything.

Like she was born to be a mother.

Like she was born to be mine.

“The barbecue, dipshit. Mom’s annual summer thing. You’re coming.”

Mom’s in Russia, probably planning someone’s funeral.“Since when do you keep traditions without the matriarch?”

“Since someone has to keep this family human.” A pause, and I can practically hear her rolling her eyes. “You are coming, right? Because if you bail on me again, I will absolutely lose my shit.”

Human. As if any of us qualify.

“I’ll be there.”

The little girl—Aria—presses tiny hands against the window. Leaves perfect prints on the glass like she’s marking territory.

Smart kid. Territorial instincts. Definitely a Romano.

For one moment, she looks right at me. Those storm-blue eyes meet mine through the car window, and I swear to God, she tilts her head like she recognizes something.

Those Romano eyes. Fuck me sideways.

“Is Cassie coming?” The question slips out before I can stop it.

Silence on the other end. Then: “Why do you ask?”

Because I think I just found my daughter.

Because I’ve been dreaming about her mother for three years.

Because I’m about to do something really stupid.

“Just curious. Haven’t seen her since...”Since I fucked her on the hood of her car and disappeared like a coward.

“Since you left town without a word, you mean?” Tina’s voice sharpens, and there’s an edge there I don’t like. My sister doesn’t get angry often, but when she does, she holds grudges. “We were all pretty torn up and confused, you know.”

My jaw clenches at her use ofwe.Good. Cassie. She should’ve been.