Page 69 of Secret Baby for the Mafia Don

I grunt in response and make my way to an area that seems safe from sticky children and obnoxious teens.

"Marco! You made it." Dominic approaches. "It’s always a crap shoot whether you’ll show.”

“I didn’t know you were a gambling man,” I quip. It’s bad enough that I hate all this. Everyone makes it worse by pointing out that I’m the epitome of Scrooge.

“I hear they have bourbon-spiked hot chocolate at the concession stand."

"I'll pass."

Dominic smirks. “You’re the only person I know who would rather be walking into a warzone than here.”

I shrug. He’s not wrong.

A burst of familiar laughter cuts through the noise.

Gabriella stands near the skate rental stand, head thrown back in genuine amusement at something Isabella is saying.

The sight of her flushed cheeks and snowflakes caught in her dark hair takes my breath away.

For a moment, I allow myself to imagine what it would be like to join her, to be the reason for that laugh.

To pull her close and taste the winter on her lips.

The fantasy evaporates when Antonio appears beside her, looking confused.

Even from this distance, I can see Gabriella's smile falter as she gently redirects him, explaining something with patient gestures.

"You keep staring at her like that, people will talk," Dominic says, following my gaze.

I tear my eyes away. "I'm her guardian for the week. I’m required to make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid."

I hope I’m convincing.

The last thing I need is for Dominic to see that I crave her more than my next breath. That I've spent a year trying to forget the feel of her skin against mine.

“The alternative was for you to marry her,” I say, hoping to wipe the smirk off his face.

He turns toward Gabriella and takes a long, appreciative look that has my fist clenching. “I suppose there could be worse things than marrying Gabriella. She’s smart and fun.”

Mother fucker.

He turns back to me, his brows lifting, and I suspect I look ready to murder him. “I imagine you appreciate the intelligence in her, but the fun, that likely eludes you.”

“Did you come here today just to fuck with me?”

He laughs. “No.” His expression turns serious. “Actually, I wanted to ask you about Antonio. He seems… not all there sometimes.”

“Antonio is fine,” I say a little too forcefully.

Dominic’s jaw tics. “I respect Antonio, you know I do, Marco. But if there’s something La Corona should know?—”

“La Corona will know what it needs to know when Antonio is ready. In the meantime, we have to trust that everything is being taken care of.”

Dom’s eyes narrow as he studies me. “La Corona trust goes only so far.”

I hold his gaze. “La Corona shouldn’t question Antonio at all.”

We have a short, heated glare off, and then a child calls out, “Uncle Dom!”