Page 135 of Whispers in the Dark
“Where’s Alex?” I ask, discreetly tugging at the collar of my sweater to get some air.
“He’ll be here soon,” Eli tells us, sliding up beside the group. “I think he’s in the process of firing the current nanny, so Madeleine offered to take Clara off his hands.”
“Is that the third one this week?” Leo asks, standing beside him.
“Be easy on him,” Scarlett remarks, patting his chest. “He likes things done a certain way, and this is all a lot of change for him.”
“Where’s my favorite little princess?” Vin asks, stepping up to Clara with outstretched hands. At the sight of him, she beams, her hands eagerly reaching for him.
“Win, Win,” she says excitedly, unable to pronounce her v’s.
He scoops her out of Mauro’s arms and snuggles her against his chest. “I have a surprise for you after dinner, but you can’t tell your daddy because he thinks I get the worst gifts, but he’s just jealous of my amazing gift-giving skills.” Clara bubbles with laughter.
“Just face it, you’re the worst with gifts,” Alex states as he advances to Clara. “Hi, sweetheart.” He looks at her with so much adoration in his eyes, extending his arms out for her, but Vin spins her away from him.
“You see her every damn day. It’s my turn with her.”
Alex grins. “Maybe I’ll consider hiring you as the new nanny.”
“Nah,” Vin says as Clara’s tiny fingers curl around his index finger. “I heard the hours suck and the boss is a major s-t-r-o-n-z-o.”
Alex sighs, rubbing his temple. “You’re probably right.”
“Hey, not true,” Madeleine exclaims. “This is your daughter we’re talking about. Your own flesh and blood.” She slips her fingers around Clara and takes her away from Vin, who pouts. Eli wraps his arm around Madeleine’s shoulders, looking down at them. “You just want what’s best for her, and no one can blame you for that.”
“But what happens if I never find someone who I trust with her?” He stares at Clara. “I never thought there’d be a time in my life when I loved someone so much I’d take a damn bullet for them, and it scares me.” He sighs. “I just want someone who feels the same way.”
Madeleine frowns with sympathy in her eyes. “You will.”
“Dinner is served,” the chef announces as she enters the room.
Cecilia leads us to the dining room, where the servers finish plating the dishes before disappearing back into the kitchen.
As Mauro and I follow behind, I can’t help but chuckle at the way Clara’s big grey eyes widen with every word Madeleine says to her.
“She’s so cute,” I mention.
Mauro stops and grips my wrist.
“What’s wrong?”
He swallows hard, looking at Clara and then back at me.Do you want one of those?
I grin. “By one of those, do you mean a baby?”
He nods.
I lift a shoulder. “Maybe someday. But right now, I’m happy with how things are with just you and me.”
The corners of his lips lift.Me too. But I also wouldn’t mind seeing a little one that looks like you running around our house.
“What if they look like you?”
He nods, deep in thought.I never thought of that.He shrugs.I always thought that if I had a kid, it would be a girl.
“You’ve…thought about this? About having kids?
I didn’t. At least, not until you.
