Page 44 of The Billionaire's Distraction

“But…you’re…” she faltered.

“I’m what?”he asked, tensing up.

“You’re mafia,” she breathed, her words feathering across his chest before she kissed the center of it.

Her gentle touch, the way she lingered against him, scattered his thoughts completely.Until her words sank in.

Mafia.

The word landed like a weight in his chest.For the first time in years, Tony felt something close to fear.A sharp, crushing fear that had nothing to do with bullets or blades.

“Excuse me?”His question came out rougher than intended.

Naomi slid off of him and stood, her movements graceful but flustered, and he couldn’t help admiring the sight of her bare, glowing skin.Was she trying to distract him?She didn’t need to.She always did.

Then she disappeared into the bathroom.Seconds later, she returned, still naked, only to gather her clothes and begin dressing in quiet efficiency.

Her voice was barely a whisper.“We didn’t use protection.”

Tony froze.For a man who could plan, implement, and anticipate any issue or obstacle in the path to success, that single sentence had him reeling.He stood, cleaned up quickly in the bathroom, and when her words hit him fully, his stomach dropped.

No protection.No condom.

Holy hell.

He walked back into the room, bracing a hand against the wall as his thoughts scrambled.“Naomi!”

She turned, her smile soft, her eyes bright—not panicked like his.She was radiant, glowing in his shirt and her leggings.“Did you mean it?”she asked.

He blinked.“Mean what?”

“Marriage,” she clarified, lowering her gaze to his chest.Her fingers trailed lightly over the muscles there, down his arms, setting every nerve ending on fire.

Tony gripped her hips, pulling her flush against him, needing her anchored to him.“Yeah,” he said, his voice gravelly.“Yes, I meant it.”

He wanted to kiss her, but hesitation tugged at him.The words clawed up from his chest before he could stop them.“But not if you’re only saying yes because of the possibility of a baby.”

Her laugh was soft, relieved, brushing away his fear like sunlight through storm clouds.She kissed his chest again.“I’m not pregnant,” she said gently.“If you recall, my period ended a couple of days ago.”

Tony exhaled sharply, almost dizzy with the whiplash of emotions.Images of Naomi holding a baby had already filled his mind—and part of him, a part he’d never admit to anyone else, had wanted to cling to that hope.

She trailed a teasing finger lower, but he caught her hand before she could undo him completely again.

“Yes,” she whispered.

His head snapped down.“Yes?”

Her smile faltered, nervous now, but her eyes held steady.“Did you really mean it?Do you really want to marry me?”

Marriage.

The word was a vow, heavy and final.But looking at her—this woman who had fought through hell, who had crawled into his arms utterly shattered, and still managed to smile—there was no hesitation.

“Hell yes,” Tony said fiercely, his grip tightening around her.

The relief that washed over him was nearly instantaneous.For a man who rarely allowed himself the luxury of relief, it nearly knocked the wind out of him.

“Good,” she whispered, her eyes bright.“Then yes.I’ll marry you.”