Page 41 of The Don's Secret Heir

I’m just going to help, and in return, I’ll get a tax break. That’s all.

I make her favorite, skirt steak with a marsala glaze and roasted cherry tomatoes. To cover all my bases, I also stick some chicken nuggets into the oven for Sonny, figuring he won’t have her sophisticated palate.

I wait in the dining room until she comes down with Sonny, sniffing the air.

She smiles and then stops in her tracks when she sees me sitting at the head of the table. I’ve already set the table, with her plate next to me and Sonny’s on the other side of me.

“Chicken nuggies!” Sonny cheers and runs to sit down, already popping one into his mouth before his butt hits the chair.

I chuckle. “I just took a guess.”

“They’re my favorite!” Sonny says, looking up at me with his gray eyes, and I have to look away. It makes my heart hurt to see how much he looks like her.

Did the father provide any DNA at all? Maybe he’s tall and lanky, like me, since Sonny is.

I can’t think that way. I can’t think about who he might be or I’ll track him down and kill him.

I look over at Liana and she’s pouting, her arms crossed.

“Come and eat. You must be hungry. I haven’t seen you all day.”

She opens her mouth as if to retort, but then watches Sonny eating happily and comes to her chair, sitting down stiffly.

“Is it still your favorite?” I ask quietly, sitting up straighter, and she nods, her eyes downcast.

Fuck.

She’s still mad. Liana only ices me out like this when she’s really pissed off.

I eat quietly and Sonny starts to babble about a new cartoon he’s been watching.

I smile and nod and ask him questions about it, and he gets more and more animated.

It’s cute.He’scute, probably because he looks so much like Liana.

But Liana seems to be getting more and more pissed off, barely eating, barely looking at me.

“We could watch it together sometime,” Sonny says shyly, giving me a sheepish little smile. I open my mouth to answer but Liana stands up, walking over to him and scooping him out of his chair.

“Dario has other things to do than watch cartoons,” she mutters.

I frown. “No, I?—”

“Besides, you like watching with Mama, right?”

Sonny pouts slightly but Liana doesn’t respond, just stalking up the stairs and into Sonny’s room.

Well.That went well.

I sigh and leave the dishes on the table. My maid, Stella, will come by later and clean up.

I walk up the steps, going to my own room for a nightcap, when Liana bursts out of Sonny’s room, softly closing the door and then whirling around to me, her expression furious.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she hisses.

I hold up my hands in defense. “I just... I wanted to apologize. With dinner.”

She takes in a sharp breath. “Well, keep my kid out of it, would you?”