Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
The perfect woman to be his wife and the mother of his children.
He opened the small gate and stepped through. He glanced at the stones of his grandparents, but went straight to his parents. Resting against each other. Mother and father.
“Hey, Mom,” he said. “Hey, Dad.”
No response.
“So, I did it. I got everything we had ever hoped for. Russo is no more. His empire has fallen with no way of rising up. We win.”
Silence.
“So why does it feel … wrong? I have a bitter taste in my mouth. Milah Russo is pregnant with my kid. You’re going to be grandparents.” He didn’t know what his father would say if he was right in front of him. “Her child will be a Russo if I don’t get her to marry me.”
He took a deep breath. “I guess Russo was one step ahead of me. He knew what I’d do with his daughter. This is his … counter fight, isn’t it? I didn’t ask for Milah’s hand in marriage, so, she is now going to be so fucking stubborn. What do I do?” he asked, looking at his parents’ graves lying side by side.
They had defeated the odds. Turned an arranged marriage into a love match. He had flashes of memories from birthdays to holidays. When his mother was alive, their house had been filled with love and laughter. It didn’t matter the fight that was going on outside or the war constantly raging between the Russos and the De Lucas. So long as they had each other, they could face everything.
Love.
That was what he needed.
He smiled. “So you still have all the answers for me, don’t you, Pop? Love. I’ve got to make Milah fall in love with me. Marry her, and then every single child she has will be a De Luca, and Russo will cease to matter.”
It felt right.
There was only one problem. He didn’t have a clue on how to make a woman fall in love with him. He was used to them falling all over themselves for him. He never had to put any effort in.
This was … this pissed him off. He had no fucking idea what he was going to do.
Running a hand down his face, he realized he’d won one war only to start another.
Chapter Thirteen
It started with flowers.
Beautiful arrays of colors that stole her breath.
Then came the jewelry. Magnificent pieces with rare and precious gems. The kind that Milah had no idea which was which because she’d never been interested in jewelry. Next, chocolates, from all over the world.
Again, she didn’t have an overly sweet tooth, and when she did want to enjoy something sweet, it often came from home baking.
Since becoming pregnant, she missed her mother so much. Being in the kitchen while the staff was preparing food, suffering morning sickness was … difficult. She feared throwing up everywhere.
Which was why, after Damon had come to bed, he made love to her, and this time, it had been love. He’d taken his time, drawing out every single moan and plea she had to offer before finding his orgasm.
She loved being with him.
The sex was incredible, and it was the only time she didn’t feel she had to be on guard. They were having sex, which went against all rules that were associated with being a Russo and De Luca. She was tired of that never-ending fight.
Glory had asked her what it was she wanted, and Milah knew it was a direct order from Damon. He wanted to know the final thing her father wasn’t going to destroy.
Beating the butter and sugars together like crazy, she got all her aggression out in the mixing.
Since learning she was pregnant, her temper had been at an all-time high. Where she once could ignore Glory’s presence and pretend the woman was her friend, she wasn’t in the mood to continue it.
She was protecting her unborn child. The doctor had already taken his time to call her, giving her all kinds of advice, and there was a prescription that all pregnant women should take, folic acid. She couldn’t recall exactly why she needed to take it or if all pregnant women were indeed forced to take it.
Once the cake batter was made, after finishing up with the flour, she found an ice cream scoop and started to measure them out into the cupcake cases she found. The oven was already pre-heated, and she’d just put them in the oven when Damon’s growl met her ears.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
Milah turned toward him, and in the cold of the night, his hair was a mess. He hadn’t bothered with a shirt, leaving his heavily inked body on display. She smiled at him. “I’m baking cupcakes, and next on my list is some cookies.”
She’d been craving them for so long, she needed to have one, like right now. Cupcakes were a must though. She wanted the buttercream. Actually, now that she thought about it, she wanted to eat two cookies with a cupcake wedged between.