It felt so good to have him here, to be this close to him again. And oh, the sex. She’d missed every part of him desperately. He made her feel good in every way. And the fact that he seemed to actually be excited about the baby warmed her heart. But it also gave her a new dilemma.

 

When she’d thought of the different ways telling him might go, she didn’t think that he would be genuinely happy. That he would look at her like that. Like she was some kind of goddess to be worshiped. And then when they’d started to have sex and he was so gentle and concerned? Could he be any sweeter? Of course, she’d had to put an end to that. She needed him to go hard. That was what felt the best, but still.

 

She didn’t think he could be so kind and caring. And now she realized the problem. Everything was going perfectly. He was happy, she was happy, and she was now sure. She was falling in love with him. It’d never happened before. And that was how she knew. She’d never felt this way before about anyone.

 

She kind of regretted telling him at all about the baby. If she’d lied to her father, or gone with her other plan to go away for a year, she would never have known he could be like this. She could have gone away and had his baby and given it to a nice family and come home and the whole time, she could have convinced herself that not only would he not have been happy, he wouldn’t have wanted the baby, wouldn’t have wanted her like that, and wouldn’t have made a good father. But now, she knew.

 

He would be a good father and a good husband. He was capable of being a caring guy. That tough act wasn’t an all the time thing. He was tough when he needed to be, when he was protecting her, but when he was alone with her, the tough guy was gone. That was, of course, until they got naked, but that tough guy was her favorite. The one who took her and pounded her so hard and made her come like she’d never come before. She loved that guy too.

 

But now that he knew and wanted the whole package as much as she did, they’d have to fight. Her father would never be in favor of this. They’d have to fight to get away, and to stay alive. They’d have to fight to keep their baby safe. They’d have to fight to stay together. And she didn’t doubt for a minute that he’d do whatever it took to make that happen.

 

She couldn’t deny that the simple act of telling him meant someone would die. Either they’d kill him, which she refused to think of, or whoever came after them would die. They might even have to kill her father if he wouldn’t let them go. How could she be okay with that? Be okay with Ryder killing her father who’d given her so much and been the only parent she knew? She had no memories of the mother who died when she was just one. It was always her and her father.

 

Maybe, though. Maybe if they ran soon enough, it would be okay. If they snuck away before she was showing, before anyone could know about the baby, maybe he would think they just wanted to be together. Which was true, but better than them wanting to be together with their baby. Maybe he would think she’d been kidnapped again. Maybe they could even fake that and make it look like that. Or fake her death. If they didn’t disappear at the same time, that might also eliminate suspicion.

 

Ryder could get her out, then stick around for a while. Make it seem like he was looking for her while leading them off the trail. Then he could vanish, too. Yes, that sounded like a perfect plan. That had to be the best option.

 

“There’s something we need to discuss,” she said.

 

“What’s that?” He pulled her closer and rubbed his nose against her cheek.

 

“We have to run. If my father finds out that we’re together and that you got me pregnant, he will kill you. And he’ll never let me keep the baby.”

 

“I know.”

 

“You do?”

 

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Pia, I’ve worked for your father for years killing men for doing far less than I’ve done. You think I don’t know what sort of man he is?”

 

“Okay, so what’s the plan? I thought if we run soon, before anyone knows, that would be best. We could even go at different times to throw them off.”

 

Ryder shook his head. “If we run, he’ll track us down for sure.”

 

“But maybe we could fake my death or something?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

“We have to figure this out. I’m really scared.”

 

He squeezed his arms tighter around her. “You have nothing to be afraid of. I won’t let anything happen to you or the baby. We’ll be together. There’s nothing that can separate us now. We’re tied to each other for life.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Of course. You’re the mother of my child.” He smiled and shook his head. “I never thought I’d say that to anyone. And of all the people on the planet, I certainly never thought I’d be saying it to you.”

 

“But you are happy about this? I mean, you seem happy, but—”

 

“Yes.” He kissed her and looked at her with an intense gaze. “It’s unexpected, but so amazing. I’m more excited than I thought I could ever be. A little son or a daughter that looks like me and you? It’s going to be amazing.”

 

“My father won’t agree, though.”

 

“I know. We’ll figure it out. We have time. How long will it be until you’re showing?”

 

“I’m not sure. Another month maybe?”

 

“Then that’s plenty of time to get a plan in place and figure out what to do.”

 

“What are you thinking?”

 

He ran his fingers along her arm. “I’m thinking your skin is so soft and smooth.”

 

“I mean about getting away. What have you thought of so far?”

 

“Maybe you just move away. Tell your father you want to open another store somewhere far away. Like across the country or something. Then after a while, you just disappear. Your phone numbers are changed and no one has seen you.”

 

“You think that would work?” she asked.

 

“I’m still thinking through the details.”

 

“It takes a while to get a store up and running, though. What about you?”

 

“You wouldn’t need to actually open a store. It’s easy for me to vanish. I go out to do a job, say I’m hit, then they never find me or hear from me again. They assume I’m dead and that whoever killed me disposed of the body.”

 

“Okay. That could work.”

 

“Give me a day or two to work out the details, okay?” he said.

 

“Okay. Just hurry. I’m afraid he’ll find out somehow.”

 

“When did you find out?”

 

“Earlier today. Though I suspected for about a week before that.”

 

“And you texted me right away after you found out?” he asked.

 

“Well, it might have been after an hour or so of me freaking out first.”

 

He smoothed back a piece of her hair. “I didn’t ask. I mean, I assumed since you said you were keeping it, but are you happy about this?”

 

Her mouth spread into a wide grin and she nodded. “I am. And even happier knowing that you’re happy about it. We have lots to worry about, but it’s worth it.”

 

“Definitely.”

 

***

 

Ryder held Pia close and tried not to let her see his face. He was worried that she might see just how worried he really was. Not for himself. He didn’t care much about what might happen to him. But he could not let anything to happen to Pia or the baby. And if it took his life to protect them, then that was what he would give.

 

His mind was racing. How would he get her away from Matteo and do it in a way that didn’t lead him to come after them? He needed to find an answer fast. Maybe the ideas they already had would work, but he didn’t feel one hundred percent confident in any of them. He’d never tell Pia, but the only way they’d be safe for sure was if her father was dead. Matteo had too many connections, was owed too many favors by too many people. He would always track them down and come after them. There were only so many places to hide.

 

Would she hate him if he killed her father? And how would he do it so that he didn’t end up with more people coming after him? There was so much to this.

 

How he wished this was the type of situation where they could get their parents together for a nice dinner, tell them the news, and have everyone be thrilled. But of course that was Hollywood junk. When did life ever go like that? But his life was always a chaotic mess, wasn’t it? Having a baby was about the most normal thing he’d ever done.

 

How would he do this? If they left, it would mean leaving his source of income. Not that it would be hard to get paid for hits somewhere else, but what kind of job was that for a father? He’d need a more stable, safer job. Something legal. But how in the world would he do that? Go straight? That was something only pansies did, and when you worked for the mob, you didn’t just quit. The only way out was death.

 

Maybe they would have to hide forever. Hide from the mafia. Yeah. That would work. His stomach tightened. Was there any way he could pull this off? Any way they could live and be together and raise a family and be safe? There had to be, and he would find it.

 

He looked down and it seemed that Pia was already asleep. He couldn’t stay in here, much as he wanted to. They would be able to spend every night together one day, he told himself.

 

He gently eased his arm out from under her, but she stirred. He leaned down to kiss her. “I’ll see you later.”

 

“You’re leaving?” She sat up, now wide awake.

 

“Too risky to sleep in here.”

 

Her face fell. “Right. You’re right, I just…was hoping you could.”

 

He put his palm to her cheek, then kissed her again. “Soon. Someday soon we’ll have every night together.”

 

She pressed her lips together and nodded. Was she trying not to cry? He looked away and pulled on his clothes before she could convince him to do something stupid.

 

“I’ll talk to you soon,” he said.

 

She watched from her bed as he went to the door. He turned it slowly and peeked into the hall before giving her one final glance and shutting the door behind him. When he was back in the guest room, he relaxed some. No one had seen him.

 

He lay down in the bed, but doubted he would sleep tonight. Too many things to consider and work through. He got up after a while and paced the room, looking outside to the dark sky to help draw his attention away from his problems.

 

Really, when it came down to it, he could just keep killing people. If he killed all the guys who cared if Matteo died, then there would be no one left to chase after them. It was a family issue, after all. Matteo had only one brother. It was a small family for the mob. Not too many people around to avenge his death.

 

He’d likely have to kill Matteo and his brother. Maybe one or two of the top guys. Not too bad. Five, maybe seven guys. That was only a month or two of work. Of course mafia guys like Matteo were harder to kill. Ryder had taught him too much about being careful. That also meant he knew all his tricks. He knew his weaknesses. And right now, he still had direct access to his home.

 

He could sneak in while he was sleeping and put a bullet in his head, poison his food, cut his brake lines. So many ways to take someone out. And when you slept in the same house as them, it was just that much easier.

 

This thought gave him a small measure of comfort. He’d simply kill anyone who got in their way. Easy as that. This didn’t have to be tricky. They wouldn’t have to hide. Now it was just a matter of when to do it.

 

He lay back down and forced himself to sleep.

 

***

 

When he woke in the morning, he went downstairs to the kitchen, helped himself to some coffee, and then sat at the kitchen table, hoping for Pia to show up.

 

She must have been worn out though, because she didn’t show up after an hour or so, and he wanted to be out of there by the time Matteo got up. He finished his coffee and headed home.

 

When he walked in his house, everything started to look different. He stood in the kitchen, eating an apple, and looked into the living room. He could imagine a play pen there, a scattering of toys. On the kitchen counter, a rack of bottles drying. In the extra bedroom, a crib, a changing table, more baby toys.

 

He knew Pia and the baby would never actually live in this house, but surely whatever house they ended up living in would have all of those things. Baby gear everywhere. A friend of his had had a baby a few years back. Ryder went to help him load the gifts in his truck after the baby shower. At first he’d thought his friend was joking asking for his help, but when they got there and started loading up the gifts, he knew it was no joke. The crib, the rocker, the changing table, the playpen, the diaper pail, the clothes and toys and blankets. It was absurd how much a tiny human required. But he wanted all of that stuff all over his house.

 

He laughed. “Ryder, you have gone absolutely soft over this chick.”

 

Except it was only his outlook and attitude that had softened. His dick had been rock hard since the night before. He was already thinking about the next time he would see her.

 

He changed into fresh clothes and his phone rang before he could sit down with his bowl of cereal.

 

“Ryder,” he answered.

 

“I need you to come and give the full report to everyone,” Matteo said.

 

The full report? Hadn’t he given him that the night before? “When?”

 

“As soon as possible.”

 

“Give me thirty.”

 

“See you then.”

 

He quickly ate his cereal, wondering what the hell this was about. Since when did Matteo make him give a full, detailed report to everyone? Any other time, his word that it was done was good enough. Other guys had to report in like that, but not him. Something was up.

 

He drove over there, heart pounding with anxiety over whatever Matteo was up to and the possibility that he might see Pia.

 

He knocked on the door, was greeted by the housekeeper, and led to the conference room. Matteo sat at the head of the table, two of his bosses on either side, plus a few lackeys. Ryder faced the room, glad he’d brought more than one gun.

 

“What’s this about?” Ryder asked. “I gave you the details last night.”

 

“This situation is a bit more complicated than we anticipated,” Matteo said.

 

“How’s that?”

 

“Have a seat.” He gestured to the empty chair at the end of the table, opposite him. “Why don’t you give us the rundown of the last eight weeks.”

 

The last eight weeks? Why in the world would he need that? Ryder narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced around the room. They all seemed at ease. He knew what signs to look for. Fidgeting, sweating, general discomfort. Even mob guys had their tells. But they all seemed completely cool and collected. Ryder took in a breath and relaxed some.

 

“When I started tracking Pia’s attackers, we had some false info. The guy who was caught gave up some intel, but then he got away and had time to move before we could go after them.”

 

“Before that,” Matteo said.

 

“Before?”

 

“What were you doing before you started tracking them?”

 

“You assigned me to guard Pia personally.”

 

“And you did that?” Matteo pressed his pointer fingers together and they all watched him.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Did anything happen while you were guarding her?”

 

“Her attacker did not show up and neither did anyone else. She was perfectly safe the entire time.” Ryder tried like hell to stay cool. Something in the way Matteo asked about Pia had him on alert.

 

“Did anything else happen to her while you were with her?”

 

He laughed to ease the tension. “Sure. She broke a nail opening her car door, I think there was one bad hair day, she got ink on her pants at the shop, and the worst was when she ordered a skinny latte and they put whipped cream on top by accident.”

 

A few of the guys chuckled, but Matteo glared. “You seem to know her pretty well.”

 

“You get to know someone pretty good after following them around for eight weeks. I also know that red heels are all the rage this season.” Ryder sat back in his chair and picked his nails.

 

“And during the time that you were tracking down her attackers, did you see her?”

 

“Only in passing. Once, she was walking out to her car when I pulled up here. Once I drove by the shop when I was in the area. Did that a few times, actually, just to make sure no one showed back up without us hearing about it first.” Best to give him something to go on, he thought. Clearly, he had some piece of info he was trying to trick Ryder into saying. As much truth as possible, lie only where necessary. Worked most of the time.

 

“And last night you killed her attacker?”

 

“Yes. The man who tried to kidnap her and one other man working with him. Both are dead.”

 

“And how many times did you talk to Pia between the time you were sent after her attackers and last night?”

 

“Not once.” Technically, that wasn’t even a lie. So long as “between” didn’t include last night.

 

Matteo stared at him for a long time.

 

“Any other questions?” He looked around the room.

 

So, all the info he needed originally, he now no longer needed? This was bizarre. He had to know something was up with him and Pia. Why else bring him here and ask him those types of questions. He didn’t even have him give a full report, which was why he was supposedly there in the first place.

 

“You may go,” Matteo said. “Johnny will walk you out.”

 

That, too, was highly odd. Ryder kept his eyes on Johnny the whole time. But surely, if they were going to kill him, they wouldn’t do it right at the house. No, he’d tried to get him in the car and take him somewhere.

 

Ryder walked far enough away from Johnny that he’d be able to see when he made his move. But Johnny stopped at the front door and let him walk through it.

 

“Good work,” Johnny called after him.

 

Ryder turned and gave him a nod of his head. Johnny smirked back at him.

 

He got into his car, still waiting for something to go down. A bomb in his car? No, again, not at the house. He kept his eyes peeled as he drove home, slowly. He made several turns that were not part of his usual route. He circled back around a few times, but there was definitely no one following him.

 

Were they waiting at his house, then? They planned to ambush him? Ryder went to his house and parked across the street. He sat and watched for a full half hour, but nothing happened. No one was there unless they were very, very good at hiding.

 

He went inside without incident. Then he started to think he was going crazy. Had he imagined the whole thing? Was it just his guilt making him think the situation was strange? Either way, his paranoia was on overdrive. He checked all the windows, the lock and the deadbolt, and the back door. He slid a chair in front of it, tipped it under the knob so he’d hear it fall if someone came in.

 

He rigged the front door, too, with a string of jingle bells he’d stuffed in a drawer at Christmas time. No one would come through a door without him knowing. Most of the windows were painted shut in this old house and the ones that weren’t stuck so bad, you’d have to make a racket opening it. He wasn’t worried about someone coming in through a window.

 

But he was worried about Pia. He had to tell her to be more careful. She should be at the shop today. It would be safer than texting her phone or calling. Matteo paid her bill, so he had to have access to her phone records. He wouldn’t dare go to the shop, out in public, where someone could see him. He’d need to get her a prepaid phone.

 

He waited until around lunchtime, when it was usually busy in the shop and she often answered the phone. The first time he called, it was one of her sales people who answered. He asked what time they closed. The next time, it was a different sales person. He was starting to think she hadn’t gone in today.

 

But the third time, she answered. He sighed in relief.

 

“Don’t say my name.”

 

“Okay,” she said slowly.

 

“We have to be extra careful. I think your father may be onto something.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Well,” he said, “he’s been acting strange and asking a lot of questions. He may know something.”

 

“How could that happen?”

 

“I don’t know. But don’t call or text me from your phone. Can you buy a prepaid phone today? With cash?”

 

“Sure.” She sounded worried.

 

“Hopefully it’s nothing. I’d rather be safe than sorry until we can figure out what we’re going to do.”

 

“Right, no, I understand.”

 

“Are you feeling okay?” he asked.

 

“Yeah. Tired, but that’s usual these days.”

 

“Right. Get the phone today and call me on your way home, okay?”

 

“I will.”