Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 151410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Giulio pouted but didn’t protest again. Mom and Dad followed me outside and closed the door.
Once we were in the hallway, I said, “I’m dating Aurora and I want everyone to know.”
“That’s wonderful,” Mom exclaimed, hugging me as if I’d won a Nobel Prize. Rory was worth so much more than the Swedish trophy.
Dad clapped my shoulder, his expression hard. “Don’t fuck this up. Finding a good woman is like winning the lottery, especially for men like us.”
“I know, Dad, don’t worry. Which is why I want to show Aurora that I’m 100 percent invested. We decided to move in together with Battista.”
“Where?” Mom asked. She was probably worried about losing her grandchild and son at once.
“Adamo’s part of the house is empty. That’s enough room for Aurora, Battista, and me.”
“And even more kids in the future,” Mom added.
“Let’s try to keep Giulio in check before we plan more offspring with my blood.”
“That’s not your decision, Dad.” I chuckled. “So can we have Adamo’s old rooms?”
“Of course!” Mom smiled.
“Great.”
Dad released a sigh. “I rule over the West, but apparently, my ruling doesn’t extend to my own home.”
Mom touched Dad’s arm with a grin.
My phone beeped with a message from Aurora. I immediately clicked on it and released a sigh of relief when I read that her parents were okay with us.
“I can’t believe you’re going all domestic on us,” Alessio said when we painted one of the rooms in light blue and cream. It would become Battista’s nursery. Carlotta who was good at painting helped Nino draw balloons, clouds and animals on one wall as decoration. Massimo hovered around them half of the time instead of helping us.
“I’m a father, and I want to be with Aurora so this is the logical choice.” Massimo glanced my way upon hearing one of his favorite phrases. He tilted his head in agreement.
“I couldn’t imagine being a father right now.”
“It wasn’t my plan but I want Battista to have a father he can look up to.”
Alessio gave me an approving look. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”
“Don’t worry. I’m still the same fuck up when it comes to our raids at night. I won’t give them up completely.”
“I didn’t think you would,” Massimo said when he joined us.
Aurora came in with Battista on her hand. His eyes lit up when he saw the drawings on the wall. “It’s beautiful!” Aurora said.
“Not my doing. You got Carlotta and Nino to thank for that.”
Battista raced toward me, and I picked him up, then carried him over to the wall art. “This is your new room.”
Aurora came up to me with a pleased smile. “This is so exciting.”
Two days later, Aurora and I spent our first night in our bedroom. Battista was in his crib beside the bed because Aurora was worried the paint in his room was still too fresh. I wouldn’t have minded having sex once he was asleep, but Aurora wasn’t having it, so she was cuddled up to my side, her head on my shoulder.
“I can’t believe we’re having our own place.” She paused. “Well, kind of. It feels like we have our own place.”
“Minus any kitchen duties because Kiara and Gemma love to do that.”
Aurora laughed. “We should help them more.”
“I doubt anyone wants to taste what I cook.”
“You could clean the dishes.”
I groaned. “If I’d known this was part of the deal, I would have declined.”
Aurora slapped my chest hard. I rolled us over until I was on top of her. “People have lost their lives for less than hitting me.”
She rolled her eyes. Then she became serious. “Are you worried about this? About us living together?”
“No,” I said, and it was the absolute truth. “I know you, and you know me.”
“We know each other as friends, and we’ve gotten to know each other as a couple, but being a family is a new challenge.”
“I like a challenge, and I know we’ll master it.”
Aurora smiled. “We will.” She ran her hand along my shoulder blade then down my back in a very distracting way. “The conservatives will definitely gossip about our new living arrangements.”
“Let them talk. Nobody will dare say anything to your face, trust me.” I searched her eyes. Things between us were still fresh but in my mind, there was no doubt that Aurora and I would grow old together, if I didn’t get myself killed before then. Maybe she wanted me to pop the question? I didn’t really see the necessity of marriage. It had always seemed like such a superfluous arrangement. Why did anyone need a marriage certificate to be happy? But if Aurora wanted us to make it official in that way. “We could marry if that would make you feel better.”
Her face twisted with shock, but not the good kind. “I don’t want to marry because of societal pressure or because you think I want it. I want us to marry because we both want it.”