GioHolding her in my arms after so long feels surreal. After months of looking, I started to think I’d never find her—or that it wouldn’t be until my child had grown. Well, children, since she’s having twins. I smile.One child with her is a dream come true—creating life with the woman I love. I never expected she’d be having twins. I’m so happy I could burst. Not only do I have my woman back in my arms, but we’re having not one but two babies, and Gianna is finally on board. That part matters less to me, but I know how important it is to Fenice.I pull away and look at her as she sits before me, her belly still exposed. My heart feels so whole.“Can we be together? She’s okay with it?” she whispers.“You heard her yourself. Or do I need to call her back?”She shakes her head as her eyes water.“Stop crying. I am yours, and you are mine forever,” I say, wiping the tears from her cheeks.“The rest of our lives, starting today. So what do you want to do? Where do you want to go? Switzer
ColeI watch my father’s car from a distance as he pulls off the road onto a dirt path. My men, who’ve been following him for the last four months, say he usually comes to this place twice a month. It’s an hour’s drive from Dallas, in a scarcely populated woodland area often used for hunting. Nothing suspicious about that, except he changes his car at least twice on the trip before he arrives. If he were only hunting, he’d have no reason to switch vehicles. So that must mean he’s hiding something up here.William discovered it was purchased a couple of months after the fire, bought by a shell company and not owned outright, which makes it even more suspicious. So far, we’ve been watching from afar, but I’ve grown impatient with how slow this process is going, so I plan to do a little more digging today and find out what he’s hiding.I pull off to the side of the road to park my car, planning to follow on foot. I open the door when my phone vibrates. I grab it and smile when I see her n
GioRing, ring, ring.I groan at the sound of the phone ringing. I open my eyes and glance at the clock—it’s nine in the morning. It’s probably Jillian calling. I took the month off work after we arrived two days ago. I’ve missed the last three months of taking care of her and bonding with the twins, so I want to focus on that over the next couple of months. I left Jillian a message to that effect, and I’m sure she’s calling to chew me out now. Unfortunately for her, I’m not in the mood to get cursed at. I grab my phone, about to end the call, when I see Gia’s name. She rarely calls this early, so something must be up.“Hey, sweetie, is something wrong?”“Everything’s great. I’m getting married, my best friend is home, and I have siblings on the way. I’m so excited!”“That’s great, sweetie, but why are you calling this early?”“Oh, I was trying to call B, but she’s not picking up. I know today’s a hard day for her. Are you at the cemetery with her?”“No, we’re home. Why would we—” I gl
Brandi“Are you okay? Do you want me to carry you?” Tes asks as I step out of his car. He’s been like this since we were in Puerto Rico, fussing over me and the babies, which is sweet but also annoying.“I’m fine, and I can walk.”“Are you sure?”“Yes,” I snap, answering a bit too harshly. I take a deep breath.“I’m sorry, Fenice. It’s just been a while since I’ve been an expectant father.”“I know, and I know you’re only doing this because you love us. But I’m okay.” I take his hand as I turn to look at the restaurant.It’s my favorite restaurant, one we’ve been to multiple times, but tonight I’m seeing Gia for the first time since I’ve been back because she’s been busy with work. Although we’ve spoken over the phone and she seems fine with us being together, I’m still nervous that she might see me pregnant and change her mind—or, worse, turn to those pills again.“Are you ready?” Tes asks, pulling me from my thoughts. I glance at him and the restaurant and nod.“Are you sure she’s go
ColeI rub the last of the rope on the pocket knife I always carry in my boots. Dad’s people took my gun and my phone, but fortunately for me, they didn’t find my knife—or who knows how long I’d be stuck here. My hands and legs finally free, I stand and head over to the window, peering out into the woodland growing darker with each second. Two days have passed since I’ve been locked in this room. The woman who knocked me out comes here once a day after nightfall to bring me food and water. I don’t know what Dad’s planning to do with me, so I should get out of here and get help from William and Gio to free Uncle Sly. They’re probably wondering where I am, but since William told me to watch and not make trouble, I doubt they’ll figure out I’m here.I head up the steps, looking for the handle, but find nothing. I run my hand over the door and feel nothing but a smooth surface. Shit—it’s like I feared. It only opens from the outside, which means I’ll have to wait until she shows up. She sh
“I’m sorry our engagement party was ruined because of that idiot.”“It’s okay. You have the rest of our lives to make it up to me. But Cole… Tes, I know you don’t like him, but he’s family.”“He brought us back together. I’m grateful to him, and I promise I’ll bring him back safely. Just try to relax. I’ll be back soon.”“He had you arrested, and now he has Cole. What if something happens and one of you gets hurt—or worse?”“Nothing will happen to me or Cole.”“What about me?” William asks. I glare at him as he chuckles.“But—”“Fenice, I need you to trust me. Nothing will prevent me from coming home to you and our twins. I promise. We’re about to board the helicopter. I have to go.”“Okay,” she whispers. I know she’s terrified, and I hate that I can’t give her more peace of mind right now.“I love you.”“I love you too.” She hangs up.“Any news?” I ask William as we make our way to the helicopter.“French’s car left thirty minutes ago.”I scowl. “That’s too bad. I was hoping we could
BrandiI wake early the next morning, smiling as Tes’s arm wraps around me, his palm resting protectively over my stomach. I turn slowly to study his sleeping face—the strong jaw, the faint stubble, the peaceful rise and fall of his chest. This is my life now. Waking up to the man I love, our children growing inside me, a future of shared meals, laughter, and quiet moments.I press a kiss to his lips and start to slip away—but his grip tightens. He pulls me back, lips trailing my neck before capturing my mouth in a slow, deep kiss.“Good morning,” he murmurs against my skin. “Where are you off to?”“To make my fiancé breakfast.” My breath hitches as his fingers slip under my shirt, teasing my nipple.“What a coincidence. I want to have my fiancée.” His hand slides lower, dipping beneath my panties. I gasp as his fingers stroke me.———An hour later, I’m in the kitchen, humming as I whisk eggs and flip French toast. The scent of cinnamon and bacon fills the air.“Something smells good,”
Giovanni“We’ve searched these five areas over the last four months and found nothing.” One of William’s men points at the list of French’s properties. We’ve been searching for Sylvester for the last four months. On the list, twelve are crossed out, and only two remain—yet we still haven’t found him or any clue to his whereabouts.“We’ll start searching his Mount Vista property tomorrow, then move on to the one in Utah.”“How long will that take?” I ask.“About two weeks for each.”“Okay.” I ease back into the chair and rub my temples. This is harder than I thought it would be.“You okay, man?” William asks after dismissing Mike from the room.“It’s been four months, and we haven’t found a trace. I’m thinking French buried him.”“Don’t say that.” William shakes his head.“But what if he’s dead? How can I tell Fenice? What kind of man am I if I can’t protect her and her family?”“Cap, don’t be hard on yourself. French wouldn’t have kept him for thirteen years just to kill him now. He ne
BrandiI sit in the chair waiting for the makeup artist to finish her work as my heart thunders in my chest. This is it. I’m getting married—I glance at the clock. Twenty minutes. I have been prodded, plucked, and tucked all morning, and now all I have to do is put on my dress and walk down the aisle to the man I love.“You’re still doing her makeup?” G asks as the door opens with a bang, and she comes rushing in. She has been in a frenzy since this morning.“Hey, G. You look amazing,” I say as I admire the champagne maid-of-honor dress she’s wearing. She stops and grins, then twirls to give me the full picture.“Don’t I—wait. Don’t change the subject. Why is she still doing your makeup? It’s almost time.”“I asked her to change the eyeshadow to something lighter,” I explain.“Oh, but we only have eighteen minutes.”“I’m almost done,” the makeup artist states.G paces back and forth. “How soon is almost? We only have seventeen minutes, and we need to get her dress on and do last-minute
MeanwhileBrandiI pull the covers tight and reach for a handful of popcorn as I focus on the TV. After cleaning yesterday, I have been flipping between crying and watching movies and TV shows. Except for two hours today, G convinced me to get my hair done because the wedding is tomorrow. I hope it is tomorrow, but I’m still uncertain what will happen because I haven’t spoken to Tes since I told him he has until Sunday to figure it out. I don’t know what he’s thinking, even suggesting postponing the wedding. How could he think I need more time? I’m so angry and hurt, I want to hate him. I should hate him right now for putting me through this, but I can’t. I miss him. I ache for his arms holding me. I miss his smile in the morning. I miss our family. I sniff as tears stain my cheeks.“Are you okay? Do you need anything? Ice cream?” Gia asks, pushing the tub of butter pecan toward me. I sigh, grab the spoon, and take a big bite. “Better?”I nod before taking another bite. “Your father is
GiannaI pull in through the gate and look around, stunned at the lawn covered in furniture. What is all this? I wonder as I park the car. Are they moving? Neither Dad nor B said anything before this. I slip out of the car and grab my purse before heading to the door, when I see Martha approaching.“Ms. Gia,” she says, smiling when she sees me.“Hey, Martha. Are Papi and B moving?”She shakes her head. “Mrs. Caputo woke up this morning, asked us to move the furniture outside, and started cleaning,” she explains.Mrs. Who? I furrow my brows when I realize she is talking about B. I guess she will be Mrs. Caputo in a couple of days. It feels so strange for her to marry Papi, but now I’m okay with it—happy even, since he makes her happy, and they gave me two of the cutest brothers in the world. I smile, thinking of their chubby cheeks.“Ms. Gia?” Martha calls, pulling me from my thoughts.“Oh, B asked you to move them out?” She nods.“She was in a frenzy this morning about getting the hous
BrandiTwenty minutes agoI examine the sample of birch wood on my desk. I like it, but I’m not in love with it like I am with the soft maple. I sigh. Why did the supplier have a shortage of the only wood I like? Well, it doesn’t matter. I have to choose one of these before the call. Shannon likes the ash, but ash is not durable enough, and I want people to pass these on to their kids, not throw them out.I need another opinion. Maybe I should have had Tes stop by with dinner and help me decide. I pick up my phone to call him but hesitate when I remember how tired he was today. Tes is already stretched thin with taking care of the boys, last-minute wedding prep, and getting his company ready for his absence during our honeymoon. Although he never complains, I’m sure he is exhausted. His only being able to have sex once last night is proof. That man never falls asleep before going at it at least twice.It’s a good thing this project is almost complete. Once we’re done picking the wood,
I need to find a doctor, but how do I do it on such short notice? I pull out my phone to call Jorge, my assistant.“Good morning, Boss. Are you coming into the office today?”“No. Jorge, I need a doctor.”“Oh, for what? Is Mrs. okay? My nephews?” he says, reacting as his usual dramatic self.“Fenice is fine, and so are the boys. I pulled my back last night and need to get it checked out. Can you find me a doctor? I need it today.”“I will be right on it.”“Thank you.”“You know, I had a problem once. I was in Colorado when my boyfriend at the time got a little rough. He was hitting it from the back. He can be a little rough.”“Jorge, is there a point to this story?”“Oh, right. So my back gave out. We were snowed in, so I couldn’t see a doctor. I did yoga for two days. My back felt brand new by the time we left.”“So you’re saying I should try yoga?”“Exactly. I bet it will have you feeling brand new, or you can go see those pill pushers who’ll pump you full of drugs and overcharge you
GiovanniWilliam pulls into the driveway and sighs. We chased her as far as the traffic cameras could track, but we eventually reached a dead end when she took a back road with no cameras. She’s smart, I give her that, and she is also striking to look at. I can see why William is enamored with her beauty, even though she is a thief.“What did she say to you?”“Huh?” I furrow my brows.“Brandi said she found you two together. Did she try to sleep with you?” he asks through clenched teeth. I can tell the thought of that pisses him off.“She walked in and pretended to be lost, then she fainted so I would catch her. I told her to drop the act, and Fenice walked in. I don’t know if she would have tried.” My voice trails off as I see him getting noticeably angrier.“Don’t worry. You’ll find her.”“How many men will she have fucked and used by then?” His eyes flash angrily.“What does it matter?”“They are touching something that’s mine—” His voice trails off when he realizes what he’s saying
I push the stroller towards the store, about to go meet Amber and G, who invited themselves last minute when she called this morning.“B,” I hear her call from behind. I turn slightly and see her coming fast, waving.“You brought them!” she squeals after seeing the stroller.“You wanted to see them. Here you go.” I push the stroller towards her and hand her their bag.“What’s all this?”“You asked me to bring them, so you’re going to look after them. I’m here to shop. Boys, your big sister will take care of you. Be nice,” I say, blowing each a kiss and then heading through the door of Hermès.“Wait. I don’t know—” I hear her behind me. “B, you can’t do this.” I sigh as she struggles to open the door while pushing the stroller. I roll my eyes, walk back to the door, and hold it open while she pushes it inside.“Why didn’t you bring one of the nannies?”“They are off on weekends when Tes and I are free. You wanted me to bring them, so you’re the nanny today.”“What? All I wanted to do wa
Brandi“Tes, come on.” I fold my arms as I wait for him to exit the car. We went shopping, and he agreed we would each pick an outfit we wanted the other to wear, and we got to choose the occasion it would be worn. He picked out a white dress and a matching lingerie set. The dress is to be worn to his birthday dinner next Tuesday, and the lingerie for tonight. I picked an outfit for our date in the park: dark-washed jeans, a tight-fitting t-shirt with a black leather jacket, and combat boots. He has been complaining since he stepped out of the dressing room, but a deal is a deal.“Tes, come on,” I call again, growing impatient.“I don’t think this is a good idea. I should go home and change,” he says, still sitting in the car.“We made a deal. You picked my dress, and that string you want me wearing tonight. If you want to see me wear that tonight, come out of the car.” He frowns as he steps out.I smile as I look at him. He does not know how good he looks, but I’m sure he’ll turn a fe
BrandiI take a sip of the shot, trying to pace myself because I already feel a little too good, and I know I’m on my way to being drunk for the first time in my life. I look at the shot and then watch as Gianna downs another one. Tonight reminds me of high school when she would get wasted, so I would have to take care of her. I guess some things never change. I put the glass down on the bar top.“No, no, no. What are you doing?”“I have already had five. You’re on your seventh.”“Eight. I brought you here to get drunk and party our asses off.”“One of us needs to stay sober and make sure nothing happens.”“We’re in Uncle William’s club, surrounded by security. Nothing will happen.”“You never know—”“B, he’s gone. You can relax,” she says as she picks up and hands me the shot.She doesn’t say another word; instead, she turns back to the bar and orders more shots. I look at the shot in my hand as her words play in my head. I know she is talking about Colin. It’s true that in the past,