Page 24 of Queen of Misfortune (Shadows of Redemption)

I roll my eyes. “Just what this city needs, a bunch of Ricci bastards.”

His eyes darken. “Careful, Brat.”

I snap my mouth shut, not so much because I’m afraid he’ll retaliate but because my words were offensive. I have no problem speaking my mind and even being rude, but there is a limit and I was about to go over it.

Luckily, Donovan stops trying to chat. I turn back to the task at hand, gathering lovely little onesies and pajamas, a few blankets, and a couple of stuffed animals. Donovan trails behind.

But I find myself distracted by him even so. With each step, my awareness of him grows. Worse, there’s a part of me that wants to know what it means. To give in to it.

I force my focus back to the baby items, to anything but the man who makes my body heat and my mind fill with fog.

I chance a glance at him and find him watching me. I can’t read his face or his mind.

“Everything okay?” he asks.

I shrug and go back to shopping. I gather the last few items and take them to the counter. Then we exit the store.

“Where to next?” Donovan asks.

“I want to get Elena something blue for the wedding.”

“How about a garter?”

I stop and look up at him. “What?”

“A garter.”

“I was thinking of a handkerchief or maybe something with a sapphire.”

He grins mischievously. “Garter is more fun. And sexy. Niko will like it, and I imagine Elena will too if the way she looks at him is any indication.”

I gape. “What are you talking about?”

“Are you a prude? You do know that Niko can barely keep his hands off her and Elena likes it. A lot. That’s how they’re having twins. Surely, you know all this.”

I want to slap him. “Of course, I know about all that.” Just because I’ve never had sex with a man doesn’t mean I don’t understand where babies come from.

“I knew it. Giuseppe might have been old, but he could still get it up.”

“What is it with you and sex?”

“Well, I like sex. Don’t you?” His tone is teasing. His goal in this conversation is to goad me, and it’s working.

“I think I’m ready to go home.”

“Car is up here.” We continue up the street, and I can feel him laughing at me.

“You know, your sister is lucky to have you," he says, breaking the silence.

"She’s all I have."

“Niko and the Family are all I have.”

It makes no sense, but at his words, I wonder about Donovan’s story. Where are his parents? Does he have siblings?

My thoughts are interrupted when Donovan grabs me. I can’t lift my hands to defend myself unless I drop my bags. He pulls me close and presses me against the side of the building. My breath hitches, caught in the suddenness of his proximity.

His head dips to the side of my neck. "Play along." His breath teases my skin, his lips graze along my jaw.