Page 96 of The Godfather’s Christmas Twins
I lift my head. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
He smiles and rolls us until I’m underneath him again. “Give me a few minutes, and I’m going to make you cry my name in pleasure again.”
29
MAX
Ihave a sensation of being watched. I startle, wondering if Nic has sent a hit after me. When my eyes open, I look into two sets of green eyes staring back at me.
“Daniella. Dario.” For a moment, my heart stops as I realize I'm in Gia's bed. I made love to her twice last night. Fucking hell, am I naked? Relief washes over me as I remember her insisting that I put my pants on before we fell asleep.
"Just in case the kids come in,” she’d said.
"Why are you in Mommy's bed?" Daniella tilts her head to the side.
"Did you have a sleepover?" Dario asks.
My children. These are my kids. My flesh and blood. “Ah… sort of.” What the hell answer should I give? I’m their father, but I feel woefully unsure how to be one. I glance to Gia’s side of the bed. She’s sound asleep, a sweet smile on her face.
"Are you making breakfast?" Dario asks, bringing my attention back to him.
“You promised pancakes,” Daniella reminds me.
"Absolutely." I leave the bed, careful not to wake Gia. I watch her, loving her so fucking much as I lead the kids outof the room. Despite everything that happened with Nic last night, despite knowing there will be consequences to face, I can't remember ever feeling this content.
“Are you staying with us now, Uncle Max?” Daniella climbs up on a stool next to the kitchen island.
Gia and I hadn’t talked about staying in New York versus going back to Vegas.
Before I can answer, the kids launch into their stories about arriving home and decorating the Christmas tree. I poke around the kitchen and find what we need for pancakes, and the three of us begin mixing the batter. The familiar routine we established in Vegas slides into place naturally, as if we never left.
Gia appears in the doorway, already dressed for the day, and my breath catches at how beautiful she looks. She gives me a soft smile that says everything we couldn't express in front of the kids.
"You need to hurry up with that to have enough time to get ready for school," she says, coming to pour herself coffee. “We need to leave in forty-five minutes.”
“Do we have to go to school today?” Dario whines.
“Yeah, we want to stay with Uncle Max,” Daniella chimes in.
Gia and I exchange looks. It’s not the first time the kids have called me Uncle Max, but now that I know the truth, I don’t like it.
“Listen, there’s something I need to tell you about Unc—Max.” Gia reaches out her hands to the kids and has them join her at the kitchen table.
“What is it?” the kids ask in unison, their eyes glancing at me before focusing on Gia.
Her brow furrows as she seems to seek the words to explain the situation. I’m ready to blurt out the truth, but I have to trust that she knows best how to do this.
“I’ve known Max for a long, long time,” she starts.
“We know. Uncle Nic says he’s sort of like your dad or something,” Dario says, making me wince because that sounds so wrong.
“No, like your God dad,” Daniella corrects Dario.
“That’s what I said.” Dario makes a face at her.
“No. Max has always been my friend. Someone who helped me and looked out for me,” Gia explains. “And then he was more.”
“Ooh, like two little birds kissing the tree?” Daniella giggles.