14. Tessa

14

Tessa

N ow that the storm has passed, the air should feel cool and fresh, but it's still humid as hell. I have a feeling we'll have more rain in the next few days. At least I hope so. It will be a relief if so.

Sharing a bed with Harry is both a delight and a curse. While I love waking up to find him cuddled into my side, pudgy fingers buried in my hair, I don't like him wriggling around at 2 AM or kicking me in the face when he's had a bad dream.

The sooner we get back to normal, the better. Harry needs a routine and I need to get back to work. Assuming I still have a job. Derek has probably fired me by now. He isn't the most accommodating when staff have personal issues.

Madden and Cin headed out a few hours ago, taking a bunch of tools with them. The minute they left, Kade disappeared, leaving me with the kids. It's as if he can't bear to be alone with me.

I get it. Being around him makes me uncomfortable, too, for reasons I don't feel like dwelling on.

Harry's been content all morning watching DVDs, playing with a bucket of toy cars, and making crayon pictures, but we've reached the stage where he's running rings around the sofa and I'm becoming increasingly exasperated.

"Harry! Enough!"

"But Mommy, I'm a tiger!" He roars and pretends to pounce on Chloe, who's happily chewing her toes. Chloe looks surprised and then starts crying.

Maybe some outdoor time will wear him out. "Let's go out for a walk. You need to burn off some energy, buddy."

He yells with excitement at my plan, so I get the kids ready and attempt to fasten Chloe into the baby sling. She's heavy, and it squashes my tits, but I figure it's the easiest way to carry her.

"What are you doing?" Kade looks alarmed when he walks into the kitchen to find us preparing to leave the house.

"Um going for a walk? Harry needs to burn off some energy and I need a change of scenery. Figured I'd take some drinks and snacks to Madden and Cin." I point to the small cooler bag I've filled with soda, cookies, and chips.

"You can't go alone," he snaps. "You should have come and told me your plans."

"I didn't want to disturb you," I reply, trying not to lose my temper at the way he's treating me like a child.

He grinds his teeth a bit and then shoves his phone into his pocket. "Fine. Give me a minute and I'll take you."

When he returns with a gun tucked into his waistband, I raise one eyebrow. "Are there wolves up here?"

"Yes." He doesn't elaborate, so I leave it, but I'm pretty sure there are no wolves. Bears, maybe, but not wolves.

Harry hasn't noticed the gun, thank goodness, or we'd have one million questions to deal with.

I still haven't figured out the baby sling. It's far more complicated than my baby brain can cope with after a morning of Harry. Maybe it will be easier to carry her on my hip instead. Kade can lug the cooler and grab Harry if he does anything stupid. As a rambunctious three-year-old with no sense of danger, Harry loves to test my nerves.

"Here, let me carry the baby."

"Huh?"

Kade reaches out and takes Chloe, baby carrier and all. He expertly throws the straps over his brawny shoulders and fixes her in place. I stare at him while my ovaries explode.

"How did you figure it out so fast? I've been messing with the stupid thing for 15 minutes!"

"Used it before to help carry Madden's sister's twins last Christmas."

Seeing him with my baby in his arms makes me realize that perhaps the gruff mafia man has a softer side to him.

I can picture him as a dad, with a dozen kids of his own. So why has he signed his life over to my father? Once you join the mafia, you're in it for life.

Sure, some guys have families, but it's risky. A wife and kids are a man's weak spot. They become a target for your enemies.

It happened to my father.

My mother died because she loved him.

And he sent me away because of it.

"Ready?" Kade's voice breaks through my memories and I shake my head to disperse the negativity. There's little point in revisiting the past. Dad made a decision he thought was right for me, even if he broke my heart in the process.

"Yeah." I take Harry's hand and reach for the cooler at the same time as Kade. Our fingers touch and a spark of electricity shoots down my arm. We both jump back.

"Static," I say.

He mumbles something and then grabs the cooler before I can protest.

"You control the boy. I got this."

I decide it's pointless arguing. The cooler is heavy, and I need both hands to wrangle Harry. After scoffing half the candy Cin bought him yesterday, he's been surfing on a sugar high all morning. The hike down to the creek will do him the world of good.

Kade locks up and then strides away, Chloe strapped to his broad chest. I'm left staring at his peachy ass and trying very hard not to be jealous of my baby daughter.