This right there was proof that she hanging around Maddie too much.
I couldn’t help but laugh. Even with my heart feeling heavy, I still laughed. Ayla had this charm around her. She made everyone feel welcome, comfortable. Her sweet smile would just draw you in, no matter how much you fought it.
Turning around, I faced them again. She was smiling cutely at me, her green eyes practically twinkling in the light with her excitement.
I shrugged before winking. “We made up. But we didn’t kiss yet. We’re going to need some privacy for that, baby girl. You do know that kissing leads to other things…like me being balls deep in—”
“If you finish that sentence, I am shooting you in the dick this time,” Alessio warned, but I could tell he was trying to hold his laughter in.
I sauntered forward, wiggling my eyebrows at Alessio. “But I thought you loved it.”
“Shut the fuck up, Viktor! Do you not have an off-switch button? You are in the presence of a lady. Act like a fucking gentleman.”
This time, I laughed, almost wheezing before I could speak again. “Ha. Like you act like a gentleman. We can hear all the boom boom clack every night from across the estate. Not very gentlemanly, I would say.”
“You little fucker—”
“Okay stop! Both of you!”
And silence.
Alessio paused mid-sentence, and even I straightened up.
Ayla smiled sweetly at us. “Alessio, play nice. I am so happy to have you back home, Viktor. But I think I’m happier to see you both bicker back and forth. I missed it.”
“I didn’t miss him,” Alessio muttered under his breath.
“Oh, please. You did. I think I heard you cry once.” Ayla raised an eyebrow.
Oops, she just took his man card away. Savage little Angel.
She was probably joking, but this shit was funny. For a brief moment, I forgot about wanting my brother’s wife. I just basked in the feeling of being home again.
I was finally able to laugh freely. And in return, I could see her smile. Right there, in front of me. That was enough.
“Breakfast. We need breakfast,” Alessio sputtered, his eyes wide in horror at Ayla’s words.
“And that was exactly why I came up. We went a little off track.” She giggled.
I hated it when women giggled for no reason. But when Ayla did it, it was the cutest fucking thing ever.
“I’m hungry. This little one—” She caressed her swollen stomach. “—is hungry too.”
Speaking of the little one.
“How far along are you?” I asked, walking forward. Without waiting for me to ask, she took my hand and placed it over her baby bump.
“Five months.” She smiled when the baby moved. A small kick and I couldn’t help but smile too.
“A boy or another girl?”
Ayla looked up at Alessio as his hands went around her hips, holding her more firmly. “No, we want it to be a surprise this time,” Alessio said.
“But I think Baby is a boy,” Ayla quickly said.
“Baby could be a girl,” he retorted.
“What do you want?” I asked, sincerely curious, because Alessio was about to be fucked.
“It doesn’t matter. As long Ayla and the baby are both healthy,” he quickly replied, caressing her stomach. I took my hand away, giving the parents their moment.
“So, it doesn’t matter if it’s another girl—” I drawled, watching for his reaction.
Alessio paused, only now realizing what this meant. When my words registered through his brain, his eyes widened in horror.
“Shit. No. We can’t have another girl. Ayla, I can’t handle another girl. We need a boy. It has to be a boy,” he panicked.
Bending forward so that my face was close to Ayla’s stomach, I muttered. “Did you hear that? You have to come out as a boy. If not, you’re going back in and changing your gender. Trust me, this family can’t handle another girl.”
If it’s another girl, we might as well switch careers and work at Disneyland, dressing as Prince fucking Charming. How wonderful—not.
Ayla swatted my head playfully. “You and the others are the goofiest uncles ever.”
“You mean we are the best uncles,” I replied with a wink before standing up to my full height. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”
Ayla nodded before quickly hugging me. “Welcome home, Viktor.”
“Thanks.” Holding her for just a moment longer, I reveled in the feel of having her in my arms before pulling away.
“I can eat three whole plates!” she exclaimed. “But I also can’t. My stomach won’t fit everything.” Ayla pouted as we walked out of the office.
“If you eat anymore, you’re going to burst,” I joked, swatting her rear.
Alessio growled dangerously, his eyes flashing in warning. But Ayla…she paused.
She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.
What the fuck?
When Alessio noticed, he quickly started shaking his head, his gaze meeting mine in panic. “No. No. No. No. No. No. He didn’t mean it, Angel.”
He looked like he was about to murder me, and I was completely fucking lost.