“Oh, my gosh. Camillo. You shouldn’t have—”
“Save your words, my little songbird,” he said. “Cassie. Get the present from behind the tree.”
I dragged my eyes over to her as she pushed a massive box along the plush carpet of the living room. She grunted and groaned, her lips muttering curses underneath her breath as she pushed it to my feet. I looked up at Camillo with a quizzical look, wondering what in the world he’d done now.
“Just in case you want me gone,” he said quietly as he nodded toward the gift.
I held my breath while Cassie and I opened the present. The wrapping paper revealed a box, and Cassie immediately took to working the tape off. She ripped it from every direction while the two of us flipped open the lid, and the moment my eyes settled on what was inside, I shrieked with shock.
Inside was nothing but wads and wads of cash. Like the wad he’d pressed into my hand the night he came barreling back into my life.
Cassie was so stunned that no sounds were coming from her throat.
“What the hell is this?” I asked as I cried.
“I wanted you guys to be all right,” Camillo said. “I wanted you guys to be okay if things went south.”
“What does that mean?” Kevin asked.
“Nothing, sweetheart,” I said breathlessly. “Absolutely nothing.”
“Lining the bottom of the box are gift cards to various places. Restaurants in town and furniture stores. You can replenish the house you have now or buy a new one. You can invest the money and never have to work again, or you can use it to put toward your retirement and keep on working. I don’t care what you do with the four million dollars, but—”
“Four million dollars?” Cassie exclaimed.
“In cash, yes,” he said matter-of-factly. “There’s more in gift cards at the bottom.”
I felt dizzy as my eyes took in the sight.
Immediately, I took Camillo’s hands within mine and pulled him from the couch. I looked at Cassie and told her to watch the boys and not to worry about the mess. She was still staring intensely at the box, her head nodding to indicate she heard me.
Then I tugged Camillo upstairs into my room before I slammed the door behind me.
“Did I do something wrong?” he asked as he sat on the bed.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “You did absolutely nothing wrong.”
Tears were dripping down my cheeks while his eyes connected heavily with mine.
“Thank you,” I said. “So much.”
“For what?” he asked.
“For the best Christmas our family has ever had.”
I saw his ears perk up at my statement, and his gaze grew firm.
“I have a present for you now,” I said.
“You do?” he asked.
“I do.”
“Where can I find this present?” he asked.
I sauntered over to him and straddled his lap, my arms threading around his neck before my forehead rested against his.
“On the tip of my lips,” I said.
His eyes studied mine while I nuzzled my nose with his. He tried to kiss me, but all I did was lean back, teasing him while his hands grasped the small of my back.
“How can I enjoy this gift if I cannot reach your lips?” he asked darkly.
“Because the gift isn’t a kiss,” I said.
“Then what is it?”
“It’s an invitation, Camillo. To join our family.”
My eyes found his, and for the first time, I watched his icy blue stare melt into something akin to warmth. A sparkle in his eye I’d never seen before twinkled, and soon, I felt my body being lifted into the air. He spun me around, and I laughed. His face buried into the crook of my neck while I held him closely.
Then I felt my back hit the door, and his lips were upon mine like a madman.
He pressed kiss after kiss against my lips, and he planted his hands against the door while my legs wrapped around his waist. My hands cupped his cheeks, and our lips drank in the other’s taste.
Our bodies slid to the floor, him kneeling before me while I clung to his him. My back sank to the floor, the plush carpet coming into contact with the backs of my legs as he pressed me into the carpet. I could feel his cock growing against me, slowly and steadily, while his hands explored my skin.
Then, as if I weighed nothing, he picked me up into his arms and carried me into his bathroom.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR – CAMILLO
I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. As I carried Rose into the bathroom, my body was vibrating with happiness. I had the family I’d always wanted—the family I’d come to love and fiercely want to protect. The mother of my child loved even the monster within me, and I loved her in return.
I set Rose down onto her feet and slowly began peeling her clothes from her. Every inch of her skin glistened for me, flushing with a beautiful desire while her hands undressed my own body. Bruises and scratches and stitches came into view, and each time she found a new one, she pressed her lips against it. Her touch was warm and gentle.