LOGINMy dad greets him with such genuine joy and excitement that it makes my heart swell with joy. They talk for a few minutes about Dominic’s day before dad gives him a little nudge back towards the gate where Kent and I are waiting. Dominic gives dad a kiss before running ahead again. My dad waves to
“Papa!” Dominic shouts, startling me out of my reverie as he drops my hand and darts down the road. I look up, a huge smile breaking out on my face again as I see Kent on the sidewalk just ahead. His back is to us as he speaks companionably with the butcher, a heavy bag of his purchases already hung
As I walk down the street towards the little Italian kindergarten, the whispers start around me, as they always do. I listen to all of them, a big German Shepherd padding quietly at my heels. “Is that her?” “Yes, that’s the one – I heard she was her husband’s mistress before he married her – tha
Both Kent and I laugh, but Don Bianci – across the baptismal font from us – snaps his eyes up, perhaps not liking the joke as much as we do. But I just ignore it, because dad’s right, frankly – and it’s too happy a day to care. After the final blessing everyone applauds Dominic – he likes that, bl
“Well, it didn’t seem to affect your first very badly,” Ivan says with a shrug, peering around Kent to where Daniel is laughing with an arm around Jerome’s shoulders. “So…maybe keep it up.” I smirk, squeezing Ivan’s hand once more before standing and moving to Kent’s side, tucking myself against h
“Hey, gorgeous,” Ivan says, his mouth turned up in a smirk as I cross the churchyard, beaming at him. “Look who’s talking,” I say, laughing and reaching for him when I come close enough. Ivan wraps me in a hug, dropping a kiss to my cheek as I hold Dominic a bit to the side so he doesn’t get squis
Kent is as cold as ice the whole ride home. On the way there, he had been burning with fury, his mind racing, desperate to lock her down, to burn down everything, if necessary, in order to secure her allegiance any way he could. And he had…he had just lost it. Twice, at the stables, he had lost hi
He smirks at me and, predictably, I blush. I scowl, really wishing I didn’t do that all the time. “So,” he says, giving me a friendly smile. “Apparently you’re the lady of the hour.” “Am I?” I say eagerly, leaning in, hoping this guy can give me a clue about what’s going on. “Do you know anythin
“Fay!” Kent yells the moment he walks into his house, storming down the hall. His household staff freeze and then scatter when they sense that something is wrong. Kent is passively pleased by this – they, at least, know their place. Still, Fay doesn’t answer him. Kent calls for her again, heading
Kent climbs out of the second of three cars that take him and his captains to the meeting. He has shown up in force today, his overblown security force a deliberate message to Alden. Kent is done being pushed around and will rally his superior forces to stop it, if necessary. Climbing the short few







