There were exactly 113 things she’d rather be doing than fix up His Royal Dumbass’s life.Drinking wine. Calling her sisters. Helping with Sutton’s upcoming wedding. Rewatching Pride and Prejudice, the 1995 mini-series, obviously, because Colin Firth was seriously fucking hot. He could get himself into her bed any day. He might be in his sixties, but he was one of those men who got better with age. Plus, there were the rumors about his sex life… yes, please.What had she been thinking about? Oh, yeah, things she would rather be doing… filing her taxes. Going to prison. Now, she would have to admit, it wouldn’t be the first time she’d almost gone to prison. She really should have been born a redhead instead of a blonde. Her temper did get the best of her sometimes.But no. Keira Warner, age twenty-four as of precisely six days ago, thank you very much, was yet again sitting in her converted corner cubicle outside the Crown Prince’s inner office, replying to reporters about the latest i
Late That NightSutton stood in the doorway of the nursery, barefoot in one of Luca’s old t-shirts, watching Miles sleep.He hadn’t made a sound since she laid him down after his evening feed. Her sisters had come around to see him… Even Luca’s family had video-called to welcome Miles home. Luca’s father was doing well back home in his beloved Italy. He had told them during the call that he expected to see them in Italy soon for a visit. She had also found out that Nicole was now harmless. She had no money and no friends. It shouldn’t have made Sutton happy, but it did.She didn’t know how long she stood there. But in the end, he came looking for her. So Sutton was guessing it had been too long.Luca came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist like he had done earlier, but this time his hands didn’t stop at her stomach. They slid lower, slowly and caressing, until his palms rested at her hips.“You okay?” he murmured into her neck.Sutton leaned into him. “More than okay,”
Ten Weeks LaterSutton stood in the hospital corridor, her hands shaking slightly as she buttoned the last snap on Miles’ going-home onesie. It was soft blue with tiny stars printed across the chest. She didn’t know why she was so nervous; she had dressed him so many times. Today she had more people watching her because today was the day… it had finally come. She was overjoyed that finally they were taking their son home.Miles squirmed a little, his fists pumping the air, his eyes fluttering open for a second before drifting shut again. His face was rounder now. Healthier. He wasn’t the fragile little thing he’d been the night she almost lost him. He was still tiny. But so much stronger. It was amazing to think that he should have only been born around now, but instead, he was almost twelve weeks old.He was now strong enough to come home, and she was more than ready to have him there. The last two and a half months had been draining on her, not being able to check on her son at nigh
Luca helped her out of the car later that afternoon. His hand steady at her lower back as they made their way up the front steps. He could see she was still tired and clearly still in pain. The doctor had told them Sutton could be in pain for at least another month—not only from giving birth to Miles but also from her fall.When they got inside, Sutton went straight to the room they were going to use for Miles when he got home. He watched her turn on the light and stand in the middle of the room looking around.He could feel her pain from here. Every day she left the hospital without Miles was heartbreaking for her and him. More so because her pain was there for all to see.“We’ll bring him home soon,” Luca said beside her, putting his arm around her waist. “We’re so close.”Sutton nodded and leaned into him for a second before she turned away and headed toward the kitchen. She needed water. Maybe a sandwich. But she wouldn’t cry.She was halfway through filling a glass when she caugh
Luca didn’t remember much of the drive to Lenox Hill. He was still wound up tight after his face-to-face with Nicole. He just hoped he had scared her enough to make her back off.He would never let his guard down until she was in jail or gone from the US for good.There would never be forgiveness. The damage she’d tried to do… to Sutton, to Cyber10, to Miles—if she’d gotten into the NICU, the consequences would’ve been unimaginable. He hadn’t even let himself consider what might’ve happened if she’d made it past security, if she’d found a way into the NICU. Just the thought made his chest tighten enough to hurt.But she hadn’t.His legal team had tipped off her lawyers about his intention to press formal charges. He just hoped she’d want to save her skin enough to bolt. Orange was not a good color on Nicole.His phone buzzed just as he was pulling into the parking structure under the hospital.It was an unknown number, but it was the call he had been waiting for.Luca swiped the call
Luca stood behind his desk at Cyber10 the next morning, hating the fact he had to leave Sutton. But she had been heading to the hospital to be with Miles, and Luca had to make sure she had protection every step of the way. There was no way he was going to take any chances with her life.His gaze had been locked on the skyline for over ten minutes, not reading a single line of the reports Jake had forwarded him. He really didn’t want to be here. He wanted to be with Sutton and Miles. He’d taken so much time off since Sutton’s fall. But soon they would be together.The only shadow he could see now was Nicole—and he had no idea how to handle her. If he didn’t do something, she would always be a threat, and he couldn’t see Sutton being happy living under protection all the time.He hadn’t told Sutton about the ongoing text messages and voicemails from Nicole. She hadn’t been stupid enough to turn up here. But she hadn’t stopped since his press conference.He knew Sutton didn’t want secrets