Page 22 of Taking His Heart

I shake my head. “I want them, so much. I had to have a surgery a while ago and it resulted in me not being able to get pregnant.”

“What do you mean you had surgery? When? Why didn’t I know about this?” When my mum sniffles, my dad pulls her tighter against him. His lips press to the top of her head. “Why didn’t we know, Daniella?”

“I didn’t want to tell anyone.” I look down at the bed. “The only person who knows is Aurelio. I told him yesterday. I’ve never told anyone.”

“You’ve been dealing with this alone all this time. I should have known something was wrong. I’m your mother. I should have known.”

“I didn’t want anyone to know. I still don’t,” I insist.

“We can help you with this, Daniella. Whatever you want, I will find a way to make sure you get it,” Dad says. “If you want babies, I’ll find a way to get you babies, Daniella. Even if I have to find them on the black market.”

I would laugh, but I know he’s not joking about that. “You’re not buying me a black-market child, Dad. I’ll be fine. I will live with the life I’ve been dealt.”

“That’s not how we operate, Daniella. You are a De Bellis. You get whatever the fuck you want in life,” Dad tells me.

“I can’t have what I want. I’ve accepted that.” I shrug. “It’s okay. I’ll be fine. I don’t want you two to worry about this, worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

“You can have anything you want, Daniella. Tell me the one thing you want and I’ll make sure you get it.”

I smile, because I have no doubt he would. Except he doesn’t know that what I want is a person, and a male at that. “I want CJ,” I tell my dad.

His face screws up in horror. “I must have hearing issues, Eloise, because I swear my daughter just told me she wanted a man.”

“She did say that.” My mum smiles at my dad before turning that smile on me. “And if that’s what you want, you need to take it.”

“No, she doesn’t. You’ll get past this, Daniella. You don’t need a man for anything. You can do everything yourself,” Dad says. He’s always insisted that I didn’t need a man for anything, but at the same time has been the man who does everything for me.

“I know I don’t need a man, Dad. I love him, though. And I love him more than enough to not want to trap him in a life with someone like me.”

“Someone like you?” my dad grunts. “Honey, any man would be fucking winning the lottery if they got you. You are worthy of love. You deserve love just as much as anyone else. Probably more because you are a De Bellis.”

I smirk at him. “Thanks, Dad.” I lean over and hug him before standing from the bed. “I’m going to go down and get some water. But I promise I’m okay. Don’t worry about me.”

I get two steps out the door before someone pulls me into another room.

“What the…?” I don’t get to finish the question before a pair of lips press against mine.

Chapter Eleven

Iheard her crying. I couldn’t not go and check on her. But when I peered through the door, she was talking to her parents, so I left. But not before I heard what she said to her dad.

I want CJ.

I didn’t stick around to intrude on the rest of their private conversation. My heart did stop a beat at those words, though. Once again, I’ve fallen into the trap that is Daniella De Bellis, and I’m likely going to end up with another hit to my ego and heart after what I’ve just done. But right now, as my lips are pressed against hers, I’m thinking it’s worth it. My tongue shoves through the seam of her mouth. I don’t need to push hard because she opens for me.

Her fingers grip the lapels of my jacket as she pulls me closer to her. Daniella twirls her tongue around mine, and before I can think better of it, I’m lifting her off the ground. My hands under the back of her thighs as I push her against the door I just pulled her through.

Daniella wraps her legs around me. A little moan escapes her mouth and I want more. I need more. I need it all. I’m going to drag every bit of pleasure I can out of her. I thrust my hips forward, my cock pressing against her core, which grants me another small moan from her lips.

I pull back from the kiss to look at her. I need to see her, and when I do, it’s as if a bucket of cold water has been poured over me. I let her go, dropping her legs down. Once she has her balance, I take a step back. Her face is full of regret, not a look I want to see on a woman I’d like to fuck until both of us take our last breath.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Daniella says in a quiet voice. “And you shouldn’t have suggested what you did last night.”

I tilt my head, staring at her. There isn’t much I wouldn’t take from this woman. Because one, it’s evident I’m a fucking sucker for punishment. And two, I fucking love her regardless of how much I hate her sometimes.

“Ask you to marry me? Why, Dani? Scared you’d be tempted to say yes?”

“Yes,” she admits.