Page 42 of Taking His Heart

“Daniella, welcome to the family,” Mr. Bianchi says before cutting the call.

I look to CJ. “Everyone knows we’re married.”

“I sent my dad a message last night, before the ink was even dry,” CJ tells me.

“You did?”

“I was excited, had to tell someone.” He shrugs.

“I’m excited too.” I stare down at the new rock decorating my finger. “But we have a lot to figure out still, like where we’re going to live… What I’m going to do with my job… How I’m going to keep my dad and uncles from wanting to kill you…”

“Your father was going to marry you off to the highest bidder, Dani.”

“No, he wasn’t. He only told you that to get you to do something about it. He knew I wanted you and he also knew I wasn’t going to be the one to fix us. He wanted to give you a reason to marry me.” I sigh.

“I figured.” CJ shrugs again.

“That doesn’t mean he won’t want to kill you for us eloping.” I laugh. “And my uncles… Well, they’re going to be a different bullet to dodge.”

Chapter Nineteen

Ever feel like you’ve been hit by a semi? That’s exactly how I feel right now. Like fucking shit. I’m doing my best to downplay just how bad I feel. The last thing I want to do is worry Daniella more than I can see she already is.

“Dani?”

“Yeah? What do you need?” she asks, stopping her current pacing of the length of the room.

“I could use a drink,” I tell her.

“Right. You should be drinking water.” Daniella walks over to me and picks up the bottle of water I left on the bedside table. “Here. Drink this.”

“I don’t want water.”

“What do you want?”

“You.”

“Huh?”

“I want you to come sit on my face and let me drink straight from your pussy.” I smirk.

Daniella blinks a few times and then shakes her head. “Seriously, CJ? You look like you’re dying and you’re thinking about my vagina?”

“I’m always thinking about your vagina, Dani,” I remind her.

A throat clears, and I look past Daniella to find my father doing his best not to laugh. “Heard you weren’t feeling too good?” he says, walking farther into the room.

“Move out of my way. I swear to God, Carlo Junior, if you’re sick because you’ve done something stupid, you won’t have to worry about an infection taking you out, because I’ll take you out myself.” My mother rushes into the room, stopping at the side of the bed.

“Ma, I’m fine,” I tell her. “Daniella is overreacting and really shouldn’t have worried you all.”

My mother turns to look at Daniella and then back to me. “Is she pregnant?”

“What?” I ask, confused, and then I see the devastation written all over Daniella’s face. “Fuck,” I groan as I shift to get up.

“Don’t move.” My mum pushes at my shoulder. “I cannot think of any other reason you two would run off and get married in a damn chapel.”

“Ma, stop,” I hiss and then watch Daniella walk out of the room. “Fucking hell.”