Page 69

A horn blares beside us.

“Stronzo,” Alex mutters under his breath, shaking his head.

“Stronzo,” Clara repeats perfectly.

I can’t help the laugh that escapes as I watch Alex’s eyes widen in horror at what his daughter just said.

“Oh great,” he groans, pinching the bridge of his nose.

My laughter spills out harder, and I press a hand over my mouth, trying to contain it, but it’s useless.

One corner of his mouth lifts. “You think that’s funny?”

I shake my head quickly. “No, not…at…all,” I manage to say through laughter.

His grin deepens, and then a low laugh slips from him.

The sound hits me straight in the chest.

It’s the first time I’ve heard him sound so relaxed. So happy.

And suddenly, I realize it’s a sound I want to hear more often.

When the laughter fades, Alex glances toward the waiting SUV. “We should go before he drags us in there. And believe me, he will.”

He holds out his hand, his grey eyes holding mine as one side of his lips curves up. The gesture is so innocent, yet it reminds me of the first time we met in the bathroom, when just holding his hand made me feel safer than I have in my entire life. My palm finds his, and he wraps his fingers securely around mine in an unbreakable hold.

Together, the three of us walk over to the vehicle and get inside. Alex slides into the front passenger seat while I settle beside Clara’s car seat in the back.

Caine glances at us through the rearview mirror before looking at Alex, one dark brow arching. “Just the nanny, huh?”

Alex shoots him a cold glare. “Drive.”

Caine chuckles under his breath and accelerates out of the lot, the engine roaring as we weave through winding stretches of coastline. Soon, we park by a dock surrounded by boats. We make our way onto one of them, and Caine leads us across the water to Capri.

The water is a translucent shade of blue, sparkling in the sunlight as fish of all sizes swim below. Waves crash gently against nearby cliffs draped in greenery, creating a beautiful view that makes me wish I had brought my painting supplies.

When the boat jumps sharply over a wave, my hand instinctively tightens around Alex’s.

He watches me closely with concern. “You okay?”

I nod, unable to tear my eyes away from the scenery. “This place is beautiful.”

Caine smirks from the helm, steering with one hand while the other rests lazily across the back of his seat. “It was my mother’s favorite part of Italy. Said the bougainvillea flowers made it impossible to leave.”

At the mention of them, I glance toward the cliffs, admiring the thousands of deep pink bougainvillea flowers spilling across the landscape.

Clara squeals happily when ocean mist sprays across her cheeks, tiny hands reaching toward the water.

There’s something about this place I can’t quite put my finger on, but whatever it is, it feels like we’re heading in the right direction. Metaphorically, of course.

Caine slows the boat as we round a bend in the cliffs.

My eyes look over the magnificent structure in awe. “Oh my God.”

Caine grins proudly. “Not too shabby, huh?”

“I’d say,” I reply breathlessly.