Lorenzo Beretta (Unseen Underground 1)

I needed her.

In more ways than one.

I pushed my shoulders back, giving myself a pep talk as I headed toward the living room—a room we never used. Vida ran around the sofa, her giggles taking over her entire body and slowing her down. But it was the way Aida chased after her, her hair whipping around her face and her lips spread into the biggest damn smile I’d ever seen, that had me wishing I was part of what they were doing.

“Save me!” Vida shouted, her face turning toward me. She pointed toward me, and I didn’t think as I grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her in the air. Aida paused, hesitation flashing over her features. “You can’t catch me now!” Vida shouted, and at the sound of her voice, Aida sprung back into action, running toward us.

I spun us around, boosting Vida onto my shoulders as I went, and made a dash for the stairs. “You can’t get away from me,” Aida cackled. I heard her footsteps behind us as I took the stairs two at a time, Vida’s little hands grasping on to my hair as her giggles rang in my ears.

“Faster!” Vida shouted, and just as I got to the top of the stairs, I felt Aida’s body collide with the back of mine, her arms coming around me to grab Vida’s feet.

“Gotcha.” Aida laughed, the sound so captivating, all I could do was stare at her.

“No fair,” Vida whined. “You cheated.”

“Did not.”

“Did too,” Vida quipped back. Aida raised her brow at her, pursing her lips, and whatever that facial expression meant, it had Vida changing her tune. “I’m hungry.” Her stomach rumbled loudly in my ear, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Let’s see if Mrs. Larson has finished cooking dinner.” I didn’t acknowledge Aida as I spun us around and jogged down the stairs. As we got to the bottom, Mrs. Larson was walking down the hallway with several plates in her hands.

“Did you want it in the living room?” Mrs. Larson asked, glancing at Aida, and then at me.

“Yeah,” I answered, already making my way back in there. “We can watch TV as we eat.”

“We?” Aida asked. “You’re eating with us?”

“If that’s okay?” I asked, but it wasn’t really a question. I was going to spend the night with them both because I had a feeling I wouldn’t get the opportunity again. Maybe it was wrong that I was using Vida as a buffer, but at this stage, I was willing to do anything to get Aida to listen to me, even if it was only for a couple of minutes.

So, I made myself comfortable on the sofa. Vida sat in the middle of us, and I bought a princess film for us all to watch. I made conversation with Vida and found myself fascinated with the way she thought. By the time she settled down after a belly full of pizza and garlic bread, I understood why Aida loved her so much.

It wasn’t long until Vida’s soft snores filled the room. Her head was on Aida’s lap, and her feet were in mine. I wasn’t used to this type of thing, but the longer I sat there, my gaze focused on the movie playing, the more I knew I could get used to it. It was something that had never been in the cards for me—having kids—but now the possibility of it had me turning to look at Aida, wondering what kind of mother she would be.

Her hand stroked Vida’s hair, her attention fully on her. I didn’t look away as her eyes started to close, her body tired from running around with Vida for most of the day.

I slowly moved to the edge of the sofa, bringing Vida’s legs with me. Aida’s head snapped up, her gaze meeting mine. And for a brief second, all that stared back at me was a woman who wasn’t angry anymore. A woman who could have been everything I ever needed.

“I’ll carry her up,” I whispered, trying not to wake Vida.

“No.” Aida shook her head, blinking rapidly. “I’ll take her.” I didn’t listen to her as I hooked my arm under Vida’s back and behind her legs, bringing her with me as I stood. “Lorenzo,” she whisper-shouted.

“What?” I walked out of the living room and up the stairs, hearing her footsteps padding behind me.

“I said I’d take her.”

I shrugged, not saying a word as I turned at the top of the stairs and walked toward Aida’s room. Vida stirred, her snores stopping for a second and then starting back up again. Aida growled, the sound causing a grin to spread across my lips. She was frustrated, but I had no doubt that wasn’t the only reason she’d growled. I’d caught her looking at me several times throughout the night, and although I hadn’t said anything, I knew I’d finally be able to talk to her without her walls erected between us.

Turning at the last second, I met Aida’s gaze and pushed her door open with my back. She narrowed her eyes at me, her hands on her hips, and damn if she didn’t look cute. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her that, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t go down well.

Aida rushed ahead of me, pulling her covers back just in time for me to place Vida down gently. She fussed over her, making sure she was settled, but I didn’t make a move to leave. I wasn’t done with her, not yet. I didn’t think I ever would be.

“Aida,” I called, keeping my voice low so I wouldn’t wake Vida up. “Aida.” She didn’t answer me, acting like I hadn’t spoken. She’d done that time and time again over the last couple of weeks, but I was done taking her silent treatment. I was done with her ignoring me. “Aida,” I said a final time, stepping toward her.

She let out a low breath. “What, Lorenzo?”

“Look at me.” She shook her head, moving farther around the bed and away from me. But I wasn’t giving up this time. I’d let her have her space. I’d taken a step back so that she could have space, but I was done waiting.

I grasped her arm, halting her as she tried to get to her bathroom. Her muscles tensed, her body frozen to the spot. “Don’t,” she whispered, her voice cracking.