“Bosco…” I sniffed and wiped away my tears at the same time. “You want kids? I just didn’t think…” He didn’t seem like someone who wanted to be a father. He only wanted to take care of his business.
“Not right now,” he said honestly. “Not next year. But yes…eventually. Whenever you’re ready to start, I’ll be ready too.”
“Because four kids is a lot of kids…”
He smiled slightly with his eyes, not his lips. “Yeah, I think you’re a little crazy. But I’ll do four…six…whatever you want.”
I held the box to my chest, the diamond ring and key inside. “I love the ring…” He wasn’t giving it to me yet, but I wanted him to know that I adored it. That I couldn’t wait to wear it.
“It reminded me of you the second I saw it.”
I looked into his eyes and imagined a future I could see unfolding, a happy one where my husband would always be by my side every single night I went to sleep. But it was still cloudy, because I had no idea how this would work with my family. Now that I’d decided he was the man I was going to marry, it was time to do the hardest part.
Introduce him to my father.
He grabbed the box from my hand and set it on the entryway table. “I know there’s only one way you want me to ask you. That’s the only reason why I haven’t…”
I wanted my father’s blessing. I wanted my family to be part of it. I didn’t want to do this without them. Being engaged was about combining family members, not keeping them apart. I wanted my father to be happy with the man I chose, to happily give his permission so he’d never have to worry about me again. “I know.”
His hands cupped my cheeks, and he pressed his forehead to mine. “You were only gone for a few hours…and I was devastated.”
“Me too.”
He closed his eyes as he held me. “I never want to go through that again. I know I can give up the casino…because that was so much easier than watching you walk away.”
11
Bosco
Carmen was asleep in my bed—right where she belonged.
It was eleven in the evening, and my phone vibrated on the nightstand with my brother’s name on the screen.
I took the call in the living room. “Hey.”
“Did she stay?” he blurted out, caring about my personal life in the way Mom would have. Ronan was indifferent about a lot of things, very easygoing and casual. But he was obsessed with Carmen staying as much as I was.
“Yes.” My mouth stretched into a grin. “She came back.”
“That’s great news. I’m happy for you.”
I was happy for me too. When I agreed to hand over the business to my brother, it was full of pain and regret. The casino had always been my baby. I worked hard for the respect I earned in that place. Now everything was slipping through my fingers. But watching Carmen walk back into my penthouse erased all the bitterness.
None of that stuff mattered anymore.
“She’s a great girl,” Ronan said. “I really like her. I want her to be a Roth.”
“I do too. But we’ve got a long road ahead of us…”
“Her family?”
“Yeah.”
“Have you decided what you’re going to do?”
“We haven’t talked about it.” After we were reunited, we went into my bedroom and never left. As if we hadn’t just made love the night before, that’s all we did, choosing to communicate with thrusts and kisses.
“When you do talk about it, let me know how that goes.”
I was dreading the next step we had to take. Cane and Crow seemed calm when they thought there was a possibility I might go away. But now that I wasn’t leaving, they might get fired up and do whatever they could to push me out.
I hoped Carmen would fight for me.
“Let me know if you need anything, Bosco.”
“Thanks, Ronan.”
He hung up.
I sat on the couch in the living room and didn’t go back to bed. I hadn’t slept much last night, but I suddenly wasn’t tired. There was adrenaline in my veins, along with dread and fear. Anytime I wanted something, I usually got it. But in this instance, there was something standing in my way.
Cane Barsetti.
“Are you alright?” Carmen joined me in the living room wearing only my t-shirt. With messy hair and thoroughly kissed lips, she looked like a fantasy.
“Just talking to my brother.”
“How is he?”
“Happy we’re together.”
She sat beside me and pressed her knees together. “Your brother is very sweet. He really loves you.”
“I know. I’m very lucky.” He had my back even when I didn’t deserve it.
“He tried to convince me to stay…tried to make sure I wouldn’t leave you.”
I nodded. “He told me.”
“I thought it was sweet that he would put himself out there like that, confront me and remind me how amazing you are…like there was any chance I would forget.”