BOW DOWN: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance (Barone Crime Family) (55 page)

I
took a deep breath
, looking off into the distance. The mountains loomed there, beautiful and imposing, never moving, never shifting. They were one of the two constants in my life.

Rafa was the other constant.

I loved Colorado. I had never thought I would, but for some reason it really agreed with me. Maybe it was the thinner air, or maybe it was something else, but I loved it.

“Cassidy!”

I walked to the edge of the steps. “Yeah?”

“Come here!”

I walked downstairs, smiling to myself. I had gotten a moment to myself for the first time in so long, and now Rafa had to call me downstairs.

Not that I minded. He was on baby duty, and he was an amazing father. I loved being around him and little Jonathan.

“Look!” I stepped into the kitchen just as Rafa lifted Jonathan into the air. The baby laughed and spread his arms out like an airplane, and Rafa laughed.

I couldn’t help but laugh too. He looked just like a little baby airplane.

Rafa lowered him down, laughing and tickling Jonathan.

I had never in my entire life imagined that Rafa, this enormous, terrifying, tattooed mafia man, would turn to absolute mush around a baby. But as soon as Jonathan was born, that was exactly what had happened.

We didn’t hear much about the mob after we left. There were rumors that some important people in the mafia had died, but nothing that was absolutely true. There weren’t many people talking about a Chicago crime family out in Colorado anyway.

Which was exactly how we liked it.

The Spiders never contacted me. They never got in touch with me after I left, and I assumed that was on purpose. Rafa had bought us new identities as we traveled, and we ended up in Boulder, Colorado.

Rafa was a car salesman. It was totally bizarre seeing him go to a normal job, but he did it. He said he’d love to go back to cracking skulls if he could, but he had to provide for his family. So instead, he was making sales and moving up in the business.

As for me, I was still a journalist. I was taking side jobs writing for local papers and slowly building up a portfolio. I had taken a while off to concentrate on Jonathan, but I was slowly getting back into it.

The baby yawned, and I reached for him. Rafa smiled and handed him off.

“You want to play airplane?” he asked me.

“No thanks. I want to put the baby to sleep.”

He sighed. “Yes, please. I need some adult time.”

“I know,” I said, smiling. “Come on, you.”

I carried the baby upstairs in my arms. I managed to get him down to sleep after only a few minutes of fussing, which was basically a miracle.

Back downstairs, Rafa was sitting on the couch, sipping some whisky.

“Bring that pretty ass over here,” he said.

I walked over, smiling. He grabbed me and pulled me down into his lap, and he kissed me.

I kissed him back, good and long.

I loved this man. Even after the baby, he was still incredible to me. He made my body feel things I had never imagined, and we were only just getting started.

“Listen,” he said. “I want another one.”

“Another one?”

“Baby.”

I laughed. “No.”

“Come on.” He kissed me again. “It’s so fun to make them.”

“Yeah, but it’s not fun to have them.”

“You know you want another.”

I sighed. “I do want a bigger family.”

“Well okay then. Let’s get to work.”

“But two kids out of wedlock? My parents would faint.”

“Fortunately, your parents think you’re dead.”

I frowned. I hated that part of our lives. We hadn’t been able to tell anyone when we left, and I had left behind everyone I knew.

He kissed me. “Sorry. Bad joke.”

“It’s okay.”

“Can I make it up to you?”

“You can.”

“Good.” I thought he was going to kiss me again. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring.

I stared at it. “What is that?”

“It’s an engagement ring. Marry me.”

“Are you serious?”

“I’m serious.”

“I thought it would bring too much attention to us.”

“Fuck it. I want you. Let’s make it official.”

“Yes,” I said. “Of course.”

He put the ring on my finger, and I kissed him, kissed him hard and long.

It was exactly what I needed. Maybe not what I ever imagined, but it was what I needed. I had my baby, I had my husband, I had my life. I felt complete and at peace for the first time in a very, very long time.

With Rafa, I knew everything was going to be good. He held me, kissed me, did things that no other man could do.

He took whatever might be missing inside me, gave it shape, and gave it to me.

He fixed me, righted me, and I couldn’t do this without him.