Cato came up behind me and grabbed me by the elbow. “Baby, hold on.”
I twisted out of his grasp. “Don’t baby me.”
He grabbed me again. “I’m sorry, alright? I don’t know why I do that sometimes.”
I turned back to him. “Because you’re an egotistical asshole. Is this my home too? Or am I still a guest here? Because I thought after everything we’ve been through, having a baby together, being in love with each other, that I would have more rights than what you’re giving me. I signed that paperwork excluding me from ever getting a dime from you. If that’s not the ultimate declaration of love, then what is?”
For the first time, Cato was speechless. He stared at me with a pained expression, like he wished he had something good to say.
“I just wanted to do something nice for Giovanni. Didn’t realize that was so fucking terrible.” I marched out the door and left him behind, wanting him to think about his behavior and know that I wouldn’t put up with it. Not now. Not ever.
Thirty minutes later, he came upstairs.
I sat on the couch and watched TV, expecting to ignore him for the rest of the night. He would probably apologize and we would have make-up sex, but for right now, I was still pissed. We’d been having such a good week, spending time in front of the fire talking, decorating the Christmas tree, and making love in Christmas lingerie. Just when things got really good, he fucked them up. It was like he sabotaged himself on purpose.
He stepped inside the doorway. “Baby?”
I kept my eyes on the TV and didn’t look at him. “I’m not done ignoring you.”
He moved into the room then stood in front of the TV, blocking the screen and forcing me to look at him.
That was when I noticed the Christmas sweater. The reindeer pattern covered the green sweater, all of them with red noses. It fit him perfectly, but it also looked comical because it was something he would never, ever wear.
My mouth dropped open.
“Giovanni encouraged me to put this on. Said it might help you forgive me.”
I still couldn’t believe he was wearing it. And I couldn’t believe how handsome he looked either. The guy could literally wear anything and still look like the sexiest man in the world. “You have to apologize first.”
“I did—”
“Then do it again.”
In his hand was my sweater. He tossed it on the couch beside me and slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I know I acted like an asshole. I’m sorry.”
“And?”
“And what? What else do you want me to say?”
“Why did you act like that in the first place? The week has been magical, and then you switch on me.”
He shifted his gaze to the floor as he considered his answer. He pressed his lips tightly together, his jaw clenching as that big brain of his worked. He pulled his left hand out of his pocket then ran it through his hair. “I think that was the problem.”
My eyes softened.
“I never wanted this. Now it feels like I’ve got a wife and a kid…”
“But you’re happy—”
“I’m really fucking happy.” His powerful voice came out strong, filling the air with his innate power. “Doesn’t alter the fact that everything’s changing. I’m not the man with you as the prisoner. Now, I feel like the damn prisoner. I can’t escape your beauty, the way you make me feel, and I can’t stop thinking about you all day at work. On top of that, I never wanted a family, and now I’m having a daughter…and I fucking love her more than anything. It’s like…my heart lives outside my body. Everything has changed so drastically, and I fucking hate it.” He moved his hand back into his hair and looked at me.
Hot tears burned under my eyes, but I didn’t let them fall. I couldn’t care less that he wouldn’t say he loved me. He’d just admitted it in his own way.
“I don’t care if Giovanni works or not. I don’t care if you want to make Christmas dinner. I couldn’t care less. It just reminded me that I don’t have as much power anymore…because I’m sharing it with you.”
I hated it when he acted like an asshole, but when he poured his heart out to me, it made me love him even more than I did before. My heart began to love him even more deeply. “Is sharing power