The Devil's Boxer (Minor Family Supremacy Series: Pete)

Chapter 2: Pete

"I just don't see why you need me out here as well," Vegas grumbled for the third time. I shut my eyes tight, counting to ten in my head and reminding myself that I loved Vegas. So much. I wanted to keep him alive.

When I felt my tone would be steady enough, I said, "We are having family time in the garden, and you can just read your book if you want."

I smiled broadly at Venice, whose chubby cheeks mirrored my own. He gurgled something in baby talk and I praised him immensely. I heard Vegas sigh from behind me but I chose to ignore him.

Suddenly, I felt a warm breath tickling the hair on my neck as Vegas wrapped his arms around me, his book held open in one hand. Vegas always had been one of the few men to be able to sneak up on me. I heard him chuckle lightly when I flinched and fought the urge to elbow him in the stomach. Perhaps later, when I wasn't holding our son.

Vegas leaned into me as he continued reading his book, and I pressed back, loving the feeling of his body pressed against mine. When his legs started to tire from squatting, he set his book down to stretch his legs out on either side of my waist, using one arm for support while the other wrapped tightly around my waist. I shifted to let Venice down to crawl around the large picnic blanket I had set out for him before leaning fully back into Vegas's chest. I was a little broader than he was, so I had to lean at a slight angle to rest my head on his shoulder. I felt him hum as he pressed a firm kiss to my brow. The sun was beating down on us, making me feel lazy and warm.

"We should take Venice inside soon, I don't want the sun to burn him."

"He's wearing his sunhat."

I clucked my disapproval and leaned aside to look Vegas in the eye. "The hat only covers his head. Besides, it's about time for his nap."

Vegas smirked at this comment and I rolled my eyes, feeling my ears start to burn. Even months after we started our journey together, Vegas still gave me intense butterflies when he looked at me like that.

I picked up my precious son and his toys while Vegas started folding up the blanket, his dark eyes fixed on me the entire time. I could feel the weight of his attention and it awoke something in me that never truly slumbered. Once I finished changing Venice's diaper and placed a kiss on each of his cheeks while he blinked sleepily, I laid him in his crib and turned out the lights, only leaving on his baby monitor. I was startled again to see Vegas waiting for me patiently, leaning against the door frame.

"I need to wash my hands, I just changed a diaper, then I want to shower," I said quietly as I moved past him. Vegas spun on his heel, closing the door silently and sprinting after me. We both knew we had a short and unpredictable amount of time before Venice awoke again.

As I knew he would, Vegas joined me in the shower, pressing my back against the cold tile as he attacked my mouth hungrily. I kissed him back, biting his lower lip and gazing at him through eyelids heavy with lust.

"This will just be an appetizer," Vegas promised in a low and measured voice, "Of what will come tonight."

We both knew that we might be too exhausted later, but that didn't stop his words from raising my core temperature significantly. He was so incredibly hot, and he knew it.

Once Vegas recovered enough physically and Venice became slightly less of a handful, the sex between us had been dynamic. It was like we were newlyweds who couldn't keep our hands off of each other. I hoped it never changed.

Turning off the water I growled, "Bed. Now."

Vegas didn't hesitate, throwing me a towel so we could dry ourselves just enough that the sheets wouldn't be too soaked.