TAINTED LOVE

AN OLD FRIEND

MORENO'S POV

I almost choked on my water when Martha asked Bella if she was pregnant. We've been having unprotected sex for months now but I'm sure she's on shots. Pweeeh.....she almost got me there for a second.

I shook my head at how nonchalant and casual Bella was about it.

I couldn't imagine a little child of my own, they were noisy and annoying as fuck. Thinking about little eyes staring at mine gave me chills, those eyes that could manipulate you just like a woman's own.

The idea of having to change diapers, deal with tantrums, and all the other things that come with being a parent filled me with dread. And then there was the thought of being responsible for another human being, shaping their future and setting them up for success.

I wasn't someone who could be a father figure to a little human.

And I still haven't decided what I am going to do with Bella so I wasn't even going to think about that.

Even if I wanted a heir, I could hire a surrogate. I couldn't imagine Bella's protruding tummy or imagine her pushing a tiny human out of her vagina. No way! What was I even doing? Bella would leave as soon as she got the chance to, I couldn't waste my precioustime thinking about things that wouldn't happen.

Bella's sob brought me out of my thoughts.

"What's wrong Bella?" I asked confused as to why she was crying. "I miss my dad," She said sobbing, and pulled her up from her seat to my lap, patting her hair.

"I know this is hard for you," I said, holding her close. "But we need to make sure you're safe first. Once we do that, I promise you'll be able to see your dad again. But in the meantime, you're stuck with me," I said, trying to lighten the mood and she laughed through her tears. "I guess that's not so bad," she said, wiping her eyes. "You're not too bad of a roommate if only you could be like this most of the time."

I stilled for a moment, stunned by what she had just said to me. The impact that this woman had made on my life was undeniable. I had never felt so attached to anyone before, and it was starting to scare me.

Was I changing? Was she changing me? And if so, what did that mean for the future? I felt a rush of emotions, all swirling around in my head. I was confused, overwhelmed, and maybe even a little bit scared.

I found myself agreeing to let her meet her father, even though I knew it was against my better judgment. But the thought of losing her was unbearable, and I couldn't bring myself to deny her request.

I knew that this was the right thing to do, even though it went against all of my rules and beliefs. But something about Bella made me want to break those rules. So I decided that I would let her see her father, no matter the consequences. And I knew that when she left, I would be a changed man. I would go back to being the ruthless boss that everyone knew me to be.

When I told her father about our arrangement, I was surprised by his reaction. He was actually grateful to me for saving her from the Mafia boss who had kidnapped her. It was an ironic twist of fate that he had to sign a contract with me for her to be safe.

But I knew that deep down, he just wanted what was best for his daughter. He trusted me to take care of her, which I didn't plan to do initially but now I think I was going to do just that.

He was so easily convinced by my story, and I couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty about it now. But at the same time, I knew that it was for the best. If he knew the truth, it would only cause more problems. And so I let him believe the lie, knowing that it was the only way to keep the peace. After all, I was Moreno Armani, and my reputation preceded me.