Dangerous Desires

51

Antonio nodded again, his eyes lingering on the baby in Mark's arms for a moment. Despite his gruff exterior, there was a flicker of warmth in his gaze when he looked at Tenebroso. "Looks like the little one's out cold," he commented, his tone almost affectionate.

Mark couldn't help but smile, his chest swelling with pride as he glanced down at the sleeping baby in his arms. "Yeah, he conked out pretty quickly after his bottle," he said, gently shifting Tenebroso against his chest.

Antonio grunted in acknowledgement, his eyes still fixed on the baby. There was a moment of comfortable silence between the three of us, the only sound filling the room being Tenebroso's soft, steady breathing. Finally, Antonio's gaze returned to Mark. "You taking good care of them both?" He asked his tone a mix of gruffness and genuine concern.

"Antonio before you go, you should check out his nursery room which Mark did all by himself," I said gently.

Antonio's eyes flicked to me briefly, then back to Mark. There was a flicker of surprise on his face at my suggestion but he masked it quickly with his usual stoic expression. "Did you now?" He said, turning to Mark. "A nursery room, huh?"

Mark's chest puffed out a bit at my words, a hint of pride in his features. "Yeah, I put it together the other day," he said, his voice filled with a mix of confidence and eagerness to show off his work. "Want to take a look?"

Antonio's gaze held for a moment, assessing the sincerity in Mark's words. Finally, he gave a single, curt nod. "Lead the way," he said, gesturing for Mark to show him the nursery.

Mark led Antonio down the hallway to the nursery room, his steps measured and steady. He held Tenebroso close to his chest, the baby still sleeping peacefully in his arms. As they entered the room, the soft glow of the night light illuminated the cosy space. The furniture was well-made, the walls painted a warm shade of grey, and the baby cot in the corner was neatly made up with soft, plush blankets.

Antonio looked around the room, his sharp eyes taking in every detail. He ran a hand along the edge of the rocking chair, his fingers brushing against the soft fabric of the cushion. There was a brief moment of silence before he spoke, his voice low and even. "Looks good," he said, his tone filled with begrudging approval.

Mark felt a wave of pride and satisfaction wash over him at Antonio's words. Despite the older man's gruff exterior, his approval meant a lot. "Thanks," he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I wanted to make sure it's a cosy and safe space for the little guy."

Antonio grunted in acknowledgement, his gaze still roaming the room. He stopped in front of the changing table, eyeing the baby supplies that were organized neatly on top. "Seems like you've thought of everything," he noted, his tone begrudgingly impressed. 

Mark stepped forward to stand beside Antonio, gently adjusting Tenebroso in his arms. He glanced around the room, his eyes lingering on each item he had carefully chosen and placed. "Yeah, I did my research," he replied, a hint of pride in his voice. "I wanted to make sure everything was just right."

Antonio's only response was a single nod, but Mark could see a hint of respect in the older man's expression. They stood there in comfortable silence for a few more moments, the only sound in the room being Tenebroso's soft breathing as he slept against Mark's chest.

Finally, Antonio broke the silence, his voice gruff but almost gentle in its tone. "You've done good, kid," he said, his eyes meeting Mark's. "This room's gonna be a safe haven for the little one."

Mark felt a rush of gratitude and pride at Antonio's words. Despite the older man's tough exterior, it was clear that he appreciated the effort and care that had been put into creating this space for Tenebroso. "Thanks, Antonio," he said, his voice filled with genuine emotion. "I just want him to have the best."

As I rummaged through the kitchen cabinets, trying to find something to satisfy my cravings, Mark and Antonio's conversation continued in the baby's room. Suddenly, the sound of shuffling cabinets caught Mark's attention, and he poked his head out of the nursery room. "Babe, what are you looking for?" He called out to me.

"Food," I replied as Mark's brow furrowed as he saw me struggling to reach the top shelf of the cabinets. He knew I was experiencing discomfort due to my period and he didn't want me exerting myself too much. 

"Hey, hey," he said, emerging from the nursery room. "Let me get that for you. You're not supposed to be straining yourself right now."

When Antonio stepped into the kitchen and saw me precariously perched on the countertop, he raised an eyebrow in concern. "What are you doing up there, girl?" He asked gruffly as he approached me. Meanwhile, Mark stood there with Tenebroso in his arms, watching the exchange with a mixture of concern and amusement.

He knew I was fiercely independent and stubborn at times, but he also knew that I was not in any condition to be climbing around the kitchen cabinets. Antonio easily helped me down from the counter, his large hands gripping my waist with surprising gentility.

Once I was safely back on the ground, Mark walked over to me, a mix of concern and affection in his eyes. "I thought I told you not to exert yourself," he chided softly, his voice filled with a hint of reproach.

"I was getting food," I pouted and looked away.

Mark couldn't help but chuckle at my pouty expression. It was both endearing and a little stubborn, even in my current state of discomfort. "I know," he said gently, his hand coming up to brush a strand of hair away from my face. "But you need to take it easy, remember?"

Meanwhile, Antonio watched the interaction between the two of us, his stoic expression betraying nothing. He stayed silent, simply observing the tender care that Mark was showing towards me.