The Billionaire’s Secret Babies(19)

“You’re going to spoil them rotten,” I scolded him one evening when he showed up with a full playpen, complete with a mobile in the shape of the galaxy.

“I can only hope to be lucky enough to do so,” he responded as he swooped in to kiss my cheek. And then nibble his way down my neck… And then drag me into the bedroom, where he threw me onto the bed, flipped my legs over his shoulders, and fucked me until we were both screaming.

But a part of my mind can’t quite accept that this is really my life. That I’ve been living in this gorgeous penthouse, with this gorgeous man, who pampers both me and my babies every single day. Part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop. For the catch—because there’s always a catch.

I feel it in a knot in my stomach, even as Cassius and I strolled through a park near his penthouse at sunset, him pushing the stroller, my hand resting over his. The sunset that night was beautiful, stunning, and we sat in the park watching it for half an hour, smiling and laughing and talking about his day at work, my day with the babies. Even then, even in the middle of that perfect moment, I couldn’t quite accept it.

He felt too good to be true.

It’s been three weeks since we first met, when I come home from shopping with the twins to find a strange woman standing in the apartment. At first, I freeze, tensing, that knot in my gut unfurling.

Then she smiles and waves at the babies in the stroller. “You must be Luca and Lucie,” she coos.

“And you are…?” I ask, still nervous, on-edge. Why can’t I just relax and trust that for once, things are going my way in life?

“Lisa.” She straightens to offer me a hand. “Mr. Anderson hired me to help out with the babies for the night.”

I frown, my eyebrows contracting. “To help out? But, we didn’t…”

Just then, Cassius steps out of the bedroom, and knocks the breath out of me. Well, to be fair, he does that most of the time, whenever I see him. He’s always resplendent. But today he’s extra decked out, in a formal tux rather than his usual suit.

“Manila,” he purrs in greeting, and my heart does a funny little flip-flop at the sound of him saying my name. “Glad you’re here. I’ve hired Lisa to watch the kids overnight.”

I love the way he says that so casually—the kids. Like they’re our kids, not just mine. Like he’s sharing this responsibility too. Like he wants to be a part of their lives. Of all of our lives. But— “Overnight?” I ask, blinking in surprise. “But, don’t you have that meeting tonight, downtown?”

His smile widens. “Ah, yes, about that. Apologies for the deception. I just didn’t want you to make any plans. We haven’t had a real date night yet, and that needs to change.” Then he steps aside, waves me toward the bedroom. “You’ll want to dress quickly, though. Or we’ll be late.”

He really spoils me far too much. I’ll get as rotten as my kids. I grin at him as I slip past, and smile at Lisa on the way.

Of course, he planned ahead for this, too. There’s not one but three formal dresses spread out on the bed, for me to choose from.

I pick the red dress, to bring out my eyes, along with the black glittery heels beside the bed. When I step back out into the living room, Cassius’s eyes drink me in an inch at a time, savoring me the same way he savors a glass of fine wine.

“Perfect choice,” he tells me with a wink.

I blush, my body on fire as always beneath his gaze. I love the way he looks at me. It makes me feel like a goddess among men.

Lisa, meanwhile, is already playing happily with Luca and Lucie. She pauses between bouncing them on her knees to grin at us. “Have a ton of fun,” she says. “I’ll take great care of these guys tonight.”

“Thank you so much,” I tell her as Cassius helps me into my jacket.

“My pleasure. It’s sweet,” she adds, beaming at us. “Seeing a married couple that’s still so in love.”

My cheeks burn brighter at the misstep, but Cassius doesn’t correct her. He just smiles and leans over to ruffle Lucie’s hair.

“Have fun here with our little ones,” he tells her. Then, before I can quite process his statement—the unspoken meaning behind our—he rests his hand at the small of my back and guides me into the elevator.

The air between us sings with tension the whole ride down to the first floor. I feel electrified, ready to jump with nerves.

Out front, Amy has a car waiting for us—a full on stretch limo. I turn to gape at Cassius, but he just shrugs like it’s nothing.

“It’s our first official date,” he points out. “I had to go all out.”