Page 51 of Targeted By Love

But then one day, when he was in his wolf form, she gave him the face right back, and we realized she was trying to be a wolf. Now that she was growing, she thought she was just like her papa. It was absolutely adorable.

“Come on, Luna, let’s get you all changed and ready for when Papa shows up.” My timing was pretty good. By the time she was dressed again, with a fresh diaper, he walked through the door.

The giggles. Oh, the giggles. The most beautiful sound in this world.

“Papa’s here.” I set her down, and she speed-crawled over to him.

He scooped her up. “Have you been a wolf?”

She gave him the lip again. So freaking adorable.

“She has,” I said. “And now that you’re here, do you mind?”

He looked at me for a moment, as if questioning what I meant. Then he saw I was still in my pajamas and nodded.

“Take your time, love. We have some wolfing out to do.”

He’d gone out for a meeting with his brothers earlier than usual, and I hadn’t had a chance to get ready. Luna had been super active all morning—building with blocks, trying to climb on the furniture, and so on. She was so close to walking that I suspected any day now we’d see her first steps—or maybe her first run. She wasn’t one to sit still.

I took a long shower, enjoying the peacefulness under the steam and knowing that the two people I loved most in this world were safe and happy.

It had taken me a lot to get used to Maynard’s career—his side career— his family business, as it were. I still wasn’t sure what to call it. Certainly not hitman. That sounded cold and calculating, and it really wasn’t that. At least, I didn’t think of it that way.

At first I waited for the brutality of what he did to hit me, assuming that would be a stumbling block for us. It never did, not truly. My struggle mostly revolved around my fear—the constant worry that something might happen to him.

Now that we no longer had to deal with the Seb situation and all the unease that that whole fiasco brought, the fear that something would happen to Maynard tended to sit front and center in my mind.

Maynard was strong, smart, and respected. I didn’t need to worry—not really. That didn’t stop me. At least I had our bond. I could reach out to him and feel if he was okay. I tried not to for fear it might distract him, but knowing it was possible was huge.

As for Seb, his husband, and my mom—they were officially gone. I’d been shocked when I first discovered she had disappeared, but my brother-in-laws did some digging and came to the conclusion she was with my brother wherever they were starting their new life.The rumors about Seb being in witness protection turned out to be true, and Mom and his husband were along for the ride. Better them than me. The house was sold through a third party, and until I heard otherwise, I assumed they were safe.

I still didn’t like my brother, but in a way, it felt like he was trying to right some of the wrongs he’d done over his life. Which, given I’d married into the mafia, was an interesting way to think about things.

The giggles in the living room had me wanting to hurry, and I threw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt before heading to find the source.

As expected, I found my mate in his wolf form, with Luna living her best life, putting on her best “wolf face.”

“Having fun with Papa?” I asked.

She ignored me. Of course she did. She was having too much fun.

“I’m going to make lunch,” I said. Wolves got very hungry.

I made a chicken Caesar salad for Maynard and me and a plate of chicken, veggies, pasta, and fruit for Luna. She was in a picky stage and didn’t like much else. The doctor had told us that if we ate different things than her, she’d want what we were having. The theory was that she’d ask for some of our salad. Some days it worked, some days it didn’t. She was eating the main food groups, so I wasn’t overly worried about it.

“Lunch is ready!” I stepped into the living room to see Luna standing up, holding on to my mate.

“Look at you, big girl!”

And then it happened.

She let go and took one step.

Then another.

And then down she went.

“Your first steps!” I cheered. “I’m so glad I was here for it! Do you want to try again?”